Goldibox anyone use it?

[Mountaineer2020]

I was looking for backpack capable dredges and one choice the search came up with is the Goldibox. Super lightweight design but I am not sure of how well it works. Anyone used this thing? I am guessing it's fairly new on the market.

 

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[russau]

I have never used it , BUT from my experience and travels most all of the equipment that is out there they do work to a extent BUT it just depends on how YOU use them according to the maker's instructions ! Most everyone like's to think "their" ideas work better and in some instances it does , BUT in most cases rushing or running to much dirt or water only loses fine gold . EXAMPLE: on my 4 inch dredge that I drug around the Country ,I had many screen / riffle and other devices to help me get gold. I found out that most area's that I dredged in needed slightly different setups or operating procedure's for that particular creek /stream that I was working . Many other dredger's that I meet along the way asked me WHY I brought so much other stuff with me in my trailer only to hear them asking around latter to other people if they have this or that and I kinda smirked to myself when they came up to ask me if I had this or that. I usually said yes and lent it to them! I'm NOT as smart as the average bear and still have a lot to learn from many other's ! I always listen when other's like Mr. R . Luken's and the list can go on and on ! A person that will listen can / will pick up great tip's unless you like to hog material like I did back when I started out ...... Mountaineer2020 good luck with your Goldibox dredge if you end up getting it and post your results after you get the feel for using it !

 

[southfork]

I was looking for backpack capable dredges and one choice the search came up with is the Goldibox. Super lightweight design but I am not sure of how well it works. Anyone used this thing? I am guessing it's fairly new on the market.

I looked at their web site and not much information on how it even works. All the parts to make it work you need to order from Keene . Save your money and search the net. Or by a backpack dredge from keene at least you would get something that works.

 

[arizau]

I looked at their web site and not much information on how it even works. All the parts to make it work you need to order from Keene . Save your money and search the net. Or by a backpack dredge from keene at least you would get something that works.

I didn't fully watch them but I did find a couple of videos via google. Search terms: goldibox dredge.
What I did see of the dredge and how it works seems to be viable to me but I don't dredge and rarely sluice so......

Good luck.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Being that you still need to carry a battery and that you may get 4 hours of use on it with the lipo that they recommend if you're lucky, Nnnnnnnnnnn-No

 

[N-Lionberger]

Build a Gould bazooka.

 

[Mountaineer2020]

Thanks for the feedback. Looking at the 50ah lipo battery instead of the 30ah. It will weight 2 more pounds.

So here's my thinking as to why I was even considering it. One is it's super quiet so I don't interrupt someone's wilderness experience and draw unwanted aggravated attention. We'll call it enviromentally sound conscience. Two a 2" Keene backpack dredge which I have most of the components for (have the high banker) weighs 65 lbs and while I can pack that I don't like to go far. The Goldibox setup should weight under 35 lbs. I can pack that for miles no problem and have room for water and food. Another reason is one season ago we actually were told to pack up and leave because the fire danger was too high. We had an internal combustion engine dredge.... IN THE WATER.... and apparently that's a fire risk? Lastly our forest has lost most road access and is losing more. If you want to get anywhere in the forest you're going to have to hike. I have seriously considered buying a few mules and going back 100 years because motorized vehicles in the forest are a thing of the past. Don't have em yet though so I am the mule and packing on my back is the only option.

I should know better but think I'm going to go for it. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.

 

[N-Lionberger]

I would hard pass on that thing. I watched a couple videos one showing the inner workings. Pretty similar to a Gould Bazooka dredge. Also not sure I would call the second stage a fluid bed trap. Plastic suction nozzle too. 2” dredges are ok for bedrock crevice cleaning but for punching through gravel you will have better luck with a shovel. IMO another person mining the miners. Lots of little contraptions like that have come and gone.

 

[Reed Lukens]

You're trying to run a 2" 3d printed dredge with 1200gph and a 6' hose. The Keene 2" runs on 6000gph... You'll be fanning material into the hose... lol. The 3d plans are online as well. Print it out yourself, then run at least a 4000gph pump. Still, the batteries won't last, but at least you will have enough suction for an 8' to 10' hose which is the minimum that you will want..

 

[N-Lionberger]

You should run away screaming at the notion of a plastic suction nozzle, Vortxrex systems excluded.

