Camo drywasher?

[G-bone]

Wondering if anyone has camo'd there drywasher?
Paint or camo-wraps (like for gun stocks).
Kinda makes sense for those who want to lay low and under the radar.
Not that the Dust cloud is any help, but just saying.
I think it would look cool and surprised I haven't seen it more often.

Next couple of rainy days might see me into follow thru on that little project.

 

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[Hard Prospector]

I've also been thinking about painting my puffers, either a lite brown/tan or olive drab. No sense in painting my forced air models though.....hell you can hear those things and see the dust cloud into the next zip code.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Sounds like a glorious waste of time and paint. Please post a pic when you're finished!

 

[G-bone]

Sounds like a glorious waste of time and paint. Please post a pic when you're finished!

Glorious indeed!
But the paint is free and the time will be spent indoors anyway (due to Rain) and better than watching TV or whatever else you can do indoors on a rainy day. Plus, I think it'll look cool.
Will definitely post pics.

Cheers all.

G

 

[socalal99]

If you like to paint and have spare time, my house really needs a few good coats on the outside.

Just kidding.

Because your screaming leaf blower and billowing dust cloud *might* give you away, suggest some sport wraps or multi-coat lowrider artwork. Let's all pimp our drywashers and then have a contest to judge the results.

Man, slow day at work.

 

[Bodfish Mike]

Was thinking of doing the same thing and also doing my buckets as well ... the more stealth the better

 

[Ragnor]

Have you heared of paint dip or hydrgraphic paint? It's some new stuff they got. Don't know if it's wear resistant.



Of course if you are gonna spray paint a sluice, how well is the paint gonna stick to that and flex with it? How much oil is it gonna release? Cause it could float yer gold.

Powder coated sluice? Might be nice? Radar scattering even, lol.

I would also , bring up an experience I had where when a game warden was calling the crew of our 12 foot aluminum boat ashore.
They wanted "the camo guy, the guy wearing camo" That was me, of coarse. As if in some way wearing camo in an aluminum dingy somehow meant I had somthing more to hide.
Ive seen it on the cop shows too, they always want to know where the guy in camo is. They are kind of obsessed with it.
So I avoid wearing camo or using it for my gear, unless I really want to hide and then well. It spirals down from there. LOL

Point is in my experience, if they do actually see you with the camo then they are apt to pay way more attention to you than if they seen yah easy without it. That there is my point.
That is just my experience and I do not have a word to say as to weather you choose to use radar scattering powder coated camo sluice boxes or not.
Long live the republic!

 

[Hard Prospector]

Have you heared of paint dip or hydrgraphic paint? It's some new stuff they got. Don't know if it's wear resistant.



Of course if you are gonna spray paint a sluice, how well is the paint gonna stick to that and flex with it? How much oil is it gonna release? Cause it could float yer gold.

Powder coated sluice? Might be nice? Radar scattering even, lol.

I would also , bring up an experience I had where when a game warden was calling the crew of our 12 foot aluminum boat ashore.
They wanted "the camo guy, the guy wearing camo" That was me, of coarse. As if in some way wearing camo in an aluminum dingy somehow meant I had somthing more to hide.
Ive seen it on the cop shows too, they always want to know where the guy in camo is. They are kind of obsessed with it.
So I avoid wearing camo or using it for my gear, unless I really want to hide and then well. It spirals down from there. LOL

Point is in my experience, if they do actually see you with the camo then they are apt to pay way more attention to you than if they seen yah easy without it. That there is my point.
That is just my experience and I do not have a word to say as to weather you choose to use radar scattering powder coated camo sluice boxes or not.
Long live the republic!

Agreed.... camo depending on the circumstances can bring unwanted attention from city folks and heavy handed regulators. Thats why I would stick with solid but earthy brown/tan paint.

 

[Hamfist]

Mine is mostly bright yellow Kevlar... but it's quiet!

 

[Ragnor]

Well I do trully appreciate mixed earth tones.
I read a study once that said busy camo fills in and looks dark at a distance even if it looks good up close. At longer distances larger patterns in grey and white blend in well and do not fill in and are surprisingly effective up close also. I'd probly select a light tan over true white.

Agreed.... camo depending on the circumstances can bring unwanted attention from city folks and heavy handed regulators. Thats why I would stick with solid but earthy brown/tan paint.

 

[G-bone]

Was thinking of doing the same thing and also doing my buckets as well ... the more stealth the better

LOL... you mean like this?


I couldn't resist.
Actually did 6 buckets, just showing 3.
Paint was free and time was no more than 30min.
The Drywasher will look similar as well.

I figure this look is a heck of a lot better than the Orange HomeDepot buckets that shout at you.
I'm into stealth as well. With SO many people out there who can't mind there own business, why give them a better chance to find you?
Heck, when hiking up the East fork last time, I came across some prospectors in the creek.
I saw those orange buckets 1/4 mile away. I don't need that.
If it weren't for there nice orange buckets, I might have walked by without noticing them.

And Ragnor, I hear you.
But I'm not trying to hide from "The Man". I trying to stay incognito from the thieves, hooligans and nosy civilians.
And if the authorities mess with me because my gear and myself are camo'd, I'll take em to court for ..... garment profiling!!

 

[cpomike13]

They look great, till it gets late, you're packing up. And you don't see them.

