Top 5 Gadgets you would consider a must have

Deaglebear

Tenderfoot
Jan 10, 2017
6
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am new and have a pan and some pay dirt. I love watching videos of different folks showing off their many gadgets and sluices if you could only choose 5 to own besides a pan and classifiers to make life easier which ones would you buy. :hello2::hello2:

Top 5 Favs so far:
1) Blue bowl
2) Miller Table
3) Desert Fox
4) Gold Cube 4 stack
5) Angus MacKirk Predator 3
Runner Ups: Angus MacKirk Alaskan Flair, Foreman II, Grub Stake, Recon II

Yes i realize the bazooka isnt on here (shame on me) as i personally think they are a little out of my price range for the amount of dirt i will be moving ( fairly little ) and the very slow flow of water i have locally.

On another note has anyone ever tried the Angus Mackirk Miller Table and if so is it good? I like how it looks so much more than compared to the green ones!
 

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Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
6,077
13,225
Sailor Flat, Ca.
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
SDC2300, Gold Bug 2 Burlap, fish oil, .35 gallons of water per minute.
Primary Interest:
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well your 4 of your 5 are finishing tools. You don't mention gold pan, shovel or experience. Those are the top three necessary
 

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Deaglebear

Tenderfoot
Jan 10, 2017
6
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
well your 4 of your 5 are finishing tools. You don't mention gold pan, shovel or experience. Those are the top three necessary


I did say besides a pan and experience isn't really a gadget. is finishing not the most of the interesting part anyway . I figured everyone used multiple types of finishers to make sure they missed as little as possible in the end.
 

Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
6,077
13,225
Sailor Flat, Ca.
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SDC2300, Gold Bug 2 Burlap, fish oil, .35 gallons of water per minute.
Primary Interest:
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I did say besides a pan and experience isn't really a gadget. is finishing not the most of the interesting part anyway . I figured everyone used multiple types of finishers to make sure they missed as little as possible in the end.

Your right I locked right on your list. And any finishing device is really as good as the next if you come up with a focused process. Thou I find anything miller table-esque to be too slow. Owning all the ones you mention is overkill IMHO especially if your not dredging or moving yards a day through a small plant.
 

Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
6,077
13,225
Sailor Flat, Ca.
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SDC2300, Gold Bug 2 Burlap, fish oil, .35 gallons of water per minute.
Primary Interest:
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I did say besides a pan and experience isn't really a gadget. is finishing not the most of the interesting part anyway . I figured everyone used multiple types of finishers to make sure they missed as little as possible in the end.
The gadget between your ears IS the most important one. And if you don't know how to use, it then finishing tools are just that "interesting"
 

Bodfish Mike

Hero Member
Dec 12, 2014
503
1,365
Bodfish and Marin county CA
Detector(s) used
Garrett , Whites
keene puffer drywasher , Keene A51 Sluice
Primary Interest:
Other
(1) Garrett Snuffer Bottle (best in my opinion)
(2) crevice tool
(3) Rock hammer
(4) Gloves
(5) Bottle of Advil
(6) Beer at the end of the day
 

nh.nugget

Hero Member
Sep 3, 2013
861
1,401
e.rochester nh.
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
whites, KEENE A52 sluice, 3" dredge
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
One of Doc's Raptor flair high-bankers!!! No scooping, no classifying, no brainer!
 

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Deaglebear

Tenderfoot
Jan 10, 2017
6
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The gadget between your ears IS the most important one. And if you don't know how to use, it then finishing tools are just that "interesting"

thats so true :)

so out of the 4 finishing selections i have made how would you rank them. Unfortunately being so new i have never had the chance of seeing any of these work live just online in videos. I find them all interesting for different reasons. I have to believe here in Kansas all i would ever be able to get is flour and tiny tiny gold if i used local dirt. so lets use the finishing in the context of for tiny tiny gold.
 

