Lets design the ultimate sluice...

[UncleMatt]

Here is another idea: a level bubble on your boomer box, with degree graduation marks on the boomer mounting tabs. This would allow you to use a level boomer box as a reference to set the angle of your sluice exactly. Assuming you have adjustable legs, you bring the top of your boomer box to level, and then look at where the top edge of the side of your sluice is indicating it sits relative to that level boomer box. This will show you if you are on your desired angle of operation, or if you need to make adjustments. Often this isn't needed, but if you discovered ideal operating parameters for your particular sluice, that would help you quickly dial it in after relocating to a new site.

 

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[rodoconnor]

Sounds like this is going to be a h*llofa sluice . Probably weigh in at 150 200 lbs. lol

 

[UncleMatt]

A bubble level is a few grams. PVC plastic spools with fabric times 2 will probably be about 4 pounds. A lightweight aluminum stand would also be very light. Throw in a hand dredge, and you are probably still under 20 pounds.

 

[Hoser John]

The angle level is predicated on waterflow,sizing,gravels composition --round,angular or jagged so bubble bs is not on the level-FORGET IT-John

 

[Reed Lukens]

A buddy of mine bought the sidewinder sluice after I told him to stay away from it. He did it anyway & never would bring it out into the field for a test because it weighs a ton. He went & bought a Keene A52 and has been happy ever since. I've seen the old hydrowhatever it was called that John was talking about. The principal looked good but it never worked well. also I have used a few centrifuges in my time and basically you have to remember that they stopped using centrifuges at the turn of the last century because the riffles clogged up very quickly. This is why the Falcon Concentrators and the Knelson Bowls were designed with water inlets directly into the riffle area. When i bought the trommel, it came with an old style centrifuge and a guarantee that I could return it if it worked like the old style models. It did work but I returned it anyway because it would only retain the heaviest of the iron heavies & that was classified down to -5/16 through the trommel. I also have the Falcon SB40 Concentrator and I do use it because its design works well for good separation. With the model that we have, like with everything else on the market, classification is the key. We had a Knelson & sold it basically because the Falcon is working better for what we are doing even though the Knelson has an overall better rating. Here's a couple of videos to check out on the centrifuge topic. You can see in depth how they work.

 

[Goodyguy]

Enjoyed the video's Reed

GG~

 

[Goodyguy]

Anyone know how this operates? Or can find the patent abstract? http://www.freepatentsonline.com/






I'm thinking it works something like this.......

 

[Reed Lukens]

Honestly, I'm not sure... I've watched this video a number of times and with the pulse I am assuming that the pulse is giving it a jigging action that blows the magnetite over into the waste section. Whether it's bb's inside or what I'm not sure but it has to basically be a jig with the pulse action built in. I really like how the reaper works, rotapan has been around for a long time.

 

[Goodyguy]

Honestly, I'm not sure... I've watched this video a number of times and with the pulse I am assuming that the pulse is giving it a jigging action that blows the magnetite over into the waste section. Whether it's bb's inside or what I'm not sure but it has to basically be a jig with the pulse action built in. I really like how the reaper works, rotapan has been around for a long time.

Thanks for the input Reed,
I really like the idea of feeding it super cons in the top and only gold comes out the bottom, but not $3,000.00 worth of like.

If I could see one in person or the patent abstract I could make my own.
Guess I'll do some tinkering this winter.

GG~

 

[UncleMatt]

Okay, here is a new idea: a way to introduce extra water to the fluid bed of a fluid bed sluice to increase fluidization to the sediments in the trap. This would take the form of a long narrow funnel or pipe mounted above the sluice, with an outlet into the fluid bed trap. The water could be piped into the existing tubes, or straight into the bed itself. When you want to do a final concentration of the contents of your trap, you simply use a 5 gallon bucket to pour water into the funnel/pipe until it is full and creating head at the exit in the fluid bed. The pressurized water from this entering the fluid bed stirs up the sediments completely, allowing complete stratification, and ejection of the lighest material from the trap. Then more concentrated cleanouts are possible.

