Here we are in IOWA with the wettest July, every steam to river bottom is under deep swift water. So, I worked on a gold separator.

[DIDDLER]

The gold separator is ready to test. The material goes in the funnel, is fluidized and swerreled. The terminal velocity of the falling material in the up flowing water column sends the less dense sand out into a waste bucket while the dense gold drops thru the uprising water column into a jar at the bottom of the system. The terminal velocity of each particle depends on its mass and shape, round shape will fall faster than a flat shape of the same mass. Gold is 19 times heaver than water while all other material is lighter thus the heavier items will drop out of the fluidized water column.

The gold separator is made from standard PVC tubing and fittings, Plexiglass bar and a Plexiglass tube. Major lathe machining was performed to get the parts to fit.

Plexiglass is brittle and subject to chipping or worse breaking during machining. Secret: drill bit - #1 hone a tiny flat on the two cutting edges of a very sharp drill bit, #2 drill slooooow!!!, #3 use soapy water sprayed on the bit and in the drilled hole to cool and lube the bit/hole.. Threading PVC and Plexiglass, take cuts 0.005" max. lubed with soapy water. Fit mating threads often to get a smooth snug thread fit. Note: PVC has high friction which can lock mating parts together making them hard to separate. This carastic was used to make this a Vertical Take-A-part Gold Separator.

 

[Gare]

First off welcome to great forum. Your device looks good : Do you have pictures of your results ?

 

[DIDDLER]

Today was Test #1 for the Vertical,Fluid Bed Gold Separator.
The test were encouraging BUT initially some sand drops thru into the jar as the remainder is fluidized nicely and expelled out the exit tube. This was a sand only test, no magnetite or gold in the sand. The water with the sand is fluidized in a cyclone and is expelled easily out the Exit tube. I believe that the initial sand that enters the Jar was actually remaining in the blade shutoff valve from the previous load of sand.
Picture -69 and -77 is the bottom section just above the Gate/Jar. The water jet just above the Gate is off center so entering water and sand spins into a Cyclone, just suspended in the up flow of water this is the area where any gold would drop down into the Jar.. Picture -70 & -72 show the upper Plexiglass tube where the sand is rising to be expelled out the Exit tube. These pictures show the water Cyclone rising with the spinning sand.

Next, I will lay out each named piece with pictures. The Learning curve will be a later entry as I gain experience.

 

[Gare]

Did you invent your device or did you get the idea from someone else ?

 

[AU Seeker]

Did you invent your device or did you get the idea from someone else ?

@DIDDLER

This device appears to work on the same principles as the "Osterberg E-tower", there was a version sold as the "Quick Gold Separator", here's link to the patent of the E-tower...

https://www.coloradoprospector.com/...d7194f6d91645eb3&act=attach&type=post&id=2148

Here's a photo of the Quick Gold Separator...

 

[DIDDLER]

Today was Test #1 for the Vertical,Fluid Bed Gold Separator.
The test were encouraging BUT initially some sand drops thru into the jar as the remainder is fluidized nicely and expelled out the exit tube. This was a sand only test, no magnetite or gold in the sand. The water with the sand is fluidized in a cyclone and is expelled easily out the Exit tube. I believe that the initial sand that enters the Jar was actually remaining in the blade shutoff valve from the previous load of sand.
Picture -69 and -77 is the bottom section just above the Gate/Jar. The water jet just above the Gate is off center so entering water and sand spins into a Cyclone, just suspended in the up flow of water this is the area where any gold would drop down into the Jar.. Picture -70 & -72 show the upper Plexiglass tube where the sand is rising to be expelled out the Exit tube. These pictures show the water Cyclone rising with the spinning sand.

Next, I will lay out each named piece with pictures. The Learning curve will be a later entry as I gain experience.

 

[DIDDLER]

I started building a wet fluid sluice that could be used with pumped water or placed in a fast flowing stream. The concept was fluidize the material, wash away the material that is lighter than gold. Iowa doesn't have many streams that meet the flow requirements of a fluidized sluice.

I started thinking about a vertical fluidized column of material spinning with the gold sinking to the bottom and everything else blown out the top. I started viewing Youtube for wet fluidized sluices. That is where I found the"Goldrop". Dan Hurd and others had great raves about the efficiency of the Goldrop.

My hobby is building simpler, better, and less costly items termed; ( Value Engineering) In the past, I built an Oval Chuck (woodturning chuck) by following the Johannas Volmer concept but completely redesigning and simplifying his design. My chuck was significantly simpler and worked as good and especially easier to adjust than the original design. In woodturning, I took a comment and designed a simple boring bar that entered a woodturning thru a small entrance neck, then the cutter was bumped into a different position to hollow a very large diameter base , all thru the small ID neck.

As a newbie to gold panning, and with our streams banks buried under water, I got busy building several stream sluices. Researching the fluidization of material, this process could be the most efficient way to recover fine gold. Iowa is not noted to be gold rich, we have Lake Superior flour gold in extremely small quantities. A fluidized sluice is especially best for fine gold.

