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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[kazcoro]

If you can get a bigger pump, you are going to be happier. That way, if the flow is too high, then you can just use a gate valve to show it down where you need it.

 

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[Jeff95531]

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.

This is the one I have in mind.
Amazon.com: Intex 56637EG 1000-Gallon Filter Pump AC 110 to 120-Volt: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Of course, where I sluice has 110v power. 1000 GPH sounds good?.
Any recommendations on the PVC pipe size to feed my High Banker in the works? I have the photos only to work with so could use some help. I know it's 1/4 inch holes spaced 12" apart?.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well this is like any other DIY project. Kind of hit or miss till ya get it working the way you want it. On my water supply I added a "T" fitting on the end that I had cut a slot into. This acts as a spreader so I have water across the entire bottom of the sluice instead of a central blasting stream right out of the hose.

As far as your highbanker goes I would think that a 1000 GPH pump would be plenty of water for it depending on the "head height" of the pump used. I would go with a 12 volt pump though so you could keep it portable just in case you decide to use it out in the field at some point that doesn't have a 110 connection available. That or get two pumps that use the same fittings so you could swap them out as needed. Though I know how they work I've never used one so as far as the pipe size goes I can't say. Fluid dynamics should be a little different as you're using the feed hopper to wash your materials before they hit the sluice section. You're going to need enough water flow to do that job but still have the correct flow across the sluice section. If the water is to fast for the sluice you could lessen the angle of it to slow the water flow.

I'm trying to stick to keeping everything 12 volt so it remains portable. Eventually I want to get this all set up down in the wash so I don't have to haul materials back to the house to run them.

On a side note: While working on the water system yesterday I noticed a couple of Border Patrol trucks on the "road" at the south end of our property. Seems they were either checking the wash or the ranch next to us. I didn't think anything about it until the dogs started barking their heads off and looking in that direction. Grabbing up my trusty binoculars I scoped out their trucks to see that they were back at them with at least 3 illegals in tow. From this point on we won't be going down to the wash without the dogs AND some heavy artillery. Seem that though there's gold in them there hills there's also Javilinas, Rattlers, Scorpions, Drug Runners, and Illegal Aliens.

 

[kazcoro]

I would worry about them in this order, drug runners, rattler, scorpions, illegals, javelinas.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Hey Jeff... Just had another thought for the water supply for your banker. On the spray bars DON'T glue them into place. Instead use a threaded fitting so you can adjust the angle of the spray. That way you could also make up a couple of different sets of spray bars for running different types of materials.

Kaz: Wasn't listing them in order of danger levels. But I'd go Drug Runners and Javilinas at the top of the list. Illegals are not interested in harming anyone and the others I can keep an eye out for with no problem. Just have to watch where you are sticking body parts is all. Javilinas could do a real number on us AND the dogs in a short heartbeat.

 

[Jeff95531]

Hey Jeff... Just had another thought for the water supply for your banker. On the spray bars DON'T glue them into place. Instead use a threaded fitting so you can adjust the angle of the spray. That way you could also make up a couple of different sets of spray bars for running different types of materials.

Thank you for all the advice and tips. You are so right, the majority of PVC should be threaded for adjustment and cleaning purposes. Since on-site sluicing is prohibited here, I'll start with the 110. My partner is finally back in town and we should have it up and running in a week or so. Can't wait!

 

[kazcoro]

I haven't had any run ins with javelinas, so they are pretty low in my book. ANd, illegals are trying to work. Do you really think javelina are that big of a problem? Have you had any problems with them, or have you heard stories?

 

[goldenIrishman]

This time of year if you run into momma and her babies you'd better get out of the area as fast as possible. So far I've only run into one of the four footed tusked devils and he was more scared of me than I was of him. A mother with babies though is another matter. They'll attack ANYTHING that they think could be a threat to the little ones.