To make this work, you just need a fitting on the side of the sluice near the trap pointing upwards. The fitting could be fit PVC pipe fitting, or a brass threaded fitting. The long funnel or pipe slides/screws into this fitting during setup. But come to think of it if you are using a hand dredge, you could simply move your exit hose from the boomer box to the fitting near the trap and forget the funnel/pipe. Then pump pure water into the trap flood that way prior to cleanouts, or even just periodically between cleanouts. Either way, the whole idea is to add enough extra flow to the base of the trap to eject lighter sediments while allowing gold to stay submerged in the trap, for better quality cons. You could also use a gravity pump/siphon to run water constantly through such a system if you have enough hose to run upstream to a point high enough above the sluice.

I am also working on a new way to move water into fluid bed traps, not through pipes, but through screen mesh or perforated bases in the fluid trap. The idea being, to have water exiting the whole area of the base of the fluid trap up through the sediments, instead of just water flowing through holes in pipes above the base floor. I am even considering a fluid bed floor with a bunch of smooth hershey kiss shaped water exit jets all over it. Entrainment would create little donuts of vortices around each of these, constantly moving the lowest sediment into suspension, and the jet flow carrying the lighter stuff up and away into the trap exit flow. And if you allow air bubbles to be pulled into the water feeding something like that, I wonder if the aeration of the fluid trap water would further aid the whole process.

 

[419GottaMinute]

I think aeroration in the fluid bed would float fine gold

 

[UncleMatt]

Good point. That aside for the moment, has anyone heard of a fluid bed trap with a mesh floor, or perforated floor, so water flows up through the whole trap from the bottom up? I could see how a mesh cloor could clog or allow sediments into the flow passage below.

 

[419GottaMinute]

I like the idea of little ports or spouts on the floor, I think your right about mesh letting stuff through that could lock up and reduce water flow. Never heard of anyone designing a fluid bed with mesh or spouts though.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

I decided to do what you guys are talkin bout. I researched the riffle designs for so long I was going crazy. After about 6 months I went into build mode based on what I had learned and came up with the right slope vs flow for the most efficient (although finicky) riffle design. I decided that highbanking would let me control the flow vs slope the best and I am currently in the middle of that build. As you can see from the my vids.




Since i kinda highjacked and compiled several different styles and added a bit of my own design I dont know where patents stand but since I am not selling the big sluice I dont think it matters much.

 

[UncleMatt]

I'm also rolling around some kind of clearing mechanism for the bazooka grizzly. Kind of like a comb for the stainless wires. It could be hand held, or mounted to the sluice. If you think of something good along these lines, sound off.

 

[Goodyguy]

I'm also rolling around some kind of clearing mechanism for the bazooka grizzly. Kind of like a comb for the stainless wires. It could be hand held, or mounted to the sluice. If you think of something good along these lines, sound off.

If I had a Bazooka I would be looking into a way of installing a slick plate level with the height of the stock grizzly then place some 1/4" or 3/8" punch plate across the gap so there is no uphill ramp for tailings to get hung up on.

GG~

 

[UncleMatt]

If I had a Bazooka I would be looking into a way of installing a slick plate level with the height of the stock grizzly then place some 1/4" or 3/8" punch plate across the gap so there is no uphill ramp for tailings to get hung up on.

GG~

Others have commented on the need for hardware cloth over the stock grizzly to keep small rocks from getting caught in the space between the wires, so I was trying to solve that issue another way.

 

[Goodyguy]

Others have commented on the need for hardware cloth over the stock grizzly to keep small rocks from getting caught in the space between the wires, so I was trying to solve that issue another way.

You could try attaching a 12" long piece of punch plate over the stock grizzly. That would create a longer incline and since the punch plate is smooth compared to a wire mesh it should be less likely to cause a buildup of gravels. Worth a try perhaps.

GG~

 

[KevinInColorado]

GG, that sounds like a great idea...may just try it myself.

 

[dredgeman]

fluid banker I use. 1250 bilge runs the fluid