Homemade Gold Cube

[TintedSnow]

I don't exactly have the $500 bucks to shell out on a new Gold Cube, but I realllllly want one. So I've started off on an adventure to build my own! My family owns a car shop, so I have access to all the tools I need. I drew up some plans today. Anyone ever built their own? Or anything similar? I'll upload pics when I start the build.

 

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[russau]

Goodguy built his and there are pictures here on his page that shows GGs equipment.

 

[Goodyguy]

Here's mine and a couple diagrams to help you.

 

[TintedSnow]

Ohhh, I have seen this one. Didn't realize it was yours. Yeah, I have plans completely drawn up and ready to go. Pump and vortex mats in the mail. Just need to go get the building supplies. I'm going to make mine all sit in and fit in a storage tub. I'd like it to be recirculating because I'm in Alaska, and it's hard to get cons during the winter, so I want to set it up in my house to feed the itch.

 

[Digzit2]

Hope all turns out great for you.

 

[TintedSnow]

Here is my rough sketch. I have a way better one I did on draft paper. A local tv network donated $200 to me today so I can go buy supplies. (This project is for a local Cub Scout pack, the boys are going to do the actual building.)

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[TintedSnow]

Lowe's had some killer Black Friday deals today, so I ended up getting some new tools and supplies today. Decided to go with wood that I'll coat in some sort of material to waterproof it. It's the cheapest route! Starting to make the cuts tonight!

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[KevinInColorado]

Wood will last just long enough to convince you to upgrade to metal or plastic [emoji16]

 

[johnedoe]

After you have all your parts cut and test fitted give it all a good coat of Git-Rot.......
Be sure to coat all the cut edges ...
After you have all the parts assembled give each tray another coat especially at the seams.

You won't believe how this stuff penetrates wood.
That will take care of the wood for a very long time.........

BOATLIFE Git Rot Penetrating Epoxy | West Marine

This is some different stuff probably in name only but it will give you a good example on how to use penetrating epoxy.

 

[russau]

My suggestion ,like Kevin said, use plastic (ABS)! its lite ,cheap , EZ to form . Ive been using it to build sluices for a long time . The wood is going to be heavy unless its going to be a shop tool for cleanups.

 

[TintedSnow]

I checked all my local stores and nobody has any abs plastic


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[rodoconnor]

You might try Amaazon. I see that you are in Alaska ,so the shipping might be prohibitive. Search online for a plastics supplier in Seattle maybe.G/L

 

[TintedSnow]

Well I already have the wood. It'll be good for a prototype. My only problem is the curves under the mats. I was thinking cutting a pvc pipe in half, but that'd be a shallow and wide curve.

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[arizau]

The gold cube was based on a design (Trev's) used in New Zealand for front end loader feeding and that design's troughs have a flat bottom with square corners. The gold cube is undoubtedly an improvement but square corners will probably work* with the caveat that some gold and waste material will remain in the corners in the troughs so those too will need to be cleaned out. Alternatively you can probably use sheet metal to make a curve for each trough.

Good Luck.

* The best operable length of the gate using square corners may vary from the gold cube. The original design had adjustable gates.

 

[TintedSnow]

I didn't even think of that! Make a square out of wood and put a piece of sheet metal in there so it's curved! Genius! Thank you!


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[arizau]

I didn't even think of that! Make a square out of wood and put a piece of sheet metal in there so it's curved! Genius! Thank you!


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Thinking further out of the box and maybe easier....a hardened, molded in place substance (silicone, body putty/filler, epoxy or whatever)* of some type might work too if they will adhere seamlessly to already sealed wood. Expansion of the wood may still be a problem though.

 

[Goodyguy]

I didn't even think of that! Make a square out of wood and put a piece of sheet metal in there so it's curved! Genius! Thank you!


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Good idea! Use aluminum sheet metal to prevent rust. Discarded modern license plates come to mind, easy to bend and cut to size. (Here in Indiana the plates are flat with no raised numbers)
Square would work as the sand and gravels would naturally collect in the corners to make a curve but then you would have that much more gangue to have to deal with when doing your final clean up.

I built my curved troughs extra deep to serve as nugget traps so I could run 1/4" classified material instead of 1/8" the downside is that they end up collecting extra material to have to process during final clean up.

The store bought gold cube gate traps are built just deep enough to act as so called "g force separators" which act to separate the lighter material into the laminar flow while allowing the heavies to drop out of suspension and move slower up to the vortex mats for capture.

Happy you are allowing the Scouts to work on the project.

GG~

 

[TintedSnow]

Heck yeah! 6 feet of vortex mat!

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[russau]

Heck yeah! 6 feet of vortex mat!

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Last year while at a industrial auction I spotted a 30 foot roll of that belt material and got it for $20.

 

[TintedSnow]

Good idea! Use aluminum sheet metal to prevent rust. Discarded modern license plates come to mind, easy to bend and cut to size.
Square would work as the sand and gravels would naturally collect in the corners to make a curve but then you would have that much more gangue to have to deal with when doing your final clean up.

I built my curved troughs extra deep to serve as nugget traps so I could run 1/4" classified material instead of 1/8" the downside is that they end up collecting extra material to have to process during final clean up.

The store bought gold cube gate traps are built just deep enough to act as so called "g force separators" which act to separate the lighter material into the laminar flow while allowing the heavies to drop out of suspension and move slower up to the vortex mats for capture.

Happy you are allowing the Scouts to work on the project.

GG~

Do you about the size you made the troughs? Dimensions? I'm not even sure where to really start. I got some sheet metal last night and want to put the troughs in tonight. I don't want the boys to do that, I wouldn't feel safe with them playing with sharp ass metal.


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