Home Made Blue Bowl Fine Gold Recovery

[QNCrazy]

I have recently aquired my 50 and 100 mesh classifiers. Last night I classified a half bucket of -20's down to -20, -50, and -100. I made a blue bowl out of an angle food pan (possibly mistake #1). I decided to run the -100 first. I scooped in two teaspoons and started the water. I slowly increased the water until the black sands started to move and create the spiral wheel design on the bottom of the pan. As the material started to move, I observed a yellow layer forming on top of the black sand. The black sands were moving but the yellow layer was staying put until the black sand was gone then the yellow would disappear. Common sense tells me the yellow layer was super fine gold however after the black sands cleared the bowl, so did the gold. So my question is, was that gold I was seeing? If it was, I can then assume I need to slow my water flow down to capture that really fine stuff. Any advice would be appreciated.

I should note that this was not the first time I have run this home made blue bowl but was the first time running -50 and -100.

 

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[triple d]

Remove the black sands with a magnet. I run each batch two or three times. The gold likes to hide in the black sands.Generaly the gold will stay on the outside of the bowl. If your finding fine gold leave the water down about a couple inches from the top.Or you could blow it out of the bowl. Angel food pan is not smooth on the sides. May have something to do with loosing gold.

 

[Goodyguy]

The center cone of the angel food cake pan needs some fine tuning and the water speed is critical. First of all the center cone on the cake pan is too tall and too steep and there needs to be a lip at the top of the cone just like the center cone in the blue bowl has.

Try to find the right size plastic funnels to re do the center cone. Try to find a funnel that has the same top diameter as the base of the cone in the production model blue bowl. Then cut it to 1/4" shorter than the height of the stock blue bowl cone. Next find a small funnel that has the same diameter as the top of the stock cone and fit it to the inside of the bottom of the larger funnel so that it looks like the stock center cone of the production model blue bowl.

You should be able to shorten the cake pan center cone to allow the larger funnel to fit over the top of it. Make sure every joint is perfectly smooth where the base of the funnel meets the bottom of the pan and where the small funnel connects to the larger funnel and you're ready to go




Left click on the image to enlarge



GG~

 

[Higgy]

Pardon me for being a stubborn old yankee, but with all the fussing about - why not just buy a blue bowl? They're what, eighty bucks? Here one for $72: Blue Bowl Gold Concentrator

Just saying. You can fiddle around with gizmos and gadgets just so much in my opinion.

 

[Goodyguy]

Pardon me for being a stubborn old yankee, but with all the fussing about - why not just buy a blue bowl? They're what, eighty bucks? Here one for $72: Blue Bowl Gold Concentrator

Just saying. You can fiddle around with gizmos and gadgets just so much in my opinion.

Good advice
However tinkerers love to tinker it's not always all about the money for some of us.

It's a good way to learn how things work and a source of great satisfaction when your project performs as intended.

GG~

 

[QNCrazy]

Good Guy, thanks for the info. I built my device when I was on a budget and yes, I am a tinkerer. I have made my own highbanker, sluice stand, etc. If I can find a cheap way of making something to help in my gold recovery, I'm going to make it. However, Higgy definately has a point which is also appreciated. So I'll tinker a little more and if I'm still having problems, I'll just buy the real deal.

 

[Goodyguy]

Good Guy, thanks for the info. I built my device when I was on a budget and yes, I am a tinkerer. I have made my own highbanker, sluice stand, etc. If I can find a cheap way of making something to help in my gold recovery, I'm going to make it. However, Higgy definately has a point which is also appreciated. So I'll tinker a little more and if I'm still having problems, I'll just buy the real deal.

I also made my own centrifugal gold separator (blue Bowl). Bought an oil drain pan from Walmart and funnels from Autozone, works as good as the original blue bowl for under $20 including Hose, fittings and valve from Lowes, The bilge pump was from Walmart and sold for $25 So total outfit for less than $50

GG~

 

[Higgy]

Good advice
However tinkerers love to tinker it's not always all about the money for some of us.

It's a good way to learn how things work and a source of great satisfaction when your project performs as intended.

GG~

Well I guess I was just playing Devil's Advocate, because I love to tinker as well. I have experienced first-hand the joy of replicating something out of simple materials. Sorry if I came on a little strong, but in my mind, I'd rather be spending time on the water or swing my detector than messing about my shop.

 

[Goodyguy]

Sorry if I came on a little strong, but in my mind, I'd rather be spending time on the water or swing my detector than messing about my shop.

Me to, that's why I usually only work on my projects at night or when I cant go prospecting

 

[No gold in NY]

I am about to drill my blue bowl for the water delivery tube. About 1/4" does not seem right. What size tube should I drill for.

 

[Jimmydolittle]

The plans I have is for a 1" PVC pipe, with a ball valve. This one is made from a 5 gal bucket, cut at about 3 1/2", and the tapered part of a 4" X 6" sewer pipe adapter.

I am about to drill my blue bowl for the water delivery tube. About 1/4" does not seem right. What size tube should I drill for.