Sluicing tips i need some

[mjarvis]

That's the beauty of the design..... No need to classify.... No need for riffles....No need for miners moss or carpet or ribbed matting. All the gold gets trapped in the fluid bed. Except for nuggets and they get hung up at the front edge of the punch plate where I left a V notch as a nugget trap.

And yes when I need more water flow I just swing the wings open and lock them in the desired position.

GG~

So GG, where can I get one, how much does it cost, weighs you know all the logistics??

 

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[frost10509]

It has evolved some since the original prototype......http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/sluicing/263238-my-diy-fluid-bed-gold-trap-sluice.html

High banker yes.......

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=731229"/>

Hi GG,
Thanks for the photos. Pretty detailed little machine you have. Brilliant design though. A few questions from a novice builder.





1. Is the opening to the box trap at the beginning of the white grate cover and discharge at the end?
2. Does the unclassified material just flow over the white grate?
3. Do you still have the clear plexiglass under white grate or is that open through to stratification bars? What is the white grate btw?

Thank you for taking the time to help a rookie.

 

[Goodyguy]

So GG, where can I get one, how much does it cost, weighs you know all the logistics??

Here is what I recommend.........Products from Bazooka Gold Company

 

[Goodyguy]

Hi GG,
Thanks for the photos. Pretty detailed little machine you have. Brilliant design though. A few questions from a novice builder.

1. Is the opening to the box trap at the beginning of the white grate cover and discharge at the end?

Here is a close up....................................................The red arrow is pointing to the nugget trap.

2. Does the unclassified material just flow over the white grate?

Yep it just flows right over and off the end while the heavies fall through the punch plate and into the fluid bed gold trap.

3. Do you still have the clear plexiglass under the white grate or is that open through to stratification bars?

No, I got rid of the plexiglass after it scratched up so bad I couldn't see through it.
And yes it's open to the trap. (See above photo)

What is the white grate btw?

Its punch plate that I cut from an air duct that I found at a salvage yard.

Thank you for taking the time to help a rookie.

You're welcome

GG~

 

[frost10509]

Here is a close up....................................................The red arrow is pointing to the nugget trap.
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=731517"/> <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=731518"/>

Yep it just flows right over and off the end while the heavies fall through the punch plate and into the fluid bed gold trap.

No, I got rid of the plexiglass after it scratched up so bad I couldn't see through it.
And yes it's open to the trap. (See above photo)

Its punch plate that I cut from an air duct that I found at a salvage yard.

You're welcome

GG~

GG,
Thanks again for all of the patience and help. This is why I come to this forum. You my man are the Magyver of sluice fabricators. Did you weld any of the joints or all they all fastened with bolts and screws? Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[Goodyguy]

GG,
Thanks again for all of the patience and help. This is why I come to this forum. You my man are the Magyver of sluice fabricators. Did you weld any of the joints or all they all fastened with bolts and screws? Thanks again for all of your help!

I get that MacGyver comment a lot

All the connections are either pop riveted or bolted. Two small screws hold the classifyer down.
No welding.

 

[KevinInColorado]

...and caulked seams right GG?

Mine it and recycle it!

 

[Goodyguy]

...and caulked seams right GG?

Mine it and recycle it!

Silicone

 

[KevinInColorado]

The best...as expected with you of course! Well done.

Mine it and recycle it!

 

[frost10509]

GG,
I am actually going to purchase material this weekend. I take it you used galvanized steel for the majority of the project? Also, what did you use for the diverter in the gold box? Did you fabricate or was the piece from something else? Finally, what gauge metal did you use? Thank you again sir!
Scott

 

[Joel1316]

Anyone with experience with CA sluice? I've seen positive comments but not the same volume as Angus Mackirk or Bazooka, presumably because they are a smaller shop. Am I correct that it is a similare design to AM?

I have the CA Stream Sluice, the AM Foreman and the Bazooka Miner (haven't used yet) & Mini.

The CA Stream Sluice worked great with classified material down to 1/2". The riffles seem to plug up fast, but as long as the material in the riffles are "dancing" your fine and the heavier material will drop to the bottom. The CA sluice is very flimsy though. Mine has a rock bridge to help make the sluice more rigid and so you can place a rock on top to help stabilize the sluice. I also added V - matting to slow down the material and for quick ID of gold. Good sluice, but it would be the first sluice I would sell if I had to....

The AM Foreman is great! Light, rigid, easy to setup and clean. When you get the right flow, the sluice is self cleaning. After a few minutes, all you will be left with in the sluice will mostly be black sand. The only drawback that I can think of is it will need to be cleaned out more often. I usually clean out after 5-10 gallons of material.

The Bazooka, I have'nt really used much yet.... I have both the Miner and the Mini. Used the Mini in a small creek last weekend. Great to use! Light, fits in a small backpack, but handles quite a bit of material! Amazing! Unfortuantely, the creek didn't have much color for me to personally test the BGT...

