I figured it out!!!

The final stage of my scrap plastic-to-pellet project involves ensuring that the material flows properly through the feed hopper.

I awoke in the middle of the night and realized that this is the same issue encountered with the extrusion machine. The difference is that I am now feeding the material down a 6-inch (150 mm) circular opening rather than a 2 × 3-inch (50 × 75 mm) rectangular opening.

It is the same problem, only with a differently oriented hopper.

I have therefore devised a rather unconventional solution. I will construct a bracket above the machine and suspend a probe-like device into the feed hopper, positioning it so that it terminates just above the feed rollers. The probe will be mounted on rubber to permit limited movement, and a vibrator motor will be attached to it.

When powders and flakes are subjected to vibration at appropriate frequencies, they behave like fluids. This is analogous to the principle underlying oobleck, a shear-thickening fluid.

It is Saturday morning here. I am calling an employee in to work so that I need not wait until Monday to test the arrangement.

update

Installed a mounting bracket and suspended a angle bar with the vibrator into the feed hopper.  It was more reliable but still can be much better.  Revising the design to try after lunch.  Basically a 18 inch length of round bar suspended on a chain and the vibrator attached to that.  

update.  that idea worked not so mucho.  

Ordered the rubber isolation mounts i use on the other machine.  Put everything away, called it a weekend.

Why Filipino men wear helmets on their elbows

 I see Filipino men wearing full face helmets on their elbow, rather than their head all the time.

I finally know why.

You dont want to put a 50 dollar helmet on a 10 cent head.

random comment replies..

I was reading comments on X about the middle east.  Dude was so clueless.  Grand geopolitical expert but never been to the Gulf..

Lemme tell you one thing bout the Persian gulf.  Those fuckers got more money than God.  

Kuwait, the sheer numbers of mansions is unbelievable.  7 series BMW cars thrown away like hoopties.  Not so much sports cars, but the place is pretty damn nice. You do not need Arabic in any of the Gulf countries. 

https://streema.com/radios/Radio_Kuwait_Super_R_Kuwait_Super

Bahrain, the nightlife is another level.  Spent a fraction for a night on the town as I have in NYC and LA and had a blast.  

Dubai..  nice but expensive as hell.  

Re fence panels.  I am very familliar with hog panels.  Grew up in Wisconsin.  We was beekeepers, but i did farm work on the side.

Re safety guards.  Wasnt installed yet.  Needed to make sure it worked before buttoning it up for safety.  My not so bright helper is not allowed to operate anything without guards and safety.  Hard worker, but not so bright.

Plastic Pellet Mill updates

 I re-visited the plastic pellet mill project again.  I checked my records, to see this has been a on and off again 5 year saga.

This time, I pulled the motor off, added belt, pulley, and jackshaft to slow it down by half.

Moderate success. 

Except my die is really large hole size.  I dont know where the smaller die went after the move, so I had to order a new one.  -----update found the die-----

I really just need the purpose built machine, but lacking the funds, I make things do with this.

The machine mod, was rather creative.  The motor and coupler  is 28mm but I only have 1 inch round shafting, bearings, and pulley.

So I built up one end of the shaft for the coupler by welding beads on it, then sending to the machine shop, turn it down to 28mm, and cut a keyway.  It fit perfect.

I had a stock bore 28mm 3 inch pulley in inventory, so that went on the motor. A 1 inch stock bore 6 inch pulley went on the shafting.  With 2 slightly used belts, we was cookin.   Belt is tensioned by putting the motor mount on 2 barrel gate hinges.

The coop is below:

update...  Kinda....  It is not hot enough, so adding the 2 rollers that was removed in previous experiment.

It works!  But I need to add in a stir bar and adjust the cutting blade to be shorter.  It only fed well when someone stirred if vigorously with a plastic stick.  I also added in powdered charcoal for coloring and to make it not quite so thin when melted.  

re Arched stock panels

 I got the one support in the middle remaining.  The panel wires are a bit thin compared to 4 inch hog panel.  

It rained half the day yesterday so the birds hid under the A frame shelters most of the day.  

Changed the feeds this week to a cheaper mix of whole wheat and or barley looking stuff mixed with a little cracked corn.

It is the cheapest in the feed store, but weirdly, the birds go crazy for it.  They sqwak loudly when it gets put out. Even the bantam chicks go crazy for it.

i  am suspecting the more expensive stuff is shit.

There is a slighty more expensive feed with added split peas, and mung beans, i will have them taste test next.