Good day yesterday....

[goldenIrishman]

Well the Better half and I started doing some testing in the wash that runs through the property yesterday and fund some gold. Not much but some. We loaded up the packs, Grabbed the Munchkin (Grandaughter) and the dogs and walked over to the wash and hit what looked like it would be a good area to check. Since we don't have a dry washer as of yet we took some samples, classified them and brought them back to the house to pan them down. I found some very small pieces in the first two gallons worth of samples and will pan the remaining samples down today to see what (if anything) they hold. I've also been finding good quantities of black sand as well as some nice little garnets.

At least we know for sure that there's gold on the property and we had a really nice time wandering through the wash with the Munchkin and the dogs. Now I need to cut a trail from the house to the wash so I can get the truck down there as hauling buckets back to the house is a major pain in the posterior! Now the search is on to find where the best places to dig are going to be.

 

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[goldenIrishman]

Hmmm, NEEDS lots of snacks and has the attention of a cocker spaniel, that could be a description for me...are you saying I have the maturity of a 6 year old?! LOL

LOL Sounds like you two better not come on out for some prospecting with us. The Rottweilers might decide YOU are the snacks!

 

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[goldenIrishman]

Well we're getting closer to our goal. Went out prospecting for gold and all I found was some stinking SILVER!!! Well that's not 100% accurate. I have been finding small amounts of flour gold but not a single picker yet. (No Kevin... Nose pickers DON'T count!) The count so far is 2 ea Silver flakes of picker size, 1 ea chunk of copper, and enough flour gold to prove it's there but not enough to weigh (yet) Trying to keep a positive frame of mind here. We WILL find gold... We WILL find gold We WILL find gold. (But I will settle for a nice vein of silver. )

 

[KevinInColorado]

Keep at it, you are getting warmer

 

[Jeff95531]

Well we're getting closer to our goal. Went out prospecting for gold and all I found was some stinking SILVER!!! Well that's not 100% accurate. I have been finding small amounts of flour gold but not a single picker yet. (No Kevin... Nose pickers DON'T count!) The count so far is 2 ea Silver flakes of picker size, 1 ea chunk of copper, and enough flour gold to prove it's there but not enough to weigh (yet) Trying to keep a positive frame of mind here. We WILL find gold... We WILL find gold We WILL find gold. (But I will settle for a nice vein of silver. )

OMG, I just read your post after I posted my first ten pans! Seems we have a lot in common! LMAO, I don't think I would recognize silver except for the 2 ounce bar I sold last year.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well I've been doing this panning thing from a long time and can I.D. most types of metals. I'm just a noob here on the forum and to Arizona. At least I'm starting (with a little patience and a lot of study) to get the geology of this area so I understand it better. Just wish I had something better than Robi's little Radio Shack P.O.S. Metal Detector to work with in the wash. That would make the hunt go a LOT quicker.

I'm going to start making a recirc sluice so I can go through the material quicker. This panning all of the classified materials by hand is taking way too much time.

 

[Jeff95531]

Well I've been doing this panning thing from a long time and can I.D. most types of metals. I'm just a noob here on the forum and to Arizona. At least I'm starting (with a little patience and a lot of study) to get the geology of this area so I understand it better. Just wish I had something better than Robi's little Radio Shack P.O.S. Metal Detector to work with in the wash. That would make the hunt go a LOT quicker.

I'm going to start making a recirc sluice so I can go through the material quicker. This panning all of the classified materials by hand is taking way too much time.

I agree 100%. When my partner gets back, we're going to build a sluice at his place. He has plenty of water, so a recirc isn't required. I kinda like this one though:
Gold Sluice Box Gold Rush Complete Recovery System Start Finding Gold MAV 800 | eBay
but like this one too:

I also have complete plans for a sluice with classifier from mygoldpanning.com

What are you leaning towards?

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well I'm going to go recirc because of a couple of reasons. 1. This IS desert here and we're on a well. I don't want to take a chance of running it dry. 2. I want to set it up in the wash where the work is. This hauling materials back to the house for processing is getting really old really fast!. I'm going to have to cut a road from the house to top of the wash so I can use the truck to get tools, water etc there. I'm getting too old to be hauling this stuff by hand.

As far as the design of the sluice goes, I'm going 6in X 6ft long. Hungarian riffles over miners moss. I've got a place in mind that will give me the right amount of angle for it, is central to the work locations and easy to get to once I get the road cut. If it works out well enough I may build something larger with a built in Grizzly but for now I'm classifying it by hand. The gold found so far is sooo fine that we're thinking that it would just blow out of a dry-washer. Like many others on here I am a firm believer that wet processing is much more effective that dry.

 

[Jeff95531]

A sluice in the river here is forbidden, but I can dig in it.
I plan to hit my spots, classify it to 1/4 inch, pan it and if color, pack it home. I'm leaning towards a 9" by 6' with a flare at the front, ribbed mat then riffles over carpet. PVC to apply water from a tapped source.

What material are you considering for the sluice itself? My brother in law who has been here forever says wood REALLY won't hold up to our environment. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't just drop the $100 on a Keene, but I'd much rather do it for half that if I can ever settle on a DIY one. Also, Le Trap looks good for me and my purpose, just not sure of it's performance as what I've found is flour and small placer gold so far.

Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread and appreciate the assistance.

