Advice on dredge

[mxer47]

Well this is only my second season dredging. I might not be the best due to my limited experience. So take it for what it is ( limited).
I have only used a 3" and i have a 36" bazooka miner. I can process a great deal more material ( approximately 3x the amount ) with the dredge. The real advantage is the compleat cleaning of bedrock and cracks. I spend most of my time breaking bedrock to get deeper in the cracks so the volume I can process is not so important. Getting there (removing overburden) is where the bigger volume of a larger dredge helps. So for me I work close to exposed bedrock.

 

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[Hoser John]

Nuttn' wrong with mutzn' and a putzn' INTELIGENTLY . I've made some HUGE finds playn' with my puddle pumper 2 1/2"s-3" and then brought in the big guns to mine. Smaller dredges PROSPECT--bigger dredges MINING and are for production that's all. ez to figure-simply pi x r squared-so 1.5 x 1.5 x 3.14 and 1.25 x 1.25 x 3.14 then divide into and the % are figured. BIG differences sometimes as what you suck means mountains. Some areas small cobbles and a 3 will rock,others 3+ and ya chuck rock all day. Have fun and prospect till the cows come home as ya never know where it'll lead ya one day. MUST have a righteous blaster nozzle as without your just diddln' and wastn' your time as gold dredgers make the bedrock or perish-John

 

[SHoward]

I spend more time dredgeing up on the creek bank than in the creek so the Highbanker/dredge combo works best for me. At the time I bought my 2" nozzle I was worried my pump and Highbanker would not ba able to handle anything bigger...I was very wrong, I now wish I had bought the 3" nozzle.
But don't get me wrong, the 2" inch blasts through more material than I care to shovel.
As for the differance between the 2" and 2.5", in 2 weeks, I will Have pics of two Hydro-force nozzles going side by side. We have to waite a couple of weeks because my brothers 2.5" nozzle and hose didn't arrive in time for this weeks trip.
Another thing to keep in mind is weight, the bigger the heavier, the pressure hose + the wieght of the water and sand and gravel adds up fast.
I have talked to a lot of people now that have 3" and 4" nozzles, they all say the same thing, the 3" is a darn good short time workout, the 4" is a 2 minute killer, Unless you have 4 teenaged boys to work it (I don't).
We are headed out tomorrow for a week of playing in the mud! I will post pics of my setup in action when we get back.

 

[SHoward]

One other thought also....The bigger the hose the price gets stupid high per foot !!

 

[Hoser John]

Go to jail + $10,0000 in fines also in kalif,be glad your not in this insane bloody state a confusion and delusions-John

 

[Dain8404]

Well this is only my second season dredging. I might not be the best due to my limited experience. So take it for what it is ( limited). I have only used a 3" and i have a 36" bazooka miner. I can process a great deal more material ( approximately 3x the amount ) with the dredge. The real advantage is the compleat cleaning of bedrock and cracks. I spend most of my time breaking bedrock to get deeper in the cracks so the volume I can process is not so important. Getting there (removing overburden) is where the bigger volume of a larger dredge helps. So for me I work close to exposed bedrock.

Thanks! This is what i was looking for!

 

[Dain8404]

I spend more time dredgeing up on the creek bank than in the creek so the Highbanker/dredge combo works best for me. At the time I bought my 2" nozzle I was worried my pump and Highbanker would not ba able to handle anything bigger...I was very wrong, I now wish I had bought the 3" nozzle. But don't get me wrong, the 2" inch blasts through more material than I care to shovel. As for the differance between the 2" and 2.5", in 2 weeks, I will Have pics of two Hydro-force nozzles going side by side. We have to waite a couple of weeks because my brothers 2.5" nozzle and hose didn't arrive in time for this weeks trip. Another thing to keep in mind is weight, the bigger the heavier, the pressure hose + the wieght of the water and sand and gravel adds up fast. I have talked to a lot of people now that have 3" and 4" nozzles, they all say the same thing, the 3" is a darn good short time workout, the 4" is a 2 minute killer, Unless you have 4 teenaged boys to work it (I don't). We are headed out tomorrow for a week of playing in the mud! I will post pics of my setup in action when we get back.

Lookin forward to it! I plan on getting the hydro force nozzle also.

 

[SHoward]

Based on the differance of the 2 & 2.5" dredges ( I was amazed at how much 1/2" made), I would say the 3" would be a huge differance. I was happy with my 2" nozzle until I used a 2.5" this past week. Just remember that the hose gets a lot heavier as you go up in size. I would not recommend smaller than 2.5" unless you are haveing to hump it in long distance.

This could possibly be the dumbest question you have seen but how much more material will a 3 inch dredge move versus a 2.5 inch dredge? Is it marginal or is it quite a bit of a difference?

