Pyramid Pro Pan.....Anyone else using this great pan????

[craftime78]

Just wondering if anyone else is using a Pyramid Pro Pan from fossickers.com? I have used one for this past season and have been having great success. It took me a while to refine my technique but I would be willing to share my "secrets" with those that are having problems. I spend every weekend out with it in Western Wisconsin and have found lots of gold specks (including a couple of small pickers), garnets, quartz crystals, diamonds, and lots of other unique rock formations. I'm calling it quits for the season (my wife doesn't believe that yet) and hope to spend the long winter months going through several buckets of material that I wasn't able to give the close inspection they deserve. I will also be researching and experimenting on other techniques to make next year even better. Oh, and my best find was a 1/4 carat rhomboid dodecahedron diamond of exceptional clarity and quality that I plan on having mounted in a necklace setting for a one-of-a-kind Christmas gift for my wife. It was a tough choice between selling it for big $$$$$$ or spending a little $$$$ to finally get a little "acceptance" from my wife on my "crazy weekly obsession" that ONLY lasted 7 months this year. I know, some people call it a bribe. But, hey, whatever works. Besides, maybe there's a pair of earrings waiting in some of my concentrates yet. Anyway, hope to hear from some of you great TH'ers. Also, I will try to post a couple of pictures of before and after when I get one of my webcams to work on this computer.

Mark

 

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[Hoser John]

Where did you get that relic from the past as Pyramid Products/aka Green aka aka aka gone for many years now--John

 

[craftime78]

Hey John, thank you for your reply, but before you start ripping on the pan maybe you should make sure you are talking about the same pan. Check it out at www.fossickers.com and let me know if that is it. I think I know which pan you are thinking of and this one is different. It is like a portable sluice. I love it because the stream I pan on only has a couple of rapids areas that are too far away from where I am digging to run up and down the stream to work a sluice. As for using a relic, I have a panning buddy that uses nothing but a shovel, small classifier and a pan and finds far more gold than the average panners. Even the best equipment is only as good as the user. I may be a newbie to this site but I have been TH'ing for over 30 years and am amazed at all the knowledgeable people on this site. I have already learned a lot about a number of subjects. I know there is lots of great equipment out there, but with the strict mining laws here in Wisconsin I am comfortable with my methods that include some of the new technology but I also embrace the great traditional methods as well. Take care.

 

[Hoser John]

What rip are you blabing about bud Just stated a simple fact based upon info provided,uncleanch buns and chill dude- John

 

[craftime78]

I apologize John for taking your comment as negative. But for me and my applications, it works great. And it is NEW to ME. Here in Wisconsin there is not as much interest in prospecting and not enough exposure to this great pastime. We consider a .3 gram chunk of gold a "nugget" here. We have had the GPAA gold and treasure shows here a few times already and it is great seeing the newest equipment available but most people here can't afford the good stuff considering how small the gold is here, not to mention the limited areas to find it, let alone be allowed to look for it. I'm hoping that at least I'm gaining much needed experience here so that when I go to other states such as your great state of California it will come much easier. Meanwhile, I am always open to suggestions from fellow prospectors. This past season has been better than any other since I began focusing on newer techniques. I feel that now I am better than most of the weekend prospectors here since I am finding more gold in the tail race pilings of sluice operators than they are probably finding themselves. I am actually finding diamonds and gemstones that are worth more than the gold I have found. Anyway, please feel free to point me in the right direction of other equipment and techniques that you would endorse. I do have some home-made stuff that works pretty good too. Take care, and may there always be gold in your pan.

Mark

 

[The Fossicker]

Howdy Guys,
I'm The Fossicker and the Inventor of the Pyramid Pro Production and Maverick Finishing Pans. I noticed this posting about my product. I'm not sure what is being said here about my Pan being a "Relic from the past." The Pyramid Pro Pan has only been on the market for several years now and has not ever been seen at any other time in history. It took me over 5 years and 6 Prototypes to create the Pyramid Pro Pan and the performance of this Pan is second to none, period. In fact it works so well that it has a Life Time Guarantee and if for any reason you don't think that it lives up to what I say - send it back and I'll refund your money. Beat that! Keep in mind that the Motto of this Pan is : "If it isn't in your Pyramid Pro Pan it just isn't there." Try one and see if I'm lying. Those who own one know that I'm not. Cheers.

