# Something Completely Different



## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

I don't use the Snowex 7500 I bought for salt or sand.
I am trying to use to as a hopper that will dispense dirt at the required rate.

I have a gold mine in the Yukon. We sluice at about 300 yards of pay dirt an hour. That pay dirt can be anywhere fron fine sand to 3 foot boulders. 
After an number, 40-80 hours we shut it down and clean out the sluices. This is done by washing the mats in on a enclosed steel bed and the result in a slurry with no more than 3/4" rocks but mostly 1/4 inch minus. This flows through pipes and down to a one cubic foot tote box. The tote quickly fills with water and the concentrate settles out and stays in the tote while the water flows over the sides.
We end up with an almost full tote of concentrate mixed with water. We pump off the extra water on the top and transport that tote to the gold processing room. 
Then I have to shovel out that tote into a hopper that feeds the machine that separates the gold from the gravel. The live bottom sluice.

The issue is that I am too old to enjoy shoveling. 
I bought a used Snowex 7500 in the hopes that I could use it as the hopper and get the Snowex 7500 to auger out the concentrate at the correct speed into the live bottom sluice that cleans the gold. It does not have to be preciece as the machine has its own auger feed. 
There are two problems I have found:
First, the nice man that sold me the " working" 7500 neglected to tell me the controller was not working.so I need to get that fixed

Second and this is really what I need help with, is that I did not realize what an irregular shaped opening the 7500 has. I have removed the spinner assembly, I don't need it but I do need to completely block off the area that the auger discharges the material though. Otherwise the wet slurry concentrate will run right out. If I leave the tote overnight, the concentrate will settle and the slurry becomes more solid and then I can use that opening and auger the material out. 

We both have very short seasons to do our business and have to be very fast and resourceful when things break. So I was hoping I might get some ideas as to how to block off the opening while filling the Snowex and then still be able to auger out the material into the sluice system. 
I will try to post a couple of pictures by way of explanation
Thanks, all suggestions gratefully accepted.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

*Here is the tote that I hope to replace with the Snowex 7500*

I am hoping to put the Snowex 7500 right where the blue steel tote is. It will be heavy but we have lots of equipment to carry it and will install legs the right height.
I need to be able to block off that irregular shaped hole the auger puts the product through until it solidifies.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

Someone else will chime in but I don't think you're going to have enough torque to get wet dirt out of it


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

A simple slide gate.? I've never used a snowex 7550. Are you beefing up the motor or running it stock, also I think with the volume you are planning on you will wear that poly out pretty quick....
Gold Mine...you are living my dream. That and money tree plantation...


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Wow.. my dream too!! You should ask Todd hoffman.. lol.. I agree don't think it will have the power to move that material


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

Thanks, please keep the suggestions coming. 
I would ask Todd but I stay away from him, there is very little respect for him up there. He has moved now, he will be mining in Oregon this season. 
I know and like Parker and Tony though.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

I plan to put in about a cubic yard at a time. It is pretty easy shoveling, just repetitive for an hour or so.
Is there a bigger motor available, or I can off set it and gear drive it down?


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Yukondean;2087247 said:


> Thanks, please keep the suggestions coming.
> I would ask Todd but I stay away from him, there is very little respect for him up there. He has moved now, he will be mining in Oregon this season.
> I know and like Parker and Tony though.


Tony reminds me of my dad. Stubborn old Dutchman!! Ya I could understand the feelings about Todd, he seems tobe all about the camera!!

I'm wondering if a pintel chain type would have worked better..


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

The auger spreaders tend to bridge with wet compactable material, it'll definitely need some good vibrators on it...
I used my 1 st generation western to move wet crushed limestone, but it has a conveyor belt and it bogged it way down...


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Digging out of that box would suck. How about this, build up the sides of the floor the box is sitting on, Then build a box where the sides fold open so the pay dirt sits flat on the box/floor, much easier to shovel with a flat shovel.Or buy a mulch mule!


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

What's up with that pic, it looks like ur mining in your kitchen?

Best of luck on the gold!


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

*Not quite in the kitchen, that is our gold processing room, here is where we mine*

Sorry, no, we are mining in the same valley as the Gold Rush TV folks. Klondike, near Dawson City, Yukon


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

What aboot a spreader for a dump box.

Kind of like this one?

Just an example pic.


