running unclassified material through the california sluice box ?

[mattfink]

Has anyone tried this? If so how did it work out? Just wondering how well that would work with the drop riffle design if at all...just shovel right in!!!

 

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[Doitlaynstyle]

I run a letrap behind my Highbanker and the kids get to keep whatever they shovel into it and they don't classify at all. Almost everything just bounces on down and the material in the riffles are left undisturbed. When a rock sticks they just pick it out and keep shoveling. So far I haven't found anything in the pan I put below it from time to time just to see how it's doing.

 

[KevinInColorado]

My only caution from experimenting with my Angus MacKirk drop riffle is that you should first run some classified material thru to put a base of fine material into the riffles. Otherwise you can have a medium sized rock drop into a riffle and sort of use up that space unnoticed. However, once the riffles have some sand in them you can shovel random creek bed material in and just have fun!

That said, classified material will always run easier than unclassified...that's just physics my friend

 

[Joel1316]

Has anyone tried this? If so how did it work out? Just wondering how well that would work with the drop riffle design if at all...just shovel right in!!!

When you say unclassified, you mean boulders and all?
I have the CA River sluice (largest model) and its pretty flimsy. I would not feel too comfortable running softball size rocks through the sluice as I could see the vibration would kick material out?

 

[mattfink]

No I wouldn't run large rocks I would pull those of the shovel. I'm thinking more like tennis ball or smaller gravel

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Joel, you will get a feel for what will roll and what won't. My letrap seems flimsy but it holds up. I also reinforced the sides wit aluminum angles to stiffen it up.

 

[chris rizin]

Something to keep in mind.. Rocks large enough to not move through the sluice get stuck in ripples which causes a back wash. In my experience when this happens that back wash tends to clear out any of the heavies that are meant to be caught in those ripples.. Possibly washing out any gold that may have settled there as well..

Just something to consider while running material.. Good luck!

Chris