The Fossicker

 

[craftime78]

Hey Fossicker. (Dennis?) I love your pan and have been letting several fellow prospectors try it out. Some have bought it already and several more will be purchasing one for next season. Every once in a while I watch your video demonstration to make sure I am doing it right but I have found that by doing it slower and not working it down beyond the bottom riffle keeps more gemstones and crystals from being washed out, especially when there is a lot of black sand. Either way, I definitely find more gold than those using a sluice. Thanks for a wonderful pan!!!!

Mark

 

[Hoser John]

There was no link and Pyramid pro Pans were made by a good number of folks who bought pieces/molds/plans from the Green/Pyramid/misc machine company in Pyramid kalif in the grapevine north of los angeles 1980-1999. The company went through a half dozen names but pan name stuck. Sorry for any mixup and there was some VERY damaging things being done to folks by subsequent owners that left a bad taste/experience with that name,which I did "not" defer too in any way shape or form. I'd find a new name for your product as tough enough to sell mining equipment in this insanely litigaseous country now MUST try one out then-thanx for info--tons a au 2 u 2-John

 

[craftime78]

Hey John. I might have misled you on that anyway since according to the Fossicker it is the Pyramid Pro Production Pan. My mistake. I just know that it works great for me and I have only used my sluice once since getting the Pyramid Pan, and that was just to show someone new how to do all the different aspects of panning. I found more gold with a couple shovelfuls of material ran through it than a few buckets of material ran through the sluice. The best thing about it is being able to use it in small streams that don't have enough running water to set up a sluice. You only need about a foot of water to work it, even if you have to dig a hole first to use it. You can also use it to make a quick search of someone else's sluice tailings. If they didn't set it up right there will be lots of gold there. I checked some of my own tailings from the Pyramid Pro Pan once in a while and never found any visible gold so I believe the Fossicker is right in saying something about "if it isn't in the pan, it just isn't there". Unfortunately, I will have to wait until next spring to use it again since Wisconsin tends to have a "hard" water problem this time of year. Take care, and don't hurt yourself hauling home all that gold.

Mark

 

[craftime78]

Hey Fossicker. Just to let you know that I did figure out a few helpful hints on your pan. I have found that as the water gets colder the clay tends to clump up and even harden in the bottom, keeping the gold from settling all the way down. I poke a finger down into the bottom area then give it another minute's worth of shaking and swirling just before I am ready to add more material or do a cleanup. Also, since there is often a lot of black sands in it I dump most of the contents into a bucket and take that home for further classification and much closer inspection. I save the best concentrates at the plug to pan at home later with the Maverick finishing pan. If I do a test cleanup on site I safety pan it and save those castings as well. My initial classifying is 1/4" to run through the Pyramid Pro Pan. After that, at home I classify at 1/8", then 1/16", then pan the rest. I find that my best non-gold finds are in the 1/16" to 1/8" size. This includes quartz crystals, garnets, diamonds(my favorite!!), and countless other fossils and interesting items. My best find, a .26 carat dodecahedron diamond of exceptional clarity and quality, has paid for the pan several times over already. Everything else is pure profit now (even after I pay for having a jeweler mount it into a pendant for my wife). Thanks for a wonderful product!!!

Mark

 

[craftime78]

Here is a photo of the diamond I found using the Pyramid Pro Production Pan. I will be going to the jeweler to have it mounted into a pendant setting. (shhhhhhhhh.....don't tell my wife)

Mark

 

[Hoser John]

Luv gold and diamonds but VERY interested in new toys for us mining boys,well ol'fart now-anyhow pix please or vendor info to run testing with as I buy just about everything that comes down the pike to see whatzup Done much new product testing over the years and sure makes a difference to the bottom line at the end of the year-thanx for any info as to who,what,$$$ and where tons a au 2 u 2 -John PS-AGAIN sorry for the mixup in name

 

[craftime78]

Hey John. In case you missed it, the place to get the Pyramid Pro Production Pan is at www.fossickers.com or www.goldpanprospectors.com They both take you to the same place. It will only set you back about $120 with shipping, about the same as a good sluice. There is even a nice instructional video on the site. It works best when you can sit on a bucket and rest your arms on your knees. You can put material in it straight from the shovel, but I classify it to 1/4" or less first. Keep me posted on how you do if you get one. Good luck. Remember, all that glitters is not gold. (Some is silver or gems).

