That's what I'm talking about! Looks like good times and your setup and ground looks very promising, how's the weather cooperating with you, still working mostly at night or are you able to run in the day? Makes me wanna get out in the fi
View attachment 1161963Hi mike(swWash), this is one of the holes I dug on the Sultan River, it is 6 ft. down and one of many, why 1/4" nuggets and a lot of smaller flakes, there is a lot of gold out there, dig deeper.View attachment 1161953
Can I ask a stupid question?
Does anybody, when they need to move or break a big rock, wait until winter, then go out and fill up the existing cracks and maybe some drilled holes with water??
Then it freezes and expands... etc....
Get some free work out of mother nature??
The cracks, etc. may have to be solidly capped for that to work I think. It seems the path of least resistance for ice expansion would be towards the openings thus little to no pressure exerted on the side walls if not contained.
Granite, don't have that here, or at least where I play... Didn't realize it would give you sharp shards like that.....
All in all, its not the worst idea is it? If you need to break a rock that is... Isn't that how they split in nature?
Obviously you need it to get cold enough...
As for capping... The water should freeze inside to out, I wonder if it would cap itself if your hole is rough enough that the ice can grab hold and not just squirt out.
Maybe a wet cork would help...
I can't be the only person that has ever thought of this or tried it.
I might have to do some experimenting this winter.