Several of the towns around here have big problems with Javilinas roaming through town. Bisbee is a prime example. IWld pigs of any type can be VERY dangerous. While in the Army our entire platoon was treed by a wild sow and her little ones. As trainees, we didn't have any ammo and when the Drill Sgt said "up a tree now!" he was serious. We spent the better part of an hour up trees until momma decided that the picking would be better elsewhere.

 

[AzViper]

Walmart sales Atwood 1200 GPH 12 volt Bilge pumps as seen below, 3 year warranty. I had to use a Dremal tool to slightly oversize the PVC 90 degree fitting and glue the fitting to the pumps outlet.

 

[Jeff95531]

Cool build AzViper. Is it field tested and approved? Tough to dial in? 1/8" classifier on top?

 

[AzViper]

Cool build AzViper. Is it field tested and approved? Tough to dial in? 1/8" classifier on top?

I don't want to hyjack this thread but I need to make some mods to the system. I am in the process of adding two 15 gallon barrels under the table to have the black tub drain into one barrel and pump from the other barrel. The two barrels will be join together about 3/4 up each barrel with 2" PVC pipe. All the heavies will drop to the bottom keeping the water clean in the barrel I am pumping from. What is on top is a Blue Bowl for fine gold recovery. Concentrate swirels around the center cone. The heavies stay in the bowl and the lite non gold material is flushed out the center of the cone. The green Fossickers pan below that looks like a sluice is used for backup in the event I use to much water pressure and push gold out.

Here is a link to my thread on the Blue Bowl System

 

[goldenIrishman]

Again... Don't worry about hijacking the thread. It's for sharing ideas.

 

[stevenh]

BTW.... Is there any such thing as "Bad" gold?

Yes, when it's someone else finding it 6 inches further in the hole you quit digging

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well the "field testing" of the sluice is going pretty well. I need to get the stand built up sometime this week but the box and water system is working well. The stand will allow me to adjust the angle with greater ease and will raise it up to a much better working level. The wind here has been flat out HOWLING and while running some materials yesterday some of the stronger gusts actually stopped the flow for just a moment. At times I was expecting a house with some young girl and her little dog from Kansas to come dropping in.

 

[kazcoro]

If you ever want to meet the wicked witch of the west, I know where she lives. I used to be married to her....

 

[kazcoro]

LMAO

 

[goldenIrishman]

ROFLMAO.. U 2?

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well yesterday was also a pretty good day again. Got started running materials through the sluice after a couple of adjustments/modifications on the stand and it's working like a champ. I had just dumped the tailings bucket for the first time when Robi comes pulling up to the house with the Munchkin in tow. ? Seems the Munchkin was sent home due to suspected head lice!!! This is something that seems to be going around her school lately.

Anyway... I get the Munchkin for the day as Robi heads back to work. I made the Munchkin a deal that she could work the tailings pile for Garnets. Anything she finds she gets to keep. Now this serves a couple of functions. First it keeps her busy and out of my hair while running materials. Second it helps me to fine tune the sluice system by showing me if any heavies are being blown out the discharge end and third it helps the Munchkin to learn panning. She's gotten pretty good for a six year old if I do say so myself.

LOL... Now I have to figure out how to keep her busy today until she heads over to the other grandmothers place for the weekend! Since 'm a "Grand-Pa in Training" I"m open to suggestions!!!!

 

[Jeff95531]

I know what my Dad would have said. "GRAB A SHOVEL!"

 

[goldenIrishman]

Hummmmm..... I've never heard of using a shovel to get rid of head lice. Tempting at times though

LOl Yours too? My dad is a great guy but at his age he has a hard time getting around like he used to. He spent close to 40 years working for the phone company in the back country of San Diego County. He knows every farmer/rancher with a bass pond and was really good at getting us into them for some fishing. Needless to say he got a lot of field experience but he never got into prospecting.

Getting the munchkin to use a shovel would be "interesting" to watch to say the least. She's not much taller than your typical "D" handle shovel at this point. She's good with a scoop/trowel and the digging claw though. At least she's trying. We get a break from the Munchkin this weekend so Robi and I are going to go out and get some more samples from some different sites so we can keep trying to find an area with something more than flour in it.