Small Rocker box suggestions.

mytimetoshine · Mar 22, 2015

Hello,

Anybody know where I can purchase a small rocker box? I been looking and don't see much available. The area Im trying to work has very deep water and i don't think i can get a sluice set up. Im on good dirt. on avg 3-4 specks per pan but i need to move some dirt. Plenty of water near by so I thought a rocker box may do the trick? Any suggestions on where to purchase one or alternatives would be appreciated.

Underburden · Mar 22, 2015

Rockin Gold Grabber and Mini Gold Grabber

N-Lionberger · Mar 23, 2015

I use a little rocker for the scenario you described. I made mine from wood and despite its small stature it can really move the dirt. the gold grabber is a pretty cool contraption but IMHO it isnt a true rocker box. Rockers are not sluice boxes, they are glorified gold pans. The rockers of old had a few big block cheater riffles which were either cleaned out with a spoon or by a hole which is stopped with a cork while in operation. My rocker has corks, i place a pan under, pop the cork and wash out the trap. The canvas apron is an important feature, it should have a good sag, multiple sags if possible. The classifier in the hopper should be made from a home made punchplate. My first hopper had expanded metal, the water dropped through too quickly. A punchplate with good spacing between holes allows the water to dam up a little and facilitate a better wash of the rocks. the box must be operated carefully, operated much like a gold pan, rocking gently and dabbing water sluffing off the light material, vigorous shakes to stratify material. If you can't tell I love rocker boxes.

Jimmydolittle · Mar 23, 2015

Here is Bill Fletcher's plans:Gold Prospecting and Nugget Hunting is what We do!
Woops, for some reason I was thinking drywasher. My bad.

Hoser John · Mar 23, 2015

Rocker boxes are the bane of miners as most labor intensive,bad recovery and slow beyond comparison. Just use a stream sluice ANY sluice and classify in a 5 gal bucket and feed the stream sluice that a way. Hauling water over slippery rocks,hauling dirt and rocking them lousy thangs will wear you out fast,lousy recovery also as not constant flow. Do NOT work harder ,work smarter ---John

meMiner · Mar 23, 2015

A rocker does work, but there are arguments that some of the production pans are almost as fast (some say faster). eg. Pyramid Pan (I have one, but only use it if the gravels are dirty and really need some scrubbing). Otherwise, I am old fashion and stick to an extra large round pan or if the gold is larger, a Le Trap square pan. I think I would rather use a high banker or recirculating sluice before a manual rocker box. If you get a rocker and like it, for sure let us know...

arizau · Mar 23, 2015

placergold said:
A rocker does work, but there are arguments that some of the production pans are almost as fast (some say faster). eg. Pyramid Pan (I have one, but only use it if the gravels are dirty and really need some scrubbing). Otherwise, I am old fashion and stick to an extra large round pan or if the gold is larger, a Le Trap square pan. I think I would rather use a high banker or recirculating sluice before a manual rocker box. If you get a rocker and like it, for sure let us know...

Especially if in hard to get to areas or places where mechanized equipment is not allowed. Also google ez gold pan for another idea for a hand concentrator (another forum member clued me and others to this item). Plant your butt on a rock, fill them up*, run them all day only to produce concentrates. Don't try to final pan each load. Save the collected concentrates for final cleanup at the end of the day. I like rockers too but they are slow. I live in the desert so mine uses recirculated water but can be set up to run fresh water. Google goldcradle.com

Good luck.

*You can usually get away with little or no classification needed.

mytimetoshine · Mar 23, 2015

Thanks Underburden. That looks like it works great. A little pricey for my current budget though :sadsmiley:

.John I'm not sure what you mean. The water I'm working near is too deep for a sluice box. If I had to carry buckets of water back and forth, it might be a pain and limit how much material I could move but that "contraption" as N-Lionberger put it, has a pump! I could definitly set up close enough to the water to use it. Oh and I guess I didn't mention before but there are no motors allowed in this spot. Panning just takes so long and wears out your wrists.(panning down to concentrates for later isn't a bad i dead though).. Classifying first would be great but I must be missing something because if there is any moisture in the dirt it gets all gummed up right away ? :dontknow:

I have been using my Bazooka gold trap in areas where I can set up and or carry it in and it works great.But i just can't find a good spot where the water is manageable enough. Thanks for your guys input. Its much appreciated.

Clay Diggins · Mar 23, 2015

There are places that are impossible to get enough water to profitably pan with. The rocker box can reuse water better than any other classifying device.

This picture is from Greaterville - great gold NO water. Here's how they successfully mined under tough conditions with limited and expensive water.

Those miners that worked Greaterville for the first 20 years had to pay a silver dollar for each 5 gallons brought in from miles away by burro. A silver dollar then was worth about 1/10 ounce (3 grams) of mined gold. 5 gallons a day cost 2/3 ounce of mined gold a week.

