First Sluice suggestions

n8huntsman

Tenderfoot
Apr 12, 2021
8
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Recently got interested in finding gold. I bought Equinox 800 detector and a used Keene 140 drywasher for use out in the Mohave desert near Oatman. Im not looking to add a garage full of new equipment but would like something fairly universal for doing a couple things; cleaning up drywash cons, and letting the kids play around with on the beaches of the Colorado river and maybe some streams here in California. Originally looked at a small high banker setup but came across the gold cube. The gold cube is more expensive and seems hard to find a used unit but I was wondering if it would make a better unit for my purposes. Any thoughts or maybe alternatives I havent thought of?

Thanks
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,485
3,869
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Here are a couple of thoughts for you. In field use, a high banker would maximize throughput and minimize the time and effort spent with preclassification before feeding since most have a screen or grizzly to do the work for you. It's always a good thing to process as much material as possible. A gold cube is ideal for running pure sand feed but some deposits still require classification before feeding a cube not counting the necessity of preclassifying bank run feed.

Good luck and enjoy your time with the kids.
 

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n8huntsman

Tenderfoot
Apr 12, 2021
8
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Makes sense. With that in mind perhaps the GoldHog Multi Sluice would be better suited? I like the Keene mini-max but don't think I can spend that after everything I've already bought. Will this allow the kids to shovel dirt in without too much concern but also allow me to change the mat and clean up the cons from the drywasher? Seems like it would from reading and watching youtube...
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,485
3,869
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Makes sense. With that in mind perhaps the GoldHog Multi Sluice would be better suited? I like the Keene mini-max but don't think I can spend that after everything I've already bought. Will this allow the kids to shovel dirt in without too much concern but also allow me to change the mat and clean up the cons from the drywasher? Seems like it would from reading and watching youtube...

All I know is what I have read but most love gold hog sluices including some of our forum members. What you are thinking sounds reasonable to me all things considered. As a primary concentrater the feed must be hand sceened to 1/4" but that is done much easier than the 1/8" that the cube needs.

Good luck.
 

OP
OP
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n8huntsman

Tenderfoot
Apr 12, 2021
8
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
All I know is what I have read but most love gold hog sluices including some of our forum members. What you are thinking sounds reasonable to me all things considered. As a primary concentrater the feed must be hand sceened to 1/4" but that is done much easier than the 1/8" that the cube needs.

Good luck.

:icon_thumleft: Ok, think I'll add it to my list. Already got a set of classifiers.
 

Reed Lukens

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2013
2,653
5,418
Congres, AZ/ former California Outlawed Gold Miner
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero, Whites MXT, Vsat, GMT, 5900Di Pro, Minelab GPX 5000, GPXtreme, 2200SD, Excalibur 1000!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I bought the multi-sluice, it worked fine but classifying was a pain. Then I bought the GoldFox mini trommel and I can interchange the mats and pump from the multi-sluice into the GoldFox. So the multi-sluice box is in the scrap bin but the mats come with me. Then when I'm using it in a stream, I have standard dream mat that I put in, which takes more water to run but doubles your throughput. You can run the mini trommel on 2000gph and the gold hog mats, but I prefer to run 4000-5000gph with the dream mat. I think that Kelly is now selling them with a different matting all together, but one piece of equipment that does it all, is where I'm at these days and Gold Fox does it all.
https://www.goldfoxusa.com/product-page/5-standard-model-you-choose-classing-barrel
 

Gold4Mike

Full Member
May 10, 2017
230
718
Mount Vernon, Washington
Detector(s) used
Angus Mackirk Foreman
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer
Gold Hog Piglet highbanker
Home made slate miller table
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
n8huntsman If you're looking for something to shovel right into, take a look at the Goldhog Piglet. Mini Gold Highbanker | Mini Gold Highbanker It would be a good size for your kids to feed and no classifying would be necessary. My wife and I love ours. Light enough to pack in but also will run a bunch of dirt if you need to. We also put ribbed floor matting in it with a smaller pump and use it as a cleanup sluice.
 

X4FRNT

Jr. Member
Dec 5, 2019
56
72
Salisbury NC
Primary Interest:
Prospecting

X4FRNT

Jr. Member
Dec 5, 2019
56
72
Salisbury NC
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Gold rat/ dream mat sluice is definitely a good way to go. I use mine on the creek and as a cleanup sluice at home, IT CATCHES THE GOLD! But they are pricey compared to drop riffle sluices... such as the Robinson Prospecting Backpack Sluice at $39.99. Carolinaprospectors.net both are good options. But, learn to pan first and foremost, take your pan out to the river or creek and spend time out there learning how to use it
 

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