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Yukondean;2087340 said:


> Sorry, no, we are mining in the same valley as the Gold Rush TV folks. Klondike, near Dawson City, Yukon


You have alot of ground opened up! And 300yrds an hr is massive! Are you on the gold? You must have a massive wash plant!


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

*It is a big operation*

I appreciate the help and all suggestions, diverting a bit off track, yes we are on the gold. The difference between us and the gold shows is we mine gold, they mine ratings. None of the tv show miners make money, but Parker is close. Discovery and sponcers pay most of the bills. 
It is a big wash plant.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

We do not dig and hope. Our digging is planned out a year in advance by the use of drilling every 50 yards in a square pattern. It is much cheaper to drill than it is to dig down into 40 feet of permafrost and find out that you are not in the gold Chanel


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## allagashpm (Sep 29, 2012)

Well I know nothing about mining but I can say with some confidence an auger is not the right tool for the job. 
What you want is a gas powered spreader with a pintle chain. 
Remove the spinner assembly and you're all set. 
If you don't want to run it indoors an electric one but the gas motor wold be best


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

We have lots of both 110 and 220 volt power. Or I could us the fume extractor. 
Is there one version of the pinte that stands out. Obviously we don't want concentrate to leak out of the hopper assembly.


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

I think a steel or stainless steel spreader is what your looking for with a drag/pintel chain. They have a door in the back that slides up or down to shut material flow off. I would go with gas engine or hydraulic, with hydraulic you should be able to pumb it up to an electric pump. Check out salt dogg or swenson website and you can see 2 different door closure styles, one is just a lever that slides the door up and down and the other is a crank up like a tongue jack on a trailer.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I don't believe there are any chain or conveyer hoppers that are sealed on the bottom track...


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

Do you get much product in the truck bed?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Just have Jack work in the gold room for you.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

the JackHoff room it is called up here. I would not let him in the gold room, too many rumors of missing gold.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Yukondean;2087573 said:


> the JackHoff room it is called up here. I would not let him in the gold room, too many rumors of missing gold.


just in case.
http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=119504


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## dave_dj1 (Nov 2, 2010)

Have you thought of using a cement mixer? I would think one could be adjusted so the slurry would spill out in a controlled manner. I may have missed the quantity though.

Good luck and keep sending pics, we love to live vicariously through others. 

If I was younger and healthier I would love to come up and intern with you for a summer  I'm out at the sub-zero temps though


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

*We need to dispense a minimum of a yard*

We need to dispense a minimum of one cubic yard though this proposed system. It would weigh about 2,500 lbs. so it would have to be a big cemen mixer.

Strangely enough, we do use a cement mixer of a sort.
For every 5,000 cubic yards the plant processes, I get one cubic yard of concentrate in ugly steel totes, which I then have to shovel into a precision sluice. After that sluice is done, the one cubic yard is reduced to about one gallon of material. 
We sift or classify as it is called into 5 different sizes ranging from 1/4" down to Les than 50 mech, or 50 parts side by side would equal one inch.
Them we tumble it in an electric cement mixer that has been converted into a rod crushing mill. This crushes the garnet and rocks to powder but the gold does not crush, it flattens. Then we sift it, the powder falls through the sifter and the flattened gold is to big and gets caught.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

*Sifted though*

Here it is, before and after the cement mixer rod mill.


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

Just once I'd like to get a chance to do something like this. The countryside you guys work in is absolutely amazing. I know this is off topic but when does your typical mining season run? I can't imagine its a long time


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## ScubaSteve728 (Jan 17, 2012)

Gold mining does seem quite amazing, and I am a big fan of the show.
I do not think the spreader will work at all...this skid steer concrete bucket may work 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Yard-Ceme...kid-Steer-Fork-lift-Telehandler-/231656830837


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## all ferris (Jan 6, 2005)

I can run 1.5 yards of salt through my western tornado and there will be about 1 shovel full of salt in my truck bed that "fell through the cracks". Western tornado spreaders are drag chain type spreaders. I don't think you want to be loosing a shovel full of concentrate.


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

Almost all drag chain or pintle chain soreaders will have spill off. More so if your concentrate is wet And I don't think you what to be messing around with one of these leaking and spilling money on the floor. The auger style snow ex would work better if you could get it to feed material with out breaking under all that strain. I would put a sprocket and chain on both sides of the auger and see if you could get that to work. Maybe fab up a door for the end and you would be set.


