# Wick filter



## goldsilverpro (Aug 30, 2017)

This guy surely was once on the forum. He copied my wick filter. See 4:53 on video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxviTLVjvDQ


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## Yggdrasil (Aug 30, 2017)

Hi!
Are you sure you have the correct link?
I can't see any filtering at 4:53 or other places in the video for that matter.
Do I need stronger glasses? :lol: :wink: 

BR PoA


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## Topher_osAUrus (Aug 30, 2017)

Is that the right link?

4:53 is a demonstration of saving a paint tray


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 30, 2017)

Sorry about that. Try this one at 4:53. Looks like cotton rolled up in cheesecloth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E12xxF-M7KE


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## Topher_osAUrus (Aug 30, 2017)

goldsilverpro said:


> Sorry about that. Try this one. 4:53 Looks like cotton rolled up in cheesecloth.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E12xxF-M7KE



Yep! Bingo.

Seeing that has given me more ideas on a faster working wick system.
Very nice.

In a couple of my old chemistry books, and one of my survivalist books (the latter, written by a nutjob), they mention using a small length of cotton rope to wick away solution from particularly troublesome particulates. 

I dont think I would want to use cotton with waste treatment though. It would surely break down into a mess, possibly even an energetic mess depending on what solutions are being treated.

Im sure that video has given you a few more ideas as well gsp.

One I immediately thought of was, possibly using fiberglass screen as the cheese cloth rolling paper, and instead of cotton fiber, using polyester fibers (like from a shredded old rope).


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 30, 2017)

Good ideas, Topher. I was thinking glass wool instead of cotton.They also sell different forms of wicking material commercially. Some, I think, is a porous plastic.


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## kurtak (Aug 31, 2017)

Pics of my wick filtering set up - sorry but I just don't have time to post detailed instructions --- however - a couple of years ago GSP & I had a "detailed" discussion about wick filtering on RPM (Kens forum) wherein I posted more pics & detailed instructions on this set up so you can find those instructions over on RPM &/or maybe someone here can provide a link from here to that discussion on RPM (I can't do it as I have been ban from RPM) as much as Ken has/had a problem with providing link from his forum over to here on GRF - he "never" had a problem with links from here to his forum

This wick filter system will filter around (plus/minus) 10 gallons of hydroxides in 6 - 8 hours --- note - the filter has 2 important components (other then the container) the wick - which is an old bath towel - & the blanket --- you "need" to pre wet the wick AND bunch it up around the bunge hole before installing the blanket --- when the filter is done wicking you can then lift the blanket out & lay it out in the sun to dry the filtered solids

Kurt


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## kurtak (Aug 31, 2017)

Pic of filtering copper cemented from copper solutions 

Kurt


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## 4metals (Aug 31, 2017)

Nice simple setup Kurt. Could you possibly post a few pictures of the liquid that wicks out? I am curious as to see its clarity.


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## stingray (Aug 31, 2017)

I just wondering... is that container been rigged right ? Should that end where rag comes out be upper. This way there is no capillary action. I am no expert on this field.


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## butcher (Aug 31, 2017)

I can see where a towel on top and the discharge in the upper potion would work well.
And where,
The towel underneath as a wick, both could work well in other circumstance.

The use of wick to help clean drinking water (as well as evaporation, boiling, or chemicals) is nothing new in survival techniques or other applications, the author may have never heard of the Gold Refining forum, and may of not stole the ideas, many of the things they showed in those videos are nothing new to the different trades, many were just old tricks in the trades...


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## 4metals (Aug 31, 2017)

I can see the plugged bung forcing the liquid through the fabric due to gravity, not true wicking. That is why I want to see the liquid. 

I would imagine a wicking siphon where the flow is over the top of the drum and into a receiver below, that is true wicking. 

But there is a whatever works rule in life that I do subscribe to!


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## goldsilverpro (Aug 31, 2017)

To me, it is "wicking" if it travels along (through) the cloth, laterally, and "filtering" if it goes through the cloth, perpendicularly. I would consider kurtak's setup as 'wicking", gravity assisted. But what do I know?


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## 4metals (Aug 31, 2017)

> But what do I know?



Well I'll bet you've been around the block a few times!


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## goldsilverpro (Sep 1, 2017)

I looked up the dictionary definition: Wicking = "To draw off (a liquid) by capillary action."


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## anachronism (Sep 1, 2017)

goldsilverpro said:


> I looked up the dictionary definition: Wicking = "To draw off (a liquid) by capillary action."