 

[Mountaineer2020]

You're trying to run a 2" 3d printed dredge with 1200gph and a 6' hose. The Keene 2" runs on 6000gph... You'll be fanning material into the hose... lol. The 3d plans are online as well. Print it out yourself, then run at least a 4000gph pump. Still, the batteries won't last, but at least you will have enough suction for an 8' to 10' hose which is the minimum that you will want..

Well you're wrong I wouldn't get 4 hours out of the battery I would get.... 2. The 3700 gph (not 1200 gph) pump draws 15 amps. The recommended battery is a 30 amp hour battery. I think that means 2 hours. Even if I went with the 50 amp hour I'd only get 3 hours. Heh so ya point well taken batteries don't last long. Looked at the Honda GX50 the Keene 2" is running and it only weighs 9 lbs! 1 gallon of gas lasts 4 hours. Probably should stick with panning and sluicing. But as you know better than alot one of the few advantages we have over the old timers is suction dredges. And you also know that California, Oregon and Washington are very difficult to dredge in. Silent packable dredge seemed tempting.
I'm over it though found me an old high bank hydraulic pit with 15 colors to the pan where they were sluicing out through the bedrock. That was just the loose dirt below the frozen ground not on bedrock. Now just have to wait till the thaw. Went in there with a pick and there was 2 inches of frozen dirt. Also got the impression the forest service didn't want anybody in there. Guardrail blocking the road and Must have been 20 dump truck loads of boulders dumped on the old road that went to the pit. Was a nice road at one time. Out there improving our public lands!

 

[ShaqFoo]

I was looking for backpack capable dredges and one choice the search came up with is the Goldibox. Super lightweight design but I am not sure of how well it works. Anyone used this thing? I am guessing it's fairly new on the market.

I have seen it work a few times. A guy in my prospecting club has two of them. One for him and his teenage son. I've seen the gold they've found with it and I was impressed. The fines it captured were tiny and there were some nice coarse pieces in the mix. He let me use it once and I was surprised with what it can do. We worked hole on shallow bedrock to 2' and it was spotless. I was also surprised at how light the nozzle was - the suction was pretty good. Certainly not as strong as a gas pump but I don't think this is meant to compete with a gas powered dredge. I think it's meant for the prospector that wants to enjoy dredging but doesn't want to carry heavy gear. The website says it allows you to work silently and access more remote places. I think that's the major plus to it. It's really portable and can be used anywhere. Both the dredge part and nozzle are solid and feel durable. I don't understand some of the responses in this thread - they'll say it's bad but have never seen it or used it. And they seem to compare it to a larger dredge. That just seems silly to me. It actually works pretty well. Hope this helps.

 

[Assembler]

I have seen it work a few times. A guy in my prospecting club has two of them. One for him and his teenage son. I've seen the gold they've found with it and I was impressed. The fines it captured were tiny and there were some nice coarse pieces in the mix. He let me use it once and I was surprised with what it can do. We worked hole on shallow bedrock to 2' and it was spotless. I was also surprised at how light the nozzle was - the suction was pretty good. Certainly not as strong as a gas pump but I don't think this is meant to compete with a gas powered dredge. I think it's meant for the prospector that wants to enjoy dredging but doesn't want to carry heavy gear. The website says it allows you to work silently and access more remote places. I think that's the major plus to it. It's really portable and can be used anywhere. Both the dredge part and nozzle are solid and feel durable. I don't understand some of the responses in this thread - they'll say it's bad but have never seen it or used it. And they seem to compare it to a larger dredge. That just seems silly to me. It actually works pretty well. Hope this helps.

Sound like for many who don't like to pan a useful unit. Thanks for the feedback ShaqFoo.

 

[Vagadero]

N-Lionberger said it all. There is nothing new under the sun. Goldibox's design is very similar to the original Gould bazooka, with the main difference being that the Gould had slots instead of holes on the inner tube and used unperforated corrugated pipe as a nugget trap.

In terms of cost, a 2" exhaust pipe costs around 30 USD, while an appropriate PVC pipe for the chamber is around 50 USD. This should allow you to make two small dredges and will likely last longer than a fully plastic dredge. An additional cost is the end cups, couplings, suction hose, and the nozzle.

I find te Goldibox interesting and I really wish to give it a try.