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## ddobson (May 8, 2010)

Whiffyspark;2087229 said:


> Someone else will chime in but I don't think you're going to have enough torque to get wet dirt out of it


He could try a coal bin auger to move the dirt.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

I will look into a coal bin auger and the skid steer bucket. We don't own a skid steer yet. They are all a bit small for us. 
Everything is big in the Yukon, we have a lot of frozen dirt to move in a short season. Our smallest excavator is a John Deere 350LC. We use it for small jobs like ditching. Most work is done with 450 and 500 series machines and our largest is a Hitachi 1100.

Granveiw posted a link to a thread on Gold Rush. It has over 50 pages, I did not realize you guys where that interested in the show. I appreciate all your help here and hope it continues until I get this thing working.
In return, will try to answer any questions you have about the show. My mine is right beside Parker's production crews HQ. The Klondike is not that big, everyone knows everyone.


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Yukondean;2088146 said:


> I will look into a coal bin auger and the skid steer bucket. We don't own a skid steer yet. They are all a bit small for us.
> Everything is big in the Yukon, we have a lot of frozen dirt to move in a short season. Our smallest excavator is a John Deere 350LC. We use it for small jobs like ditching. Most work is done with 450 and 500 series machines and our largest is a Hitachi 1100.
> 
> Granveiw posted a link to a thread on Gold Rush. It has over 50 pages, I did not realize you guys where that interested in the show. I appreciate all your help here and hope it continues until I get this thing working.
> In return, will try to answer any questions you have about the show. My mine is right beside Parker's production crews HQ. The Klondike is not that big, everyone knows everyone.


Sorry for detering off your subject at times! I think we are all fans of what you guys do up there!!! Wow an 1100 is huge only ever seen one once on a snowmobiling trip, it was in the bush sleeping for the winter! Vary cool!!! I kinda figured the show picks up most the tabs?


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

Discovery does indeed pick up most of the costs. I know very few people who will deliver goods like fuel unless Discovery calls. The majority of the rest are sponcered by Volvo, MAC tools, Millar Welders, Pioneer Pumps, Polaris Rangers, MSI machinery, Garrett, and a lot more. Tod pays for very little and does even less work. But he is an expert at getting others to pay his bills or donate equipment. But to be fair, running a loader is not the best use of his time. He is a dreamer and has already left the Yukon and is on to mining in Oregon this year and a new show called "Family Fortress" kind of a preper thing
Todds operation losses about 2.5-3 million a year, Parker a lot less, he can almost be profitable if Volvo left all their equipment there. 
Tony, well Tony is Tony.


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## dave_dj1 (Nov 2, 2010)

Here is a batch mixer that may work, they have them from 3 cubic feet to 60'
http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static...+Mixer.pdf?token=cVg3430yAgpFEZySYUK2XvdSi6M=

Not the info here but the machine is more of what I had in mind,
http://www.discussingautism.com/things-know-using-portable-concrete-mixer/

http://concretetrailer.com/trailer-mounted/1-75-yard-mixer/


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Yukondean;2088162 said:


> Discovery does indeed pick up most of the costs. I know very few people who will deliver goods like fuel unless Discovery calls. The majority of the rest are sponcered by Volvo, MAC tools, Millar Welders, Pioneer Pumps, Polaris Rangers, MSI machinery, Garrett, and a lot more. Tod pays for very little and does even less work. But he is an expert at getting others to pay his bills or donate equipment. But to be fair, running a loader is not the best use of his time. He is a dreamer and has already left the Yukon and is on to mining in Oregon this year and a new show called "Family Fortress" kind of a preper thing
> Todds operation losses about 2.5-3 million a year, Parker a lot less, he can almost be profitable if Volvo left all their equipment there.
> Tony, well Tony is Tony.


What's to mine in Oregon??? Maybe we will see Yukondean on the show next yr??? Lol.. thanks for all your info it has been vary cool to talk to you!! Stay safe up there pal


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## allagashpm (Sep 29, 2012)

The boss vbx is electric and has a trough under the pintle chain, and the front is sealed.
My truck has no sand in it aside from being loaded compared to the 2yd ss vbox I had last year.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Could try something like this, designed for a telehandler....

http://attachmentsintl.com/wp-content/gallery/telehandler/self-dumping-hopper2.jpg

Or, if a stand alone piece of equipment will work, an articulated concrete dumper, something like....

http://www.forconstructionpros.com/...son-corporation-1501-articulated-wheel-dumper


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

Someone has to ask, how many ounces (ballpark) do you get on an average year?


