Kevins own thread - a journal (but feel free to post random thoughts)

[Sideways Sherry]

Dave, do you have the miner?

 

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[KevinInColorado]

Dave, do you have the miner?

he does Sherry, it makes my 36 inch Prospector look (and feel) like a little baby!

 

[Sideways Sherry]

LOL! I sold my Super Mini and am aiming big this time. ;-) I'm going to Vegas next week and hope I win enough to get either the Prospector or the Miner. I'll be heading up with s group of friends to the American River for Turkey Day and would love to finally experience the full awesomeness of the production Bazookas!

So, referring to the SoCal area, how low or slow of a flow will either of those work in?

 

[KevinInColorado]

I would suggest you stick with the prospector...the miner is big and heavy and really not needed unless a couple people are shoveling at once. So unless you convert your husband (!!), I think a 36" prospector will be quite enough

 

[Prospector70]

Got out for the afternoon today with GoldPannerDave at Big Bend. Dug right upstream of our sluices and did pretty well from what I saw in test pans of cons.

View attachment 1070889
(Me)


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(Dave)

Jelly <<<
Now THAT is how to build a proper wing dam people...

 

[Prospector70]

LOL! I sold my Super Mini and am aiming big this time. ;-) I'm going to Vegas next week and hope I win enough to get either the Prospector or the Miner. I'll be heading up with s group of friends to the American River for Turkey Day and would love to finally experience the full awesomeness of the production Bazookas!

So, referring to the SoCal area, how low or slow of a flow will either of those work in?

Annnd a 48 incher will support two shoveler if yer have really good flow.
Good luck in Vegas!

"Sounds like big trouble. You're going to need plenty of Legal advice before this thing is over. As your attorney, I advise you to rent a very fast car with no top. And you'll need the cocaine. Tape recorder for special music. Acapulco shirts. Get the hell out of L.A. for at least 48 hours. Blows my whole weekend." ~ Dr. Gonzo

 

[KevinInColorado]

Jelly <<< Now THAT is how to build a proper wing dam people...

Thanks P70, that's just how I roll!

 

[goldog]

LOL! I sold my Super Mini and am aiming big this time. ;-) I'm going to Vegas next week and hope I win enough to get either the Prospector or the Miner. I'll be heading up with s group of friends to the American River for Turkey Day and would love to finally experience the full awesomeness of the production Bazookas!

So, referring to the SoCal area, how low or slow of a flow will either of those work in?

I have been running mine on what I'd call minimum flow. About twice what's needed for a Keene since it is double deck. Optimal would be more. One thing I know you'd like, I was seeing almost all the gold before it went in the box. "Inspection Speed" Sample speed would be a bit faster, production speed even more. I think there is also a lot more black sand/ gravel here than up north so its a good idea to clean out fairly often (10 buckets)

 

[Sideways Sherry]

Kevin, I was just joking about the miner. Hehehe!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Kevin, I was just joking about the miner. Hehehe!

well ya got me! Good luck in Vegas

 

[TheGoldProspector]

Kevin, I was just joking about the miner. Hehehe!

Haha, I thought you May have already purchased one...

 

[goldenmojo]

Got out for the afternoon today with GoldPannerDave at Big Bend. Dug right upstream of our sluices and did pretty well from what I saw in test pans of cons.

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View attachment 1070890
(Dave)

You two are close enough that you can just fling a shovel load in the direction of your sluice.

 

[goldenmojo]

LOL! I sold my Super Mini and am aiming big this time. ;-) I'm going to Vegas next week and hope I win enough to get either the Prospector or the Miner. I'll be heading up with s group of friends to the American River for Turkey Day and would love to finally experience the full awesomeness of the production Bazookas!

So, referring to the SoCal area, how low or slow of a flow will either of those work in?

Sherry too bad you didn't keep the supermini. All the color I have been posting lately is with a supermini. Don't need much more. But you do need a Bazooka. Thanks to Todd and Chris.

 

[KevinInColorado]

You two are close enough that you can just fling a shovel load in the direction of your sluice.

yes that was exactly the approach we took. No buckets needed except for clean outs!





(Here's my gold take from Friday btw, just finished panning it out)

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Dave, do you have the miner?

Yes, the 48" one. The only problem is the weight and it will not fit into a 5-gal bucket for clean up. So, I use a square plastic container, put it under the discharge end and lift the other end up. Kevin did it once, so he knows the problem first hand.

But I have got to get wheels under it for carrying it from the creek. At the end of the day, when I am tried, it is a bear to lug. Todd at Bazooka mentioned a Broll garden "tool" that has wheels and a spot for a 5-gal bucket; and I could stack the Miner on top of that. They are no longer produced but are on Amazon for about $120. Wow! I am looking at alternatives.

 

[GoldpannerDave]

I would suggest you stick with the prospector...the miner is big and heavy and really not needed unless a couple people are shoveling at once. So unless you convert your husband (!!), I think a 36" prospector will be quite enough

I agree. For me, the 48" Miner is over-kill. I might have to downsize. I am at that age that we already downsized in housing. Two people could run this baby all day shoveling in. Then it would be nice to have two people to do clean up. Kevin helped when we were on the Platte. I was really grateful for that.

There is also a 36" Miner you could look at that and compare to the 36" Prospector.

 

[GoldpannerDave]

yes that was exactly the approach we took. No buckets needed except for clean outs!

View attachment 1071759

(Here's my gold take from Friday btw, just finished panning it out)

Yep, Kevin was a great teacher. We just dug right in front of the sluices and put the material directly onto the Bazookas.

Kevin, that looks very nice. Did you measure the +50 and -50 fraction?

 

[Prospector70]

Yes, the 48" one. The only problem is the weight and it will not fit into a 5-gal bucket for clean up. So, I use a square plastic container, put it under the discharge end and lift the other end up. Kevin did it once, so he knows the problem first hand.

But I have got to get wheels under it for carrying it from the creek. At the end of the day, when I am tried, it is a bear to lug. Todd at Bazooka mentioned a Broll garden "tool" that has wheels and a spot for a 5-gal bucket; and I could stack the Miner on top of that. They are no longer produced but are on Amazon for about $120. Wow! I am looking at alternatives.

Aha! For the 48 prospector I put the 5 gallon buckets shovel pans waders cooler and the BGT into a big trash can with wheels on it. Much better for carrying. Also it's watertight. So that one time I forgot my bucket I just dumped the sluice in the can and rinsed it into the bucket at home.. hahah oops! I should post a pic of my sanford and son sluice hauler for y'all. I cut the top off so I didn't kick it around while I was pulling it.

Edit: You guys ever think about "stand by me"'ing over that railroad bridge to get to the big inside bend on the southeast shore?

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Aha! For the 48 prospector I put the 5 gallon buckets shovel pans waders cooler and the BGT into a big trash can with wheels on it. Much better for carrying. Also it's watertight. So that one time I forgot my bucket I just dumped the sluice in the can and rinsed it into the bucket at home.. hahah oops! I should post a pic of my sanford and son sluice hauler for y'all. I cut the top off so I didn't kick it around while I was pulling it.

Edit: You guys ever think about "stand by me"'ing over that railroad bridge to get to the big inside bend on the southeast shore?

Good ideas! Got to run to class, but on the last one--yes!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Yep, Kevin was a great teacher. We just dug right in front of the sluices and put the material direction onto the Bazookas. Kevin, that looks very nice. Did you measure the +50 and -50 fraction?

Not by weight but visually it was close to 50/50, maybe a bit more +50 by weight. Total weight 0.07 grams. Wish I had kept the two clean outs separate to quantify where the best paying layer is in the river bed.