Any wooden sluice ideas?

[mrmanpig1]

I want to build a wooden sluice it will be my first one any suggestions?

 

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[ChrisinCO]

Strictly wood as a material? If so, try a 10" wide 3-4" deep bsluice trough. Tjen, every 1" or so down the length cut slots of varying depths, and widths. I have seen someone on these forums that made one similar to this description. Do some searching through here. I will look as well and post a link if I can find it. Best of luck.

 

[russau]

yep do a search here for these wooden sluices AstroBouncer did these while he was here on T-Net. Also when making these seal the wood with multiple coats of something to seal the wood from swelling when wet!

 

[goldenIrishman]

Making a sluice? You should have an idea on what the materials you'll be running through it are like before you decide on a design. I've made many and each design was made for different material types. Also how do you want to run it? In a stream? As a recirculating system? A high Banker? Each type has advantage and drawbacks to it depending on your area.

If you're in a "normal" area then a typical setup with riffles and moss will do fine. If you're out in the desert, the higher amounts of black sands can clog that type up so I'd go with a drop riffle style. With ANY style, seal the wood good with something like a flat finish Tung oil. Give it several coats allowing it to dry really good between coats. Tung oil will soak into the wood better and harden in it and for my money gives a much better water proofing that something like Polyurethane which will peel over time and exposure to sunlight. For gluing the box up, use a glue like TiteBond III as it has excellent bond and once cured doesn't soften up in water

Do little research before you build and you'll save yourself both time and money.

 

[arizau]

As a wood selection I would choose, and have used for a homemade bazooka, baltic birch plywood. That is a high quality specialty plywood and usually only available at woodworking supply stores, etc. I used self leveling epoxy as a sealer. That stuff is expensive but I had some left over from another project.

Good luck.

 

[mrmanpig1]

Ok I'll look around on here for some ideas and also I will be running rocky sand I will try to classify it and I might build a small trommall to go over it later on and for water I'm going to use a garden hose

 

[goldenIrishman]

Ok I'll look around on here for some ideas and also I will be running rocky sand I will try to classify it and I might build a small trommall to go over it later on and for water I'm going to use a garden hose

If you're going to be running a lot of material I'd invest in a re-circulating system to save on the water bill! Running off of a hose can get to be expensive if you're processing a lot of materials unless you're on a well. Even then you have to have a place for the water to run off to. I was on a well and tried it for a couple of runs and soon saw the benefits of a recirc setup. Hit up a junk yard for a 55 gallon barrel. Either steel or plastic is fine. Make sure it's got the bungs (plugs). Cut it in half and make up some PVC "U" tubes to allow water to go from one half to the other. Have a bucket to catch your tailings in on half and the pump in the other.

 

[mrmanpig1]

Ok thanks I'll try to do that later on I don't have a pump yet but will try to get one after Christmas.for now I'm going to run small amounts and I do have a well. but in the summer when I'm going to run more I'll make something like that I'm trying to see if this creek has any gold in it first.

 

[Goldwasher]

If I was being forced to use a wooden sluice it would be similar to one of these!!! And as soon as I found enough color I would be buying a lighter, and easier to clean out plastic drop riffle.

 

[mrmanpig1]

Those are nice that about what I want and I will upgrade to metal or plastic later.

 

[Oregon Viking]

This is on my "project" list. 36" x 10" maybe.

 

[mrmanpig1]

What hight should riffles be? I'm having trouble with them backing up.

 

[mrmanpig1]

This is my sluice what do u guys think? It's 5 and 1/2 feet long.

 

[Goldwasher]

I can tell just by looking at the pic that it is warped and you are not running enough water through it. Thad type of wood is going to hold onto fine gold and due to the color it will be hard to see. you want to your riffles to be the height of your largest material 3/8 classification 3/8 inch riffles...1/4 to 1/4....If you are onto good material you can fudge it a bit and also not worry about classifying smaller than 3/8. If your in an area with very little and only small gold you are going to want to classify down as much as possible and run something with smaller riffles like expanded metal over moss or carpet.
Honestly you aren't finding good color with a pan there is no reason for you to even be sluicing. hone your gold finding skills and worry about volume when the situation warrants it. No offense intended...go out and have fun but, with that sluice you are working against yourself.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Something 1/2 as long with ribbed rubber mat and raised expanded metal mesh over some of the mat would be better. Also you'll need to seal the wood well to avoid warping. Lot of work and hassle compared to just buying a well designed sluice from Angus Mackirk for a few bucks.

 

[mrmanpig1]

Ok thanks

 

[Ragnor]

I want to build a wooden sluice it will be my first one any suggestions?

I would suggest not building a wooden sluice box. They are heavy and cumbersome. They soak up water to the point that if you hike very far with them you will end up leaving them on the way out because of the weight gain.
Old wooden sluice boxes were about 12% efficient.
If you want one for a show piece of antiquity well that's one thing.
They are not suitable for actual field use (In my humble experience).
"stupid heavy wooden sluice box", mumble , mumble....


I suggest getting a piece of 6 inch corrugated , non perforated, drain pipe slice it down one side, fold it open in half. Build a frame of the heaviest aluminum scrap you care to, because it will still be lighter than the wooden box. Affix the sliced and folded pipe to the aluminum rails and valla' masterful sluice box which feeds easy and holds the fine gold. Even for a total noob. Like I was.

 

[goldenmojo]

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

 

[Gold Maven]

I started out with wood, and found it was easy to line with aluminum flashing. Fairly cheap roll type flashing, easily conforms to the box, seals the corners, and will add life to the box.