best sluice for fine gold

keverett

Hero Member
Feb 9, 2009
513
8
The NO town, CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-trac w/ Sunray X-1 Pro Coil and 10x12 SEF, Tesoro LST
my vote would be for the Angus MacKirk. I have used the Keenes, Le Traps, you name it, and the Angus seems to hold onto the small (say 50 mesh or smaller) gold very easily, and the cleanup is a snap! I like the Le Trap too, but they are a bit too wide, and cleanup can get messy and cause you to lose some of the cons while trying to empty it into a 5 gal bucket. Plus you need to build a frame for the Le Trap, and the Angus sits perfect in the creek. Just my two cents anyway!

KEverett
 

strickman

Bronze Member
Jan 27, 2008
1,865
115
Villa Rica georgia
Detector(s) used
gold bug pro,garret,whites,tesoro,bounty-hunter,,.....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i like the letrap for fines-and not too much cons.i haven't tried the mckirk.
 

packfan_1982

Full Member
Jun 22, 2008
230
0
Omaha NE
Detector(s) used
F70 / ACE 250
You have to build a frame for the le trap?? I only ask because I just bought one and was planning on taking it out tomorrow. I hadn't seen anything about building a frame for it...
 

downhome47

Tenderfoot
Apr 20, 2010
7
1
I've been thinking about buying an Angus. Everyone says they're great for fine gold but how are they with any larger gold (pickers or nuggets). I'd hate to see any of them 1 ounce nuggets roll down the sluice and down the creek. :o Ounce nuggets??? well I might as well dream big!
 

keverett

Hero Member
Feb 9, 2009
513
8
The NO town, CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-trac w/ Sunray X-1 Pro Coil and 10x12 SEF, Tesoro LST
packfan_1982 said:
You have to build a frame for the le trap?? I only ask because I just bought one and was planning on taking it out tomorrow. I hadn't seen anything about building a frame for it...


I should say that you don't "have" to build a frame, but because of its size and the thin plastic material, it is prone to bending slightly to one side or the other when placed in a strong current. When it is bolted onto a metal frame (not a stand) you can then place a rock on top of the sluice, and it helps keep it from twisting around. Don't get me wrong I think the LeTrap is a great sluice, in fact it is the best if you don't plan on classifying your material first, but for fine gold only I would go with an Angus MacKirk. The Le Trap is a great sluice for running bucket after bucket of unclassified material, or just shoveling straight into....with the Angus you will need to classify everything down to 1/4" or less to make it run correctly. The great thing about the Angus MacKirk sluices, is that even just a trickle of running water will be enough to run it. Unlike the Keenes, Wolf Traps, Prolines, etc. that need a pretty good current to clear the box out properly. Sorry for any confusion about the frame....its not a must have, but after using it for a while you will see what I mean about twisting. The main thing it helps with is keeping the sluice level from side to side (not top to bottom). Although I really want to see the new keene plastic sluice in action....looks pretty good, but a pain to build before you run.
 

keverett

Hero Member
Feb 9, 2009
513
8
The NO town, CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-trac w/ Sunray X-1 Pro Coil and 10x12 SEF, Tesoro LST
downhome47 said:
I've been thinking about buying an Angus. Everyone says they're great for fine gold but how are they with any larger gold (pickers or nuggets). I'd hate to see any of them 1 ounce nuggets roll down the sluice and down the creek. :o Ounce nuggets??? well I might as well dream big!



If it will hold the 50 mesh stuff it will hold the bigger stuff for sure!! I've never seen a 1 oz nugget in my sluice before, but all of the decent flakes tend to get stuck on the flare of the grubstake model that I have. It takes a while for them to move their way down to the first drop riffle. Makes it really easy to tell if you are onto the good gold because it will be holding right in the flair after all the material runs down and looks soooooo pretty staring back at you!!
 

Hoser John

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
5,854
6,721
Redding,Calif.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Le Trap for me always. Even the thieves love them because I've had 2 stolen at different times!! Frame?? Frame?? Don' need no stinkn' frame-John :headbang:
 

jog

Bronze Member
Nov 28, 2008
1,364
682
Tillamook Oregon
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT / GMT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
KEverett said:
packfan_1982 said:
You have to build a frame for the le trap?? I only ask because I just bought one and was planning on taking it out tomorrow. I hadn't seen anything about building a frame for it...


I should say that you don't "have" to build a frame, but because of its size and the thin plastic material, it is prone to bending slightly to one side or the other when placed in a strong current. When it is bolted onto a metal frame (not a stand) you can then place a rock on top of the sluice, and it helps keep it from twisting around. Don't get me wrong I think the LeTrap is a great sluice, in fact it is the best if you don't plan on classifying your material first, but for fine gold only I would go with an Angus MacKirk. The Le Trap is a great sluice for running bucket after bucket of unclassified material, or just shoveling straight into....with the Angus you will need to classify everything down to 1/4" or less to make it run correctly. The great thing about the Angus MacKirk sluices, is that even just a trickle of running water will be enough to run it. Unlike the Keenes, Wolf Traps, Prolines, etc. that need a pretty good current to clear the box out properly. Sorry for any confusion about the frame....its not a must have, but after using it for a while you will see what I mean about twisting. The main thing it helps with is keeping the sluice level from side to side (not top to bottom). Although I really want to see the new keene plastic sluice in action....looks pretty good, but a pain to build before you run.

