Plans for a homemade mini-sluice

[Carlasdaddy]

I'm thinking about making a mini-sluice out of a piece of small galvanized heating duct. Any body got any thoughts on this or maybe some plans as I am new at this.

 

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[nuggetshooter323]

I kind of did the same thing with some scrap hanging around the garage. The only thing I bought to complete it was a piece of heating duct sheet metal and bent it into a sluice. I glued a 12" wide by 48" long strip black matting to the bottom, and used scrap wood strips and some caulk to make it stiff, then some spray paint on the bottom. I made it thinking that I would use it in slow to medium water to finish off cons, or at the back end of my Keenes to make sure I got the fine gold that I knew was blowing out the back.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Nice work nugget shooter, that would catch pretty much everything at some spots in CO.

Mine it and recycle it!

 

[PYRATE]

Ducting is flimsy and hard to keep flat.

I'd shy away from purchasing it, but if you have some scrap duct it will work best if you stiffen up with a 2nd piece or board underneath

Your local scrapyard will have something much better if you don't already have the duct - stick with aluminum as it is stronger and lighter than steel and will last far longer.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Yes, I built one out of ducting sheet metal and used epoxy to glue reinforcing strips to the underside to get the needed rigidity. You need a real rigid base for sure!

Mine it and recycle it!

 

[nuggetshooter323]

With the wood strips Gorrilla glued to the sides, the strips going across the top and the handle down the middle, there is no flex what so ever in this thing. It was a scap project, the only two things I bought for it was the sheet metal and the caulk. I already had the ribbed matting laying around, I was just trying to think of something cheap, quick and easy that I could use with any sluice or by itself. Thanks Kevin, I think that it has enough black mat to catch almost all the fines, but it will never win any beauty contests and look as good as Astrobouncer's projects.