Finally moving a little bit more dirt! Home Made 12" Trommel

[SunshineMiner]

Now to find the honey hole!

After getting in panning and prospecting, my loathing for classifying into 5 gallon buckets quickly became clear. While an efficient way to go up and down the creeks sampling, for digging all day? No thanks. Even at my younger age it kills the back to bend over so much and shake shake shake
So I did some research, found some people with home made trommels here and there, garnered ideas from many of you, and gave my own a shot. This is the 2nd trommel i've created. The first had an 8" pipe on it, a less sturdy frame, and just had issues with it. Since adding a little 12v vibrating motor with a speed adjuster to the tailings chute to clear rock hang ups, i've had no issues except getting her down to the creek and set up lol.

I've posted it in the Trommeling video as well for those who are looking specifically for trommel inspiration, but this is to just promote diggin' that dirt and gettin that color.... I was going after flood gold today and for 4 hours, i was happy with how it all turned out!

Without Further adooooo,

Hope you enjoy the shorty.




I'll update later with the clean up!

 

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[Goldwasher]

I'm all for running pumps in Ca.

But, is that discharge going right into the creek?

We, didn't /don't do that with out of stream material. Even pre-ban. it was a no-no.

 

[SunshineMiner]

Hey GW, im not taking "bank" material or out of stream material. This creek dries up every year, and I'm well inside its average high water line. If what I'm doing is "wrong" to you, well its basically the same as dredging. But thats illegal too, but so is running a motor, but welcome to Commiefornia.

 

[Wiggler]

How was the clean-up ?

 

[Goldwasher]

running a motor is not illegal.

running a highbanker into a settling pond below high water line is still a better practice than letting muddy water mix with clean water at the point of discharge.

 

[Clay Diggins]

I'm still waiting for anyone to explain how they could come to the conclusion that running a motor for mining in California is illegal.

It's been years of hearing this nonsense being repeated. I guess if enough people repeat it it must be true - California logic.

Dredging is not illegal in California. It just requires a permit. The fact there is no permit available is just more - California logic.

Heavy Pans

 

[mofugly13]

So, going back over to the post about inning a motor strictly to power a hookah...not illegal?

I apologize for the hijack.

 

[Clay Diggins]

So, going back over to the post about inning a motor strictly to power a hookah...not illegal?

I apologize for the hijack.

Why would you think it was illegal? Have you ever seen a law about hookas or powered air pumps?

Heavy Pans

 

[et1955]

Just read this from the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, The use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment, otherwise known as suction dredging, is currently prohibited and unlawful throughout California. Under new state law effective January 1, 2016, the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment is defined to mean the use of a mechanized or motorized system for removing or assisting in the removal of, or the processing of material from the bed, bank, or channel of a river, stream, or lake in order to recover minerals.

 

[Bodfish Mike]

Just read this from the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, The use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment, otherwise known as suction dredging, is currently prohibited and unlawful throughout California. Under new state law effective January 1, 2016, the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment is defined to mean the use of a mechanized or motorized system for removing or assisting in the removal of, or the processing of material from the bed, bank, or channel of a river, stream, or lake in order to recover minerals.

Here's the link https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Suction-Dredge-Permits

 

[Clay Diggins]

Yep, that's about the law for permits for vacuum or suction dredging.
(Here's the actual current law)
Read the actual law and please point out where anywhere in the actual law it says that dredging is illegal. It clearly states that dredging without a permit is prohibited. The law is all about how to permit dredging. Nothing in there about dredging itself being being unlawful or illegal.

That's why I wrote:

Dredging is not illegal in California. It just requires a permit. The fact there is no permit available is just more - California logic.

The original poster Sunshine Miner wrote that:

well its basically the same as dredging. But thats illegal too, but so is running a motor, but welcome to Commiefornia.

Still don't know where people get that idea about motors?

I can see if you just read the junk out there you would think that dredging was illegal but if you read the law you will see that there is no law making dredging illegal. Never happened. If it had happened that way California miners would have won several lawsuits by now.

Let's be clear - dredging was never outlawed but it was subjected to the California attitude about "things you shouldn't like". You are drowning in P.C. agency delays (10 years??) that could have been avoided.

Does anyone know of any laws that even mention restrictions on hookas or powered air pumps? I know of one DFG regulation. It limits hookah use to 190 foot depth when harvesting sea cucumbers under a permit. Yes, that permit is available.

What's next? I've heard shovels, drywashers and sluices are illegal - really? Is the law in California based entirely on internet rumors?

Heavy Pans

 

[et1955]

The 2016 law as I posted from the CDFW states no motorized equipment may be used to extract minerals. A permit will change that but no permits are being given out so yes if you use any type of motorized equipment to help you mine you will be fined.

