Advice for getting started in panning and sluicing

[Waynos]

Hi everyone,
I recently got hooked on panning and river sluicing via watching videos.
Thinking about buying a panning kit,a Keene a51 sluice and a few 5 gallon buckets and trying this hobby in the spring..I'm not interested in dredging just using a river or stream to look for gold.

My father in law is coming to New Hampshire in May and I'd like to surprise him and take him panning/sluicing cause he loves it.
I looked into a place and was told $150 per person and $250 for 2 people on an all day trip.
It seems kinda steep to me but I have never done this so is that reasonable?

I'd eventually like to get to a point where I know where I can go on my own or with a buddy at my own leisure without having to pay that much each time.
My father inlaw has experience panning but is from out of state so it will be up to me to plan a day as a surprise.
As an avid metal detector I understand you can work all day and find nothing..and I'm okay with that..I just enjoy getting out and having fun
Any help/suggestions are welcome
Thanks
Waynos

 

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[Laz7777]

Does the mat have to be glued or does the rack hold it in place?

the black matting in the flare comes glued from the factory. it is much like and probably is the same material that's glued to aluminum ladders for traction.
the "rack" you mention is the riffles, with expanded metal underneath, followed by miners' carpet underneath that. no part of that is glued.
the matting has grooves that catch some part of the gold as you pour material through, giving you a visual indicator whether or not you're onto something good, or you're not.
nothing like having your mat light-up as you're pouring successive buckets to make your day! and to inspire you to work harder.

one last (and I mean last ) shot in the bazooka war: a 48" bazooka retails for $315!!!!! all the issues I described and it's more than double the price of a 52?
plus Waynos, you're hailing from KEENE, NH...that should be an answer from the Cosmos for you

 

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[KevinInColorado]

Sorry, the idea of a Bazooka war, with A52 fans attacking, is like the idea of the U.K. attacking the US. Absurd.

First, we are on the same side.

Second, go head to head with a Bazooka and you'll see 2-3x the gold from the Bazooka...just like our US military would overwhelm the Brits, even though they are great soldiers with excellent equipment.

Argue all you want, the results speak louder.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Keene sux... Bazooka wins always. And as for the Garret panning kit, I really like the ½"classifier they have. It's been the best for decades because it fits on a bucket high enough to be able to shake it and rock it easily. But... it also comes with that small pan and it does work fine but the Falcon is an unbeatable finish pan. Then the Pioneer pan is my favorite gold pan to use. Even though I got it for free to demo it for Frank when he started making them, it quickly became my favorite pan for all around use, so I carry the Pioneer pan and the Falcon pan.

 

[ratled]

Keene sux... Bazooka wins always. And as for the Garret panning kit, I really like the ½"classifier they have. It's been the best for decades because it fits on a bucket high enough to be able to shake it and rock it easily. But... it also comes with that small pan and it does work fine but the Falcon is an unbeatable finish pan. Then the Pioneer pan is my favorite gold pan to use. Even though I got it for free to demo it for Frank when he started making them, it quickly became my favorite pan for all around use, so I carry the Pioneer pan and the Falcon pan.

View attachment 1250611 View attachment 1250612

Thanks for sharing that picture of the pan. If can't be mine at least somebody got it!
ratled

 

[Reed Lukens]

The pics are in my archives here on Tnet, I have a few albums on my page

 

[goldog]

Bazookas aren't cheap but the 48" Miner is the big daddy sluice. You'd need three Keene's to keep up.

 

[et1955]

My problem with the Bazooka is it is not legal in Washington state, Our Fish and Gold book definition of a sluice box does not come close to the Bazooka, it is a totally new type of mining tool. I do not know the laws in other states but I am curios, what are your laws defining a sluice ? Now I know my state and they will study the Bazooka and there is one problem they will have with it, can Salmon Fry escape once they get into the lower water concentrator, solution they will have is to put a screen on the mouth, will that change your performance, no matter what that screen in front will prevent clogging of your hydraulic concentrator. I have read several posts where the operator did not know that that the hydraulic tubes were clogged and they ran a lot of material, gold lost.

 

[KevinInColorado]

My problem with the Bazooka is it is not legal in Washington state, Our Fish and Gold book definition of a sluice box does not come close to the Bazooka, it is a totally new type of mining tool. I do not know the laws in other states but I am curios, what are your laws defining a sluice ? Now I know my state and they will study the Bazooka and there is one problem they will have with it, can Salmon Fry escape once they get into the lower water concentrator, solution they will have is to put a screen on the mouth, will that change your performance, no matter what that screen in front will prevent clogging of your hydraulic concentrator. I have read several posts where the operator did not know that that the hydraulic tubes were clogged and they ran a lot of material, gold lost.

This is interesting to me as I both know people in WA who use Bazookas regularly and I've brought a Bazooka Prospector up here and used it. I was told the fluid bed is viewed as one big riffle and we are all set to go. No?

 

[KevinInColorado]

Bazookas aren't cheap but the 48" Miner is the big daddy sluice. You'd need three Keene's to keep up.

More like 5-6 to keep up. Not that I'd often suggest the Miner model. A Prospector is plenty big enough, lighter and cheaper. Snipers are good too, lighter, cheaper, use less water...but won't take a whole shovel full of dirt at once. The Supermini/mini are the smallest, lightest and cheapest. Last time I was out with my Supermini, I got more dirt run and more gold than the guys I was with. One had an A52 type sluice and the other had an Angus Mackirk. Both good sluices and good prospectors but still no contest.

 

[nh.nugget]

Hey Waynos. Do yourself a favor if you want to go get some gold the easiest place to go is Twin Rivers Campground give them $5.00 per person for the day. they own a mile of river easy access, good gold. Go down to the turn out can't miss it there's a falling rock sign just beyond park there. Walk to the river look to the left you'll see a bench on the edge of the river start digging. I know there's gold there TRUST ME! As far as sluices go I have a Keene A52 it works great in that river the Wild Ammonussic. Like one of our members said choose your equipment for the area you working. Most of the rivers get real low in the summer check out my threads you'll see what I got out of there. And yes there are other places to go but you have to watch for private property and National Forests. One of my threads is get me off the grill I'm done

 

[Waynos]

Hey Waynos. Do yourself a favor if you want to go get some gold the easiest place to go is Twin Rivers Campground give them $5.00 per person for the day. they own a mile of river easy access, good gold. Go down to the turn out can't miss it there's a falling rock sign just beyond park there. Walk to the river look to the left you'll see a bench on the edge of the river start digging. I know there's gold there TRUST ME! As far as sluices go I have a Keene A52 it works great in that river the Wild Ammonussic. Like one of our members said choose your equipment for the area you working. Most of the rivers get real low in the summer check out my threads you'll see what I got out of there. And yes there are other places to go but you have to watch for private property and National Forests. One of my threads is get me off the grill I'm done

Thanks I just got an email from them and they said $5 a person or $10 for a month pass..also found out in May they are open which is the time I wanted to surprise my father in law with a trip.
Also thanks everyone for your advice,opinions and replies.
I can't wait to try this even if I go all day for just a spec lol

 

[nh.nugget]

If you go where I just told you to go you will get some gold. And the campground has mining supplies if you need them. They also rent sluices.

 

[Waynos]

If you go where I just told you to go you will get some gold. And the campground has mining supplies if you need them. They also rent sluices.

Awesome thanks Nugget