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.​

​

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[AzViper]

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

Mike never heard back on your miller tables. Did you ever test the matting?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[DizzyDigger]

Mike never heard back on your miller tables. Did you ever test the matting?

Sure did, and the truth is that I like both styles. The shelf liner material
(or whatever that material is) does a superb job, and in some respects
I liked it better than my large green chalkboard table. When it came to
the larger gold (>+60) the gold just popped right out, but I like the
larger chalkboard table for #-60 to #100, and especially for smaller
than #100 mesh.

Gave the table to Gnatnutz, but have another table built and ready
for the shelf liner material, as I see no reason not to have both
available, and then I can change back and forth depending on the
mood I'm in..

 

[AzViper]

Sure did, and the truth is that I like both styles. The shelf liner material
(or whatever that material is) does a superb job, and in some respects
I liked it better than my large green chalkboard table. When it came to
the larger gold (>+60) the gold just popped right out, but I like the
larger chalkboard table for #-60 to #100, and especially for smaller
than #100 mesh.

Gave the table to Gnatnutz, but have another table built and ready
for the shelf liner material, as I see no reason not to have both
available, and then I can change back and forth depending on the
mood I'm in..

I am going to take my portable miller table with me tomorrow and have it on hand if needed. Going drywashing in a new area that has gold its just those who having been hitting the area are not hitting the right area.

 

[AzViper]

Looks good AZ. After I build a suction gun, you're table is next on my list of equipment to-do's. Great pics too BTW. I see what you mean about the holes being in the "right" position

Jeff did you get a table made yet?

 

[lyco panner]

I have some of this matting that I have left over from another thing I did I got it at the local hardware store . Will it work for making a miller table

 

[slikriktn1]

I have a question..I built a miller able out of melamine shelving and used chalk board paint which seems to be doing a fair job.But in your video it looks like this easy liner does a better job..My question is,what holds the liner in place?Did you use adhesive?If so what kind?

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

AzVIPER, I JUST DID A QUICK VIEW OF THIS THREAD... I'M HOOKED! I'M GOING TO START OVER AND TAKE MY TIME, AND ENJOY THIS. I'VE SEEN MORE GOOD IDEAS HERE IN A SHORT TIME THAN I HAVE SEEN IN A GOOD WHILE. I DREAM UP AND BUILD MY OWN TOOLS AS WELL. THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS AND CRAFTSMANSHIP HERE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU, BY WAY OF THIS THREAD.
HAVE A GREAT DAY, AND MAKE IT COUNT.

PROSPECTORMIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

I have some of this matting that I have left over from another thing I did I got it at the local hardware store . Will it work for making a miller table

Flip it over and look at the back. The ridges we're talking about are so very fine, not deep grooves like that floormat.

The gold basically clings to the surface while the water rinses the fines/lights away.

 

[AzViper]

I have a question..I built a miller able out of melamine shelving and used chalk board paint which seems to be doing a fair job.But in your video it looks like this easy liner does a better job..My question is,what holds the liner in place?Did you use adhesive?If so what kind?

Simple answer... No... Go to Walmart and buy the roll of Easy Liner mentioned in the opening post of this thread. It's a soft spongy liner with a very slight texture to it.

I have a question..I built a miller able out of melamine shelving and used chalk board paint which seems to be doing a fair job.But in your video it looks like this easy liner does a better job..My question is,what holds the liner in place?Did you use adhesive?If so what kind?

As for attaching the easy liner to the base. I used 3M 77 spray adhesive. What I did first was cut a template to fit my aluminum box. I used 1/4" plywood but cardboard would work. I made the template fit tight. Next I used the template to cut the easy liner using a razor blade and cutting around the template. Then I laid the easy liner into the aluminum box. I folded the liner in half from bottom to top. Then lightly mist sprayed the bottom of the aluminum followed by lightly mist spraying the easy liner. allowed the adhesive to get tacky. Using my hand between the two halfs of the easy liner I worked the mat side to side working the liner downward to the bottom. I repeated this step on the upper half by folding the mat from top to bottom following the same steps of spraying the bottom and liner.

Its best that you line the inside sides of the box with blue masking tape so the you do not get spray adhesive on the sides. If you do just use mineral sprint to clean up any adhesive.

​

AzVIPER, I JUST DID A QUICK VIEW OF THIS THREAD... I'M HOOKED! I'M GOING TO START OVER AND TAKE MY TIME, AND ENJOY THIS. I'VE SEEN MORE GOOD IDEAS HERE IN A SHORT TIME THAN I HAVE SEEN IN A GOOD WHILE. I DREAM UP AND BUILD MY OWN TOOLS AS WELL. THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS AND CRAFTSMANSHIP HERE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU, BY WAY OF THIS THREAD.
HAVE A GREAT DAY, AND MAKE IT COUNT.

PROSPECTORMIKEL
#/;0)~

If you have any questions just feel free to ask. I am very easy to get along with and enjoy helping others.

 

[Jimmydolittle]

Here is what one guy did for lighting: . I just bought a Black Magic table, and ran the dirt I had. It is amazing what this thing has caught. Some really, really fine stuff, must be 200, or smaller, but it really shows up in my gold pan. It takes so much snuffing, that I'm thinking of getting a brake bleeding tool to vacuum up all that fine stuff. Don't know if that will work or not, but only one way to find out.

