Setting Up Your Bazooka Gold Traps

bazookagoldtrap

Jr. Member
Aug 27, 2013
67
196
Coloma, California
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
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Rdg Sluicer

Sr. Member
Dec 11, 2012
345
367
Redding, Ca
Detector(s) used
BGT Prospector

BGT Super Mini

Angus MacKirk Explorer

South Yuba Mining Highbanker
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I dont know how you could make it any clearer. Good job.
 

Rdg Sluicer

Sr. Member
Dec 11, 2012
345
367
Redding, Ca
Detector(s) used
BGT Prospector

BGT Super Mini

Angus MacKirk Explorer

South Yuba Mining Highbanker
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If your going to do one you might as well do two.
 

str8flexed

Full Member
Dec 28, 2013
123
50
Evansville, Indiana
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT PRO; Garrett Pro Pointer; Bazooka Mini Gold Trap
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks.. printed this helpful gem out.. now just wishing tomorrow would get here so my mini arrives... Going to try and get 8 hours in of sluicing next weekend.
 

Notsuredomus

Full Member
Aug 12, 2012
107
93
Classic Hill Mine, Siskiyou County
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug 2
Whites GMT
Garret ProPointer
Bazooka Gold Trap Super Prospector
Fossicker Production Pan
Proline 3in Dredge/Highbanker Combo
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nice How to document. I saved it to my archives. Including a page on how to create a better water flow by channeling more or less water water to your sluice might be helpful to the newbies out there. Thanks for the manual.
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Good stuff there Chris :)

The advice about angle is more cautious than needed tho I think. I've run the Prospector and the sniper so steep the grizzly is flat and still had great retention of fine gold. This makes me think you could encourage a more aggressive slope to make the sluice more self-clearing...no?
 

OP
OP
B

bazookagoldtrap

Jr. Member
Aug 27, 2013
67
196
Coloma, California
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Good stuff there Chris :)

The advice about angle is more cautious than needed tho I think. I've run the Prospector and the sniper so steep the grizzly is flat and still had great retention of fine gold. This makes me think you could encourage a more aggressive slope to make the sluice more self-clearing...no?

You're right. We're cautious on the directions because we have blown fines at high angles in certain conditions. It's hard to create a one-size-fits-all manual that doesn't seem to contradict itself for this thing, and people seem to show us up all the time with their results. But yes Kev, you're absolutely right.

:icon_thumright:
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Ah right, makes sense...thanks.
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,479
3,854
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Have you tested or what are your expectations of gold capture efficiency when the feed material is exclusively fine ocean beach sands and the gold is pretty much all minus 100 mesh and what might be the best set up as to angle and flow?
 

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KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Have you tested or what are your expectations of gold capture efficiency when the feed material is exclusively fine ocean beach sands and the gold is pretty much all minus 100 mesh and what might be the best set up as to angle and flow?
For -100 mesh gold on a Bazooka you'd need to classify down below -4 (not sure how far down but pure sand is totally good to go) and restrict the amount of water flowing into the fluidization tubes. Otherwise you'll catch virtually all the +100 but only a fraction of the -100 as some will get kicked out. Despite the classification advice, you also want to preload the trap with some gravel in the -4/+20 range to help create a stable initial bed of material. Sounds tricky but once you get it dialed in you can rock n roll.

The alternative is a Gold Cube or the Doug Watson's Super Concentrator...both designed for beach sand and both solid pieces of gear.
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Here's one thing I found. If the sluice seems to want to float just after you start feeding it make sure the box/end is supported. Once the fluid bed fills with material the weight shifts and it will fall into any space under the box.
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
There has been some discussion on the main forum of the challenges of setting up and running the BGT. Maybe we can reignite this thread and point here for tips.

It is important to start with the flow running in the box. It should be in line with the stream flow. Pick a spot where the current will flow straight through and is able to exit with enough force to take away most of the tailings. (You probably will need to shovel away some tailings as you go while at production speed. It also helps to throw some of the larger rocks off to the side). If you're working with low flow I have found a small vinyl tarp placed in the stream-bed can help direct all the flow toward the sluice.

Generally the BGT can be run flatter than a regular sluice. But for the most production a proper angle will be enough to wash most of the oversize gravel over the grizzly. It may be run flatter for sampling. The deck will clear much slower and you'll need to knock off a lot of the overs by hand. But you will see some gold hanging on the deck. I'm not saying one way is right or wrong. Sometimes you gotta see some gold and other times you just want to move more dirt.
 

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