JOBE makes a collapsible stand for the LE Trap sluice for right around $75.00.
 

minerjoe

Jr. Member
Nov 9, 2007
62
7
Detector(s) used
ZED,2300,4500,t2
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
howdy, i havn't used the others, always used keene stuff. i have all of them, and after ten years of use, and over 30 ounces of gold, its hard to think of using another! But it is interesting, though. As far as fine gold, the 50 inch a51 sluice is really good. i did 230 grains the other day in just 3hrs with the a51. A lot of it was fine. Its all about the flow and angle.
 

nottinon

Jr. Member
Apr 27, 2010
64
1
Fogelsville,Pa
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My bet would be on the Angus McKirk sluice......
Go down several posts,(nottinon),you will find on Angus sluice,with water running in it,the last rifle is called a gold catcher.......if you get gold that big.......
Good luck..... :thumbsup:
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,244
6,695
St. Louis, missouri
my favorit for concentrating fine gold(powder) is a sluice with only black ribbed rubber mat and fed with a autofeeder. i have a LeTrap,DFS,blue bowl,had a wheel(got rid of it) and lots of other equipment. but for really fine gold cons,i use the ribbed mat.
 

nottinon

Jr. Member
Apr 27, 2010
64
1
Fogelsville,Pa
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
russau said:
my favorit for concentrating fine gold(powder) is a sluice with only black ribbed rubber mat and fed with a autofeeder. i have a LeTrap,DFS,blue bowl,had a wheel(got rid of it) and lots of other equipment. but for really fine gold cons,i use the ribbed mat.

Russau
I got a Blue Bowl for Fathers Day today.......
Had several bags of sand,I bought from the GPAA Club I belong to......We ran it true,nice stuff......
It works really well......
That is on amazing Bowl.....
N
 

bedrock bubba

Sr. Member
Jun 27, 2010
446
396
Russau is absolutely right! :sign13:

All you need for a fine gold recovery sluice is a simple trough with the black ribbed matting. And you don't need to use a flare with it. Just leave about a foot of slick plate at the head of it. What is so neat, is you can see all the gold you are getting, and you can leave it in place for hours, and the gold will still be stuck in the matting! Cleanup is so easy too. Just tilt it up vertically, and wash it into your pan or bucket.

I wash it into a rectangular Le Trap pan, and get nothing but clean gold to sniff up. No heavy buckets of black sand to deal with! LeTrap will leave
nothing but gold in it.

And just for testing, I use some rectangular plastic storm gutter with the ribbed matting in it. A poop tube without the poop!
I mainly sit down and clean out dirty cracks, as I have a chronic bad back, and am laaaazy. Sniping is where its at, if you are fat and lazy like me.
 

Nugget Hunter Smith

Jr. Member
Jun 18, 2010
60
10
Mobile, AL
Detector(s) used
MXT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Have any of you tried the Eldorado Blue Sluice from Sweden? I hear it is excellant for fine gold as it has 120 riffles and uses no carpet like the LeTrapp. Any comments?
 

maui

Sr. Member
Dec 3, 2007
361
24
maui, hawaii
Detector(s) used
whites GMT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
where can i find out more about the eldorado blue sluice?
take care and be carefull out there. ron
 

Nugget Hunter Smith

Jr. Member
Jun 18, 2010
60
10
Mobile, AL
Detector(s) used
MXT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have seen the Eldorado Blue Sluice advertised in several prospecting magazines in the past. The store that sells it is called Pro Mack South.
Just curious if anyone has used one?
 

maui

Sr. Member
Dec 3, 2007
361
24
maui, hawaii
Detector(s) used
whites GMT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
thanks much for the info. i will try to check it out. wondering if anybody has
used one and if so, how were the results?
about 3 years ago i was in the pro mac store in GF checking it out and they had
some real nice stuff. the guy i talked with was a real nice guy, the name mike keeps sticking in my head.
take care and be safe out there. ron
 

junior967

Sr. Member
Oct 11, 2005
264
33
Charlotte County, Florida
Detector(s) used
Fisher
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have tried many different sluices over the years. All we have here in Indiana is the fine flour gold from the glaciers. The sluice that I have now and been using this year is by far the best I have used to retain the fines. The DFS Sluice or Damn Fine Sluice is awesome at catching and holding the fines and is easy to clean up. You can read about it here http://www.mine.mn/Robin_Grayson_gold_recovery_method57.pdf

You can send an email asking for info to this e-mail address. [email protected]

Or call Alan at 505-990-5242. He is friendly and will answer any and all your questions. He did for me when I called.

Good luck and may there be lots of yellow in your pan.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top