Le Trap or Bazooka?

[MrGneissGuy]

Hey guys after much trial, error, blood and sweat, I have determined I am terrible at building stuff, especially sluice boxes. I was attempting to make a portable fluid bed sluice like the bazooka, but with my skills it's never going to happen. So then I said to myself, "I'm just going to bite the bullet and buy a bazooka". And while looking up the difference between the sniper and the mini I came across a thread about why the le trap is better than the bazooka and it got me second guessing myself again. Are there benefits to each one or are they equal in terms of recovery? I suppose I would be comparing similar price ranges, so I'd be looking at the le trap vs the bazooka minis and snipers. I also need to consider portability. They both seem amazing.

 

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[Jeff95531]

Oh I would NOT say either is better. It depends on the area you are working and what you are allowed to do. If you can stick a sluice in the right flow of water and don't like to classify, Bazooka would be my choice. However, I have to sluice @ home in my area so I use the Le Trap on a high-banker stand.

Set up properly, BOTH are the best at getting all the gold you put in it...they just go about it differently. Good luck!

BTW, last I heard the Bazooka is not currently in production but used may be out there.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

Oh I would NOT say either is better. It depends on the area you are working and what you are allowed to do. If you can stick a sluice in the right flow of water and don't like to classify, Bazooka would be my choice. However, I have to sluice @ home in my area so I use the Le Trap on a high-banker stand.

Set up properly, BOTH are the best and getting all the gold you put in it...they just go about it differently. Good luck!

BTW, last I heard the Bazooka is not currently in production but used may be out there.

I hate classifying but I also need (want) a cleanup sluice for at home since I like prospecting random locations that often don't have water. I think I hate classifying more though... Also, for the price, the le trap seems longer and lighter but I don't actually know since every website says a different weight for the le trap. I really like the idea of no classifying but it seems like if I get one of the smaller bazookas, i'd have to cleanup more often due to a smaller trap but cleanup times seem quick. Also, for the price, I'd have to get one of the smaller bazookas and I don't know at one point it would no longer be worth it. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[goldog]

Kind of apples and oranges. I'm a fluid head so... locally people seem to prefer a traditional style sluice. Other areas are Bazooka fans. It's really a matter of taste, and budget.

See if you can try both before you buy. You're welcome to try out a Bazooka style from my collection if we ever get out. I've got a couple that need stream-testing.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

Kind of apples and oranges. I'm a fluid head so... locally people seem to prefer a traditional style sluice. Other areas are Bazooka fans. It's really a matter of taste, and budget.

See if you can try both before you buy. You're welcome to try out a Bazooka style from my collection if we ever get out. I've got a couple that need stream-testing.

Ya it almost seems like in the end it would be nice to have one of each. I guess I'll just start with one, and then I'll be able to notice differences over time. Bazookas also seem more expensive, and once you increase the size they also get quite heavy. I actually found a pretty cool modified le trap on craigslist this morning, he just responded so for $100 I might just go pick this guy up. Do you guys think I should get this or just a standard off the shelf le trap if I go this route? It has a nice stand, and some what appear to be vortex mats installed.
I don't know what he's calling the nugget catcher.

I'm really bad at making decisions. I've actually had my best success lately just panning...so at least if all else fails I can just pan for a while.

Oh, one more thought...would it be possible to build just a standalone fluid bed that you could just stick at the end of your sluice? It could catch any of your cons and just run them through a fluid bed.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I'm not sure what he has going there....rino-lining? I'd pass and find one that has not been modified.
I think the Le Trap is at least 6" longer than it needs to be.


Very little gold was found below what you see.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

I'm not sure what he has going there....rino-lining? I'd pass and find one that has not been modified.
I think the Le Trap is at least 6" longer than it needs to be.