Brother and I drywashing with our Keene 140s part-time

 

[goldenIrishman]

I don't see a valid reason to have to resort to stealth paint jobs if you're working an area that is claimed in your name, you have permission to work from the claim owner or is unclaimed but open to entry. As long as you're legal, fill in your holes and are not giving the "greenies" any reason to whine, the only reason for camo is as eye candy. Besides, I don't think the gold is gong to run away because it saw you coming...

 

[Bodfish Mike]

I don't see a valid reason to have to resort to stealth paint jobs if you're working an area that is claimed in your name, you have permission to work from the claim owner or is unclaimed but open to entry. As long as you're legal, fill in your holes and are not giving the "greenies" any reason to whine, the only reason for camo is as eye candy. Besides, I don't think the gold is gong to run away because it saw you coming...

I'm working a place that is open and unclaimed... sometime I leave gear behind so I won't have to carry it if I'm coming back soon. I don't want to be seen by anyone --- BLMM or Forest circus or you guys

 

[Hard Prospector]

I don't see a valid reason to have to resort to stealth paint jobs if you're working an area that is claimed in your name, you have permission to work from the claim owner or is unclaimed but open to entry. As long as you're legal, fill in your holes and are not giving the "greenies" any reason to whine, the only reason for camo is as eye candy. Besides, I don't think the gold is gong to run away because it saw you coming...

Good points Jeff but much of the public land in Ca (as I'm sure your aware) over the last 25 years has been closed to location/mineral entry but according to 1872 law can still be prospected. Designated "wilderness areas" is the best example of this; few roads and no mechanized anything. When I find a good location to work I will pack gear in and stash it near site til done then pack it all out. I prefer to hide my puffer and hand tools in steep rocky areas and cover with burlap, very difficult for anyone (hunters, hikers, horse people etc) to stumble upon.
BTW G-Bone; burlap sacks are a great means to protect and hide a solar panel

 

[goldenIrishman]

I understand what you're saying Hard. These "Wilderness Areas" are a pain. I live right next to three of them and they're located in some highly mineralized areas that I'd love to be able to claim. These areas were setup to secure habitat for desert sheep and Burros. The sheep I can understand as they're native to the area but BURROS? Come on people! They were brought in by miners and released when the first rush in the area played out! They are not native to the area and last week alone there were two accidents caused by them in Bullhead City. you can't drive through downtown Oatman without having to dodge them left and right.

According to what I've read, these wilderness areas don't even allow metal detecting as they consider it as mechanical in nature. If you go by what the local BLM guys say, the only thing you're allowed to do is dry pan. We all know how time consuming THAT is.

Another thing that really chaps my hide are the rules in place for the Lake Meade Recreational Area. No detecting at all! if you're caught with a functioning detector in your possession you're cited and it's taken as "evidence". It doesn't matter if it's in your car or truck. If it can be turned on, you're busted! I feel that this is discriminatory. Metal detecting is often a "recreational" activity and yet we're not allowed to take part in it in a recreational area. We need to start pressuring the people in charge to get this discriminatory rule changed!.

 

[Hard Prospector]

According to my research, metal detectors are OK in wilderness areas for prospecting and sampling for mineral deposits. However, using them to recover artifacts and antiques in these areas is considered a FELONY. The law says nothing "mechanical" may be used as in gasoline or electric powered with movable parts but a comparable "human powered" device seems alright . I have in the past used my 12volt puffer in these areas but have since switched to a hand crank model to stay within the law. Hand tools, pan, bucket, sluice, hand crank puffer and metal detector is what I use in wilderness areas, when done I leave no trace.

I've only been challenged once;

I was loading up my Jeep after a 3 day prospecting trip in such an area when a BLM ranger pulled in right behind me and asked what I was doing so I told him. Then he asked if I found any "interesting" old coins or mining relics which I replied "no" I prospect and sample only for minerals and besides, removing these things from wilderness areas is strictly against the law. Without saying another word he took off in a cloud of dust.........Nice try dork

 

[goldenIrishman]

Yeah... They HATE it when they run into someone that knows the laws better than they do. Just more proof that an educated miner is their worst nightmare!

 

[KevinInColorado]

The Wilderness Act says no mechanical devices. That means the puffer is illegal just like a bicycle is banned. Devices with no moving parts such as shovels, sluices, GPS device and metal detector are ok. The Act also explicitly confirms that prospecting is allowed in special provisions 2 and 3 on pp 4-5.
http://wilderness.nps.gov/document/WildernessAct.pdf

 

[Hard Prospector]

The Wilderness Act says no mechanical devices. That means the puffer is illegal just like a bicycle is banned. Devices with no moving parts such as shovels, sluices, GPS device and metal detector are ok. The Act also explicitly confirms that prospecting is allowed in special provisions 2 and 3 on pp 4-5.
http://wilderness.nps.gov/document/WildernessAct.pdf

Yes Kevin, to the absolute letter of the law your right. However, in the remote chance I was to be cited for using my hand crank puffer, I would simply state( to the judge) that because of personal disability (bad shoulder/rotator cuff surgery) I can't effectively dry pan yet was still attempting to stay within the "intent of the law". I do think I would stand a fighting chance (of the charge being dismissed) because it is the truth.
After all, even though a bicycle can't be used in wilderness areas a wheel chair most likely would and besides who wants to offend the ADA?