AzVipers Road To Riches

wchurst

Newbie
Aug 23, 2013
2
1
Santa Rosa, CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab X-Terra 705
Minelab Gold Monster 1000
Minelab Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey Keith,

Don't think I've had the chance to meet you yet, as I miss most of the DGD meetings (yes, including the last one), but I did make it out to the last Club Dig yesterday...Prefer it so much better when these monsoons are in effect :-)

I like your some of the equipment designs I've seen you post here, and would like to catch up with you maybe over a few ideas of my own some day...are you usually at the meetings ?!? (I'll try to poke my head in more often.)

Hope things ease up for you and you dad...At 45, I've lost everyone but my mother and can sympathize - Keep your head up !!!

Cheers,
Walter C Hurst
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Hey Keith,

Don't think I've had the chance to meet you yet, as I miss most of the DGD meetings (yes, including the last one), but I did make it out to the last Club Dig yesterday...Prefer it so much better when these monsoons are in effect :-)

I like your some of the equipment designs I've seen you post here, and would like to catch up with you maybe over a few ideas of my own some day...are you usually at the meetings ?!? (I'll try to poke my head in more often.)

Hope things ease up for you and you dad...At 45, I've lost everyone but my mother and can sympathize - Keep your head up !!!

Cheers,
Walter C Hurst

I have been going to the meetings lately to learn of the new claims.
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
My father on his own today set up a meeting with Hospice after getting approval from his Doctor. Luckily I had stopped by to check on him, I think he was trying to pull a fast one on me without telling me. Hospice will visit him three times per week until he needs to be move from his home. This could be any day or months away, I think its going to be months cause he is a fighter. His heart function has dropped causing him to be on a higher level of oxygen. At 91 he knows his days are numbered and its now more about keeping him comfortable. The portable Oxygen Concentrator I had bought no longer can deliver the Oxygen he needs, his days of going to the casino are now over but that does not stop me from bringing in slot machines for him to play. I have a few slot machines in storage I may take over that he has never seen. Will see how it goes this week.
 

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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
My father on his own today set up a meeting with Hospice after getting approval from his Doctor. Luckily I had stopped by to check on him, I think he was trying to pull a fast one on me without telling me. Hospice will visit him three times per week until he needs to be move from his home. This could be any day or months away, I think its going to be months cause he is a fighter. His heart function has dropped causing him to be on a higher level of oxygen. At 91 he knows his days are numbered and its now more about keeping him comfortable. The portable Oxygen Concentrator I had bought no longer can deliver the Oxygen he needs, his days of going to the casino are now over but that does not stop me from bring in slot machines for him to play. I have a few slot machines in storage I may take over that he has never seen. Will see how it goes this week.

Sounds like you are a very good son!
 

Campngolf

Full Member
Feb 4, 2014
167
256
NorCal
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
My father on his own today set up a meeting with Hospice after getting approval from his Doctor. Luckily I had stopped by to check on him, I think he was trying to pull a fast one on me without telling me. Hospice will visit him three times per week until he needs to be move from his home. This could be any day or months away, I think its going to be months cause he is a fighter. His heart function has dropped causing him to be on a higher level of oxygen. At 91 he knows his days are numbered and its now more about keeping him comfortable. The portable Oxygen Concentrator I had bought no longer can deliver the Oxygen he needs, his days of going to the casino are now over but that does not stop me from bring in slot machines for him to play. I have a few slot machines in storage I may take over that he has never seen. Will see how it goes this week.

Enjoy every golden moment with your tough old cuss of a dad.
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Just about lost my father last night. He is on oxygen and in the middle of the night power went off. My father lives in a 50 room home where an entire staff is on hand. Last night this home lost its power and with the lost of power his oxygen concentrator lost power. He was asleep at the time and woke up gasping for air. His oxygen level had fallen to 72. Anything below 80 can cause brain damage. He manage to awake and craw to the pull station. He has a battery powered oxygen concentrator but it was in another part of his apartment and he could not locate it as he did not have a clear head as he was starved of oxygen. Help soon arrived and he was placed on an emergency oxygen tank that was also in the room. Why this home does not have an emergency generator is beyond me, but Brookdale Living will be getting a piece of my attitude tomorrow, it will not be pleasant on my part. My father is okay but what happen is totally not acceptable.
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Here are some updated photos of my trommel. We had an overcast sky of which makes for pleasant photos without shadows. The rear legs of the sluice were removed and the rear of the sluice will hang from the frame. I have some small stainless steel turnbuckles coming so I can make level adjustments to the rear. The hooks that are in place were used to take photos. Photos were taken with my cellphone.

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Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,424
30,109
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Can't wait to see gold in the riffles!
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Can't wait to see gold in the riffles!

Hey Buddy,

That would be two of us. I would really like to try it out soon but with my father being in the shape he is in I don't want to wonder to far from his location as my brother is in Lake Havasu and my sister is in Payson for the summer. So I am left to finish up some of the details on the trommel. I may just dig up my backyard and run the dirt just to see how it handles the material. Who knows I may find some gold.
 