Very little gold was found below what you see.
View attachment 1469494

Interesting. I suppose you could always cut the end off to make it lighter if you really wanted. I think what he has is vortex mats down the lower portion. He says in his post that he has a "nugget trap" but I don't know if that just means the V mat at the top or what. He also has a nice leg stand, and classifiers at the top for a power sluice or hibanker it seems. Thing is, considering how much work was put into it, if it is good then for $100 it's worth it. I'd also assume since he's from my area that he is going to the same place as me for the gold, which means this thing probably would work. Only one way to find out I guess, if it's really crappy I can always try to re-sell or remove the vortex mats. Also, I'd assume he wouldn't have put that much time into it if it wasn't effective.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Per the length, we use the Le Trap to reduce our concentrates. That's what you see in that picture above. We have checked for losses occasionally and never found any. You can tell it's chunkier gold though. Not a lot of fly poop or black sands. We were considering reducing the length just to cut back on the amount of material we had to pan.


Well they work pretty decent as is. I'm not sure I'd want all that vortex matting in there (which was probably glued in place). Looks like it would be a little clumsy to clean out. We just tip ours into a large bucket and quickly rinse off. I see a new one on Amazon for $139

You can buy or build a header type attachment to feed water via. pump that bolts to the top of the sluice. You can then unbolt it and set it in a stream if need be.
Either way - gold is pretty easy to trap and that box would more than likely do the trick the way it's set up.
Those boxes are a little flimsy feeling compared to the traditional alum. sluice box. I'd probably be pretty careful if I was shoveling gravel into it.

 

[goldog]

Not saying you shouldn't buy it. But any mods can add to or take away from a product.

Don't assume hrs of work equate to anything. Some will just tinker. As will you.

If you haven't bought it yet ask yourself if it meets your needs. If you're looking for a light weight efficient stream sluice that's easy to use and clean out. At a price you can afford... with a few extras...

If the mods prove to be bad you'll get to tinker with it. To put it back into working order. Thus, fulfilling your need, as a Prospector to build or mess around with stuff.

 

[bcfromfl]

If I understand your posts correctly, you want another sluice for the field, but also want something for processing concentrates at home? The LeTrap might be OK pressed into double-duty with some other parts, but not a fluid bed. A fluid bed is for processing raw material to end up with cons, not to process cons further.

For what you have described in previous threads, your present sluice will do everything you can throw at it as long as you maintain water flow. Is it too heavy for you to carry far? Why would you want to replace it? For processing cons at home, it's tough to beat the GH Multi Sluice...but that's a bit more coin than maybe you wanted to spend.

But if you're willing to buy a LeTrap and get a stand, tubs, hose, bilge pump, etc., why not just use your present sluice? If you wanted to add a header box, you could easily make one out of a cheap Rubbermaid container using a box cutter or Xacto knife. I think you'd be surprised how well your GH mats would process cons if screened and run by the spoonful.

An advantage of a dedicated recirculating unit is that you could run it in the field using a marine battery, and not have to be running back and forth to a stream/river to process through a sluice.

For ideas, check out Doc's new product, the Power Pig (great name, Doc!):

 

[N-Lionberger]

I want to get a letrap to put in my dredge box for cleanups.

A le trap will be more versatile than a bazooka as far as low flow situations but you wont be able to shovel feed at breakneck speed like with a bazooka prospector. You can shovel feed any sluice you just have to stop often to knock the big rocks out. I replaced the riffles in my A52 with 4# heavy expanded metal and it handles shovel feeding nicely.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

If I understand your posts correctly, you want another sluice for the field, but also want something for processing concentrates at home? The LeTrap might be OK pressed into double-duty with some other parts, but not a fluid bed. A fluid bed is for processing raw material to end up with cons, not to process cons further.

For what you have described in previous threads, your present sluice will do everything you can throw at it as long as you maintain water flow. Is it too heavy for you to carry far? Why would you want to replace it? For processing cons at home, it's tough to beat the GH Multi Sluice...but that's a bit more coin than maybe you wanted to spend.

But if you're willing to buy a LeTrap and get a stand, tubs, hose, bilge pump, etc., why not just use your present sluice? If you wanted to add a header box, you could easily make one out of a cheap Rubbermaid container using a box cutter or Xacto knife. I think you'd be surprised how well your GH mats would process cons if screened and run by the spoonful.

An advantage of a dedicated recirculating unit is that you could run it in the field using a marine battery, and not have to be running back and forth to a stream/river to process through a sluice.

