Homemade sluice

ckobesko

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Nov 10, 2015
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Jim in Idaho

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Jul 21, 2012
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Blackfoot, Idaho
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Gotta like that! Nice build.
Jim
 

DizzyDigger

Gold Member
Dec 9, 2012
5,821
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Concrete, WA
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Nokta FoRs Gold, a Gold Cube, 2 Keene Sluices and Lord only knows how many pans....not to mention a load of other gear my wife still doesn't know about!
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Looks well built...nice work!

Couldn't take the pics..turned 'em for ya. Also, if you can reduce
the image size to about 1000 pixels on the longest side they
are much easier to post.

image.jpg

image 1.jpg
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
9
Primary Interest:
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Thanks! First built. 14 gauge 5052 aluminum deck plate. 3/4 inch expanded and 1 inch flat stock riffles at 1/2 inch high and 20 degrees. 12x48. Will add miners moss, homemade stand and a header or hopper. Not sure I did the riffles correct
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
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Sheet metal shop charged 35 to bend sides. Total cost for material 54.00
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,268
6,725
St. Louis, missouri
that isn't a bad price to pay for being able now to have a LOT of fun! 1 suggestion about your riffels, make sure that when everything is completed and the Moss/carpet or what ever you decide to install under the riffels is that you cant see ANY daylight when its all clamped together OR it will allow small gold to pass under the riffels. BUt other than that you did good! now to try it out and get some of your own gold!
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
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Got ya! Ty. They had to bend the aluminum really slowly and use different radius edges. It was quite fun and easy.
 

nh.nugget

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Sep 3, 2013
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You might want to check out clarkson's fine gold recovery report check out the riffle design looks like you might have to add a couple more. In order to get the right vortex behind the riffles. Other than that it looks awesome!
 

Goldwasher

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May 26, 2009
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Sailor Flat, Ca.
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You might want the riffles closer together...depends on the material you plan on running. 20 degrees is also a little shallow. keep in mind you want to run material classified to the size of your riffles. Your riffle size is the height from the top of your expanded to the top of the riffle. So, if your riffles were at 90 degrees you would have 1/2 riffles and would want to classify to around have inch. Your gonna be at less than 1/2 tall so you would want to classify smaller. There is some wiggle room. You also want your riffles to be spaced about twice as far apart as your riffle is high.. too far apart and you may get packing in your moss. You want active exchange. when you get away from the riffle eddy material doesn't exchange as well. All of this is related to feed and capture ability. if you are dealing with mainly fine gold and classifying down pretty small your set up may be just fine. if your running material that is classified less you may want to adjust your riffle set.

Where do you live what kind of material are you running? It is a nice build and will last forever....hope you don't need to install wheels to move it:laughing7:...12 inches is a wide stream sluic..you will be moving a lot of water through that box..fast water is good but angle riffles lift fine gold into upper flow, and out the box you may want riffles at the head that are taller and shallower after. that way any fine gold that hasn't settled gets its chance and you won't have too much turbulence keeping it off the bottom.

Or you could stop all guess work and go with GOLD HOG !!!!!!!!8-)
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
9
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You might want the riffles closer together...depends on the material you plan on running. 20 degrees is also a little shallow. keep in mind you want to run material classified to the size of your riffles. Your riffle size is the height from the top of your expanded to the top of the riffle. So, if your riffles were at 90 degrees you would have 1/2 riffles and would want to classify to around have inch. Your gonna be at less than 1/2 tall so you would want to classify smaller. There is some wiggle room. You also want your riffles to be spaced about twice as far apart as your riffle is high.. too far apart and you may get packing in your moss. You want active exchange. when you get away from the riffle eddy material doesn't exchange as well. All of this is related to feed and capture ability. if you are dealing with mainly fine gold and classifying down pretty small your set up may be just fine. if your running material that is classified less you may want to adjust your riffle set.