 

[Clay Diggins]

The 2016 law as I posted from the CDFW states no motorized equipment may be used to extract minerals. A permit will change that but no permits are being given out so yes if you use any type of motorized equipment to help you mine you will be fined.

Read the law.

The Legislature finds and declares that this section, as added during the 2009-10 Regular Session, applies solely to vacuum and suction dredging activities conducted for instream mining purposes.

Heavy Pans

 

[ratled]

Clay not picking a fight (REALLY!) - isn't illegal to dredge (over simplified any motor according to the state) in closed water way and all water ways are currently closed?

Asking for a friend .......

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I think people are interpreting it to read a certain way...which prohibits the use of mechanized or motor systems to process and recover gold.

For purposes of this section and Section 5653.1 , the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment, also known as suction dredging, is the use of a mechanized or motorized system for removing or assisting in the removal of, or the processing of, material from the bed, bank, or channel of a river, stream, or lake in order to recover minerals.

My interpretation is that the language strictly applies to the processes related to suction and vacuum dredge equipment.

It doesn’t help that they throw in a totally unnecessary sentence to confuse things..

This section and Section 5653.1 do not apply to, prohibit, or otherwise restrict nonmotorized recreational mining activities, including panning for gold.


Almost insinuating that other motorized methods other than panning ARE subject to the suction dredging regulations. Also that only “recreational mining activities” are allowed.
Poorly written law for sure. Almost like it was drafted by the Krooks and spoon fed to the F&G

 

[Wiggler]

Just read this from the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, The use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment, otherwise known as suction dredging, is currently prohibited and unlawful throughout California. Under new state law effective January 1, 2016, the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment is defined to mean the use of a mechanized or motorized system for removing or assisting in the removal of, or the processing of material from the bed, bank, or channel of a river, stream, or lake in order to recover minerals.

This portion of the law is why , in the thread that I started about Hookah AND gravity / siphon sluicing , that I interpreted that gravity sluicing was legal because no "mechanized or motorized systems" are being used .

DFW's definition does not seem to encompass gravity sluicing . Running a motor for Hookah would be left to the interpretation of the L.E. person / courts because a motorized hookah could be considered as "assisting" in the recovery of minerals ….??.

 

[Goldwasher]

This portion of the law is why , in the thread that I started about Hookah AND gravity / siphon sluicing , that I interpreted that gravity sluicing was legal because no "mechanized or motorized systems" are being used .

DFW's definition does not seem to encompass gravity sluicing . Running a motor for Hookah would be left to the interpretation of the L.E. person / courts because a motorized hookah could be considered as "assisting" in the recovery of minerals ….??.

If that's true than so is your pick up truck...so, yea..no!!

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

If the intent was otherwise, they would have used plain English and there would be no need to read between the lines.

 

[et1955]

This portion of the law is why , in the thread that I started about Hookah AND gravity / siphon sluicing , that I interpreted that gravity sluicing was legal because no "mechanized or motorized systems" are being used .

DFW's definition does not seem to encompass gravity sluicing . Running a motor for Hookah would be left to the interpretation of the L.E. person / courts because a motorized hookah could be considered as "assisting" in the recovery of minerals ….??.

You are right in your interpretation, the New 49's club uses motorized boats to get club members to there mining sites on the Klamath river, no problem but if they used the boat to move rocks to help in mining they would be in trouble, same with driving to your mining claim , no problem but if you use it to help move a rock for mining purposes, trouble again. Tomorrow is the WPMA 25th annual gold show up here in WA. state and Scott Harn will be there , he is the head writer for ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal magazine , I could go on and on of what he is doing for us miners but best to read the mag.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

You are right in your interpretation, the New 49's club uses motorized boats to get club members to there mining sites on the Klamath river, no problem but if they used the boat to move rocks to help in mining they would be in trouble, same with driving to your mining claim , no problem but if you use it to help move a rock for mining purposes, trouble again. Tomorrow is the WPMA 25th annual gold show up here in WA. state and Scott Harn will be there , he is the head writer for ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal magazine , I could go on and on of what he is doing for us miners but best to read the mag.

Laws generally have intent and are written for the citizens to understand and follow. The intent of this law CLEARLY pertains to vacuum and suction dredging? Is there some other information that I’m missing which related to using a mechanical or motorized device to move a rock while processing materials to extract gold? Are you interpreting the law in the manner I highlighted above? Are you aware of any citations which relate to that interpretation?

If so, would you take it to the extreme of prohibiting a come-a-long to winch a boulder..that’s mechanized..