Im back and Ive got plans!!!

[oragonads]

Im back and I've got plans!!!

Well, its been a while since I've been on here but the fever is still eating me up inside. Lately, all I've been able to think of while lying down trying to get some sleep after a long day of driving is this years dredge season. I havnt made it down to the claim the last 2 seasons other then to check fire damage. I'll be damned if I don't make it down this year.

I am going to start saving up and buying supplies to start building a 6" compact, easy to transport, and cheap dredge. That 8" one that I attempted last time got a bit out of hand and I went way overboard .

This time I will be making a tube frame out of steel (I used aluminum last time and found that although its a heck of a lot lighter, you have to use a lot more of it to keep flex down and strength up, its also pretty darn expensive). I will use those plastic drums that I'm constantly seeing on craigslist for $5, there cheap, light weight, and strong.... And can easily be rolled down a hill rather then carried . 6" hose is a heck of a lot cheaper the 8" and easier to find. I'm going to build my own sluice again but this time its going to be a lot simpler (flare, single stage with punch plate up top and rubber dampener, and most likely heavy gauge expanded metal the entire length for riffles). Twin 9 HP and pumps, most likely cheap harbor freight Honda knock offs to keep the price down. And a custom jet flare that I designed that should work great.

I, of course, will document this build. Now I just need to stop blowing my money (guitar, laptop, random stuff, and oh yea.... a hummer ) and start getting the stuff I need.

 

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[63bkpkr]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

Sticking with the plan, then following the plan and finally finishing the plan is what it is all about. I'm in one myself at the moment so I can understand. Your project is more involved than mine so best of luck with it! I expect to be on the claim in early march if all goes well with the power washer build and purchase of a chain saw. Getting all the gear in will be a challenge but I will have all day to do that and the next day for wood cutting and then prospecting time. Good Luck............63 bkpkr

 

[oragonads]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

I'm hoping to be able to make it down to the claim for 2 weeks in early July. It's gonna be tough but even if I can't make it I'm going full bore next year.

 

[russau]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

HUMMM? ive also gotten myself into another project.im building another 4 inch light weight dredge similar to what i have now but lighter. ive got the bug bad!! and im running out of room to store these. this will be my 4 th dredge that i have,but it should be the best one. itll be ABS O/U sluice,alum frame,and 4 inflatable floats similar to what keene has on their 2 inch dredge,a 6.5 hp Honda w/a P180 pump. i bought all of the material last fall.all of the frame will be TIG welded. its all drawn out and ive just got to get my booty going! theres just to many other little projects tobe done and all are going tobe fun doing and then working them on some stream.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

I liked the last build you were making. I hope you post your progress on this dredge also.

 

[oragonads]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

Sucky thing is that about 4 years ago when we got our claim, I was exploring along the creek and came upon a 6" keene dredge that was up on a hillside and looked to have been sitting there for a couple years (moss on it, a tree fell on the hose, etc). It had the pontoons, frame, sluice, jet, hoses (no good) and nozzle. Only missing the engines and pumps. Ended up it was one of the previous owners of the claim and he left it up there and no one had been able to find it.

Problem is a fire ripped through that canyon last year and most likely it is destroyed now . Either my next days off or the ones after thag I'm going to go down and find it and see if the fire got to it and if any of its salvageable.

 

[oragonads]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

Yep, its official. I'll be home on the 16th and will be heading down to the claim the morning of the 17th. I'm gonna track down where the dredge was and I'm hoping that at least the sluice is useable but I'll find out when I get there. I'll be headed back either the 18th or 19th, I'm planning on doing some sluicing while I'm down there and I might end up wanting to stay an extra day and come back on the 19th if we get into some of that yeller stuff.

 

[russau]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip! and oh yes,a profitable one also!

 

[oragonads]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

Well, unfortunately I have decided to hold out on a new dredge project. I've got a couple loans I should probably pay off before starting a new project. After my short trip down to the claim I've decided that it would involve way too much work to get a 6" down to my claim. The trail is washing away in multiple places since the fire burnt all the roots and what not up. I've thought about fixing the trail up and widening it enough that I can get a quad down it without rolling several hundred feet down to my death. But that option would cost a lot of time and money and would also open my claim up for thieves (several dredges have been stolen up creek from me). I have decided that my best option would be having my gear helicoptered in. This way would cost a bit but would be quick and easy. I can stick it all into a steel storage container and be able to lock my gear up while im not there. Keep the thieves from touching it as well as the bears (I have 4 5 gallon buckets down there, everyone of em are now filled with holes from the bears chewing on em). My dad has a friend who knows a guy who can fly gear in to difficult areas. He had a monster of a dredge and a ton of gear flown into a claim he had. Only to have bears destroy it all when he returned the next year.

 

[russau]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

yep, improveing the trail would send wacos there to see whats up and you know what theyd do to your equipment and claime

 

[ncclaymaker]

Re: Im back and I've got plans!!!

Bears might be fairly easy to defeat, people not so easy. We have smaller predators where I live, but, none the less, they can be dealt with. My next door neighbor has goats and llamas on his farm, used to have issues with coyotes, bobcats, feral dogs, etc., but not bears. He simply rigged up an electrified fence with single strand wire, a 12 volt battery that uses a solar charger to maintain the battery and an inexpensive fence charger. Available at most agrisupply houses fairly cheap. Our black lab went under his fence with her happy tail in the upright position... got zapped. She never went near another fence with yellow flags attached to it.

Ask a local farmer what they do to deter bears. This suggestion may or may not be workable against them. People, well you can't stop a thief, but you can only catch them and send them to adult day care (jail) for a while.

Best regards and luck