 

[goldenIrishman]

I'm going with 1X6 wood bottom and 1X4 sides. Aluminum riffle insert over the moss. It's easy to make, light-weight and will get the job done much quicker. I do a LOT of woodworking so this is a piece of cake for me to make.

 

[KevinInColorado]

A sluice in the river here is forbidden, but I can dig in it.
I plan to hit my spots, classify it to 1/4 inch, pan it and if color, pack it home. I'm leaning towards a 9" by 6' with a flare at the front, ribbed mat then riffles over carpet. PVC to apply water from a tapped source.

What material are you considering for the sluice itself? My brother in law who has been here forever says wood REALLY won't hold up to our environment. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't just drop the $100 on a Keene, but I'd much rather do it for half that if I can ever settle on a DIY one. Also, Le Trap looks good for me and my purpose, just not sure of it's performance as what I've found is flour and small placer gold so far.

Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread and appreciate the assistance.

A drop riffle like the Le Trap, cal Sluice or Angus Mackirk would be great for that superfine gold...just go buy one and get on the gold with confidence!

 

[goldenIrishman]

DOn't worry about hi-jacking the thread guys. Far as I'm concerned pretty much anything goes here as long as we keep it to PG-rated. I'm a firm believer that the only way we learn is to discuss things and share our thoughts. I have no problem helping out a fellow miner if I can. BTW... here it wouldn't be hi-jacking anyway... It would be "Claim Jumpin!"

 

[Jeff95531]

Thanks for the input guys. It's almost 70 and sunny here, spring and gold fever's running high. Have to stay home today so I devoted most of it trying to find something I saw earlier and liked. Here is something that I'm leaning towards, KISS and cost wise. Decided to go with a recirc pump system it will use a lot of water and it's the right thing to do. I even have a 12 volt bilge pump, but not big enough, huh?

Can't find any reason to mistrust the Le Trap and I like the easy clean up, cost, etc. Since I will classify to 1/4 on the site, I could put 1/8 inch if needed for the high banker. Here is the link. (BTW I don't think his problems were with the angle but likely the water flow-IMHO)

http://prospecting.atspace.com/LeTrap-folding-highbanker.html

And something else I found interesting, the link next could be fitted on top of the sluice frame to complete it's transformation to a high banker. Of course, the carpet would not be needed but overal, I like the KISS design.

and part two, the results


TYVM for this, it finally gets me moving forward instead of sideways with all the choices.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Forward is good Jeff. Sideways is welllll.....

We made the 120 mile round trip to the nearest Lowes and got the materials for the sluice this morning and took care of some other things while we were in town. Soon as we got home and had the truck unloaded, I disappeared into the shop and got the sluice built. Having a full cabinet shop at my disposal is a handy thing to say the least. Got the sides glued and screwed to the base using TiteBond III waterproof glue (great stuff if you've never used it) the liners all cut to size and fitted into place and the riffles are just about finished as well. I used aluminum angle to make the riffles and only have to make a guide block to bend the cross pieces into a Hungarian style instead of flat. Al that is left to do is cut and install the plugs over the screw holes (I HATE screws that show!), route a radius on the outer edges to soften them, stain it up and then give it a couple coats of clear poly to seal everything. Not counting drying time on the finish I"m looking at about 2 more hours work to have it all finished up. Should be able to do a test run on it by Sunday.

I was teasing Robi (my MUCH better half) that I was going to route "Robis' Gold Getter" into the sides of the sluice but for some reason she didn't take me seriously. I can't imagine why.....

I'll try to get pictures and give a report on how well it works as soon as I can.

 

[Jeff95531]

And I thought I was remote. We have a Home Depot and the best Ace Hardware store I have ever seen all within 10 miles.
My brother in law has a complete metal and wood working shop and knows how to use it all. Unfortunately, he is out of town taking care of his dad for awhile, so mine has to wait a bit. This morning, I agreed to buy a new Le Trap from another member on here. (thanks for the nudge KevinInColorado) When it's all done, it should look like this:



Tyvm for the tips. I'll be using them!

Can't wait to see yours and how it works. Have fun!

 

[KevinInColorado]

:-D

 

[goldenIrishman]

Sluice is done and just waiting for the last coat of poly to dry before I do a test run. Soon as I can put it all back together I'll try getting a pic or two of it. I made a last minute design revision and added a "spreader" for the water as well as a "splash guard". The revisions are not pretty but if it works I'll clean it up to match the rest of the sluice.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well the sluice box works great!! Tested it using the hose and ran about 5 gallons worth of classified materials through it and it did a great job. Now I have to work up a recirc pump system so we can use it down in the wash. No more having to haul materials back to the house! Yeee Hawwwww!!!!!!

 

[Jeff95531]

PICS!

 

[goldenIrishman]

Be patient Grasshopper! All I have for cameras are my Minolta 35MM FILM camera and the P.O.S. camera function on my phone. I'm old school when it comes to photography and have forgotten more than most people now days learn about shooting with real film.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well I've got the re-circ system up and running. I feel it could stand a little more flow from the pump but it is working. Robi found a cut down 55 gallon drum thanks to the maint guys at her work and that's acting as the main water supply with the pump in it. The tailings flow into a 5 gallon bucket that nests inside the drum. When the bucket is getting close to full I will just swap it out for a fresh one. I'm thinking of upgrading the pump to double the flow rate. The one I'm using now is only 750 GPH and I can get a 1400 GPH for about $35 from Bass Pro Shops.