Sluicing Saving ones Back and Having fun
Hello
chris rizin and welcome to Tnet. Kevin has already been giving you some excellent inputs on technique as well as options like the Angus McKirk and the Bazooka series of sluices. I like you, I think, have a Keene a 52. I've backpacked it in several times in 2010 and do not feel I want to keep doing that as it is too heavy and too long even with the flare removed. Also, the A 52 does not fit all the way to the bottom of a standard 5 gallon bucket, it wedges against the bucket walls and if a person applies a little too much force the bucket walls crack. A bucket is available and the A 52 easily drops all the way to the bottom of that bucket. It is a blue recycle bucket that is actually a waste can for paper, it is just a little over a 5 gallon capacity, does not have handles but it works like a true dream for washing down the A 52 in.
My right shoulder rotary cuff was operated on 8 weeks ago today so I'm trying to loose weight and add muscle to be able to go backpacking/prospecting in late August of this year. I am also looking at lightning my pack so the entire body, along with my back, does not suffer that much. In anticipation of reaching my goal of losing 30 lbs of fat I've purchased a Super Mini Bazooka Gold Trap, I've not used it yet and do not expect to till late August. It weighs 3.5 lbs, is 24" long and slides right into a 6 quart bucket, soooo convenient, lighter than the A 52, cleans up faster, minimum classifying if any (I will just because I want to Know what I'm doing) and and the SM w/6 qt. buckets will be so much easier to carry. I backpack in several miles dropping roughly 3000 vertical feet and then hike another 1-2 miles along the river before making camp and the trail in the bottom of the canyon is in bad shape so having a lighter, less bulky pack and recovering from shoulder surgery will be a must!
View attachment 795153 My A 52 in the easy to fit into Blue recycle bin. I added a cross bar at the flare so with the lower and upper bars I have much better control removing the box from the water while standing on slippery rocks, back saver.
View attachment 795154 Raw Super Mini with my Gerber Gorge shovel (my Gorge is a "Good Tool") and is what I take with me for digging, beating jobs. Other folks have had them break
Not mine!
View attachment 795155 Super Mini in a 6 qt. bucket with my Batpan with its classifier next to the SM. The Gorge shovel, SM and Batpan w/classifier are what I will take with me this year.
As far as setting up the A 52 the water should just break over the tops of the riffles. When the box is setup level left to right then you should have a repeating 'X' pattern forming in the water, starting at the flare area a 'V' will form then it will go to an 'X' all the way down the sluice. So the correct angle for the amount of water to make the A 52 work and with the water just breaking over the riffles is the "Ideal" situation but not always obtainable out in amongst a bunch of rocks with water up to your arm pits and by the way you are cold.
Your back, I do not know your condition just that your back is not enjoying itself. I injured my back a long time ago and if I want to be happy I must do exercises to maintain strong muscles in the abdomen and lower back. Crunches for the Abs and a reverse Crunch for the lower back. With the crunch one is laying on their back. With reverse Crunch one is laying on their stomach and has the choice of raising only the legs, or only the chest or both once some strength has been gained. After the floor exercises I use a Good tennis ball for back massages. The TB is placed between a persons back and a heavily textured wall, then roll the TB around. Getting the ball to move and stay between the wall and ones back is a "learned" technique but it can be done! This is the gentlest form of this massage. The more severe form is by laying on the floor with the persons back against the floor and inserting the TB between the floor and the back. Rolling around takes some doing but it can be done and it Will be a Deep Penetrating massage which is Not the best thing if one is not in shape for it.
Okay, stay well, get strong and have some golden fun.......................63bkpkr
rookie mistake.. But I'm learning. Here's a pic of my box and the results. 
