What do You Want on your 'Zooka?

OP
OP
goldog

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
That is where I came up with the idea actually. But there are much better magnetic sluices for that.
 

Capt Nemo

Bronze Member
Apr 11, 2015
1,058
1,609
Oshkosh, WI
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
While you're experimenting, try building one with a 5 1/2" deep bed. Bucket Buddy seems to be catching everything with a bed that deep, so it might work for bazooka's as well.

Don't know if it will work with stream pressure or not. With a active (pumped) bed it works.
 

OP
OP
goldog

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Having trouble with an unacceptable percentage of gold surfing out of your Bazooka or DIY fbgt?


The standard diverter baffle has problems. Scouring is a problem if the flow is fast and if the flow is slow it does nothing.
I solved the problem on mine by using a damper flap that works well with any speed flow.

But I just had a thought that may be a super improvement over my single damper flap idea. :sign13:

Think of a staggered series of damper flaps hanging down under the trap cover running the entire length of the trap that are cut into strips. Any material entering the trap must pass under the gauntlet of flaps like a car going through a car wash. I do not see how any self respecting shape or size of gold would not be slowed down and knocked out of suspension by that configuration. :icon_thumleft:



I can picture retro fitting any size bazooka with a pre made flap assembly mounted onto a thin piece of abs and installed through the trap exit port.


Go For the Gold
GG~

All I can say is "SHAM-WOW!

Did you do anything with this Goody? I think it's going on this weeks build. Thinking about the execution. ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1496693387.689228.jpg

Short of sneaking in the car wash overnight I trimmed a bit off a synthetic chamois. I think it will do the job. I may mix in some other material. We'll see.
 

Goodyguy

Gold Member
Mar 10, 2007
6,489
6,895
Arizona
Detector(s) used
Whites TM 808, Whites GMT, Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, Fisher Gold Bug 2, Suction Dredges, Trommels, Gold Vacs, High Bankers, Fluid bed Gold Traps, Rock Crushers, Sluices, Dry Washers, Miller Tables, Rp4
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
All I can say is "SHAM-WOW!

Did you do anything with this Goody? I think it's going on this weeks build. Thinking about the execution.
Short of sneaking in the car wash overnight I trimmed a bit off a synthetic chamois. I think it will do the job. I may mix in some other material. We'll see.

Have not done anything as yet to my fbgt as flow at the creek has been too slow.
So I have been using my gold cube with trommel attachment pretty much exclusively since it's completion.
Smallest highbanker I have and I only need to use a bilge pump for water supply plus the trommel makes feeding it fast and easy.

Once the new toy factor wears off I'll get back to tweaking my fbgt. I can always use the fbgt modified as a highbanker if the creek remains too slow but the pump to make it operate properly is so big I have been opting for running the cube

Keep us posted on how the flaps work out for you.

100_5979_00.jpg gthb.jpg


GG~
 

Last edited:

SRP_KBell

Full Member
Apr 4, 2017
105
139
Galt, CA
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Garotte Gold -

Goldog is talking about the Cleangold sluice. It is specifically designed for running beach sands. It can easily function in 100% magnetite with gold capture well below visible - no other system can match it! Check it out on our Snake River Products youtube channel or on our website snakeriverproducts.com
 

OP
OP
goldog

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
One more down. Just off the line a little beauty. Just 24" but I think it'll earn its keep.

Dimensions are 24 x 10>6 (ten at the mouth to six at the trap.) The oversized trap is close to seven inches and made to catch what goes in. Five inches high overall gives enough depth avoid scouring.

This setup may be the new normal. Increased magnetic action with neodymium barrels create a view of your heavies. New car-wash style diverter strips make this one especially good at holding the gold. The ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1499527505.940261.jpg
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
goldog

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Come out and help me test it. We'll just hit up the wash. I'll guarantee the first dollar. ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1499876635.197287.jpg
 

Last edited:

Sockeye1730

Full Member
Feb 7, 2017
112
125
Juneau AK
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
2017-06-01 10.51.00.jpg

This is the larger of my two zabookas in action. Overall they seem to be working great and capturing good color.