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

4,000-6,000 depending on the ground we are in. I know that sounds like a lot but our fuel bill is 1-2 million a year, it is all relative


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Yukondean;2088410 said:


> 4,000-6,000 depending on the ground we are in. I know that sounds like a lot but our fuel bill is 1-2 million a year, it is all relative


Cut your fuel and labor cost by getting a dredge... :laughing::laughing:


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

So have tried the snowex with material in it at all to see if the auger is strong enough. If it is not you could put a couple more baffles in it along side the inverted v to keep extra wieght off the auger. Maybe to help to keep the material from running out you could put it on a hydraulic jack or something like trailer landing gear to tilt it up.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Dude, u gotta photobomb them with a Plowsite sign or something!

Now that would be "something completely different"


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

The dredge, it will turn out ok since Discovery pays most of the bills and the rest is donated. The idea this last season was just to get it going. I spent some time with Tony going over the systems that need to be fixed or reengineered for it to work well. That is Tony showed me what he intends to do. Remember that t only has one motor that drives a genorator, and 2 crew. We have more than that in our cook house. It will be a very cost effective machine once it is updated and failed in. 
Remember that Tony is the manager of Tamarack, the claim owner are actually Vern and Ray. 
Tony has bought a second dredge though


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada but the mine is in the Yukon. 
Is anyone out this way thinking of trading up or retiring a unit that might work, AFTER this season for you is done? I don't need it unti May.


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

1olddogtwo;2088450 said:


> Dude, u gotta photobomb them with a Plowsite sign or something!
> 
> Now that would be "something completely different"


Lol... please do!! After all this insight to the show I'm gonna be yelling at Todd even more thru the screen "dumb a$$"


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

To answer an earlier question, you will not see me or our operation on tv, I have turned them down too many times. That type of exposure make you a target for every government enforcement person. Parker alone received over 400 WCB infraction notices last year. 
But, we are friends still so when you see Parker being interviewed in his "mine house", it is one of ours because Parker is 21 and lives in a trailer that looks like a 21 year old lives in it. He is a hard worker, Todd, not so much.


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## mwalsh9152 (Dec 30, 2008)

Ive noticed this year that you dont see either of the Hoffmans doing much of anything other than chasing dreams. At least Jack and the human mustache run the gold room though. 

I too am a fan of the show, and appreciate the behind the curtain view of what we all pretty much knew was the real story.


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## mwalsh9152 (Dec 30, 2008)

would a concrete trailer like this work? Still shoveling, but with the aid of gravity.


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## RMGLawn (Jan 2, 2012)

I know it may of been ignorant to believe they were making money, but up until I read something recently I really thought they were. However thinking about it now, I understand why they do not. It does seem like Parker is a hard worker for his age. I am 25 myself and thought it would be awesome to do what those guys do. I think it is really cool that you are up there and running a profitable mine operation.

I really have no insight on what you are planning on doing, however I do agree with everyone the Snowex probably won't work. Even wet salt doesn't go through easily. 

Please keep us updated from time to time, I love watching the show (even though I know most is fake) and just want Parker to find more gold then Todd. It's funny because it seems like Parker runs half of the employees and only 2/3 of the equipment and finds more gold then Todd. 

I really thought Tony owned the land he is on, as he is leasing the land Parker is on to him.

Good luck!

Mike


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## all ferris (Jan 6, 2005)

Yukondean;2088775 said:


> To answer an earlier question, you will not see me or our operation on tv, I have turned them down too many times. That type of exposure make you a target for every government enforcement person. Parker alone received over 400 WCB infraction notices last year.
> But, we are friends still so when you see Parker being interviewed in his "mine house", it is one of ours because Parker is 21 and lives in a trailer that looks like a 21 year old lives in it. He is a hard worker, Todd, not so much.


Good for you! It's nice to see that there are still people that are not fame wh0res. You are better off staying away from that mess.

I know it's "reality TV", but the show really makes Parker look like a Jacka$$. The way he treats his crew is terrible.