For ideas, check out Doc's new product, the Power Pig (great name, Doc!):

Ya I'm not really sure anymore. I just keep second guessing everything. I don't like with my current setup a few things:

1) I can't tell if I'm catching anything. With V mats I was able to literally see the gold with my eyes, which was helpful. With only 24" of sluice there's no room for anything else besides my rzorback mats now. If I can't trust my sluice I'm just going to worry the entire time.
2) It feels like I have to feed it slowly. But I actually don't know since I can't see. I bet I could run 10 times more dirt with the bazooka.
3) I'm sure it's a water flow issue, but my mats felt "clogged" all the time. I know doc says it's fine but I feel like I'm just guessing if there's gold.
4) I have to classify (I think). I hate classifying...it goes really slow.

-Le trap seems versatile.

-Bazooka seems like it runs fast.

-Gold hog mats are an unknown for me. I feel like I'm just taking someone's word for it that it's working.

 

[goldog]

Whatever you do get out and use whatever you can get wet.

 

[bcfromfl]

Ya I'm not really sure anymore. I just keep second guessing everything. I don't like with my current setup a few things:

1) I can't tell if I'm catching anything. With V mats I was able to literally see the gold with my eyes, which was helpful. With only 24" of sluice there's no room for anything else besides my rzorback mats now. If I can't trust my sluice I'm just going to worry the entire time.
2) It feels like I have to feed it slowly. But I actually don't know since I can't see. I bet I could run 10 times more dirt with the bazooka.
3) I'm sure it's a water flow issue, but my mats felt "clogged" all the time. I know doc says it's fine but I feel like I'm just guessing if there's gold.
4) I have to classify (I think). I hate classifying...it goes really slow.

This is precisely the reason why a removable assay mat is useful in a sluice...coupled with a leg kit. Run a bucket of material, lift the TOP of your sluice gently out of the water flow to inspect the assay mat, and set back in the water. If you see gold in the mat, shake it out into the sluice to be captured in the main mats, and either replace for another bucket, or remove entirely to run normally.

Your sluice is short, so it needs to be fed a little less vigorously than a 48" sluice, but you can still feed pretty quickly. I'd say a full five-gallon bucket in a couple minutes. Add a pints' worth, let it clear, shake in another pint. Or, if you're using a trowel, you could probably continuously feed a trowelful. The water should be ripping through it -- but not deep, about an inch or inch-and-a-half.

Your mats shouldn't be clogged. If they are, that's a clear indication that you don't have enough water flow. You should be able to visually inspect the top grooves and see gold, with a few scattered particles of black sand, etc. There should be absolutely NO BLONDES in the top grooves.

 

[Garrote Gold]

Sluices are like golf clubs, you need a few for each situation, high flow, low flow, no classify model ect.....

 

[et1955]

Sluices are like golf clubs, you need a few for each situation, high flow, low flow, no classify model ect.....

So True, best analyses I have heard so far, no sluice or other mining equipment is perfect for all situations, a miner must adapt to the location and choose the best tools to mine the area.

 

[utah mason]

What is the average size gold your trying to capture? Bazookas are a great product, I have 3, But once you get to -100 mesh they start getting less effective. The grizzly gold trap has made some modifications that are supposed to retain the smaller gold better. I haven't tried one yet, but hoping to change that soon. Gold hog mats are also a great product. You need a variety of mats to create different capture zones. I put UR, scrubber, talon, downdraft, and two mother lode mats in my A-51 for higher flow. I've only run them once so far but am really impressed with them. Here's a pic from my last outing. Short trip, only ran about 15 gallons of non classified material

 

[goldenmojo]

Nice Take with those goldhog mats.

 

[OregonGold76]

I own both, in my experience the BGT is great if you have the flow to use it. The La Trap is really great in low flow situations with the right classification of material. Some people say they are flimsy, but if cut right they do well
I also put self tappers threw the side into a 1/2 inch by 4 inch plastic rib with some grip tape so I can hold it down in faster water with a rock if need be
Hope this helps, either way they both do very well on all sizes of gold.