Angle?

Crookedrecords

Jr. Member
Mar 2, 2009
21
1
Because there are so many variables including but not limited to make and model of dry-washer, whether it is a bellows or blower driven, soil type, soil dryness, size of classification screen, whether you pre-classify etc., it is probably easier to describe what you are looking for on your riffle tray. I use a blower powered gold duster and I have installed tape on the screen to create a dead space before the riffles. Because I am usually in areas with flour gold I will pre-classify before I run material through the dry-washer. What I do is get everything set close to where I think it should be. Classify about a bucket of dirt (not necessarily pay-dirt just dirt to dial in the dry-washer but similar to what you will be running). Start the blower set the throttle and fill the hopper. Wait until the riffle tray is properly loaded and observe. I try to get the smallest decline possible while still maintaining fluid flow. While the material is running through I am able to increase or decrease the angle to fine tune. When everything is dry and classified it should look so fluid that it looks like brown water flowing through a sluice box. If you don't get it the first time then re fill the hopper with the same dirt until it is set.

That's what I do, others may have different instructions that they have found to work for them.
Good Luck.
 

extractor

Silver Member
Sep 27, 2007
2,941
53
Sal Sagev Adaven
Detector(s) used
E-TRAC,,,, SOVEREIGN GT,,,, GP 3500,,,,
GB PRO.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'm not sure what youre asking but I use a Keene 151 with a honda motor.
 

cptbild

Sr. Member
Oct 3, 2005
339
11
NM/AZ/CA/Co/Utah & P.I. Tx.
As we all know :read2:
The drier the material is, and even in the desert(s) there is always a little moisture
present in the the soil, :( the better that the gold will seperate out
Has anyone come up with a good system to predry it? (an age old problem)
I have been using an 8' HEATED! modified corrigated trough, to run the soil over, beforeI sent it over the "riffles" !
It works, but, it's also an extra long! hard! step!
My "Placer Claim" assays at 1 - 1 1/2 oz of gold, a yard! :tongue3:
And, it is located in a canyon in the very bottom, aka "the foothills" of, The Bradshaw Mnts
ANY Help/Ideas ? :dontknow:
If u'd like, we could build/try your idea out, right there on the claim
(I've got the time and $$$$) :icon_thumleft:
50/50 :hello2:
 

Crookedrecords

Jr. Member
Mar 2, 2009
21
1
Are you kidding me? I'll be there by tomorrow morning! What works for me is good, thick (like 6mil) visqueen (plastic) from home depot it comes in rolls that open up to 10' x 100'. I just cut a 15-20'x10' piece and pour my pre-classified material on that about 1-2 inches thick. You can see the moisture evaporate by the color change in the dirt. When the top lightens up carefully re-rake with a plastic rake so as not to puncture the plastic. By the time I get enough material classified to do it again the first batch is dry. Just lift one end of the plastic to slide all the dirt to the other end. That should work for you.
 

extractor

Silver Member
Sep 27, 2007
2,941
53
Sal Sagev Adaven
Detector(s) used
E-TRAC,,,, SOVEREIGN GT,,,, GP 3500,,,,
GB PRO.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hi cptbild, I can see your thinking on bringing gold extraction to the next level. You definitely have gold fever. I have been out in the desert when tempt's are 120+. One would think the soil is dry but its not . The moisture you speak of will Not leave by it's self. It is refered to as hygroscopic moisture . About 180 degrees Fahrenheits when the hygroscopic moisture usually becomes unlocked from the soil. A good heat supply is needed to remove this moisture. One of my trips over in AZ I saw a prospester using some sheets of metal with pin hole perforations in them. He would load the sheets metal with about a inch of dirt. He had a propane bottle and a large tour ch like ,the swimming pool builders use to heat PVC pipe. He heated the metal for a while to remove the moisture. I often thought of getting a auto feed conveyor like cookies are baked on at factory's ,to heat the soil and feed the hopper. HH Extractor
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,250
6,700
St. Louis, missouri
i was told by Phil Hontz to set some corrigated sheet metal out and spread your material onto it to dry for the next days run.he even said walk on it to crush it a little. ive only been out to southern New Mexico 2 different times but that seemed to help for me while i was drywashing.
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,250
6,700
St. Louis, missouri
i was given that suggestion 10 years ago to use corrigated sheet metal to dry out the next days run. plus i spread the material out on the tin and walk on it to help bust it up for the next days run. youll save more fine gold that way!lots of sheet metal!
 

frank

Full Member
Sep 4, 2004
108
11
N.W. Arizona
Detector(s) used
ML 3500,Whites GMT,Gold Bug I
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yellow Hammer said:
What angle do you guys use on the drywashers.

I Build custom puffer type (bellows) drywashers and the standard that the old timers used was 30 - 35 degrees,
I have one model I build modeled after a unit from the 1930's that I converted the drive system from hand crank to 12 volt gearmotor and redesigned the basic structure to incorporate an approximate 22.5 degree slope. Its a real gold getter even the micron size.
Just remember the flatter the angle the better at catching all shapes of the heavier minerals.

Hope that helps ya.
 

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