Processing at home

[NuggetN8]

This summer I'm going to have A LOT of dirt to process. The thing is I usually end up having to pan it in a wheelbarrow in the back yard. What would be the best cost efficient piece of equipment I could use to process dirt in my back yard? I get tired of sitting on a bucket trying to pan in a wheelbarrow it's a very awkward position to pan in. Plus I don't really like sitting around in 90+ dregree weather. It would be nice to have some type of recirculating sluice or something. If I have to pan it than I will but if anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated =] . (Oh yeah I forgot the wheelbarrow won't even work to pan in anymore because it has a big crack in it now..)

 

[NuggetN8]

You'll need atleast 1200 gph for the A52 and that's going to be really close due to the width. DON'T get a Harbor Freight bilge pump, WalMart sells decent Tsunami pumps for about $37 and they're much better quality. Remember a bigger pump can be turned down with valves and larger pumps allow you more options for future expansion.

How wide is the A52? I have a custom made sluice box and I want to do this but I'd like to make sure the pump would do the job.

 

[Aurabbit79er]

You'll need atleast 1200 gph for the A52 and that's going to be really close due to the width. DON'T get a Harbor Freight bilge pump, WalMart sells decent Tsunami pumps for about $37 and they're much better quality. Remember a bigger pump can be turned down with valves and larger pumps allow you more options for future expansion.

I agree I just didn't have the bigger pump budget. I want to use my A52 with my high banker I built out of a fertilizer spreader with a bigger pump.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Your best option would be to build a recirculating "clean up" sluice. You need to screen that material down to get all the rocks out first. The smaller mesh you run, the better your recovery will be because gravels in the sluice will dislodge the gold.

 

[NuggetN8]

YES!!!!!! Just got 2 pumps off of a hot tub for free! The guy was trashing his old hot tub so he cut it up and hauled it to the dump but he kept the pumps and didn't want them. Time to start building!

 

[Jeff95531]

Sooooo, what did you decide on?

 

[NuggetN8]

I'm going to make some type of recirculating sluice with the pumps I've got. Not sure how much water the hot tub pumps put out yet. Ill make a post when I build it. And also when I run that dirt if it works out ill put some pics up too.

 

[wingmaster]

I got the A51 and have 2 pumps a 750 and a 1250 and could really use more flow, I think 2 1250 pumps would work ok but thinking a 3000Gph would be about right. With the 2 I have you need a pretty good drop and if I keep running at home any I'll try another 1250 in place of the 750, the power supply I have now only puts out 10A so I'm limited.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I'm going to make some type of recirculating sluice with the pumps I've got. Not sure how much water the hot tub pumps put out yet. Ill make a post when I build it. And also when I run that dirt if it works out ill put some pics up too.

Make sure you have a valve on your water line, those pumps might put out a lot more water than you want, judging by the water output from about a dozen jets in my hot tub.

 

[Fabrication Specialists]

The big thing is testing. Build it to your specs for your intended usage and get out in the field and test, test, test. I've built a few one-off products over the years that look like they'll work great "on paper" but get the pumps moving and dirt processing and all the little issues will become apparent. The common problems I help folks with is pump size being too small, you need a solid sluice box angle adjustment/mount and plumbing/hose issues ( 1 1/8" hose needs the proper adapter, don't just hose clamp it over a piece of pvc as the pvc OD is not 1 1/8" and you'll get leaks and the hose blowing totally off in extreme situations). If you need hose fittings, Jamestown Distributors has great prices on 3/4", 1 1/8", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" hose barb to pipe thread adapters that are made for bilge hose and work great (this is where I get my fittings from also) here is the link to fittings,

Shields Sanitation Hose Fittings

or these, which are the one I use for all my 12 volt bilge pump recirculators and highbankers,

Forespar Marelon Male Tailpipe Hose Connectors

This place has the best prices on these fittings.
I hope this helps, Chris

 

[NuggetN8]

Thanks for the help!!! All of this is good info.