The Adventures of MrGneissGuy

MrGneissGuy

Jr. Member
May 30, 2017
93
59
Los Angeles
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I figured it's time to start a journal, that way I can keep have a solid record of everything I've done. Sorry for the rambling, I think I have ADD.

It has also been a while since I have posted an update of my random prospecting adventures and equipment. I have made significant progress in my research, especially in the last 2 weeks. I have been talking to everyone I see, learning everything I can, and I have been digging a lot....and digging...and digging...digging...more digging.

Got out this weekend on Sunday to my usual spot, though slightly downstream. Unfortunately, my constraint has been time. I hiked to the spot, set up everything, and started prospecting for where to dig, got super distracted, ended up trying to build a dam for half a day, ran some dirt and left. My first gold came right here in these giant holes just off the river in old gravel benches, but the gold has been small. I'm ready for something new. The area has been picked up and down for years, but a flood came through a few months ago and has turned things up real nice. My dad brought down his old backpacking backpack for me to use, so I tested that and my sluice update. I packed way too much water I think, because my backpack felt like it was going to break my pelvis. Apparently I also don't need an entire roll of gorilla tape. Who knew?

Sluice Boxes:

Le Trap Modified - I cracked and bought a modified le trap from a guy on craigslist. His design was actually very clever, but it did not work for me after testing. Maybe if it were a cleanup sluice or something. I'll post some pictures later but he basically added vortex matting at the top for a viewing mat, followed by 3 bare riffles, followed by more vortex matting all the way down. It had built in leg stands for absurdly deep water and plastic wings for water pressure. I used those once and they bent pretty bad. I honestly have no idea where this guy was using his sluice around this area. There has been a drought, so I'm thoroughly confused. It also had a classifier built in at the header, which I hated because I was literally shaking my sluice box...it made 0 sense to me. So I broke that off, and I also broke off his little header thingy which smoothed the water flow. However, that was only necessary because he drilled holes in the back for a river robber design, rather than just cutting out the entire rectangular area. Another major issue was cleaning out. Since I am normally a 1 man show, cleaning off the vortex mats requires decent aggravation by water. Not only that, but it doesn't quite fit snugly into a 5 gallon bucket, so I have to tilt it to the side and move it around and stuff. It's fine if I have time and I can control it, but I'm usually in a rush. I will be modifying further and testing.

Makeshift Cal Sluice - So I don't even know what to call this since I'm making it. Some of you may have been following my build, but I gave up on it for a while in search of new things. Well...I'm back to it surprisingly because the le trap was not as great as I'd hoped and because I came up with some improvements and also because bazooka type fluid bed sluices are hard to find and/or expensive. This weekend I tested my idea finally, and it worked way better than I expected in terms of moving dirt. I basically just wrapped my sluice in 1/2" mesh which completely eliminated classifying. The flow was shockingly good so I actually like it and will proceed further. My next step is to extend it and/or add a flare. No idea how I'm going to do that. Also not sure about the recovery yet since I haven't had time to clean up and I gave my pan away to a nice kid that was interested in what I was doing. Oh, I also spent like half my day trying to build a dam to open up an area next to bedrock, that was a major fail. It was way harder to do than I expected, and then once I put a lot of work into it I didn't want to give up.

Despite my failures (lessons) I did find something cool at the river. An old, worn out, impossible to understand, old-timer who said his name was Jimmy Wilson. I was just resting at my spot when I see a guy slowly heading up the river, walking back and forth collecting cans. The weird part was he was pulling a sled, kind of like some of the miners do up here. So, I got up and went over to talk to him and I immediately recognized him. I didn't quite no from where but I could tell he has been around here for a while. He was really nice, I offered him some food which he took and was very thankful. I am going to start bringing more food and less water up on my trips from now on. I started questioning him about gold, which to my surprise he was willing to share part of his bank of knowledge. He even showed me how he panned....which literally blew my mind. Maybe I'm over-reacting but I thought it was amazing, it was almost beautiful. The pan looked like it was flowing like the river.

Anyways, that was really cool and in a way I feel sentimental or something. Part of me wants to take a video camera up there and just talk to these guys for hours and learn from them. Maybe it's the fact that my first daughter is going to be born in the next month or two. These days I bring up two trash bags with me and literally carry trash out every trip.

Prospecting has literally transformed my life in the last couple months in several ways. I have lost like 30 pounds in the last 2 months, and I am in the best shape of my life from the digging and hiking. I used to be an introvert and now I talk to everyone I see. My life used to consist of sitting in a chair playing video games, now I am hiking, digging and meeting people. It's addicting...I think I have the fever.
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Great to hear how well you are doing personally! Congrats on becoming a dad soon too :)

The problem with vortex mat is it needs to be run at a 15 degree angle to exchange properly...way too steep for the riffles in a Le Trap.
 

OP
OP
M

MrGneissGuy

Jr. Member
May 30, 2017
93
59
Los Angeles
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Great to hear how well you are doing personally! Congrats on becoming a dad soon too :)

The problem with vortex mat is it needs to be run at a 15 degree angle to exchange properly...way too steep for the riffles in a Le Trap.