I'm glad about that Chris, I was almost wondering whether it was a misdemeanor or a felony in some states. 8)


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## kurtak (Sep 1, 2017)

4metals said:


> Nice simple setup Kurt. Could you possibly post a few pictures of the liquid that wicks out? I am curious as to see its clarity.



Sorry 4metals but at this time I will be unable to provide pics of the filtered liquid - the copper cement I filtered (in the last pic) was the last filtering I had to do in my effort to clean up (& shut down) my refining operation in my preparation to sell the estate here & make my move back out to the pacific Northwest 

I took these pics a couple weeks ago & was going to post them in the "Dealing with waste" thread where Thopher was posting his wick filter & just didn't get time but took the time when I saw GSP start this thread

Also - a couple years ago I quit adjusting pH & filtering out the hydroxides myself (due to working on a larger scale & therefore creating a larger volume of waste) so instead for the last couple years I have simply been adjusting pH to make my waste "non- corrosive" (which is a pH between 4 & 10) & then disposing of it through my chem supplier which cost me $150 per 55 gallon drum --- if the pH is less then 4 &/or more then 10 - then the waste is considered corrosive & therefore considered hazardous & the cost of handling goes up to $1,250 per drum

However - I can tell you that when I first came up with & started using this "wick" filter system my filtered liquids were (with few exceptions) as clear as a glass of drinking water 

Note; - (with few exceptions) the fact is - regardless of how you filter (vacuum, pressure, gravity, or wick) you will have "some" solutions where "some" solids pass the filter



> I just wondering... is that container been rigged right ? Should that end where rag comes out be upper. This way there is no capillary action





> I can see the plugged bung forcing the liquid through the fabric due to gravity, not true wicking.



Note; - that I underlined "wick" filter system above - I can assure you this is a true "wick" system - without the wick - the filter would NOT work - if you don't install the wick & therefore depended on gravity alone to draw the liquid through the solids AND the blanket filter lining the filtering "will" in a very short time slow to a point of near shut down --- You will find yourself "days later" still waiting for the filter to de-water the solids AND the solids will "not" be near as de-watered as with the wick installed --- even if you drilled the bottom of the half drum full of holes (made it into a BIG colander) & relied on gravity alone to do the filtering it would take a couple days to de-water the solids & the de-watering would not be as complete

Wicking (capillary action) is definitely at work here - & - it is being "assisted" by gravity - the more the solids become de-watered - the more the wick (capillary action) works at drawing the water "down" through the solids & out through the wick

Before coming up with this system I tried it all - I cut a 20 gallon barrel in half (length ways) & drilled it full of holes (like a BIG colander) placed it over a 55 gallon drum (cut in half length ways) as a gravity filter - days later I was still waiting for the solids to de-water --- I tried both vacuum & pressure with a 15 gallon drum as my filter funnel - the vacuum &/or pressure would "soon" compact the solids causing the filtering to all but shut down --- I tried wicking up & over the top of a bucket & though that definitely worked it was slower then I hoped for & did not de-water to my satisfaction - so then I tried GSPs method posted here
:arrow: http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=11145&p=207332&hilit=wick#p207133
This worked well on a smaller scale - but when I tried to scale it up I had trouble getting a good seal & therefore had solids passing threw the filter --- That's when I came up with the idea of the half drum wherein you can provide enough of a plug (at the bunge hole) to prevent solids passing threw but still take advantage of the "power" of a wick

Two things to note - 1) you are best served if you pre-wet your wick (whether wicking over the top of a bucket or out the bottom of a barrel) --- 2) a wick will "eventually" pull very fine solids - this happens on the surface of the wick & it happens whether you are wicking up over the top of a bucket or out the bottom of a barrel (as Topher discovered in the "dealing with waste thread) he was getting solids because he was reusing the same wick & those solids were "climbing" the surface of the wick so when he went to re-use the wick he was starting with a wick that was already dirty on the surface - one - two at best filtering is all you will get out of a wick before "some" solids start to follow "on" the wick 

Kurt


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## kurtak (Sep 1, 2017)

goldsilverpro said:


> I looked up the dictionary definition: Wicking = "To draw off (a liquid) by capillary action."



Correct - that capillary action works in ether an up direction - or - a down direction - in an up direction it has to fight gravity --- in a down direction it is assisted by gravity

Kurt


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## Shark (Sep 1, 2017)

Thanks for taking the time to post this Kurtak. I also like using the wick system, but would have never thought to try it your way.


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## butcher (Sep 5, 2017)

The towel underneath as a wick is helpful not only in wicking out the moisture but also to help dry the solids above faster.
A towel above will help to remove the salt water above the mud.

I see either above or below wicking as being very useful for their intended purpose.


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