OKAY, NOW I WILL TRY TO POST THE SLUICE MODIFICATIONS.
KEVIN, I USE ALL CAPS BECAUSE OF A VISUAL PERCEPTION PROBLEM, CAUSED BY A HEAT STROKE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. IT HELPS ME TO RE-READ MY POSTS AND CATCH MOST OF MY TYPOS. I'M NOT YELLING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE MODS GAVE ME PERMISSION WHEN I JOINED, A FEW YEARS AGO. I AM OUT OF MY USUAL AREA OF POSTING, SO I NEED TO LET FOLKS KNOW WHY I DO THIS. IF I DON'T TYPE THIS WAY I NEED SOME ONE ELSE TO PROOF READ WHAT I THOUGHT I TYPED. I DON'T TAKE OFFENSE TO BEING REMINDED TO EXPLAIN IT AND HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T CAUSE ANYONE DISCOMFORT WHEN READING MY POSTS.
NOW, ABOUT THE MODIFICATIONS. HERE IN ARKANSAS, THERE IS VERY LITTLE GOLD. MOST OF IT IS FLOUR GOLD DUST.
THE PLACER DEPOSITS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. SO, I HAVE MODIFIED MY SLUICE TO QUICKLY GET RID OF ANY THING OVER 1/8 INCH AND DROP OUT THE GOLD IN THE FRONT OF THE SLUICE... THE REST OF THE SLUICE RUNS AS NORMAL AND IT CATCHES OTHER HEAVY OBJECTS THAT AT SOME TIMES SMALL PIECES OF HISTORIC VALUE. SOME TIMES IT JUST FILLS UP WITH JUNK. IT'S THE HUNT THAT I ENJOY, AND WHEN I FIND THE RIGHT GEOLOGICAL LAY OF THE LAND, (LIKE SMALL CREEKS THAT RUN INTO LARGE VALLEYS,) THE NEW MODIFICATIONS CATCH A LITTLE GOLD THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE WASHED OUT UNDER THE STANDARD RIFFLES.
I HOPE OTHERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE MY INFO TO CATCH MORE OF THE SMALL GOLD IN MORE GOLD RICH AREAS THAN I HAVE FOUND HERE.
NOW. LET'S SEE IF I CAN POST THE PICS....
THAT FOURTH PIC SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST. IT SHOWS WHAT I AM USING AS THE PRIMARY MAT. IT IS A MAT, MEANT TO CLEAN CAT LITTER FROM A CATS PAWS WHEN EXITING THE LITTER BOX. IT WORKS WELL AND CLEANS UP IN A SNAP. THE SOLID RUBBER BOTTOM LAYER CATCHES THE SUPER FINE GOLD DUST AND LETS THE LIGHT STUFF FLOAT PAST IN THE EDDIE CURRENTS CAUSED BY THE 1/8 INCH PUNCH PLATE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE SLUICE ABOUT 1/2 INCH HIGHER IN THE BACK SIDE, CREATING A SLIGHT RAMP EFFECT. ALMOST EVERYTHING ELSE WORTH KEEPING, GENERALLY FALLS IN BEHIND THE FIRST RIFFLE. SINCE IT IS HINGED THERE I CAN RAISE IT UP AND PULL THE MAT OUT FOR A QUICK CHECK TO SEE IF I AM IN A GOOD SPOT OR NOT.
THE MATS ARE CHEAP AND EASY TO CUT FOR A CUSTOM FIT, AND THEY ARE AT MOST WAL-MARTS. THAT IS WHAT I USE IN THE "GOLD HAMMER" AS WELL. THE COIL, SHOWN IN THE GOLD HAMMER IS AN OLD AIR LINE. IT CREATES RIFFLE EFFECT AND HAS STOPPED MY TRAINING GOLD "NUGGLETS" THAT I USE TO TEACH KIDS TO WORK A GOLD PAN. (THEY ARE LEAD PIECES THAT ARE PAINTED GOLD.) THE KIDS GET REALLY EXCITED WHEN THE SEE THAT GOLD COLOR APPEAR IN THE PAN. HECK I EVEN GET A LITTLE THRILL WHEN THEY FIND THEM.
MIKEL
#/;0)~
MAYBE THEY WILL SHOW UP IN A MINUTE OR TWO.