Mark

 

[Hoser John]

THANX-will do-John

 

[Nitro 54]

The Pro Pan is on my bucket list to get. Looks like a great product to use where a highbanker or sluice would be more trouble to set up or pack in.

 

[craftime78]

Hi Nitro. Let me know when you get the Pyramid Pro pan. The instruction video on the website is all you need to learn the basics but I will be more than happy to share more detailed info and other helpful hints. I plan on getting at least one more next spring to share with a few of my prospecting buddies. Hopefully, they will get their own though. I love finding gemstones and fossils but gold is my favorite flash in the pan. Take care.

Mark

 

[kgphoto]

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the input on the pan. I have looked all over the Los Angeles area and posted on several forums and no one there has one or has used the Pyramid Pro Pan, so it is hard to find anyone who has personal experience with the pan. I would like to try one before I spend $120 on a gold pan.

So thanks again for the feed back.

 

[craftime78]

Hey kgphoto, I'm just glad I could help. I have only had mine for one season but I already found more than the past few seasons combined. I wish I could take you out to show you how I do it but here in Wisconsin we kind of have a "hard" water problem this time of year. I don't care to use a "water softener" (ice chisel) on it either. Although, we are supposed to be back up into the 50's for Turkey Day. Keep me posted. Remember, gold is where you find it. I just wish there was more in MY backyard.

Mark

 

[The Fossicker]

Howdy All,
Thanks for all of the kind words about my product. First let me say that I'll be at the GPAA Pomona Gold Show on Jan.21-22, 2012. If Kgphoto wants to see the Pyramid Pro Production and Maverick Finishing Pan in action along with some other items I make, come on down and you can put your hands on one of these "BadBoys" and try it out yourself. In fact I will be doing most of the Gold Shows on the West Coast this year and maybe to the East as well. I post on my web site where I will be going next so give it a look now an then. Kraftime, The Pyramid Pro Pan can handle clay to a pretty good extent. I've worked in clay/gravel mixes up to 25% and got the job done. If you are in any situation of sticky/slimy material just stratify a bit more offten than usual - the Pyramid Pro Pan will do the rest. As far as Gems, I put Oregon Sun Stone Gems into my gravel mix that I use at the Gold Shows to demonstrate that the Pyramid Pro Pan can handle Gems as well. You can even go down a bit lower than the last Riffle to empty your Pan. The area that bulges out towards the bottom of the Pan is called the "Pre Mix Chmber", this simple modification is one of the reasons that the Pyramid Pro Pan works so well. I usually suggest that you can empty your Pan just above the "Pre Mix Chamber." If any of you have questions or have suggestions like Kraftime dumping excessive Blacksand out of the Trap, let's hear about it. Hoser John - try it, you'll like it! Cheers.

The Fossicker

 

[craftime78]

Just to clarify, I don't take it down as much because I want to make sure I don't lose anything. I dump the majority of the remains into a bucket to classify later as there is often some gold that didn't make it into the plug yet. I classify to 1/4" before running it through the Pyramid Pro Production Pan and look through the larger rocks before dumping them. Then, everything I save after that gets classified through 1/8", then 1/16" and the rest gets panned in a tub. I pull the irons out with a magnet after each stage. I usually find most of the rough diamonds and garnets between 1/16" and 1/8" and find a lot of quartz crystals larger than 1/4". When I work the pan more aggressively I know I'm not losing any of the gold but right now the gemstones seem to be paying off more for me than the gold. There is just so much black sand now where I am at that I take more home than before to maximize the material I dig up. I'm just not ready to give my spot up for this year since it will be all filled in and re-arranged in the spring. I'm giving it one more shot on Thanksgiving day since we are supposed to be in the 50's here. Hey Fossicker, I hope you can make it to Onalaska, Wisconsin the next GPAA treasure show there. I would be more than happy to help you out. I definitely endorse your great products.

Mark