GoldWiz

Greenie
Aug 4, 2016
13
9
Southern Ohio
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Not sure exactly you are looking for here, but if the Bazooka is too much money I am pretty sure the Gold Cube 4 Stack in your list would be also.
Are you trying to gather concentrates, or clean concentrates? For slow to no water flow you just need a shovel and a couple of gold pans like the super sluice or pyramid pro pan, that will get you the concentrates. To clean them you need a gold pan and patience or one of the "gadgets" you talk about, i.e. blue bowl, miller table, etc. I build my own miller table and use it all the time but round gold rolls right off it, so it is pan the stuff first and then just keep checking the tailings. There is no gadget that makes someone an expert if finding and recovering gold. That comes with experience and patience. Start small and work your way up, don't spend a bunch of money on stuff that you won't ever use.
 

G-bone

Sr. Member
Dec 9, 2014
495
942
Ventura Ca
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro w/ NEL coil.
Minelab Xterra 705,
Bazooka Snipers (24" and 30").
Royal Folding Sluice with Gold hog mats.
Thompson 12V Puffer Drywasher.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hell a Shovel, Bucket, 1/2" classifier, Super Sluice Pan and Snuffer Bottle (all for under $100) and your on your way....but finding the time to use it.......priceless!!
Good luck!
 

Laz7777

Sr. Member
Dec 19, 2015
255
494
South Fork Yuba River, Motherlode
Detector(s) used
GoldBug II
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
no gadgets, gizmos, thingamabobs or whatnots are in my gear or on my wishlist.
only necessary, useful gear need apply at my worksite.
more money is made from greenhorns buying junk than the gold that's on planet earth.
you make up your own mind on what works and what's just extra weight.

BTW...my gear list is a Keene A52, several pans, 2 sizes of shovels, a couple of odds and ends for crevicing, a 4.5' wrecker bar and buckets.
 

QNCrazy

Hero Member
Sep 30, 2013
537
961
Motherlode, CA
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro
For a budget prospector or someone new:
Razorback Shovel (wood handle) $20 Lifetime warranty
Digging Bar $20
3 Food Grade Buckets $15 or free if you look around sandwich shop. Pickle buckets give your gold a nice aroma of dill. Make a bucket classifier out of one.
Plastic drop riffle sluice 10" x 30" $35-40 if you shop around.
Duffle bag with shoulder straps $20

I figure if i didn't stick with it, I could always use the shovel, digging bar, and buckets around the house, the duffle bag for hunting, and sell the sluice for half what I paid. Therefore I would only be out $20 if I didn't stick with it. I've seen too many friends go out and spend $$$ only to go out once a yer if that. Not worth the money. Get out, get experience, and when your getting the gold consistently, then upgrade your equipment options.
 

utah mason

Hero Member
Jul 10, 2015
545
935
utah
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Besides a couple of pans and classifiers. I'm assuming you have a few higher mesh classifies I.E. 100, 50
1-good old fashion # 2 shovel. I'm not a big fan of wood handle. Too heavy and don't weather as well
2- estwing Paleo pick or rock hammer
3- good prybar (preferably estwing)
4- sluice, if not bgt then good plastic drop riffle sluice
5- good backpack.
I wouldn't worry about the finishing equipment. As long as you have a few classifiers panning with a smooth bottom finish pan will be quicker. I bought a dam blue bowl, gpaa fine gold finish sluice which I bought to use in my gold lab knock off. I made a Miller table which works pretty well, but slow.
I keep all my cons that I've panned from -50 mesh to run thru the blue bowl when I've collected a few gallons.
Remember it starts and ends with a pan.
Also a good jewelers loop is helpful, especially if your in a area with small gold.
 

T

Tuolumne

Guest
1)Clean up Jobe 11 inch gold pan
2)Bazooka
3) shovel
4) 5 gallon bucket
5) 5 gallon padded bucket seat that swivels, goes right on top of the bucket- a must have
 

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