All these buckets

[athlon]

Into star screens...somehow!

 

How should I make the holes in the bottom?

I tried to drill, but the holes turned out no good, needing de.burring. Also tried to melt through, but needs even more de-burring.

[killforfood]

I would use spade bits with good sharp chip cutters on the outer edge to give a clean finished cut.

 

http://alliedboltinc...popupimage.aspx

 

I would avoid bits without chip cutters or with inboard chip cutters like this;

 

http://www.builderon...tcm10-91952.jpg

 

For small holes use Brad Point bits

 

http://image.made-in...d-Drill-Bit.jpg

[dan999ification]

or just cut one big hole and melt some screens in them

 

dan.

[athlon]

 

For small holes use Brad Point bits

 

http://image.made-in...d-Drill-Bit.jpg

 

These bits seemed to make the job easy!

Thanks!

[dagabu]

or just cut one big hole and melt some screens in them

 

dan.

 

I will second that.

 

http://bucketscreen.com/5-Gallon.htm

 

I simply cut the bottom 6" off the bottom of the bucket (the bottom is used for other stuff), turn it over onto the rim, heat the edge of the bucket with a torch, drop the wire cloth onto the molten edge, use a hot air gun and a screwdriver to push the screen down into the melt. Use a tin snips to trim the extra off and use a flap disk to sand the screen smooth with the sides and quickly touch the edge with a blow torch to roll the plastic over the screen edge.

 

Sounds hard but I can do a dozen buckets in an hour.

 

-dag

Edited January 5, 2012 by dagabu

[dan999ification]

i really want a set of stackable bucket/screens, bottom with a bottom top with a top various screens inbetween, cut down on the mess

 

 

dan.

[Mumbles]

I've done it before, but don't really like grading stars with a screen. I much prefer holes drilled into a plastic bucket or aluminum tray. The proper larger sizes of screen can be hard to find. I've also experienced the screens shaving off part of the star to let them through, where as the round holes support the star all around and are less likely to do that. Screens will also shift their wires over time unless you get welded screen. I do love bucket screens for screening compositions and separating BP media however.

 

That said, I'd just as soon buy the predrilled bucket screens than do it myself. This is especially true for the smaller ones.

[athlon]

I did one bucket with 10mm holes to test some screening and it seems to work nicely. Back to work with drilling the smaller ones I guess...

[Jwdrummer5]

I will second that.

 

http://bucketscreen.com/5-Gallon.htm

 

I simply cut the bottom 6" off the bottom of the bucket (the bottom is used for other stuff), turn it over onto the rim, heat the edge of the bucket with a torch, drop the wire cloth onto the molten edge, use a hot air gun and a screwdriver to push the screen down into the melt. Use a tin snips to trim the extra off and use a flap disk to sand the screen smooth with the sides and quickly touch the edge with a blow torch to roll the plastic over the screen edge.

 

Sounds hard but I can do a dozen buckets in an hour.

 

-dag

 

 

Dag, Do you sell those screens? they look really nice. I Just ordered a set of ss screens from McMaster Carr and i think i will adopt this method for use with the smaller 3 gallon buckets. (i ordered 12" squares) if there is any more info you could share on the process, it would be greatly appreciated> Photos or video. I suppose that it just takes a few practice runs with some cheap screen to get the hang of it.

 

-Tim

[dagabu]

No sir, I do not. making your own is easy-peasy though.

 

-dag