 

[Goodyguy]

GG,
I am actually going to purchase material this weekend. I take it you used galvanized steel for the majority of the project? Also, what did you use for the diverter in the gold box? Did you fabricate or was the piece from something else? Finally, what gauge metal did you use? Thank you again sir!
Scott

I used aluminum throughout, the same thickness as is commonly used on aluminum sluices, I think that is 14ga. aluminum.
For the diverter baffle just bend a piece of aluminum at a 45 deg. angle. (The diverter I used was an aluminum riffle I had left over from another project that I re-bent to use as a diverter)


GG~

 

[frost10509]

I used aluminum throughout, the same thickness as is commonly used on aluminum sluices, I think that is 14ga. aluminum.
For the diverter baffle just bend a piece of aluminum at a 45 deg. angle. (The diverter I used was an aluminum riffle I had left over from another project that I re-bent to use as a diverter)

GG~

Good stuff! Thanks a million. :-)

 

[Sportsman]

I have the CA Stream Sluice, the AM Foreman and the Bazooka Miner (haven't used yet) & Mini.

The CA Stream Sluice worked great with classified material down to 1/2". The riffles seem to plug up fast, but as long as the material in the riffles are "dancing" your fine and the heavier material will drop to the bottom. The CA sluice is very flimsy though. Mine has a rock bridge to help make the sluice more rigid and so you can place a rock on top to help stabilize the sluice. I also added V - matting to slow down the material and for quick ID of gold. Good sluice, but it would be the first sluice I would sell if I had to....

The AM Foreman is great! Light, rigid, easy to setup and clean. When you get the right flow, the sluice is self cleaning. After a few minutes, all you will be left with in the sluice will mostly be black sand. The only drawback that I can think of is it will need to be cleaned out more often. I usually clean out after 5-10 gallons of material.

The Bazooka, I have'nt really used much yet.... I have both the Miner and the Mini. Used the Mini in a small creek last weekend. Great to use! Light, fits in a small backpack, but handles quite a bit of material! Amazing! Unfortuantely, the creek didn't have much color for me to personally test the BGT...

Funny, I now own close to what you own. Due to my job I had a short window to hit it hard so I picked up a CA sluice locally and agree it plugged quickly although it did catch gold. Made my own rock bridge. Bought an AM Foreman and it processed much faster than CA sluice, is sturdier and has rock bridge built in. BUT you have to classify to 1/4" or 1/8" with 1/16" best for fine gold. I have a friend who has a Bazooka Foreman so I ran a test and I ran the same amount of material in 3 hours that I ran in 1.5 days with AM. Same gold collected in size and total. 36" Prospector has been ordered.

I'll keep others for streams with less water low. I will give a big endorsement for CA mini sluice. Gets 90% of gold in first run of cons and you can rerun to get more.

 

[frost10509]

GG
Buying the parts today. One quick question on the gold trap. Is it a 4 sided box or did you just bend the ends of aluminum and use the sides of the sluice to complete the enclosed box? If it is 4 sided did you fabricate yourself? Do you have a metal bender or just improvised the bends? At clean up is the box removable or do you just rinse with H2O? Thanks so much!

Scott

 

[Goodyguy]

GG
Buying the parts today. One quick question on the gold trap. Is it a 4 sided box or did you just bend the ends of aluminum and use the sides of the sluice to complete the enclosed box? If it is 4 sided did you fabricate yourself? Do you have a metal bender or just improvised the bends? At clean up is the box removable or do you just rinse with H2O? Thanks so much!

Scott

First I fabricated the trap/box making the bends with some flat jaw pliers (like welders use) then sealed the corners of the box with silicone, then I attached it to the sluice sides with pop rivets.

To clean the trap I just dunk the sluice up and down a few times into a 5 gallon bucket half full of water.

GG~

 

[frost10509]

First I fabricated the trap/box making the bends with some flat jaw pliers (like welders use) then sealed the corners of the box with silicone, then I attached it to the sluice sides with pop rivets.

To clean the trap I just dunk the sluice up and down a few times into a 5 gallon bucket half full of water.

GG~

Thanks again GG! I'll try to post se pics when complete. Hopefully I'll have a semi-functioning product! Have a great weekend.

Scott

 

[hookturn]

Here is a site that will show you a great study on stream sluices. Fairly slow water. Works for crevacing or running any kind of classified material.
www.hecklerfabrication.com/files/sluice-build-partIII-2.pdf

 

[Goodyguy]

Here is a site that will show you a great study on stream sluices. Fairly slow water. Works for crevacing or running any kind of classified material.
www.hecklerfabrication.com/files/sluice-build-partIII-2.pdf

Yep I learned a great deal from that report a few years ago when it first appeared.
Been some improvements in mat material since the report was published such as vortex (rough to conveyer belt) and the gold hog mat as well as some others. But it's still the holy grail of riffle design.

I've posted that link here in the forum a few times myself.



GG~

 

[frost10509]

First I fabricated the trap/box making the bends with some flat jaw pliers (like welders use) then sealed the corners of the box with silicone, then I attached it to the sluice sides with pop rivets.

To clean the trap I just dunk the sluice up and down a few times into a 5 gallon bucket half full of water.

GG~

GG,
Well here is the almost finished product. Just waiting on my punch plate. Going to run it primarily as a highbanker which I have on the way as well. For my first attempt I think it turned out okay. First time working with metal and I think I have caught the bug. I am already thinking of some other designs. Thanks again for all of your help. You are a fantastic resource. I hope to post pics of all of the gold I capture this spring and summer. Thanks again!