32 replies to this topic

[Kelly]

I'm trading for an older Keene puffer drywasher(12 volt).And the guy said that the bellows need replacing. Where can I get some material to fix it,or do they(keene) make a repair kit? Thanks for any help.

[auspot]

have you tried a fabric store for a very close knit piece of cloth?

auspot

[Kelly]

No,I havent tried anything yet. I won't get the Keene puffer drywasher until monday or tuesday. Just tring to get some ideas for when I do get it.Thanks for the idea,auspot.

[Sandtrap]

I bought replacement material for the riffle board for a Keene puffer from Keene ,direct.

[Sandtrap]

I suppose they would have the bellows material also. I repaired the holes in mine with with shoo goo from Big 5. Silicone fixed one hole.

[sawmill]

I just bought a canvas swamp cooler cover.
They are oiled canvas,cheap,and enough material
to do several bellows overhauls. Works great
too.
If you don't want to use that naugahyde SP?
like the upholsters use also works real well.

[Gilaoro]

Kelly, The older ones used a cheap Naugahyde, there are new kinds available that are practically indestructible check a good upholstery shop,
When I was building puffers I just used a camo canvas that was fairly heavy. Check with Frank C I am sure he would tell you what he uses on the ones he builds, just about anything will work!
The "Beck" that dates back to the 1920's that Russ Ford has uses just plain white canvas, take the old one apart carefully to use for a pattern if you are going to do it yourself.
Good luck
Max

[Kelly]

Great ideas guys, Thanks alot. I will know more when I get it this week. I got a good look at this puffer , and the 12 volt motor ran fine and the rest of it looked good. I am trading my goldbuddy blower drywasher for it. It's an older Keene 12 volt but I have been wanting one for awhile now.

[frank c]

You'll love the PUFFER, DUCK CLOTH, PACK CLOTH, HEAVY CANVAS, ALL WILL WORK ALSO CORDURA, SUNBRELLA MATERIAL.
If you go thru Keene they'll probably want your right arm an left leg for a piece....just guessing as it so goes with manufacturers.
Enjoy the wap waper.

[Kelly]

Thanks Frank C.
Well I finally got my drywasher today. The guy I got it from gave me some material to fix the bellows. The 12 Volt moter works great and the drywasher itself is in great shape. I looked at how the bellows was attached, and I am going to have to drill out lots of rivets to change it out. Do I need to seal the new bellows material to everything before I rivet it back together with something like silicon? Any ideas would help. Thanks

[Gilaoro]

Kelly, In my opinion no, most of them have excss avolume of air, the old timers didn't have silocon! The mexicans with their jerk Line dry washers don't have half the volume of air that we do with our puffers yet they get gold!
good luck
Max

[Kelly]

Thanks Max, I put the new bellows on today and it still is not blowing hardly anything at all. I put in a couple hands full of screened down dirt and it doesnt even blow it up. I checked it real good for air leaks but none were found. it puffs about80 beats per minute.Is that to slow?

[Patrick in Havasu]

Perhaps the cloth in the riffle tray is too fine? Won't let sufficient air penetrate?

Just a thought.....

Also, check for leaks anywhere there is a seal. It could just be blowing out the side.

Patrick in Havasu.....

[Gilaoro]

Kelly,
Do you have a dead air space below each riffile? Do you have the top riffle space 90% blocked from under the riffile tray with a thin sheet of plastic? Prevents wear through and saves wasted air on top riffile.
A couple of hand fulls is not enought to start the action, each riffile space most have some dirt over it.
When it is running properly it will look like a thin stream of water is running over the riffiles, it will have a "Hopping" motion with a certain amount of dirt going over each riffle on the up stroke and the dirt just laying there on the down stroke, Puff-Hop-Puff-Hop.

If you did not overlap the batten under the riffiles when you built it you may still be able to put a stripe of silacone below each riffine from the bottom creating a dead air space below the riffile, 1/2" is enough, I'll attach a drawing but I am no artist! If you have to add silacone use tape to mask the riffle on the bottom side and just put a stripe across with your finger!

I use a large plastic pan to catch the fines off the riffiles and some times re run it if it was at all damp or I over load it.

RPM,s, I like 90 to 95 to start but 80 is ok, More battery voltage more RPM,s , you will have to recharge more often the slower your RPMs are at starting.

Let me know if this helps or is not understandable!
Max

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[Kelly]

Max, the riffles are the stock steel keene with the cloth under it. I tried the small piece of plastic under the top riffle and it still does not blow the dirt, I filled the riffles full of dirt and sill nothing, I even put a little faster motor, about 95 beats per minute. why wont this thing blow dirt???

[frank c]

Kelly, sounds like you need to bring the poor sick lil thing to Uncle Franks ol yeller drywasher shop.
Bring the whole drywasher up to the outing so we can take a look see.

[Kelly]

Thanks Frank C
Wish I could take it up for you to take a look at. Its about to make me crazy. Its a stock keene 12 volt but the guy said the bellows was all it needed. I know the new ones I put in arent leaking. I just repaced the flapper inside, the old rubber one was kinda hard and dry. So I made one out of a mouse pad. That helped about 20 percent but the dirt is just kinda bouncing there and not really blowing up. The stock steel riffle has cloth attached to it, and under that there is another screen (metal with lots of 1/8 inch holes) with cloth. It goes first then the riffles. Man I wish someone with one would post some pics of underneath the riffles and this other screen to see if mine is put together right. Thanks again to all who have been putting up with me.