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.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

HI, AZVIPER. YOU GUYS HAVE SHARED A LOT OF GOOD INFO HERE. I HAVE ENJOYED THE READING, SO I WILL MAKE MY CONTRIBUTION FROM MY HUMBLE EXPERIENCES. I NOTED THE PUMP SETUPS HERE THAT LOOK LIKE THERE IS NO RELIEF BETWEEN THE PUMP AND THE BALL VALVE. THAT WEARS ON THE PUMP AND DRAWS A LOT OF BATTERY POWER, NOT TO MENTION MESSING UP THE FLOW. I BUILT MY OWN VERSION OF THE BLUE BOWL TYPE SEPARATOR, AND THE PUMP OUTPUT WAS CAUSING THE BALL VALVE TO SPIT AND SPUTTER A LOT EARLY IN THE PROCESSING AND WOULD DRAG THE BATTERY DOWN OVER TIME AND CHANGE THE DYNAMICS AS IT DID. I CURED THE PROBLEM BY DRILLING A FEW HOLES IN THE WATER HOSE JUST BELOW THE WATER LEVEL OF THE RECIRCULATING TANK. THAT GAVE ME A SMOOTH AND CONSTANT FLOW, WITHOUT THE SPIT AND SPUTTER, AND GAVE ME LONGER RUN TIME ON MY BATTERY.
IT TOOK A LITTLE EXPERIMENTATION BUT, I STAYED WITH IT UNTIL I GOT IT RIGHT.

I HOPE YOU CAN GAIN FROM MY SWEAT AND GUESSWORK.
THANKS FOR SHARING.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[AzViper]

Hi Mikel,

I have not seen any issues as you described on the pumps for the Miller Table or the Blue Bowl. On my trommel pump I did place a relief valve to redirect the water into my recirculating tank if needed. When you close a valve down on a pump you decrease the amps while decreasing the water flow. A free wheeling pump (meaning the discharge end is open) will run at maximum amps. At times its necessary to neck down a water valve to bring the pump down to the manufacturers spec's on amp draw so you do not kick in the thermal overloads built into the motor, but this is not a problem on these small 12 VDC pumps being used on Blue Bowl or Miller Tables. I have found its best to use a needle and seat valve like in the drawing I had provided early in this thread. This allows water to flow evenly while controlling the flow at a lower volume.

 

[AzViper]

I just bought a Black Magic table, and ran the dirt I had. It is amazing what this thing has caught. Some really, really fine stuff, must be 200, or smaller, but it really shows up in my gold pan. It takes so much snuffing, that I'm thinking of getting a brake bleeding tool to vacuum up all that fine stuff. Don't know if that will work or not, but only one way to find out.

Jim you may want to look at Reeds video on a vac he or a friend built. Very simple... The brake vacuum pump is 12 VDC.

​

 

[Jimmydolittle]

That's just all kinds of neat, Keith, and a lot less expensive. Thank you for the tip.

 

[Dart70ca]

Thanks for the great read here guys. Went looking around for this shelf liner the last couple days without luck. Nobody has the black one. Then went into Home Depot tonight and noticed this one from Kittrich Corp., 'Contact' brand. Looks identical, 18"x4'. Going to try it out tomorrow and will update then. I tried the store finder for the Duck brand but nothing nearby, closest store showing it (may or may not be in stock) is the Walmart in Bellingham, WA across the border from me here, about 15 miles.
I emailed Kittrich to ask what the liner is made of as it's not labelled and isn't shown on their website. My suspicion on why the gold sticks so well to any of these mats is that the small gold is attracted to them by their differing static charges rather than any riffle, tooth or friction effect. I was reading something to that effect when I stumbled onto this thread.

By the way, i like the little vacuum pump ideas; what is that (pump?) in the pic above this post, below the video link? I expected it to be in the vid, but he's using a small shop vac there. Regarding whether the pump can handle water as well as air, the water should not make it to the pump; it drops out with whatever is in it in the intermediate tank (sealed plastic container). Much like a cyclone in a dust collection system, it catches all the heavy stuff before it gets to the vacuum and damages it.
Again, thanks for the fine read guys.

Keith G.

 

[Dart70ca]

Yes, thanks for starting this thread. It's a great read.
The nearest store to me with this liner is across the US/Canada border from me, at least 3hrs with shortest expected border lineups, no guarantees it will be in stock.
Amazon has it on sale, which is great, but they will charge me $14 to ship this $10 item, it will take ten days+ to get here and, with current exchange rates, will end up costing me upwards of $27. This stuff from HD was $8 and 5 minutes from the house.
Just hoping to have found a viable alternative for people with high shipping costs or accessibility problems.
Will try to update later whether or not it catches anything.

Keith

 

[bakergeol]

That's just all kinds of neat, Keith, and a lot less expensive. Thank you for the tip.

Here is my vacuum pump in the upper left side of my table. Bought it used on ebay for $42. Used by dentists- medical to suck fluids. Under medical or dental vacuum pumps on ebay. Had to wait some time to get a good price but there are a lot for sale with the container included. Really simple in operation. one hose from the pump to the closed container. One hose from the container to whatever you want sucked up. Your container must be air tight.


George

 

[AzViper]

Thanks George, that will help those who are looking for a vacuum pump giving more options and ideas.

 

[AzViper]

Seeing that I started this thread and some of you are having trouble locating Easy Liner here again 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.

 

[Dart70ca]

Tried out the new mat this morning. Just laid it in on top of my window pane & chalkboard paint miller table and started running some -30 down it. Angle is about an inch per foot, water from the hose. I tried the mat with the pattern running down the table, across it and even diagonal. Found gold in all configurations. This stuff holds the gold so tight that if I left any on there for a couple minutes, I could see where it had sunk deeper into the mat. We're talking teeny tiny specs here, fly-dirt the size if a pin-prick. Seems like good stuff.
It wets out pretty good and requires very little JetDri to stay that way. Going to test-clean a scrap with some isopropinol later to see if it reacts badly.