Miners Moss?

[oregonmp03]

I just bought a new dredge and box is lined with the blue miners moss. I've never used it until today but I've always used regular carpet and the black rubber in my dredges. I was wondering if people had any opinions about what's better or what they like better. I feel like a lot of fines might get through and vibrate out the bottom of the box and that I need something underneath. Also what's the easiest way to clean it out, seems like a lot of particles were still in there even after I cleaned it.

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[TheGoldProspector]

I used to be in the same straights with my consistant flow machines. However, Everything changed the day I setup with the moss upstream(underlaid with carpet) and the carpet behind by itself. Upon the cleanout, noticed a few nice pickers and much flour and flake- but to my astonishment, a few bullets were in the first few inches of the moss.

With flow/depth/and material, there will always be something "else" to use or try. But for me, I love my moss..

 

[oregonmp03]

I did a clean out tonight, wasn't much in there but again I didn't dredge long. I forgot my gloves and there was a lot of setting up just to get comfortable on the dredge again. I learned a lot more today about my setup. I'm thinking of running the rubber matting completely underneath to prevent machine vibration from throwing out any small gold out the bottom. I also need to add some rubber matting above the moss as there is about 7 inches of bare metal between the crash box and the beginning of the miners moss. Trial and error I guess.

My g/f was nice enough to buy me a full wetsuit, and gear which will be hear this week

 

[TheGoldProspector]

Trial and error. Will be the title to my first novel (if thats okay with you)

One thing about prospecting - you Never know everything.

Im glad you see some kinks you can fab out
You mentioned metal before any matting, is that correct? If so, make sure your matting is adheared to your box, or fabricate an end gate, as to not have micro and fines travel Underneath your chosen matting..i learned that lesson the hard way

 

[oregonmp03]

Thanks for the heads up

 

[oregonmp03]

Armadillo Mining has the rubber matting for underneath 14 inch by 36 for a little over $9 should work perfect. The local guy wanted to charge me $2.50 an inch x 14 inches. Can't wait to get back out on Saturday

 

[TheGoldProspector]

Awesome! Run sime AUsome dirt!

 

[goldgit'r]

Everyone has there opinion so here is mine.
You did not say what type dredge it was, if it is a Proline it was designed to use miners moss with nothing under it in the entire sluice.
I use miners moss with nothing under it in my equipment and am very happy with its performance.
DO NOT put v mat or carpet under the moss because it will not exchange properly.
Your riffles should clamp down tight against the moss.
I might as well say too that I find it difficult to believe that gold can migrate down the bottom of a sluice under miners moss.
I have raised expanded metal in my trommel sluice with unbacked miners moss under it and I put a piece of 1/2'' angle across the end of the sluice not to prevent migration but to maintain a fluid bed type situation in the sluice, that is also the purpose for having your riffles hold the moss tight against the bottom of the sluice.
Let the hating begin!!!!!!! lol

Wes

 

[oregonmp03]

Yeah it's a Proline and has the hinge and clamp like you assumed. The problem is that they guy i bought it from has a small, really thin, 14 inch by 6 inch wide mat at the bottom of the sluice and said that they often have a line of fine gold sitting on the top edge of the black mat, which really tells me that gold is vibrating down that far.

Your thinking the V-mat will just clog the miners moss rather just preventing the fine gold from vibrating out the bottom of the box?

 

[goldgit'r]

If the riffles have not been modified and are clamping down on the moss as designed you should not need anything under the moss!
Leave the v rib out, run the dredge and when you shut down for a clean out let the dredge sit for 30 min and when you undo your riffles pick the moss straight up, you should be able to see where each riffle was pressed against the bottom of the sluice.

Wes

 

[carnet56]

what I would do is call proline up ask for I think jeff he will answer all your question for you. I just bought a 2.5 dredge from them and they are the greats to work with I ran it for about a hour sat and was very pleased with it

 

[Huelten]

GoldHog mats

 

[oregonmp03]

I'll be installing them in my highbanker when I start building it here in January

 

[Reed Lukens]

Here is what I did with my Proline just to make it better. There was nothing wrong with it as a single sluice but making it an over under made a huge difference in the fines collection. Many people have used my exact design on their dredges and I have never heard all kinds of good reports from people all over the world about this simple little conversion. I also run v mat under the moss because it helps trap the material that goes under the moss and hold it in place. Bulging miners moss to me, is not desirable. I run a 9hp Hp500 pump on my 4" maxed out and it gets the gold fast. It's a working machine that is dependable. Depending on what size dredge and motor that you have will make a difference.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/d...1-how-build-over-under-dredge-conversion.html

 

[okbasspro]

Here is what I did with my Proline just to make it better. There was nothing wrong with it as a single sluice but making it an over under made a huge difference in the fines collection. Many people have used my exact design on their dredges and I have never heard all kinds of good reports from people all over the world about this simple little conversion. I also run v mat under the moss because it helps trap the material that goes under the moss and hold it in place. Bulging miners moss to me, is not desirable. I run a 9hp Hp500 pump on my 4" maxed out and it gets the gold fast. It's a working machine that is dependable. Depending on what size dredge and motor that you have will make a difference. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/dredging-hi-banking/415281-how-build-over-under-dredge-conversion.html

Yep best thing I ever did to my 4"

 

[oregonmp03]

Pretty awesome, nice job and thanks the info and link

 

[MrTim4Gold]

You must run V or vortex under the moss..it will settle to the sluice and slide right out the bottom, dont rely on your riffles to clamp it down..every cleanup my V mat under my blue moss is loaded with black sand... Say No to losses!!

 

[oregonmp03]

Okay so at the beginning of this thread I said "Trial and Error" which is exactly what I'll do. I added a 7 inch strip of V-mat in front of the miners moss which was nothing but bare metal before anyway. Then I tried the V-Mat under the miners moss but it doesn't fit well the whole length. I checked the gap under the riffles and it was big enough I could feel the gap between the moss and the riffle in the bottom half so I put V-mat in the bottom half of the sluice under the miners moss.

We'll see how that works out on Saturday. If I don't like it I can remove the lower V-Mat or if I do like it I have a whole other roll that's long enough to fit the entire length. We shall see. Thanks for all the input so far.

 

[TheGoldProspector]

Okay so at the beginning of this thread I said "Trial and Error" which is exactly what I'll do. I added a 7 inch strip of V-mat in front of the miners moss which was nothing but bare metal before anyway. Then I tried the V-Mat under the miners moss but it doesn't fit well the whole length. I checked the gap under the riffles and it was big enough I could feel the gap between the moss and the riffle in the bottom half so I put V-mat in the bottom half of the sluice under the miners moss.

We'll see how that works out on Saturday. If I don't like it I can remove the lower V-Mat or if I do like it I have a whole other roll that's long enough to fit the entire length. We shall see. Thanks for all the input so far.

Find the heavies. Good luck and happy hunting

 

[goldgit'r]

Check your sluice box with a straight edge across the bottom and be sure it is not bowed!

Wes