Hydro-Force Nozzles still being made?

AKSasquatch

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Anyone know a contact for Hydro-Force Nozzles or if they are still in production? I tried the email on Midwest Prospector but without any luck. Have some spots in mind I think it could be great for. If not I have an old suction nozzle I'm thinking of trying DIY and modifiy it to something similar.
 

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AKSasquatch

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Along the DIY lines, I have a 3" Suction nozzle with 2" jet. One thought is just to run a short, maybe 6' blaster hose off an adapter right at the nozzle connection. I think that would both be easier and a little more versatile than going through the effort of welding the blaster directly into the nozzle.
 

pepperj

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I am thinking the water PSI & GPM will determine the nozzles ability.
Strictly thinking the pumper ladder hydro spraying that a firetruck can produce.
 

N-Lionberger

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A hydro force nozzle a suction nozzle with an additional water jet to allow for out of stream dredge action. It is not a piece of fire fighting equipment. I haven’t seen one advertised in a while I assume they are no longer made. You can modify an existing nozzle by welding in the bypass. I did it to my 2.5” nozzle. H&B Mining in Grass Valley sells a similar product, a suction nozzle with a blaster attached that is aim just ahead of the nozzle to fill holes to suck out or blast crevices/hydraulic down material. The hydro-force nozzle has the water injected into the nozzle tip the working action is completely different. With water injected at the tip with good pump power you can suck up dry material like a vacuum cleaner which isn’t possible with an external blaster. Both designs work but must be operated with care to prevent surging in the box or you will lose most of your fines.
 

N-Lionberger

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33875C3D-51C3-42BA-B40A-61E95B527709.jpeg
 

russau

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Anyone know a contact for Hydro-Force Nozzles or if they are still in production? I tried the email on Midwest Prospector but without any luck. Have some spots in mind I think it could be great for. If not I have an old suction nozzle I'm thinking of trying DIY and modifiy it to something similar.
I think I heard that Chuck Lassiter has stopped making the HF nozzle ! I hope that I am wrong on this but........ Chuck is a real nice guy !
 

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AKSasquatch

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Bummer they looked nicely made. Was thinking that was the case with no email response.

That's how I thought about doing it if I welded it, N Lionberger. Seems easy to cut a piece of black pipe and add the ball valve. The 2.5" working well for you?

Also do you think a crashbox or a jet flare would be preferred? I was thinking the crashbox may do better with the surging than the jet flare, may also run a second sluice to increase recovery.
 

N-Lionberger

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If run with a steady feed you can cut down on the surge action, my mining claim partner has the external jet nozzle I described before from H&B I found with it there was a method you could follow to maintain even flow through the box. Running an additional hose from the pump helps as you can add water to the diggings without effecting pressure at the nozzle too much.
 

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AKSasquatch

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That blaster looks like it works well, think I'll try welding up something.
 

principedeleon

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Oct 22, 2013
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The bigger the better especially in AK... A friend of mine grew up hydraulic mining in AK. If you have the right pump, maybe a 10" is more your style?
Hahaha.
Mines is a 4" and that thing could suck on some dirt.. it uses 2 9hp high pressure pumps preferably diesel to put down the fuel cost.

Where able is legal is the best way to go now in days because most streams are mined and in a lot of places most gold sits in the benches..

I just need to make a good sluice for mines..
 

njcommercialdiver

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i made 2 3 inch and 4 inch a couple years ago with the feed outside the suction nozzle, you can blast a hole or fill it with water and suck it out at the same time. they work really good and have many hours on them. ive also made a few of them for my club members after they saw mine
 

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AKSasquatch

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My wife would love to hydraulic mine, especially after seeing all the Gold Daughter's finds in Fairbanks. They hydraulic out whole woolly mammoth skeletons among other critters on patented claims. Check out Instagram or Youtube if you haven't seen it.

I'm moving along on modifying this nozzle I have, will be doing the internal blaster like the Hydroforce, 3" Nozzle, 3/4" iron pipe and ball valve. Almost ready to weld it up.
 

Gare

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Anyone know a contact for Hydro-Force Nozzles or if they are still in production? I tried the email on Midwest Prospector but without any luck. Have some spots in mind I think it could be great for. If not I have an old suction nozzle I'm thinking of trying DIY and modifiy it to something similar.
Hydro-Force Nozzles I did a google search for Hydro-Force Nozzles With out the hyphen and found this

 

njcommercialdiver

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My wife would love to hydraulic mine, especially after seeing all the Gold Daughter's finds in Fairbanks. They hydraulic out whole woolly mammoth skeletons among other critters on patented claims. Check out Instagram or Youtube if you haven't seen it.

I'm moving along on modifying this nozzle I have, will be doing the internal blaster like the Hydroforce, 3" Nozzle, 3/4" iron pipe and ball valve. Almost ready to weld it up.
dont use the 3/4 pipe, use 1/2" i tried my first one with 3/4 and it didnt have enough suction when using the jet. or use a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer bushing and a section of 1/2 below the ball valve like i modified my 1st one with. i can run the 1/2" and still have enough suction, using a p180 6/5 honda from my 4 inch keene
 

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AKSasquatch

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Jul 17, 2021
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dont use the 3/4 pipe, use 1/2" i tried my first one with 3/4 and it didnt have enough suction when using the jet. or use a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer bushing and a section of 1/2 below the ball valve like i modified my 1st one with. i can run the 1/2" and still have enough suction, using a p180 6/5 honda from my 4 inch keene
Thanks for the tip, I already cut the suction nozzle to accept the 3/4” pipe but maybe I can weld a restroction on the end.
 

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