34 replies to this topic

[BigG]

I?m not sure what you mean by that. If your question is ?are we talking from experience? then the answer is obviously no. Personally, if I don?t like the theory behind something, then I don?t try it in practice. If your question is ?Have you seen such things or heard about such things in reality?? then the answer is yes. I can reassure you that many of the members in this forum are very experience and have done A LOT.

The usage of brass is very common as balling media, and I never ever seen copper used in balling media. Due to the fact that I seen brass and used brass as balling media, I was surprised with Lloyds response but he Is considered by many a top authority on ball milling (he even wrote an extensive book about it).

Again, he does not say ?don?t do it?, he just suggest to be careful about it, and does not recommend it to amateurs. At the end of the day, we all make our own estimates about the size of our operations and about the risk we are willing to take.

[Terminator]

Bernie,

I've just found a website that sells Ball Mills that use Neoprene rubber containers:

United Nuclear . com

(http://www.unitednuc...om/ballmill.htm - just in case the link doesn't work)

This is a site that sells laboratory equipment to schools and businesses.

The professional ball mills start from $69 - (follow the link).

FOR ANYONE WANTING TO BUILD THEIR OWN BALL MILL, go to the first page via the link as their are some excellent colour photos showing how to make a homemade mill.

PS If you decide to use a neoprene liner in your own mill, make sure you get "smoothskin" (bare) neoprene. Many neoprenes made for the wetsuit market have a nylon covering (static risk).

Might I suggest you also consider Butyl rubber. This is pond liner material and is sold by most good pond shops on the role by either the metre per set width, or by the square metre. If you're lucky you might be able to get an offcut at reduced cost or even free if it is too small for pond use.

I know of no interactions between Butyl rubber and BP but as I am not a chemist, please check this out first with your chemistry books / experts on site, as I can't be held responsible for anyone blowing themselves up on this one - the duty is on you to check.

Al.

[bernie]

My brother-in-law told me about a news report he had seen about a rubber container for transporting natural gas. They purposely set a spark to it and it just expanded and then contracted back. No harm, no foul.

A good hard rubber should work fine I would think. Lasts forever.

Hey Stuart, how's that gigantic mill coming along?

[Stuart]

The gigantic ball mill is coming along nicely. I will have to make another gear for it though as the current one is too small. I am going away for a week to my grandparents today so I wont be on till next week.

Stuart

[Stuart]

My new ball mill is almost finished. I have uploaded some pictures of it onto my site. All it needs is touch ups

Stuart