I do have occasional scouring issues if the pitch / velocity is too high. I just have a 1/4 square bar as a diverter that I'm think about modifying at some point. Also want to extend my large zabooka another 10-12 inches when I get around to it.

Were I'm at, I deal with mostly phyllite (shale), which little shards occasionally plugs the trap entrance, and I have to clear the grizzly. The grizzly itself is spaced 3/8", which allows a fair number of flat rocks through and into the trap. So at the end of the day I have quite a bit of 1-2" rocks in there. I was wondering your thoughts on whether these rocks will affect gold settling into the trap? I typically do only one cleanout a day with my bigger trap, usually 4 or 5 hours of digging. Do you think more frequent clean outs would be better? I guess I should just try next time...lol. I've seen people post about putting hardware cloth over the grizzly to exclude flat rocks, but idk if that's a good solution or not...seems like it would plug up even more, imo.
 

Last edited:

Oakstrails

Jr. Member
May 30, 2012
74
26
Southern California
Detector(s) used
Just Me
For the time being
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I use the hardware cloth on my bazooka mini. I like it for the most part. If there were a smoother version of that hardware cloth it would work a lot better & not grab stuff as bad. I still feel classifying is the best bet and can eliminate a lot of that bigger crap slipping through the grizzly bars.

Sent from my LG-H918 using TreasureNet.com mobile app
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
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
How do you know that larger stuff isn't important to the fluid bed functioning properly?
 

Oakstrails

Jr. Member
May 30, 2012
74
26
Southern California
Detector(s) used
Just Me
For the time being
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I think some larger stuff is somewhat important but... only as big as what you think your largest piece of gold might be. I like holding onto the micron gold as well. If your box / bed, fills with with big pieces of gravel just plopping in there it could displace the micron gold kicking it out. We will never catch 100%. We all know that. I know a lot of miners that can't be bothered with the micron gold and just toss it. Fluid beds are crazy. There is allot going on inside these little contraptions. A lot of different forces at work. I think also the bigger the sluice and fluid box the more leeway you might have????
I definitely don't have all the answers only my own personal limited experiments. I have a few on
YouTube. "Oakstrails Hirst"


Sent from my LG-H918 using TreasureNet.com mobile app
 

GrizzlyGoldTrap

Full Member
Feb 24, 2017
100
337
Colorado
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
There is a definite need for specific size gravel (Example: 1/4" and smaller) within the capture chamber, which makes up one of the required components of a proper fluidized capture chamber. For example, the weight and size of gravel within the fluid bed is critical to stratification of material within the chamber and is related to the degree of scouring. Size requirements of gravel is also tied to fluidizing tube(s) design: number of tubes, size, and number and size of holes. All of this is then tied to an optimum setup angle of the sluice in the stream or river and the velocity of water entering sluice. Specific to gravel size allowed through grizzlies, if the gravel size is not large enough (again directly related to the tube design, etc.) to help hold the stratified material within the chamber, you will have a higher degree of scouring, and loss of finer gold.
 

Last edited:

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
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
^^^this guy^^^
 

Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
6,077
13,225
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
Hardware cloth creates a sporadic blockage. It actual negates the right type of scour. That affects fine gold recovery. It also creates a ramp with material that can allow fine gold to ramp up and over., never even entering the trap.

The mini and super mini already have fine gold capture issue and the least through put. Hardware cloth makes it worse.
 

Sockeye1730

Full Member
Feb 7, 2017
112
125
Juneau AK
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks for the input.

I might try making a grizzly with a few horizontal bars this winter, maybe spaced 1/2" or an inch apart to see if it helps. Easy swap on my homemade units. As of now, I just have to keep an eye out for slate/phyllite shards bridging the trap entrance. A few taps with a rock clears any jams up, but it is still kind of annoying and slows production a bit.
 

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 always been amazed none of the sluice companies have come up with different mediums to insert into the fluid beds. Like non magnetic ball bearings or Ceramic medium kits. Different sizes to higher or lower water pressure. I imagine you would want higher pressure when doing say, beach sands with lots of black sand.

PS if any of yous use any of my ideas you owe me a sample product lmfao. <3
(well worth a shot wasn't it?)
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top