In a way, snow removal is alot like gold mining...you never know how much you're gonna get.

And Mr Dean, I wish you luck with your next mining season. Hopefully you get to go somewhere warm for the winter months.


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

So tell us what you think of Dave Turin and Freddy Dodge. I think if it wasn't for Dave the Hoffmans would be totally lost and Freddy is ok but is more into just the mining equipment.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

Dave is ok, he is quite religious, thoughtful and aware of the environment. Not religious in the Todd sence of praying for self enrichment rather than ending child poverty or world peace or finding more gold Jack can pocket.
I don't know Freddy. I have met him as just about everyone has. He and his brother built our wash plant. 
I think with Freddy and Tony, you get what you see. If you are asking about favorites, Tony and Parker would be it. 
Remember, what you are watching happened 6-8 months ago. Discovery is terrible this year at continuity of weather. You see the crew all bundled up one scene and tee shirts the next, Tony driving an 07 GM Yukon and arriving in a 2010, Parkersburg hair can grow 6 inches in one episode. 
From my perspective, the gold total race is kind of funny like watching my son cheer for a football team when he PVR'ed the game and it is a week old and we all know the outcome.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

*Auger designed for gravel*

I came across this while browsing around looking for a bucket for my telehandler... 1/2 to 1 yard capacity

http://www.taletattachments.com/augerbucket

Says it will empty 1 cubic yard of 3/4 inch gravel, concrete, asphalt, etc. in 50 seconds, and that supposedly it is due to use of flexible flights. No experience myself, and no idea how expensive.






They appear to have a round discharge, so if it leaks, you could just put a cap or closure on and only open it when you need to dump the bucket/tote.

Tube turns and/or Yale make pipe closures designed for pigging and other operations that use t-bolts. Frequently they are used on large blasting pots.
With camlocks they don't need tools and only take a few seconds to open.

https://www.tubeturns.com/media/1857/t-bolt_closure_brochure.pdf


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

Wow, nice find. That looks like just the ticket.
They are only a 12 hour drive from me and in Canada as well. 
I think a metal cam lock could be adapted to fit and then a regular aluminum cam lock cap would stop any leakage. 
I will contact them, thanks


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## LapeerLandscape (Dec 29, 2012)

Yukondean;2089050 said:


> Dave is ok, he is quite religious, thoughtful and aware of the environment. Not religious in the Todd sence of praying for self enrichment rather than ending child poverty or world peace or finding more gold Jack can pocket.
> I don't know Freddy. I have met him as just about everyone has. He and his brother built our wash plant.
> I think with Freddy and Tony, you get what you see. If you are asking about favorites, Tony and Parker would be it.
> Remember, what you are watching happened 6-8 months ago. Discovery is terrible this year at continuity of weather. You see the crew all bundled up one scene and tee shirts the next, Tony driving an 07 GM Yukon and arriving in a 2010, Parkersburg hair can grow 6 inches in one episode.
> From my perspective, the gold total race is kind of funny like watching my son cheer for a football team when he PVR'ed the game and it is a week old and we all know the outcome.


Confirmed, just heard JackHoff pray (heavenly father we thank you for the gold you put into the ground)


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Yukondean;2091059 said:


> Wow, nice find. That looks like just the ticket.
> They are only a 12 hour drive from me and in Canada as well.
> I think a metal cam lock could be adapted to fit and then a regular aluminum cam lock cap would stop any leakage.
> I will contact them, thanks


The Yale or Tube Turns closures are typically gas tight to 150 or 300 psi (pressure rating is irrelevAnt here but gas tightness is), but I think you are talking about a different cam lock.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

http://www.camlock-fittings.com/aluminum-camlock-couplings.html

For $50 bucks I can get the right adapter and cap, watertight.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Yukondean;2091776 said:


> http://www.camlock-fittings.com/aluminum-camlock-couplings.html
> 
> For $50 bucks I can get the right adapter and cap, watertight.


Hard to beat that.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

Do you know anything about the Traxcavator in the commercials they show? just curious about it.


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## Yukondean (Jun 24, 2015)

I only watch it on the PVR, and then not all the episodes. 
Who makes the Traxcavator, we have lots of tracked excavators, most Cat and Hitachi
If you send something about it, I will have a look, maybe recognize it.


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