Making A Miller Table Using A Rubber Mat For The Surface

[AzViper]

As you can see I have taken a different approach in securing the 1/2" CPVC tubing by using a rubber grommet. Using a Unibit I was able to size the holes slightly small than the OD of the inner grove of the grommet this makes the ID of the grommet slight smaller. This allows the CPVC tube to be very tight within the grommet. The CPVC tubing is sealed and no chance of leaking around the grommets. The 1/8” holes are pointing downward and onto pad within the water box. I installed a top made from a 1/4" cutting board and angled so that the bottom of the front plate will be about 1/2” off of the easy liner for water to escape from under the plate through the Scotch Brite. Some of the photos you will see a ball valve but the finished Miller Table I used a needle and seat valve from Loew's of which will allow for finer adjustment and even out the water flow.

To finish off the Miller Table fine gold recovery system I built a PVC stand with stainless steel all-thread and wing nuts at each corner so I can adjust the level of the table. A 500 GPH 12 volt Attwood was used. I used PVC T fittings that snap over 3/4" PVC pipe so that I can tilt the front or the back of the table to adjust the angle.

Some of you are having trouble locating Easy Liner here is a link to all the vendors who may carry the product. Granted every store may or may not carry the product. EASY LINER VENDORS

This is what your looking for SOLID Solid Easy Liner® - Black | Duck® Brand EASY LINER

If you cannot find it in your area then buy it online from AMAZON

Duck Brand makes many different colors, textures, widths, and lengths of shelve liners, your looking for Easy Liner Ultra Fresh and currently its made in three colors of White, Tan, or Black. Below is what the texture looks like. The surface has a very slight texture to it, its solid and smooth.

MAKE SURE ONCE ON THE YOUTUBE VIDEO TO SWITCH OVER TO 720p TO VIEW THE VIDEOS IN HIGH DEF.​

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[cjd1467]

Hi Az,

What was the total cost to build this roughly?

 

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[AzViper]

Hi Az,

What was the total cost to build this roughly?

I built the entire system as pictured for less than what a Black Magic cost by itself. I had Chris make the aluminum sluice table and its made of .080 and more heavy duty than the original Black Magic as I had it made with 2" sides and bent on the top edge to add strength. I also have enough rubber mat leftover to build three more. Obviously the biggest expense was having the aluminum sluice table made as I had shipping cost involved along with labor. Could have saved $$ locally but I wanted the table made accurately from someone who is a miner and understands the importance of quality and bent evenly from top to bottom. I have many features that the Black Magic does not have with their recovery system.

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[russau]

Very nice setup! i got a new project now with the other projects!

 

[AzViper]

Very nice setup! i got a new project now with the other projects!

Russ I am tickled as to how it all came together and most importantly how it works. Hope to give it a good run through tomorrow. You never know what you will find but if there is gold in the soil the Miller Table will allow my eyes see it.

 

[AzViper]

One last touch to the Miller Table. I mounted a removable aluminum Teflon cooking pan to catch the con. The chains on the rear are longer to angle the pan to the back so water spills off the back edge while retaining the con.

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[sidvail]

I like the tray for cons. I keep a small tray in the tub at the end of my table but it's not catching everything. Think I'll try your idea. I'm still not sure I like the matting though - used the ez-liner. Just seems too spongey. Catches the gold very well - but the tooth makes it harder to sweep the gold over to my embedded vial (loved that idea - works like a charm) I may go back to a smooth surface.

 

[IMPDLN]

I have a couple concerns. No offense intended as for the most part the design is grade A superb in all ways except one, in my humble opinion.

Why shelf liner instead of chalk board paint or slate chalk board? I am concerned that the shelf liner is causing problems you would not have with some form of slate. You see that particular shelf/drawer liner is made of PVC. As you should know PVC is made with plasticizers which means it contains oils. I believe this is why you kept getting areas where the water would go away from the mat with low water flow while you were brushing. I would like to see a comparison if somebody out there has a miller table with a proper slate bed as I believe you will find they operate much differently and don't have some of the issues you encountered.

Slate would be smooth, that is to say no grooves or noticeable texture, and very fine grained. However it has wonderful viscous properties which makes it hang onto gold so very well. I must say all the miller tables I have seen use some form of slate based bed on them, not a mat.

Again, just my observation and my opinion. I am no expert here, especially with a miller table. However I think that type mat has impregnated oils which will hinder the devices capabilities to work flawlessly.

I hope not to offend with my post. Just trying to offer some constructive criticism. Dennis

 

[AzViper]

I have a couple concerns. No offense intended as for the most part the design is grade A superb in all ways except one, in my humble opinion.

Why shelf liner instead of chalk board paint or slate chalk board? I am concerned that the shelf liner is causing problems you would not have with some form of slate. You see that particular shelf/drawer liner is made of PVC. As you should know PVC is made with plasticizers which means it contains oils. I believe this is why you kept getting areas where the water would go away from the mat with low water flow while you were brushing. I would like to see a comparison if somebody out there has a miller table with a proper slate bed as I believe you will find they operate much differently and don't have some of the issues you encountered.

Slate would be smooth, that is to say no grooves or noticeable texture, and very fine grained. However it has wonderful viscous properties which makes it hang onto gold so very well. I must say all the miller tables I have seen use some form of slate based bed on them, not a mat.

Again, just my observation and my opinion. I am no expert here, especially with a miller table. However I think that type mat has impregnated oils which will hinder the devices capabilities to work flawlessly.