[Gilaoro]

OK Kelly, I am back, this was teen rodeo & gun show weekend and I am in the middle of a complicated car trade deal too so my computer got cold a little, not much!

Look at the metal piece with the holes, is it possible that you put it on backwards? It has to have that dead air space or the gold and black sand will blow right out.

Also a mouse pad is too thick and stiff, at Home Depot and Lowes they sell a 12"x12" peice of thin red rubber, I think they call it a gasket for plumbing, what ever ,thats the best for your flapper valve, leave enought around the edges that it don't bow under pressure
into the hole causing an air leak, when running it you should hear a slapping sound, a sort of a clanking sound as that rubber seals the hole, even without dirt it should close with a slap/clap sound, ditch the mouse pad!

Give me a PM with your phone # and I will call you today from work, give me a time, I am on MT time.

Max



Can you shoot pictures of it? If nothing else call me and put it on your phone camera. Did you wash the cloth before you put it on?

That black cloth that Keene sells has lots of sizing (Starch) in it and I always wash it first.
As a matter of fact I use the back of shirts that I get from Goodwill, I like a really loose woven cotton that has been used and washed.
If you have to use new material get cotton Muslin a Walmart, its used as backing for curtains, wash it good to get the starch out and iron it to make it easier to attach.

Now originaly you where replacing the bellows, that you do want air tight.

[michael88]

Joanne's (the store) has the fabric you may need. I bought my muslin and duck cloth there.
Mike

[Kelly]

Thanks Michael88,

Max, I sent you a pm.

[Kelly]

Anybody have one of these keene 12 volt puffers? I need a pic of inside the puffer box under the riffles, and the backside of the riffle tray, to see what mine is supposed to have. I think somebody has worked on it a time or two. I talked to Pat Keene today, and he is sending me a new flapper for it. Good people at Keene.
Thanks for any pics.

[Gilaoro]

Well Kelly, if he can't tell you then I sure don't know and don't have a picture, surely some one on here will take the time to help you with a picture.
Its probably something really basic and we all will feel dumb!

Good luck

Max

[Kelly]

Thanks again for everything Max. Between your ideas you gave me and everyone else, I might get to go prospecting soon.

[auspot]

Kelly you live and have claims around Albuquerque?

Think of the flapper as a check value so when the flapper lifts up has to be closest to the
riffles when the bellows are expanding the flapper lifts up to let in the air so when you compress the bellows the flapper goes flat to force air to the riffles.

hope this makes cents

auspot

[Grubstake]

Sandtrap sent me the pictures to post for you. here you go. Grubstake

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[Sandtrap]

It just so happens, I took pictures yesterday, of a Keene puffer; the riffles and bottom of it, as I do not have a good seal on mine, and /I wanted to see if I replaced all the "insulation" foam, where it should be..( I did not,by the way ) I'm sending you the pictures, and maybe you can get them on the forum to him...thanks; just a coincidence that I took these pictures, and I hope it helps you out. Thanks> Grubstake, for posting these..someday, I'll learn how to do it on the forums. Sandtrap

Charlie's Ore House had a newer one for sale, and that is where I took the pictures. It is in Randsburg, CA.

[Kelly]

Auspot, I'm in socorro 75 miles south. thanks for the reply.

Grubstake, Thank you very much for posting the pics,Hope you are in good health.

Sandtrap, That was cool of you to post these pics. I have been to Charlie's Ore House A few years ago. The pics help alot. My flapper should be in the next few days. I cant wait to try out my drywasher. Thanks again to all.

[Gilaoro]

Kelly, Glad you are getting it going! Now go for the Gold!

Now help me ! Airsteamed Justrite Pat Pend on top , Unite on bottom looks complete except for back of sparker missing, 1 little tiny ding in top and a spot of sorder.
looks like it would work! good yard sale find or not?

Max

[Kelly]

Max, it is streamlined, one of the better carbide lamps. I have about 20 or so differnt makes of carbide lamps. Go to this web site and you can find out lots of stuff about them. http://www.eurekamagazine.net/

[Gilaoro]

Kelly, I knew that you would know! I didn't want to clean it , its patina is great after hang in that filthy house for years1
Thanks
How is the dry washer going? Oh that's OK I know, PUFF_PUFF.


Max

[Kelly]

Max, here is a bunch of links that I have for carbide lamps.

http://caving-seach-...m/CARBIDE LAMP/
http://www.caves.org...ays=0&start=150
http://www.calteleph...s/cap_lamps.htm
http://www.4bobandbo...m/pages/01.html
http://www.caves.org...ley/buying2.htm
http://www.lamp-tram...m/cap_auto1.htm
http://www.miners-la...rkaufkarbid.htm
http://www.miners-la...rkaufkarbid.htm
http://wasg.iinet.net.au/clamps.html
http://www.angelfire.com/va/clickster/
http://www.thoughts....ide-lamp-17868/
http://www.miningart...ectingInfo.html
http://www.indiana.e.../old/index.html
http://www.miningart...decaplamps.html

[Kelly]

Just got my new flapper in from Keene, and put it on. The drywasher works like brand new. Going out to the hills next week and give that thing a good test drive.
Thanks again to all for the help.