Homemade Dredge?

[goldmadness14]

I was considering building a homemade dredge. I see these Keene dredges for thousands of dollars. Isnt a dredge basically just a water pump?

 

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[kuger]

No,There is a reason they cost what they do,not to say that Keene isnt way overpriced and you cant build one.

 

[russau]

unless you have ALL the parts laying around your place, go buy a good used dredge. save just about the same $$ and youll be out in the water getting gold. the time you waste trying to design this to work and then get it ballanced for out in the water.....youll be a lot happier buying a used! i know, cause i made mine and went through it!

 

[goldmadness14]

Well what exactly is the diffence? Is it just that water pump isnt designed for sand?

 

[EggyOG]

Well what exactly is the diffence? Is it just that water pump isnt designed for sand?

I see you've never used a dredge. The only thing that goes through the pump is water. The engineering behind creating the suction is no longer a great mystery, but it is hard to get right. Then you have to have a riffle system designed to work with the amount of water flow. All this is assuming you already have an engine and pump to start with, otherwise you will probably pay more for a new pump and motor than you will for a complete used system.

 

[goldmadness14]

Well what exactly is the diffence? Is it just that water pump isnt designed for sand?

I see you've never used a dredge. The only thing that goes through the pump is water. The engineering behind creating the suction is no longer a great mystery, but it is hard to get right. Then you have to have a riffle system designed to work with the amount of water flow. All this is assuming you already have an engine and pump to start with, otherwise you will probably pay more for a new pump and motor than you will for a complete used system.

Fair enough.But isnt a new water pump a few hundred dollars compared to a dredge of over a thousand? Ill look into a used dredge but I havent seen many very cheap.

 

[The.Boomer]

The mechanical parts of a dredge actually are just a water pump. The suction aspect is achieved through using something called the venturi principle. Fluid traveling in a straight line, causes the latteral pressures to drop. The faster the fluid flow the lower the latteral pressure drop. So if you run water through a pipe at a fast speed a second pipe added at a 30*-45* angle distal or before the jet of water will cause a suction at the tip of that secondary pipe. Think of a y with the water flow going down the straight side and the suction being at the end of the angled side. Increase the water flow or speed and you'll increase the suction. I have a plan somewhere for a home made dredge, I'll see if I can find it if you want. ?

 

[goldmadness14]

Sure would.Thanks.

 

[The.Boomer]

This one I have saved on my computer;
http://www.geocities.com/indianagold/home_made_dredge.htm

 

[The.Boomer]

I also like this site for more info, this guy builds allot of stuff himself.

http://nevada-outback-gems.com/design_plans/DIY_dredge/Homemade_dredge.htm

 

[Hoser John]

Laughed so hard i almost peed !!! When you know nothing about a piece of equipment you can not build it,and your examples prove it. Buy used--but not abused,join a club and take the years to learn the required knowledge--going off half cocked gets half assed results-John

 

[The.Boomer]

Listening to "full of crap think they know it alls" will only lead you to make the same mistakes they have. Pay lots and earn little. These are fully functioning and currently operating systems. Don't bother listening to those who say you can't do it they are just pissed because they are too stupid to understand scientific concepts Like the Venturi principle, or the Bernouli effect.

 

[russau]

im not wanting to get into a piss**g match with anyone! but the last comment wasnt called for!! yes you can make your own dredge. i did.and saying what you did about those that commented was wrong!he asked, i commented what would be easiest/cheapest/quickest for him!spending a lot of time designing/making/and then eventually trying out a peice of equipment only to find that it dont work or it dont work worth a heck isnt anyones idea of fun. so please dont start slamming people that actually have designed/built equipment and that REALLY do know what they are talking about. for example,John Hoser has countless years in design/building/selling all kinds of mining equipment. he probly knows more about equipment/dredges than the entire lot of us put together! plus he has the experience of many decades all over the country and i think all over the world also. so if im asked for a opinion and give it, why are you so bound and determinded to slam someone?? there is toooo much of this stuff going around on the net! if you really want to help this person design a dredge, fine, thats great! but dont slam someone trying to guide him out of harms way! nobody wants to read about a piss**g match!

 

[The.Boomer]

Don't really care what your loser experience with building your own dredge was. Nor do I care what, Mr. Hosers experience is. I know what mine is, and I have built and used the dredge as seen. If Mr. Hoser wants to insult me first by saying I don't know about the equipment when I obviously know more about it then he does then I will speak up in like manner. Mr. hoser feel free to piss in your pants ! And your devotees can follow you. I answered someone who wants to try building their own dredge with plans that I have found, built and know to work. I also Have a degree in Respiratory therapy so I'm very well versed in fluid and gas dynamics, something you and your cohorts don't seem to have. You say you don't want a pissing contest well it was your hero who was pissing first.

 

[goldmadness14]

Listening to "full of crap think they know it alls" will only lead you to make the same mistakes they have. Pay lots and earn little. These are fully functioning and currently operating systems. Don't bother listening to those who say you can't do it they are just pissed because they are too stupid to understand scientific concepts Like the Venturi principle, or the Bernouli effect.

Lol I agree. I've made other things that people said "theres no way you can build that". When I get time I think Ill give it a try Id rather pay a few hundred then get ripped off by Keene, they already ripped me off on my sluice I could have builth that for 100 bucks less than what they charged me.

 

[The.Boomer]

Thanks GM. Take your time, and have fun. I know I did, and at a fraction of the cost. Some people think these things are like magical wonder machines that can only be made successfuly by the people who choose to mass produce what was once a Home made design.

BTW if you get stuck on anything or need help feel free to pm me.

 

[russau]

boomer i didnt want to get personnal but you obviously didnt read all of my post! you say you have a degree, it must be in igornance and just being a jerk! SORRY THers, this guy is just wanting tobe a jerk and arguee! i told this man that i did infact build my own dredge.i dont know what amount of experience he has but i found that he could be in the water a lot sooner buying a good used dredge for about the same amount of money and you come on pissing all over anyones help for this guy. YOUR a JERK! live with it cause everyone here now knows it also! i hope you get banned from this site! you dont need to be so darn abusive when someone is only trying to help someone else!

 

[The.Boomer]

Funny that the original poster agreed with me. You and whats his name wanna try to sell someone on one of your used peices of trash or something ? All I did was tell the original poster where he can find the plans that I used to build my dredge. You say you have also built one but it took you awhile, so what ? SOme people actually enjoy the process of building what they need for them selves instead of paying someone else to do it for them. Your hero is the one who started by insulting me and the designer of the dredge I built which took me all of two week ends. Since I can tell your a person of lower intelligence who worships those who boast of great and mighty things, then you should follow your leader and just go away since your only proving your lack of experience in the field. I don't post here often because of characters like you. The guy wanted to build something so what do you and your hero do ? You shoot him down and tell him it can't be done. Your the jerk here dude Now "that" every body knows.

 

[kuger]

I am not wanting to get into the match either but I guarantee Hoser John has done more dredging than you probably ever will,he has built dredges as well.One thing I do see in "Your",dredge is its made out of PvC,that cannot hold up to the abuse of TRUE dredging.I appreciate your optimism but dont question someones experience unless you know.You are in over your head here with experience and that shows.....and yea the fellow that started this thread agrees with you because he doesnt know(No fault of his)So how much gold have you found with your rig anyway

 

[warsawdaddy]

I know Russau has been around All the gold fields a long time and is considered very knowledgeable by all in the field of prospecting.Only years of experience can bring maturity.