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
Sorry to hear of your Dad's mishap last night. Glad you have things in your life like the trommel to be constructive distractions :)
 

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Beautifully built trommel. Your short screened area and longer wash area is what gave me the idea for mine. Again looks awesome. Hope it works as well as it looks and I'm sure it will. When I tested mine out it was in my backyard and I found a few specs so go and screen some dirt for landscaping and who knows.
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Beautifully built trommel. Your short screened area and longer wash area is what gave me the idea for mine. Again looks awesome. Hope it works as well as it looks and I'm sure it will. When I tested mine out it was in my backyard and I found a few specs so go and screen some dirt for landscaping and who knows.

No need for a full length screen area as seen on so many trommels. The idea is to have a longer tumbling area where water is washing the rocks and have everything of 1/2" drop out at the end. You can see the entire build from start to finish. Click on the link in my signature below...
 

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i did that awhile ago. i learned a lot. i enjoy learning from my own learning curve but it is imperative to be able to learn from others if you plan on accomplishing great things. you Good Sir offer a ton of great educational builds that im sure inspire many. thanks for sharing. i know there are tons of members that read these threads regularly and soak up the do's and dont's of your builds but never comment. so for the many people that dont i can a least say 'Thank You'. looking forward to what your going to accomplish next.
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
i did that awhile ago. i learned a lot. i enjoy learning from my own learning curve but it is imperative to be able to learn from others if you plan on accomplishing great things. you Good Sir offer a ton of great educational builds that im sure inspire many. thanks for sharing. i know there are tons of members that read these threads regularly and soak up the do's and dont's of your builds but never comment. so for the many people that dont i can a least say 'Thank You'. looking forward to what your going to accomplish next.

Thank you Stephen. I am kicking around an idea of the next build but I really want to get out and dig, prospect and have a good time. Its been a while that I have gotten out for a number of reasons out of my control but hope to sometime in the future.
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,618
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
AzViper, your builds do an honor to you. With a son who does work like that I'm certain your Dad is proud of his son..................63bkpkr
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
AzViper, your builds do an honor to you. With a son who does work like that I'm certain your Dad is proud of his son..................63bkpkr

Thanks Herb for the nice comment. I try my best, he has never seen any of the gold processing equipment I built in person, only in photos. He's never been much of a fabricator, he's old school. Give him bailing wire, pliers and it will be fixed and have it working...
 

maui

Sr. Member
Dec 3, 2007
361
24
maui, hawaii
Detector(s) used
whites GMT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
azviper, have you every sold any of your builds? i sure would be interested if you do. we get to az. 2-3 times a year. if you want my contact info. just private message and i will send it.
thank for sharing your great work.
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
azviper, have you every sold any of your builds? i sure would be interested if you do. we get to az. 2-3 times a year. if you want my contact info. just private message and i will send it.
thank for sharing your great work.

Your about the 12th person to have asked this question. I have been selling complete Viper-Vac's and kits for someone to build their own Viper-Vac. Never was my intention to profit from my builds, but only to help prospectors to use their own skills and my ideas. With so many companies out mining the miners why not give the small time miner some ideas how they can build their own prospecting / mining equipment and have a product that's better than whats being sold. Only after realizing that not everyone was going to have the tools or skills to build the Viper-Vac I decided to offer a kit. Here are some photos of my complete vacs and the kit I came up with for those who want to build their own Viper-Vac.

As for my other builds with the exception of the trommel most people would be able build the Blue Bowl stand and the Rubber Mat Miller Table with very few tools. Thanks for asking Maui...

Viper - Vac's.jpg B154.jpg B159.jpg
 

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AzViper

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Well I am glad to say the winner of the Viper-Vac has finely come forward and she claimed her prize. Whats funny when I presented Desert Gold Diggers with the idea of raffling off a Viper-Vac this lady approached me during the June meeting wanting me to build a Viper-Vac. She gave me her email address of which my emails were returned undelivered. The club was able to locate the winner but after leaving a number of message and the winner thinking it was a joke she attended the August meeting and claimed her Viper-Vac. She bought one two dollar raffle ticket, what a bargain I must say. There was one guy who emptied his wallet and bought a bunch of tickets, goes to show you that it only takes 1 ticket to win.

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GarretDiggingAz

Hero Member
Dec 5, 2012
850
243
Mesa, AZ
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATG and thinking about another nugget hunter
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Keith
I have to say brother. I look at those parts for the viper vac. Then wonder how in the world you got all that to get to do what it does. That's why fabricators are smarter than I. Lol. I see a leaf blower/vac and can see the box it came from. You guys can sure go beyond that box. Keep up what ya do Keith. Plus get your but out in the hills. Then again I'm one to talk. I'm hoping to go out digging next month. Detecting possibly next week.
 

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