How long did it take you to receive your bazooka?

Goldwasher

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May 26, 2009
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I finally got two BGTs off eBay. Given all that my family has going on, I had about 3 hours free and took them both out for a test run. Couldn't be happier. Thank you all so much again for all the love, kindness and support!




I know you like it but, you should try with out the hardware cloth. especially on that mini.
 

KevinInColorado

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Jan 9, 2012
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Very well done video, one of the best I've seen.

Ditch the hardware cloth for faster thoughput.

Running steep is just fine. Not sure where you heard 5% slope limit but that's wrong.
 

akiger

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I know you like it but, you should try with out the hardware cloth. especially on that mini.

Absolutely going to try it on the mini. The 36" inch sniper though I'm thinking of leaving it on. It definitely helped to keep some of the junk out of the trap that's for sure. But, if the mini shows great improvement, I will test it on the 36" sniper.
 

akiger

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Very well done video, one of the best I've seen.

Ditch the hardware cloth for faster throughput.

Running steep is just fine. Not sure where you heard 5% slope limit but that's wrong.

Kevin,

Thanks for the kind words! I actually got the 5 degree recommendation off the instructions that came with the BGT. It would make sense given that the fluid bed should run as flat as you can make it given how the tubes inside and the drill holes are configured for water pressure. I would think the more you tilt the fluid bed, the more the material bunches in the front corner away from the spray holes thus making the fluid bed itself become less effective. But, it seems you and others on here are far more experienced with the BGTs than myself so I'll definitely give it shot and see what happens. Lord knows it would make my life a whole lot easier!

As I told Goldwasher, I'm going to remove the hardware cloth from the mini first and test it, but it did help keep a lot of junk out of the fluid bed on the 36" inch sniper. If the mini shows a huge increase in performance, I'll definitely try it out on the 36" incher.

5 degree reference:

20170117_142342.jpg

Hardware Cloth Mod reference:

 

Last edited:

Goldwasher

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per the hardware cloth. If you get into roots your gonna pull your hair out. And because of blockage flat rocks or gravel load your actually more likely to lose fine gold over the grizz rather than recovering more.
 

Goldwasher

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I would only recommend it with very clean gravel and in for guys like you in the Midwest. But I recommend pre classification in those areas any way since the gold is so fine. Just to avoid running large pointless gravel.
 

akiger

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I would only recommend it with very clean gravel and in for guys like you in the Midwest. But I recommend pre classification in those areas any way since the gold is so fine. Just to avoid running large pointless gravel.

You're the man! I actually just had that thought too. It was part of my fear with the leaves that litter the creeks I go to and having them maybe plug up the bottom chamber. But you're right, here in the mid-west, everything here, especially in Ohio is clean gravel. I have yet to run into any roots or decaying debris. I get some clay from time to time, but I always clean that on the side before allowing that material to come within 50 feet of my sluices.

I am looking forward to running that mini without the hardware cloth now! Thanks for getting me excited!
 

OP
OP
G

Goldfleks

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You guys are so gentle with your BGT's. I need to get some video of me pouring my buckets of rocks onto my decks. That was actually the biggest improvement I noticed when going from a Sniper to the Prospector. The Sniper had a harder time dealing with the bigger rocks I dig out simply because of how narrow the trap was. With the added size of the prospector I'm clearing buckets in no time. Takes me longer to fill my buckets with how compacted the gravels are where I'm digging than it does to dump them on the deck.

I'm going to try some serious river digging this summer when it warms up. I'm hoping the snowpack will be enough to keep the water high enough to keep the prospector ripping.

FEED ME!!!! LoL...

IMG_1343.jpg

Brought both sluices out when I was digging with a friend, but we really only needed one. I was clearing buckets faster than she could fill them. It's really nice having such high flow on the river right not. Not having to paw rocks off the deck makes life so much easier.
 

KevinInColorado

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^^this one has the wisdom to do well!
 

dvdtharaldson

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When I was watching the video, I noticed that the Bazooka sluice that was being used had 4 different levels on it. Is that something specific to the mini's or sniper's? Because all Bazooka's I have ever seen (prospector models) only have 2 levels. The top plate where you shovel onto and then the bottom chamber that pressurizes the trap. You can see what I am talking about just before the end of the video when the camera is on the intake end of the sluice.
 

KevinInColorado

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When I was watching the video, I noticed that the Bazooka sluice that was being used had 4 different levels on it. Is that something specific to the mini's or sniper's? Because all Bazooka's I have ever seen (prospector models) only have 2 levels. The top plate where you shovel onto and then the bottom chamber that pressurizes the trap. You can see what I am talking about just before the end of the video when the camera is on the intake end of the sluice.

You must have misunderstood what you were seeing, they are all the same basic design.
 

crabtree

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I ordered a mini on 12-12-16 and still haven't received it.

It it also appears that they're no longer taking orders. I couldn't find a way to add item to my cart using my iPhone. Can someone else confirm this?
 

crusty

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Jan 8, 2015
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I ordered a mini on 12-12-16 and still haven't received it.

It it also appears that they're no longer taking orders. I couldn't find a way to add item to my cart using my iPhone. Can someone else confirm this?
They are no longer taking orders and no confirmation they'll ship pending orders... Might want to contact you CC company

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 

akiger

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Thought I'd do a follow up of the 1/4 inch hardware cloth conversation some of us have had. I think there are good arguments for using it and definitely good arguments for not using it. Hope y'all enjoy and thanks again for all the love and support y'all have shown. It's really nice to be around such authentic and caring people.

 

crusty

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Jan 8, 2015
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Keene 3 stage 4" dredge
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Thought I'd do a follow up of the 1/4 inch hardware cloth conversation some of us have had. I think there are good arguments for using it and definitely good arguments for not using it. Hope y'all enjoy and thanks again for all the love and support y'all have shown. It's really nice to be around such authentic and caring people.


I did it, but where I was working had a lot of algae so I ended up taking it off. Not sure how it affected fine retention but there sluice feed much faster without it

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utah mason

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I'm pretty sure I read in another thread that it helps the fine gold retention to have the different size gravels in trap. Even the larger gravels make nice spaces for the fine gold to get trapped in.
 

KevinInColorado

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I'm pretty sure I read in another thread that it helps the fine gold retention to have the different size gravels in trap. Even the larger gravels make nice spaces for the fine gold to get trapped in.

Right you are as usual my friend!
 

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