Thanks! Ya I had to learn the hard way I guess. It still caught some gold
 

N-Lionberger

Bronze Member
Dec 1, 2013
1,361
1,950
Arcata, California
Detector(s) used
Fisher 1212-x
Fisher Gold Bug 2
Whites 4900/SP3
Dowsing rods
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
You need to find a plastic tub for cleaning up your sluice, I had one from a restaurant for busing dishes it was the perfect size.
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,479
3,854
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
Congats on your life changing experiences especially the upcoming family addition!
 

Jun 8, 2017
2
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
No more Mr Gneiss Guy
No more Mister Clean
No more Mr Gneiss Guy
They say he's sick, he's obscene

-Alice Cooper
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
You gave away your pan?[emoji55]. A pan would be a nice gesture. The pan, now that's just [emoji37]

The pan is your #1 tool. Always. I seem to need about four but one good one at least.

Some of the local characters are great. Food is usually a welcome offering.

We'll meet up real soon. It's great to see you moving forward.


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arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,479
3,854
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
You gave away your pan?[emoji55]. A pan would be a nice gesture. The pan, now that's just [emoji37]

The pan is your #1 tool. Always. I seem to need about four but one good one at least.

Some of the local characters are great. Food is usually a welcome offering.

We'll meet up real soon. It's great to see you moving forward.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Back in the late 60's I was panning and was approached by a couple from the upper midwest and they asked to watch and later if I would show them how to pan. I said sure* and they broke out their pan which was a 12" pure copper one from Herter's if you remember the outdoor goods supplier. I told them how a copper pan used to be used by applying mercury to amalgamate and capture fine gold like the copper amalgam tables in the old stamp mills. I offered to trade my pan with some to boot or just buy it off of them. They said no but they would send me one when they got home. I offered to pay but they said no and got my address. A few weeks later a brand new copper pan was delivered to me. I polished it and displayed it for many years. Now it is out of sight, unused but not forgotten. There is probably a moral here.

*Full disclosure.....I was still just a novice myself since I had just begun panning myself and had recently been shown a different way to pan by a local who lived on the ranch where I was panning. That is the method I taught them.
 

Last edited:

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
MGG Congratulations on your successes already. I see you have fever paced the questions about many aspects of mining in the last couple of months and that is good. What will help you make big leaps is running lots and lots of pans. First it will make you a quick and efficient panner in a short time, the most valuable skill you can have. Second you will get to diagnose the differences in gravel size and color, the different colors of the material accompanying the gravel and the different sizes of black sand, the smell of the material and such. It also allows you to clear you mind to think about the hydraulics and flow of the waterway in high and low stages and you can also whistle your favorite song at the same time. Keep up the good work and try to run a thousand pans in the next month.
 

OP
OP
M

MrGneissGuy

Jr. Member
May 30, 2017
93
59
Los Angeles
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
MGG Congratulations on your successes already. I see you have fever paced the questions about many aspects of mining in the last couple of months and that is good. What will help you make big leaps is running lots and lots of pans. First it will make you a quick and efficient panner in a short time, the most valuable skill you can have. Second you will get to diagnose the differences in gravel size and color, the different colors of the material accompanying the gravel and the different sizes of black sand, the smell of the material and such. It also allows you to clear you mind to think about the hydraulics and flow of the waterway in high and low stages and you can also whistle your favorite song at the same time. Keep up the good work and try to run a thousand pans in the next month.

Ya I'm panning every single night at least 1 to 5 pans. It's shockingly relaxing and fun. I've been re-panning my cons and I'm finding tons of garnets. I also throw in a lead sinker on occasion to play with something heavy. Also, I have now been practicing this other method that I learned from Jimmy over the weekend. Here's a video of Freddy Dodge doing it too, he's the first one I ever saw do it. I time stamped it but just in case it doesn't work it's at approximately 7 minutes and 54 seconds.

https://youtu.be/ZCL6FKQZyoM?t=7m54s
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Looking forward to taking a trip out to the EF with you this weekend.

I'll have you panning like a ...dog. Sorry I'm no pro.




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Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
6,077
13,222
Sailor Flat, Ca.
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
SDC2300, Gold Bug 2 Burlap, fish oil, .35 gallons of water per minute.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Great to hear how well you are doing personally! Congrats on becoming a dad soon too :)

The problem with vortex mat is it needs to be run at a 15 degree angle to exchange properly...way too steep for the riffles in a Le Trap.

depending on the volume and speed of the water flowing over it. I've seen it work at less than 15 degree's
 

Prospector70

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2013
832
1,256
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap 48", Keene A51 sluices and a
Number 2 Shovel baby!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well I did find gold so technically it did work. Full disclosure...I have no idea what the angle was.

This is what I like.
We use our tools so many times, have failed so many times on setups, flow, tilt etc.
Now we can just set them up without rulers or levels. We just look at the action and know its right.
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I've never used a level and don't see a need. Water finds its own.

On to boulder moving.


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Prospector70

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2013
832
1,256
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap 48", Keene A51 sluices and a
Number 2 Shovel baby!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've never used a level and don't see a need. Water finds its own.
On to boulder moving.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I sure wish I was moving boulders!
 

OP
OP
M

MrGneissGuy

Jr. Member
May 30, 2017
93
59
Los Angeles
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I've never used a level and don't see a need. Water finds its own.

On to boulder moving.


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Those aren't boulders you're thinking about...those are small houses. I heard Savage actually lives in one so be careful.
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Oh come on, we could almost throw them. Half a SmartCar tops. IMG_0276.JPG


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goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
And besides it's graffiti abatement.

IMG_0276.JPG


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