Miller table size

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I built this one its 2'x4' works great Good luck :) 013.JPG 006.JPG
A bigger table = more surface area to process the material . This allows me to process 3,4,5 tablespoons of material (on different areas of the table)
in the same time frame that a smaller table would take to processes 1 tablespoon.
 

Last edited:

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
4 inch drop over the 4 foot length works perfect using this size pump( for minus 20 mesh material).Table top coated with 4 coats of this paint. 005.JPG 002.JPG Also I cut a "money-pit slot" to catch the -100 mesh gold.Minus 20 mesh gold stops in its tracks(where you drop the material) as pictured here,w/ water flowing . Gold separates from the black-sand w/in seconds.:)
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
2 foot by 4 foot.....seems kinda big. Is it more than you really need?

Are you happy with that paint? It was one of the possibly surfaces i would use, I think i like the green color, rather than black.
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
2 foot by 4 foot.....seems kinda big. Is it more than you really need?

Are you happy with that paint? It was one of the possibly surfaces i would use, I think i like the green color, rather than black.

Bigger table separates More material than a smaller one and faster.The paint has held up great w/no problems.I used paint because a 2'x4' piece of slate was impossible to get.
 

OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
Yeh, I wont be using slate, but I can usually come up with whatever materials I choose, just dont know what I want yet.

Figured I'd decide on a size first. I want it plenty usable without being excessive is all. I also don't want to wish I'd made it bigger.
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
IF,you want a 'small' one ,lots of places sell them(for not much more) than it will cost to make one.
 

No gold in NY

Bronze Member
Mar 22, 2015
1,688
2,921
Detector(s) used
Whites Coin Master,
Whites Gold Master GMT, Whites MXSport
High banker/dredge,
DIY hand trommel,
DIY Miller table,
DIY fluidbed gold trap sluice,
Keene A-52 A-52s
2186 Wheaties
Primary Interest:
Other
OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
This will be as close to a zero $ investment as I can get, most materials will be scrounged up somewhere, or I already have. I've already spent way too much money on this hobby than it's really worth to me. Aint enough gold in Michigan, just a fun reason to drink beer and play in the water.

I dont really require small, I just dont want to have it really any bigger than it needs to be.....I'm running out of house to store all my toys.
 

Capt Nemo

Bronze Member
Apr 11, 2015
1,058
1,609
Oshkosh, WI
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I built a cutting mat table with about a 10" x 11" working area. I scuffed the mat with 400 grit sandpaper.

IMG_2810.JPG
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,485
3,869
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I would use plain/unfinished 1/2" or 3/4" baltic birch plywood*, available from woodworking supply stores, for construction. Unlike common plywood, the 1/2" is 11 ply and it comes in dead flat sheets with a fine grain. Sand it with fine paper, then wipe down with a wet cloth to raise the grain then sand it smooth again (woodworkers trick before applying final finish for cabinet making/an extremely smooth finish). There will still be microscopic irregularities (I can imagine similar to slate) that give the wood "tooth" to encourage the gold to stop or slow down. Even though it is bare wood, due to the extra plys it is unlikely to ever warp in usage since it is not subject to constant water exposure/soaking and it can occasionally be re-sanded if thought necessary.

Good luck.

*https://forestplywood.com/blog/all-about-baltic-birch/
https://www.google.com/search?q=bal...9j69i60j0l3.6567j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
 

Last edited:

Bonaro

Hero Member
Aug 9, 2004
977
2,213
Olympia WA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Xterra 70, Minelab SD 2200d, 2.5", 3", 4"and several Keene 5" production dredges, Knelson Centrifuge, Gold screw automatic panner
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
FYI - a "real" Miller table is 2' x 5' and comes with a pulsator
 

mytimetoshine

Bronze Member
Jun 23, 2013
1,574
3,370
El Dorado County
Detector(s) used
GRIZZLY GOLD TRAP - ANGUS MACKIRK EXPLORER- BLUE BOWL - GOLD CUBE, MINELAB PRO 25 PINPOINTER-
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Personally I would suggest a blue bowl over a miller table. Same price, one works great all by itself while you do other things. The other one spits gold all over the place, is slow as heck and needs constant attention.
 

OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
Personally I would suggest a blue bowl over a miller table. Same price, one works great all by itself while you do other things. The other one spits gold all over the place, is slow as heck and needs constant attention.
Actually, I just ordered one today.

I just wanted the table to try. I figure I can make it for next to nothing, so why not give it a whirl, see which I prefer
 

OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
So it generally looks like bigger is better, and they're dimensionally longer than wide.

I suppose I'll shoot for something around maybe 16 by 30.

Reckon how tall should I make the sides? 3 inches seem adequate?
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
So it generally looks like bigger is better, and they're dimensionally longer than wide.

I suppose I'll shoot for something around maybe 16 by 30.

Reckon how tall should I make the sides? 3 inches seem adequate?

2 to 3 inches is plenty, mine is over kill at 4" .Your only gonna have a 'film' of water flowing down the table.The thickness of 1 to 2 nickles.
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Most critical part of the table is...Water flow and angle of the table. Get those right and your... 'in like Flynn' 006.JPG
You don't want any air bubbles in the water flow.And a few drops of liquid soap helps,I use "dishwasher rinse aid".
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Usually I'll wait until the next day when the table is dry.Then sweep up the gold w/a 2 " nylon brush onto a sheet of white paper (some of the gold is -100). Then on to be weighed & bottled. 011.JPG 003.JPG Look close at the fold in the white paper.Some -100 caught by the table.Some of it is smaller than a pin head.Also note how clean it is,just a few specs of garnet.
CAUTION ...this is addictive !:) 005.JPG << magnified many times, So small it floats on the top of plain water.
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
I'm looking for a sheet of something, and I'll use the table saw to cut the sides from that, leaving the table surface.

I suppose then, I could do 1 inch sides, and leave the stock on the table.
 

OP
OP
A#1

A#1

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2018
532
657
Traverse City, Michigan
Primary Interest:
Other
Now, this board here.....Is it just like a water gate?

Space it up "a couple nickles"?

Adjust the water speed accordingly to keep the box behind it regulated?


Having some issues with the pic, you probably know what board I mean

PhotoEditor_20190614_093531520.jpg

HAH!!!got it
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top