Top Runner II test run

[heartlander27]

Here is my new design, I was very happy with the test runs, there were only a couple things to add or modify. Im going to extend box to 18".

 

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[63bkpkr]

H27,
Your workmanship is Terrific! What a gorgeously made box! I was impressed with the simplicity of the system, quick easy cleanouts and with the ice on the ground. I would like to have seen a demonstration of the box with water running through it. Most of the Keene sluices have some ribbed rubber matting in the area of the flare. The smaller gold really tends to settle out on the mat, possibly it would be of use on your unit but closer to the start of your classifiers........63bkpkr

 

[heartlander27]

Thanks 63!!!!
I'm on the fence about putting ribbed mat in front of the classifiers. I think the matting would disrupt the gold that has settled to the bottom of the plate. Once it goes through the matting everything gets agitated and bounced around. When the material hits the screen I want it "hugging" the aluminum to ensure the gold drops. I also think it would create rock dams when using in slow water like in the video.
But, if the ribbed mat is catching the gold, what does it hurt, ya know. I suppose it's good both ways.

My videos are pretty boring, just me shoveling dirt... but I usually learn something from re-watching. Sometimes I can determine if I need changes....

Regular flow


Slow flow

 

[russau]

Andy i really like your new mod! i wish i was out there with you! and doing the honeydos here is getting to me already and its only the middel of December!

 

[heartlander27]

Andy i really like your new mod! i wish i was out there with you! and doing the honeydos here is getting to me already and its only the middel of December!

I hear ya, We are getting back to normal here. Im going to have a HUGE plate of honey do's... Today we are calling the realtor.

 

[heartlander27]

Just finished the 30/30 sluice. I like the smaller unit for in stream sluicing , but the 60" works great for highbanking. Here is a short clip of the unit being idleded down, unfortunately I accidently deleted the video in operation. It's really easy to feed, I set a shovel full at an angle againmst the flow and let the water remove the material. It washes down the slick plate and separates by the time it hits the classifiers.





here is the clean, a few nice little chunky pieces.



Merry Christmas!!
Thomascreek.net

 

[Armchair prospector]

That design looks like the gold could easily float over the end. I'd be afraid you may be loosing more than a regular sluice. If the catching area was longer, maybe. You wouldn't have designed it if it didn't work though. Has it been tested against a regular sluice?, and what are the results?.

 

[heartlander27]

AP, Have you ever seen a piece of gold trail last on your sluice flare? I bet you have, it's almost as if it isn't going to make down to the riffles. The long slick plate exaggerates that process. When I shovel (not scoop) unclassified material onto the sluice water carries it down the 30" long plate and separates material into it's natural order of specific gravity... light material first heavy second, gold last. By the time the gold has entered the recovery area (expanded metal over carpet) the light material has exited the box, the gold now has little "competition" to find a place to settle behind the riffle. I classify to .117 first because I want to eliminate the larger material which can interrupt the natural "settling" of the fine gold pieces into the mat. I don't use regular sluices anymore because most are inherently inefficient for fine gold . Most sluices on the market are made for chunky gold. My sluice will catch gold up to 3/8" but starts to lose efficiency after 1/4". In other words I created a sluice for fine gold first, chunky gold second. In reality though I bet a 3/8" nugget would just sit on the sluice and not move. I don't want to sound like I'm saying other sluice out there are "bad" , I'm just stating the design and most work the way they are supposed to.
Sure there is a small chance gold will glide over the screens and not fall through the holes. Remember though gold is 19 times heavier then water and by far the heaviest metal going over the sluice. The gold pieces are "hugging" the floor of the sluice trying to drop out. Once the gold drops to the carpet it's trapped for good. Once the gold has been trapped it's going to stay because there is little turbulence or disruptions in the flow under 2-4" of water. The pressure on top of the gold has also increased, keeping the gold right where we want it... trapped. Classification is the most important factor in recovery...always.
Hope you're stocking was full!! Andy

 

[placertogo]

Nice design and workmanship, Heartlander! You are using that "slick plate" theory that has been proven to allow the fines to settle to the bottom of the flow as water moves down the sluice. Thus, the fines are where they need to be when they reach the bottom and settle into your gold catching area. I believe you will recover a much greater proportion of fines than most other sluices currently available. Good luck with a great design!

 

[heartlander27]

That's what I like to hear Placer. Yeahhaa!!! Thank you Sir! I will not argue your position.

 

[heartlander27]

Just thought I would let everyone know, I have have started selling the Top Runner II. I put a very low price tag on them to get a few out the door. $95 for the 48" sluice (30/18) go to my website if your interested at Thomascreek.net

Happy New Year!

Andy

 

[russau]

very reasonable price Andy! you ought to sell them easily!

 

[placertogo]

Reasonable price and a well thought out design and quality construction. Frankly, after acquiring the materials and having the sheet properly cut and fabricated, an individual would have nearly this much invested and still not end up with as nice a sluice as you have made. These should be popular in glacial gold areas where retention of the fine and flour gold is the first priority.

 

[russau]

i totally agree with you on your comment! some people just dont realize the cost of materials, esspecially new material!

 

[heartlander27]

Thanks guys! Yes the profit is very minimal, put it this way... if I built two per day minimum wage earners would make more then me. Two per day is a full day...

I will eventually raise the price but for now I want to get some units circulated so folks can see them in action and trust that it works.

Yep your right Russ, An aluminum sheet went up $10 since I last bought in October.

This is the production unit video, and a description of the sluice. The only thing I added that isnt in the video is a second pin hole for the screen adjustment. So the screen can be lowered a 1/2". Works good in the faster water.

 

[russau]

im hopeing to work out a deal with Andy and the toprunner sluice to sell these at the St.Joe Missouri gpaa gold show in October of this year.i hope he can make up enough of them for the show.he has shown he does really nice quality work on this!

 

[calisdad]

Kudos for the most interesting product I've seen in awhile. As others have noted your workmanship will carry you far.

I'm guessing it doesn't load up with material in the trap because it's in suspension? it just flows out?

I also suspect if you did a few 'percentage captured' tests they would be quite successful and you would have more orders than you could keep up with (unless you have already and I just missed them).

Best of Luck!

 

[heartlander27]

The box will "load up" for a couple reasons, overfeeding or slow water flow. But either can adjusted, if you have slow water ,feed material slower or if you're over feeding ,slow down. In the right conditions you can feed at a pretty good pace... enough to keep you pretty darn busy.
I havent ran percentage tests, but Ive ran material from an area I've mined dozens of times. I can almost assume what I'll find now, since I know it so well. The results were good, reports are strarting to come in, so I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks, Andy

 

[russau]

over on www.49ermike.com reed Lukens gave your sluice a very good report and his video of him running it was cool!