I hope not to offend with my post. Just trying to offer some constructive criticism. Dennis

The areas go dry in the video due to the gold blocking the flow of water. The video was for show. In a normal case of capturing gold I would be sweeping the gold into the vial. If gold were to build up on a slate table the flow would be blocked as well. Your concerns are not warranted, the table works great and others in this thread have used painted plywood using chalkboard paint or slate and now are building this design due to the simplicity, being portable due to no weight.

 

[russau]

I have a slate Miller table and ive made a painted table also. the painted versions works, but the slate one is a lot better in keeping the fine gold on the table. BUT the slate is kinda expensive and its getting harder to find and its heavy(mine is) so the drawer liner is lighter/more abundant/cheaper/and it works.....thats why im going to make one of these.then ill have two of them!

 

[DizzyDigger]

I also frequently get those dry spots on my green chalkboard
table. Water has tension, and when there is nothing to cause
the water to spread out it tends to gather itself into a single
stream.

All I do is take my hand and wash the flowing water over
the dry spots and then the water continues to flow there.
Not really an issue at all.

Just finishing up a table made with the shelf liner material,
and hope to have it running in a few days. Not sure if it will
perform any better than the larger, chalkboard paint table,
but it'll do as a spare. Still have 2 more pieces of melamine
covered board cut to size, and plan to make those into
green chalkboard table. If anyone wants one (no charge
but the shipping) just drop me a PM. I'm not real fast at
making the tables, but it does give me something to do..lol

 

[kazcoro]

Just finishing up a table made with the shelf liner material,
and hope to have it running in a few days. Not sure if it will
perform any better than the larger, chalkboard paint table,
but it'll do as a spare. Still have 2 more pieces of melamine
covered board cut to size, and plan to make those into
green chalkboard table.

That is about the only drawback that I see with this table. I wish the material was green. It is easy to see the gold on the black, but it is hard to see the black sands leaving the table.

 

[IMPDLN]

Like I said, not trying to offend anyone. I know oil and gold don't mix. You go with what you like. I myself know the oil in that mat is a problem. Slate is heavy, yes but it is used because of it's properties. Even chalk board paint is a mediocre substitute, especially when applied to plywood. Melamine would make a much better base. However applying the paint to properly prepared aluminum would likely be better. I myself would have no reason to take a miller table away from home. I would only use a device like this to clean up super fine cons which are difficult to process otherwise.

Also it is clear in your video that every time you brush the surface a air pocket develops below your brush, not necessarily below any gold. This is happening because of the oils in the mat affecting surface tension.

I am not trying to tell anybody what to do, I just know when I build one it will only have a proper slate bed for best performance. Dennis

 

[kazcoro]

I can tell you form personal experience that this table will catch gold so small you literally need a magnifying glass to see it. Whether it works better/catches smaller gold than a slate table, I can't tell you that. If you want a piece of slate, let me know. I have two pieces of pool table slate in the back yard looking for a new home...

 

[AzViper]

Like I said, not trying to offend anyone. I know oil and gold don't mix. You go with what you like. I myself know the oil in that mat is a problem. Slate is heavy, yes but it is used because of it's properties. Even chalk board paint is a mediocre substitute, especially when applied to plywood. Melamine would make a much better base. However applying the paint to properly prepared aluminum would likely be better. I myself would have no reason to take a miller table away from home. I would only use a device like this to clean up super fine cons which are difficult to process otherwise.

Also it is clear in your video that every time you brush the surface a air pocket develops below your brush, not necessarily below any gold. This is happening because of the oils in the mat affecting surface tension.

I am not trying to tell anybody what to do, I just know when I build one it will only have a proper slate bed for best performance. Dennis

I hate to differ with you IMPDLN but the air bubbles are being trapped due to the brush and nothing to do with the rubber mat. I can use a plastic playing card to sweep the con side to side and not get any air bubbles. As using the table in the field will allow me to process the heavier gold much quicker than panning. The con with small flake gold that gets washed down will be saved and process on my down time on this same rubber mat Miller Table. The surface tension is combated by using Jet Dry just as those who have a slate bed Miller Table uses or some other product to break the surface tension.

 

[AzViper]

That is about the only drawback that I see with this table. I wish the material was green. It is easy to see the gold on the black, but it is hard to see the black sands leaving the table.

Keith maybe you need to be looking at your rubber mat table from a different angle or have better lighting. In this video you can see the black sand leaving the surface. Also no dry spots from the slow flow.

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[kazcoro]

Better lighting would help for sure. Also, having a taller table to set it on would help considerably as well. My back hurts from bending over to look for those little specs of shiny. IMPLDN, I am dead serious if you want some slate. I have one piece already cut and pretty much ready for plumbing. The other is raw if you want to start from scratch.

 

[IMPDLN]

I've been gone a couple days. Sure, I can take a piece of slate off your hands. I have to take a tow truck back to Sanderson in the next couple weeks. I could just come get it if you want. Dennis

 

[AzViper]

Kazcoro I bet you can't wait to unload the slate. I had to moved a pool table once that had three 1.125" thick slate panels, then the gal called a few years later an ask if I would move it again so she could have the room remodeled. My reply was NOOOOOO... I am sure glad I went the route I did. I had not even thought building the Miller Table until I saw the Black Magic in action in Mesa at the Gold Show. I have about a third of a bucket to run and will in my down time in a few weeks,

 

[AzViper]

I can tell you form personal experience that this table will catch gold so small you literally need a magnifying glass to see it. Whether it works better/catches smaller gold than a slate table, I can't tell you that. If you want a piece of slate, let me know. I have two pieces of pool table slate in the back yard looking for a new home...

Keith did you ever unload the slate?

 

[kazcoro]

Not yet. I am pretty sure that IMPLDN is going to come get it, though. Do you have a use for it?