One step forward....

Doitlaynstyle · Feb 26, 2013

Hopefully I wont be taking 2 steps back. I got the grizzly bars installed last night. Only two things left to do. Get adjustable legs put on it and build the spray-bars with the pump hookup and garden hose takeoff. After looking at the spacing on the grizzly I may be placing an additional screen over them just in case the bars allow too big o rocks to pass through. Gravels would probably be fine but if they are too big they wont flow out of the header box. I actually want a bed of rocks to accumulate in the bottom of the header box to act as an extra collector/riffle/punchplate style area. Any thoughts?

http://db.tt/TYfHorWc
http://db.tt/5YxxpskR
:coffee2:

Doitlaynstyle · Feb 27, 2013

Did a lil more playin round' last night.

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 6, 2013

So I am thinking maybe this style of Spray bar for mine. The amount of water that I need will require two of them tho. Oh the gears are turning now see 15:40 in the video

omnicron · Mar 7, 2013

First I would try to fix your first riffle. From what I learned last year that when it's kicking water up like that your blowing gold down your box. You want your water to be fairly smooth without white caps. JMHO

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 7, 2013

The first riffle isn't an issue. What you see in the videos is that the setup isn't fully configured. Running a full nozzle of water into the box is not how the box is going to run. The spray bars are going to smooth things out quite a bit and I am going to go with GG's Idea about the punch plate. I think it was GG's Idea anyway. I need to re-read another thread. Thanks for the input Omnicron

omnicron · Mar 8, 2013

The inherent problem with high bankers is the bubbles. They are notorious to cause your fine gold to "float". Honestly even if you run it at a lower water velocity I still think it's going to cause unexpected turbulences and cause your first few riffles to clean out. A punch plate will help granted but something that would help even more is a ramp. My first sluice I built at the end of the season used 2# steel grating in front the 3/4 raised expanded then 1/2" raised expanded, basically like the popandson sluice build but with Alan Trees dove tail design. It was a black sand and gold catching SOB but during my first run I found that it had a design flaw. When the water hit the grating it blew up just like yours and the first few diamonds kept washed out. The fix was as simple as a ramp and It doubled as a drop riffle in that it trapped gold.

Do you have any cons to run through that bad boy? If not I have some from last year along with a gram or two of gold that I would be willing lend you or bring over and help you tweak things. Several times last year I went prospecting knowing that I had to tweak things and nothing is more frustrating then spending half the day tweaking instead of running material. Let me know.

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 8, 2013

Ya I am going to want to test run this thing. I would be grateful for some help with that. First I have to get it finished. I need to do a little more welding and figure out the mounts for the legs first. I also will be building the spray bars in my first configuration very soon. As you can see I can recirculate so recovering your gold will not be an issue. The issue is finding the time. I am currently going into my 12th 10 hour day in a row at work and I am seeing at least 8 more in my future. Then the kids have spring break and I plan on going out test panning on Grimes creek and possibly running a sluice while we are there if we find anything good. I am pretty sure I found all the claims on, well near grimes so it should be a good outing. if you know a better place to go this time of the year for our first outing ever then I am all ears.

I want to go over this a little with you, The exit from the box to the sluice has a 1/2 inch lip. You can see it in the videos. I am planning on using the punch plate from that lip over the v-mat to the top of the first riffle. The slope of the riffles is perfectly in line with the top of the exit of the box. Is this enough to serve as a ramp that you are talking about? I also think that I am going to drill a mess of holes in that exit lip to serve a type of fluid bed area across the v-mat.

vini · Mar 8, 2013

that spray bar will work fine IMO

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 8, 2013

vini said:
that spray bar will work fine IMO

Thanks Vini, Which one. The Aussies style or the one that I drew up? Dont forget your spotters when you go out. K?

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 10, 2013

Well since you wouldn't answer lol I put it together today.

omnicron · Mar 10, 2013

Sorry, I've been busy with the many projects I have going on. Maybe you could just remove your first riffle and put the ramp in it's place. I don't really see any other place to add that. Let me know when you want to run some gold bearing cons. We can do that before any mods are made. If you watch any vids you will see that the water flow across the riffles is pretty smooth.

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 10, 2013

Lol no I was giving Vini chit. I'm gonna test run it on the AC pump and then I'll be ready to test it with your cons. I'm having a hard time finding punch plate so I'm going to make it myself. It's going to run from inside the header box all the way out to the first riffle. It will be very similar to a fluid bed only in front. The next project is to turn my next sluice tray into a fluid bed with gold hog matting before the fluid bed trap.

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 10, 2013

omnicron · Mar 11, 2013

Hey, Gem State Metals in Garden City has punch plate out the wazoo and will cut to size.

vini · Mar 11, 2013

I was thinking you said you were going to use the single spray bar but what you have will work great or should, time to start throwing some dirt in there and getting gold

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 11, 2013

vini said:
I was thinking you said you were going to use the single spray bar but what you have will work great or should, time to start throwing some dirt in there and getting gold

Watch for the water test video tonight. After I confirm function Omnicron is going to show me how to run some dirt. :icon_thumright:

I have been working on this project all winter. I cant wait to get out there. :goldpan:

omnicron · Mar 12, 2013

Lets get some paydirt ran through that hungry looking beast! Hey just looked at your last vid and you should run your punch plate past your 3rd or 4th riffle and also set it on top of your ruffle rail. It looks like you have about 3/4 of a inch from the top of your riffle to top of the rail. You want to run the punch plate over more riffles as it protects the fine gold from faster water.

Doitlaynstyle · Mar 12, 2013

omnicron said:
Lets get some paydirt ran through that hungry looking beast! Hey just looked at your last vid and you should run your punch plate past your 3rd or 4th riffle and also set it on top of your ruffle rail. It looks like you have about 3/4 of a inch from the top of your riffle to top of the rail. You want to run the punch plate over more riffles as it protects the fine gold from faster water.

Ya Buddy! I think its starving right now LOL. I will be doing the water test tonight and recirculating. I still haven't found any punch plate but someone mentioned a spot in Garden city :icon_thumleft:

and I will be checking that out on my way home today.

EDIT: At $54 I think I will be chilling on this punch plate idea for a bit..... ouch!
Edit #2: Forget chilling out. I have drill bits, extra aluminum left over from the build, and a tape measure..... That is why I am a fabricator not a consumer.

omnicron · Mar 12, 2013

$54

I bought 3/4" alum expanded 15x48 and punch plate (3/8" 15x30 and 3/16" 15 x24) from Gem State and it was only $53...are you trying to buy a whole sheet or something or are you quoting aluminum punch? I would just go with steel as it's much cheaper and will last longer. Matter of fact I may have a piece I can donate...