Reviving a couple old Goldbound automatic panning machines (spiral wheels)

Hoser John

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
5,854
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Redding,Calif.
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Not available in many years, Goldhound was the original and the BEST wheel ever made. In the mid 80s there were over 50 area dealers that paid to be one, me included. The great folks who took over Gold Screw when Ivan passed just might have a appropriate replacement. I sure messed up when I didn't buy the company when available, just like the D.A.M. Industries bowl(now blue bowl). Anyhow could you post if you find replacement as that s/s bowl lasts forever. John
 

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KRinAZ

Tenderfoot
Apr 13, 2016
7
23
Prescott, AZ
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/Sat
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
got a photo?

Sure, here we go...
GoldHoundBefore.jpg
 

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KRinAZ

Tenderfoot
Apr 13, 2016
7
23
Prescott, AZ
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/Sat
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Not available in many years, Goldhound was the original and the BEST wheel ever made. In the mid 80s there were over 50 area dealers that paid to be one, me included. The great folks who took over Gold Screw when Ivan passed just might have a appropriate replacement. I sure messed up when I didn't buy the company when available, just like the D.A.M. Industries bowl(now blue bowl). Anyhow could you post if you find replacement as that s/s bowl lasts forever. John

Many thanks John for the background on these, yes I like these wheels!

I have just acquired 3 and an extra tub - one tub has a brand new looking mat & the other 3 tubs have badly cracked mats from being out in the sun for probably decades. I'll contact the Gold Screw folks & see if I have any luck.

I wonder if there is a way to resurface them and make them usable again?

...or...

Since I have one pristine one I wonder if I could have more made - using it as a form for a mold?

Interestingly, 3 of my 4 bowls are stainless steel as expected, and one is ABS with the same (sun damaged) spiral mat glued in. It is identical in every way to the stainless ones except for the ABS bowl - I didn't know some were made of ABS...

I'd really like to revive and start using at least 2 of them. I sure will post if I find a way to replace them.

Regards,
Kyle
 

Bonaro

Hero Member
Aug 9, 2004
977
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Olympia WA
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Minelab Xterra 70, Minelab SD 2200d, 2.5", 3", 4"and several Keene 5" production dredges, Knelson Centrifuge, Gold screw automatic panner
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If you have a good one they you do indeed have a mold to make as many as you want. Start learning about silicone molding. You can be pretty low tech about it and it will still work.
World's easiest silicone mold.
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,281
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St. Louis, missouri
Dan Im in the same situation where Im wanting to make a Green Bowl from a casting I made of plaster. I made 2 of these and sometime Im planning on cleaning up the female plaster cast and coating it with mold release then Gelcoating it and layering on fiberglass matting with extra support arounf the 3/4 opening for the water inlet. I heard that was a problem location for cracking. I called Mark Keene and asked about buying the patent for it BUT he said No and their mold was cracked and unrepairable. HMMMMMMMMMM??? "unrepaireable"??? Ive been around tooo many tool and die people to believe that! Im doing this just to see how it would turn out and NO I don't sell or make one for sale! Ive got the DAMN Blue Bowl and just want to play with this idea I have. Maybe KRinAZ could try this method to make replacement liners for his bowls and use somesort of melted stiffer rubber for his liners?? Just heat-n-pour ?????
 

Hoser John

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
5,854
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Redding,Calif.
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Green bowl absolutely ruined when reengineered with kotex wings sic sic sic mess-There are many dozens of compounds to make molds from. Watched Drew Reeves mix some up to make the inner liners for the Yellow Jacket trommels. Much easier to vacuum mold the liners to make a mold from which is useable.John
 

roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
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Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
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What are the mats for?
Dont you just use the wheel the way it is.
 

jcazgoldchaser

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May 8, 2012
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Typically, you apply a flexible rubber to the model, then apply a ridged mother mold to maintain the shape when casting.

In this case, I could create a ridged mother mold, apply some of the flexible material to the wheel and press the mother mold in. Then top off around the edges. Sort of like this video showing an encapsulated, surface part.




There's a Smooth-on dealer in Tempe, but smooth-on/reynolds or Freemand Supply should be available online.
 

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KRinAZ

Tenderfoot
Apr 13, 2016
7
23
Prescott, AZ
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/Sat
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Well I've had no luck in finding replacement mats & the good folks at Gold Screw/A&B Prospecting never responded to my emails, so I found a local shop with all I need to make a master mold from the pristine mat - so that's what I'll do.

I'm now in the process of preparing the good tub & mat for making a mold from it. The Goldhounds will live again!

To be continued haha...
 

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KRinAZ

Tenderfoot
Apr 13, 2016
7
23
Prescott, AZ
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/Sat
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
What are the mats for?
Dont you just use the wheel the way it is.

These are 2 part bowls - the 18" stainless bowl with smooth bottom, and the polyurethane mat glued in that has the spirals molded in - these are very well made spirals - the original master mold appears to have been cut on a CNC - very high quality...
 

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KRinAZ

Tenderfoot
Apr 13, 2016
7
23
Prescott, AZ
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/Sat
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Typically, you apply a flexible rubber to the model, then apply a ridged mother mold to maintain the shape when casting.

In this case, I could create a ridged mother mold, apply some of the flexible material to the wheel and press the mother mold in. Then top off around the edges. Sort of like this video showing an encapsulated, surface part.




There's a Smooth-on dealer in Tempe, but smooth-on/reynolds or Freemand Supply should be available online.


OK thanks for that. I found Sticky Stuff Sales in Glendale - these guys are gurus at this & do a lot of mfg'ing as well - once the tub&mat are ready I will bring it in & they will give me tips on making the mold & mats. Can't wait to put these into production - have lots of ore waiting to meet them haha
 

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