How effcient is a 2" dredge??

[Coin Head]

I have a two inch dredge and just recently got onto a great new creek less fine gold more good size flakes am i getting near a source?? Also its a drainage ditch so its flood stage is not very much... And also how long do yall think it would be to run a yard of dirt with a two inch dredge i know the two inch is good for crevice cleaning but what about trying to run good size amounts of dirt and if not what size would you recommend.

 

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[Bejay]

2 or 2.5.... Not my cup of tea. It is not designed to do a lot....but rather to do a little. The question you ask is relevant to the size of the material you are working.......sand and pea gravel does fine. 1 inch pebbles works. Larger material simple requires a lot of "get it out of my way"....and that takes time. A 3 inch will do a far better job than a 2 or 2.5. I would never use a 2 or 2.5......and I have owned them all. I know there will be those who like the smaller units...but bigger does better job moving material. No doubt about it.

Bejay

 

[winners58]

1/2 yard a day? good for sampling, start getting on the gold, make plans to go bigger
.

 

[goldog]

What doesn't go up you gotta toss. For a four inch hose that's fist sized and up.

Try tossing all the odd shaped golf ball sized and up. Much harder.

 

[N-Lionberger]

You will have an easier time moving a yard with a shovel than with the 2", as goldog said it will be a long day of chucking golf ball size rocks.

 

[russau]

BUT on the other hand....I have had dredges from 5 inch down to the two inch dredges over the years and I agree with the above comments BUT as I
get older , I'm NOT as agile as I once was! I do love using a bigger dredge but I cant move it around OR handle a rock laden hose OR for that much ,I have a hard time just getting up from a prone position after dredging! So now I've moved back to a Keene 2 inch dredge and (right now) I don't know if I can handle it! bad back ,knees ,arthritis ETC. I just got this 2 incher and I have been wanting to see if I can still dredge BUT the weather and Dr. appointments have been slowing me down and may just decide to sell it all and take up knitting (?) or yep the two incher has it's limitations for sure but for those old F.O.G.s like me a 2 incher may keep me involved even if its limited!

 

[Hoser John]

A seat at the table sure beats one in the bleachers-John

 

[63bkpkr]

So russau,
You gonna start knitting, I assume you mean knitted carpet for catching gold!

The arthi is starting to bother me as well, likely from work stress. A few other aches here and there but I still just want to keep going and I still have a 2" dredge for when I get to a state where I can use it. Be like a Timex till the very end................63bkpkr

 

[Bejay]

You will have an easier time moving a yard with a shovel than with the 2", as goldog said it will be a long day of chucking golf ball size rocks.

One thing I know for sure: Dredging for gold is the easiest and most efficient way to recover it. I would take a dredge over a shovel any day. But I would also add that a 2 inch dredge would work ok for crevicing lots of shallow exposed bedrock not requiring moving much overburden.....as like you say: the 2 inch does not move much material.

That said, I have owned a number of 2 inch backpack units to access very remote (hard to get to) areas. It required taking all the necessary support items (fuel, tools, etc). I then realized that my shrimp gun (a suction tool device) would perform the same task and require less effort getting it to the gold area. I use the suction gun and have found as much gold in a day with it (on very small isolated tributary feeder creeks) as I have using a 4 inch dredge. Small does work and has some special capabilities.

As the thread asked: How efficient is a 2 inch? Not efficient for moving material.....but it does have its' applications!


Bejay