 

[Dain8404]

Based on the differance of the 2 & 2.5" dredges ( I was amazed at how much 1/2" made), I would say the 3" would be a huge differance. I was happy with my 2" nozzle until I used a 2.5" this past week. Just remember that the hose gets a lot heavier as you go up in size. I would not recommend smaller than 2.5" unless you are haveing to hump it in long distance.

Thanks. Do you feel there was possibly a loss of gold using the 2 1/2 versus the 2" just due to the difference and flow and difference of amount of material processed?

 

[SHoward]

I don't believe there is any loss of gold using the smaller nozzle, All of the Hyro nozzles require the same minimum pressure ( 40 psi) to work. The required flows go up as you go up in size. The Keene 3 H.P. runs the 2.5 " better than my 7 H.P. trash pump runs my 2" ( more blasting power out the end of the nozzle). I'm not sure but I think the Keene 1-1/2" pump runs around 80-90 psi vs the 50-60 psi my trash pump runs at. But as far as suction power they are close with the Keene pump being a little better

Thanks. Do you feel there was possibly a loss of gold using the 2 1/2 versus the 2" just due to the difference and flow and difference of amount of material processed?

 

[Doug Watson]

I actually work less with my 4" than I did with my 2". Let the dredge do more of the work. Gold loss shouldn't be a factor if set up correctly.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Listen man, get the largest most powerful unit your state allows.
Trust me, you will 100% not regret it.
If your state only allows 3" up to 5 hp...
Get a used 4" and neck it down.

 

[panningjack]

Listen man, get the largest most powerful unit your state allows. Trust me, you will 100% not regret it. If your state only allows 3" up to 5 hp... Get a used 4" and neck it down.

Agreed! And then peel off the horsepower sticker. Lol

 

[SHoward]

I'm still haveing trouble getting pic's loaded. It appears my memory card in my camera is toast, so far I have been able to pull about 5 pics from the last trip off of it. But I'm still trying.

 

[SHoward]

Here are a few pics of my brother and nephew working in the creek.

 

[SHoward]

We had been working a bank about 30 ft from the creek but with 95+ degree days and humidity above 85% we decided it would be more comfortable in the creek. The pics posted are all from the last day, we were pretty worn out , it took all the energy and beer we had to maintain our balance on the buckets.

 

[Gelmac]

we were pretty worn out , it took all the energy and beer we had to maintain our balance on the buckets.

LOL, imagine working in the desert, as I do, with temps reaching 35.3 degrees Celsius (95.54 degrees Fahrenheit).

 

[SHoward]

LOL, imagine working in the desert, as I do, with temps reaching 35.3 degrees Celsius (95.54 degrees Fahrenheit).

Yeah...but that's a dry heat !!!

 

[Bejay]

I have been dredging now for over 35 years. I have owned numerous dredges and still have quite a number.....including hibank/dredge combos.
Quite a bit of info has been conveyed on this thread.

Fine gold huh? Don't think the dredge size is going to reflect any disadvantage. I would NEVER go below a 3 inch. Once you use a 2 or 2.5 or 3 you will NEVER go back to anything smaller than a 3. None has any gold size quandaries. They will all capture the gold. Both Keene and Proline have good working products. Once you use a 4 inch tho you will never want to go back down in size. But I still use a 3 because of "a lack of water" to run a 4. The 4 inch Keene with the triple layer sluice will NOT loose any gold...no way no how! It is almost an overkill for most applications. I have one! I have a Proline 3 combo.....and it is by far a great unit! No ands/ifs about it!

Keene and Proline have been around for a long time. If their stuff was not good they would have been long gone by now. I prefer the Honda engines........the auto oil shut off is a must. I have a friend in Michigan who has a Keene multi 2.5. It is a flare dredge...a combo,....and hibanker. The unit has all the bells and whistles. It has been used once. He paid over $2,100.0 for it about 8 years ago. He would sell it; and last I heard he wanted around $1,500.00 and he will keep the Honda motor/pump. He is not going to be around to sell it tho as he leaves for our Az claim 2maro.

The reason he wants to sell it? Because he used my 3 inch Proline combo and he gets frustrated using a 2.5 now. A 3 outdoes a 2.5 big time. A 4 outdoes a 3 big time. Once you use a 4 it is hard to go back to a 3.
But because of a lack of water I still use a 3 in Az.

If you lose gold it is because of improper use. IMHO But I have 35 years dredging.....and am pretty good at it. .The only real mistake I ever made was modifying a Proline cause I thought it might have been losing gold. BIG mistake. Proline knows how to build a good unit.....as does Keene. If you ever have any questions simply call either up. Their reputation is built on "Getting The Gold".

Bejay

 

[russau]

Bejay I agree , but I also have a 2 inch so I can open up a hole to get my 4 incher into it. Plus it helps in testing holes before I put my 4 incher in!