Where do you live what kind of material are you running? It is a nice build and will last forever....hope you don't need to install wheels to move it:laughing7:...12 inches is a wide stream sluic..you will be moving a lot of water through that box..fast water is good but angle riffles lift fine gold into upper flow, and out the box you may want riffles at the head that are taller and shallower after. that way any fine gold that hasn't settled gets its chance and you won't have too much turbulence keeping it off the bottom.

Or you could stop all guess work and go with GOLD HOG !!!!!!!!8-)

Nice information! What if I were to alternate riffles or add them in between the existing riffles? Will be running a lot of sand from Lake Superior.
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
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Summit County, Colorado
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Riffles and Lake Superior sand are a bad combination from what I've seen. Look into "beach boxes" instead.
 

Oregon Viking

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Jan 6, 2014
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Brookings-Harbor Oregon
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Riffles and Lake Superior sand are a bad combination from what I've seen. Look into "beach boxes" instead.

If you can remove everything from your sluice (expanded, riffles) You can put deep V matting in it. I have a Keene A52 and that's what I'm doing for a "beach box" I might go half V and half vortex also. Or a third half...:laughing7: Gold Hog matting. I will have to ask Doc which Hog mat is best for the beach.:icon_thumright:
 

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KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
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Summit County, Colorado
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If you can remove everything from your sluice (expanded, riffles) You can put deep V matting in it. I have a Keene A52 and that's what I'm doing for a "beach box" I might go half V and half vortex also. Or a third half...:laughing7: Gold Hog matting. I will have to ask Doc which Hog mat is best for the beach.:icon_thumright:

Right idea OV. Ditch the riffles for -100 gold. Only thing is combining deep V and vortex isn't a great idea. Vortex needs a 15degree tilt/drop, deep V works best with much less. So, you have to pick one or the other I think.
 

arizau

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May 2, 2014
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If you can remove everything from your sluice (expanded, riffles) You can put deep V matting in it. I have a Keene A52 and that's what I'm doing for a "beach box" I might go half V and half vortex also. Or a third half...:laughing7: Gold Hog matting. I will have to ask Doc which Hog mat is best for the beach.:icon_thumright:

A year or so back I asked Doc the same question on another forum. At that time he suggested that I alternate a couple of Downdraft sections then a couple of Razorback, etc. for ocean beach sands. This summer I set my 5' sluice up with them and tried it at a beach just north of your location. The little creek I set up in had little flow at the time so my setup was far from ideal (not much black sand either) but I did catch some gold. I go there every year so maybe my next trip will have better operating conditions and more black sand availability.

Good luck.
 

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Oregon Viking

Gold Member
Jan 6, 2014
12,246
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Brookings-Harbor Oregon
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A year or so back I asked Doc the same question on another forum. At that time he suggested that I alternate a couple of Downdraft sections then a couple of Razorback, etc. for ocean beach sands. This summer I set my 5' sluice up with them and tried it at a beach just north of your location. The little creek I set up in had little flow at the time so my setup was far from ideal (not much black sand either) but I did catch some gold. I go there every year so maybe my next trip will have better operating conditions and more black sand availability.

Good luck.

Next time you are here....or near... look me up!
I have been here since 1965....so....where to eat.... Local stuff.....
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
9
Primary Interest:
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Ty people, I also plan on using for lake tributaries that consist of pebbles dirt and sand. How does the hog mat lay into the sluice? I heard superglue? I want the to be easily removed and swapped for moss and riffles
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
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Primary Interest:
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I also plan on using it as a highbanker. Should I modify my riffles with taller ones in the back and how many riffles should I use with a 36 inch set?
 

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ckobesko

Jr. Member
Nov 10, 2015
28
9
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
sluiceriffle.JPG

6 inches apart and a 20 degree angle. little over 1/4 inch tall. The nearest riffle wasnt welded on yet.
I was thinking of welding on square 1/4 inch tubing or round stock to the first 3 riffles bring my riffle height to over 3/4 inch.
 

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