Sluice is up and running. Now tons of tweaking ahead

[Jeff95531]

I was able to drop in @ my bro in law Bryans' and with a few 24 oz'ers in hand, got further on the High Banker Letrap sluice. First thing we noticed was the forward legs had to be moved back 9 inches to make room for the tubs. We leveled, adjusted up and down (using full flow always...2200 GPH) and were able to load it up and flush it out only using adjustments. THAT was very good news. The pump however is behaving strangely. Not pumping at times, acting like it was pumping but at very low volume. Shut it off, restart, and most times would fix. The water was muddy and no screen on the pump yet, so HOPING that is the problem there. Holes are 1/8" and plugged easily.

Bryan isn't happy with the angle on the hopper and I'm not happy with the back leg length, but we agreed to figure that out next week. We got lots of black sand and the concentrates we used were from my panning. Apparently, I'm better at panning than I thought, as not a bit of gold found.

Here are a couple of pics. Like I always say, it's not done but we're closer than we've ever been

 

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[H-2 CHARLIE]

jeff .. that is so cool . i have a la trap and i want to do this for my back yard . after you perfect it , post some good close up pics.

 

[Jeff95531]

Will do. I plan to post a video, price list and specs too. This project got started based on a similar one I found online, but we had nothing to work with except pics. It cost me nearly $300 but it is being built to last a lifetime. Being how it is mostly wood, Bryan was concerned with rot from the very beginning. One of the details he added was brass bushings at every pivot point, filled with stainless steel fasteners. Gotta love attention to detail like that!

 

[sidvail]

That is a great looking set up. I'd also like to see some close ups.

 

[Alex Burke]

Looks good Jeff, I think the surging water flow is a common problem I have it too sometimes even with a filter, I used some mesh with about screen door size holes and it wouldn't pump right either, I ended up setting it on some wood inside a classifier and that works best because the super silty sand has to build up too 4 inches or so and you can scoop it out and keep running or fully change water out before that happens. I did test a couple of other wider meshes and had good results with not so silty material. I thought it was battery at first making it surge but I checked that and made sure that wasn't the problem. I want to get a couple of higher quality pumps to rule that out and have backups. What brand is yours? I have a red white and blue plastic one.

 

[Jeff95531]

Looks good Jeff, I think the surging water flow is a common problem I have it too sometimes even with a filter, I used some mesh with about screen door size holes and it wouldn't pump right either, I ended up setting it on some wood inside a classifier and that works best because the super silty sand has to build up too 4 inches or so and you can scoop it out and keep running or fully change water out before that happens. I did test a couple of other wider meshes and had good results with not so silty material. I thought it was battery at first making it surge but I checked that and made sure that wasn't the problem. I want to get a couple of higher quality pumps to rule that out and have backups. What brand is yours? I have a red white and blue plastic one.

I have a Johnson Pump 2200 GPH Bilge Pump 1-1/8" Hose 12V Threaded Port - 22004. The pump is sitting in the cement mixing container and the plastic storage container NORMALLY would catch the material then overflow. Since it was short of getting there (due to the legs in the way) my thoughts are now is too much loose material got in the tub. We'll see.

 

[Alex Burke]

Cool thx, mine is set so everything that's smaller than 1/4 inch ends up in tub, so every few buckets it needs attention It would be nice to run it non recirculating hopefully someday lol. I would like to get brand name pump like that, thanks for the reply Jeff.

 

[Jeff95531]

I doubt it will ever happen but my dream is to use it on the bank. You remember, like it was designed to do? Just stick the pump in a low clear pool creekside...sigh

 

[Hard Prospector]

That LeTrap sure looks familiar, hope it brings you lots of gold Jeff.

 

[Jeff95531]

Yes, yes it does TYVM!

 

[Jimmydolittle]

Bill Fletcher sells plans for about the same equipment, with the money going to Wounded Warier Project.Prospecting How to Plans and sometimes Equipment for sale from Bill and Linda's

Will do. I plan to post a video, price list and specs too. This project got started based on a similar one I found online, but we had nothing to work with except pics. It cost me nearly $300 but it is being built to last a lifetime. Being how it is mostly wood, Bryan was concerned with rot from the very beginning. One of the details he added was brass bushings at every pivot point, filled with stainless steel fasteners. Gotta love attention to detail like that!

 

[Jeff95531]

Bill Fletcher sells plans for about the same equipment, with the money going to Wounded Warier Project.Prospecting How to Plans and sometimes Equipment for sale from Bill and Linda's

OMG Jimmy, where were you months ago! LMAO, I searched high and low for that very sight, but the pics was all I could find and that is it. Thanks for the link too!