My vertical sluice during todays initial test using sand, revealed many leaks (a non problem) but more importantly demonstrated the water cyclone spinning to spin the sand up and out of the sluice thru the drain. The next step is to place two water jets at an angle in the Trap cone to place much more spin to the exiting water column when required. Or go from 1/4" valves to 3/8" valves to increase flow rates.

The Ball Valves work well, but the adjustability of the standard faucet may be better. The Flow Meter jammed with small sand granules. The Flow Meter will be replaced by watching the spinning sand trying to drop into the jar.

Making the system simpler, smaller, weigh less, and possibly take apart, may be the next generation. The 2" Plexiglas rod slides nicely into a 2" ID Plexiglas tube that I purchased. That will divide the system in half for transportation.

Since I will never sell a completed or kit Vertical Sluice, patent infringement isn't a issue.. I was surprised to get a new patent similar to an existing patent only requires a 10% design difference to satisfy the new patent requirements. Combining the best features of many items to achieve a superior item is my goal. This is what Value Engineering is all about.

Are We Having Fun Yet?
DIDDLER

 

[Gare]

Thank you for sharing with us and I want to wish you the best of luck Thank you

 

[russau]

I like your idea! I also liked doing the same thing about making my own equipment for a long time. BUT I'm to old now and give up the Ghost !

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thread moved, "Today's Finds" forum is for actual recent finds.

 

[DIDDLER]

I started building a wet fluid sluice that could be used with pumped water or placed in a fast flowing stream. The concept was fluidize the material, wash away the material that is lighter than gold. Iowa doesn't have many streams that meet the flow requirements of a fluidized sluice.

I started thinking about a vertical fluidized column of material spinning with the gold sinking to the bottom and everything else blown out the top. I started viewing Youtube for wet fluidized sluices. That is where I found the"Goldrop". Dan Hurd and others had great raves about the efficiency of the Goldrop.

My hobby is building simpler, better, and less costly items termed; ( Value Engineering) In the past, I built an Oval Chuck (woodturning chuck) by following the Johannas Volmer concept but completely redesigning and simplifying his design. My chuck was significantly simpler and worked as good and especially easier to adjust than the original design. In woodturning, I took a comment and designed a simple boring bar that entered a woodturning thru a small entrance neck, then the cutter was bumped into a different position to hollow a very large diameter base , all thru the small ID neck.

As a newbie to gold panning, and with our streams banks buried under water, I got busy building several stream sluices. Researching the fluidization of material, this process could be the most efficient way to recover fine gold. Iowa is not noted to be gold rich, we have Lake Superior flour gold in extremely small quantities. A fluidized sluice is especially best for fine gold.

My vertical sluice during todays initial test using sand, revealed many leaks (a non problem) but more importantly demonstrated the water cyclone spinning to spin the sand up and out of the sluice thru the drain. The next step is to place two water jets at an angle in the Trap cone to place much more spin to the exiting water column when required. Or go from 1/4" valves to 3/8" valves to increase flow rates.

The Ball Valves work well, but the adjustability of the standard faucet may be better. The Flow Meter jammed with small sand granules. The Flow Meter will be replaced by watching the spinning sand trying to drop into the jar.

Making the system simpler, smaller, weigh less, and possibly take apart, may be the next generation. The 2" Plexiglas rod slides nicely into a 2" ID Plexiglas tube that I purchased. That will divide the system in half for transportation.

Since I will never sell a completed or kit Vertical Sluice, patent infringement isn't a issue.. I was surprised to get a new patent similar to an existing patent only requires a 10% design difference to satisfy the new patent requirements. Combining the best features of many items to achieve a superior item is my goal. This is what Value Engineering is all about.

Are We Having Fun Yet?
DIDDLER

I like your idea! I also liked doing the same thing about making my own equipment for a long time. BUT I'm to old now and give up the Ghost !

Are you as old as dirt? I am 86, plagued with balance problems and am suffering from Myasthenia Gravis just to list a few challenges. I have two choices, buy a good rocking chair, set on the front porch and rock my remaining life away. Or get up off @#$%^ and make something. I chose my path, now it's your turn.

 

[DIDDLER]

I did some minor renovation of the Vertical Fluid Bed Sluice. A valve search at the local farm store found a 1/2" threaded Gate Valve . The Gate Valve operates the bottom, off center water jet. The Ball Valve was too jerky resulting in dropping sand early when adjusting the water flow. I removed the GPH gage as the finer adjustment capability should go a great way in keeping trash material out of the collection jar.

The next renovation will add water line disconnects to each line. This will allow the Water Panel to be sawed off and be separate from the Vertical Separator tube assy.

Currently, the entire unit clips on the side of the common 5 Gal. pickle bucket. This attachment allows quick and easy mounting of the unit. Note: a brick, chunk of iron, or just a rock must be placed in the bucket to keep it upright.

Are We Having Fun Yet??
DIDDLER

PS: Would youall like to see detailed pictures of each part at stage 2 of sluices development?

 

[russau]

Yep , sure would like to see some !

 

[bc5391]

does your gold smell like pickles?

 

[djackson7348]

Welcome to the group from North Carolina!

The worst weather for seeking is the best weather for preparation and research.