For all of you who think you are smarter than the miners who successfully worked Greaterville for years - drywashers aren't effective there because of the clay content.

Most of the best placer gold deposits in the west are still there because today's miners believe every deposit can be mined with a sluice or a drywasher. It just ain't so.

More than 60% of the gold bearing Tertiary gravel deposits in California lie untouched because:

They are too far away from running water to sluice.
The pay material is too damp or too concreted to process with a drywasher.
It's too steep and remote to effectively set up a recirculating sluice.

Look at the picture above again and ask yourself how else you are going to process those rich deposits on the hill above your played out river with only 5 gallons of water a day?

Light weight, no batteries or gas engines, minimal water use, small footprint - rocker box. I'm thinking those old time miners knew a thing or two about how to mine difficult deposits. :thumbsup:

Heavy Pans

Clay Diggins · Mar 24, 2015

N-Lionberger said:
I use a little rocker for the scenario you described. I made mine from wood and despite its small stature it can really move the dirt. the gold grabber is a pretty cool contraption but IMHO it isnt a true rocker box. Rockers are not sluice boxes, they are glorified gold pans. The rockers of old had a few big block cheater riffles which were either cleaned out with a spoon or by a hole which is stopped with a cork while in operation. My rocker has corks, i place a pan under, pop the cork and wash out the trap. The canvas apron is an important feature, it should have a good sag, multiple sags if possible. The classifier in the hopper should be made from a home made punchplate. My first hopper had expanded metal, the water dropped through too quickly. A punchplate with good spacing between holes allows the water to dam up a little and facilitate a better wash of the rocks. the box must be operated carefully, operated much like a gold pan, rocking gently and dabbing water sluffing off the light material, vigorous shakes to stratify material. If you can't tell I love rocker boxes.

I can't speak to the effectiveness of the Rockin Gold Grabber because I've never used one. I've heard they are effective and the pump is a great idea.

You are right that it's not a true rocker box. Your point about the apron sags is important. Most "modern" rocker box designs try to bypass the apron and as a consequence they are larger and less effective than a true rocker. The sag is the equivalent of the riffle in a sluice and is very effective at keeping the fine gold. Like any other tool it takes practice to get the most out of it.

Many of the old timers would bring the hardware for the rocker box and build it in place from local wood, old boxes or barrel staves. Rather than haul out all that heavy soaked wood they would save the hardware and build a new box at their next prospect. It's pretty easy to pack in pre-cut wood and build your rocker in place when you find a good deposit with your pick and pan.

Today you can use a mortar tub to pack the whole rig in and use that as your recycle tub instead of the oilcloth the old timers used. Old tools with modern materials.

Anyone that's spent the time to get good at operating a rocker can process an amazing amount of material in a day with very little water.

Heavy Pans

arizau · Mar 24, 2015

mytimetoshine said:
Thanks Underburden. That looks like it works great. A little pricey for my current budget though.John I'm not sure what you mean. The water I'm working near is too deep for a sluice box. If I had to carry buckets of water back and forth, it might be a pain and limit how much material I could move but that "contraption" as N-Lionberger put it, has a pump! I could definitly set up close enough to the water to use it. Oh and I guess I didn't mention before but there are no motors allowed in this spot. Panning just takes so long and wears out your wrists.(panning down to concentrates for later isn't a bad i dead though).. Classifying first would be great but I must be missing something because if there is any moisture in the dirt it gets all gummed up right away ? I have been using my Bazooka gold trap in areas where I can set up and or carry it in and it works great.But i just can't find a good spot where the water is manageable enough. Thanks for your guys input. Its much appreciated.

When I mentioned little to no classifying it was meant to be hand classify by tossing out the bigger stones. They could also be saved and washed off later.

N-Lionberger · Mar 27, 2015

I dont know about this carrying buckets of water business. I set my box up next to the water and ladle it in with a big soup can on a stick. They need very little water. I use my little rocker for rough cleaning my highbanker concentrates out back of our cabin.

Jimmydolittle · Mar 27, 2015

Bluestar9 · Mar 27, 2015

Hey Jimmy, Outstanding DIY rocker box. The subsequent videos showing mods & improvements on this original are even better.

Vance in AK · Mar 27, 2015

N-Lionberger said:
I dont know about this carrying buckets of water business. I set my box up next to the water and ladle it in with a big soup can on a stick. They need very little water. I use my little rocker for rough cleaning my highbanker concentrates out back of our cabin. View attachment 1137468

Good looking little rockerbox!!! I've always loved rockers just because they represent old-time hand mining to me. Have thought about building a few & seeing if I could sell them at the local farmers market/craft show type thing, primarily for decorations in yards etc (although they would be functional).

mytimetoshine · Mar 27, 2015

Have a chance to buy this little guy. Its only 60 bucks and I thought it looks pretty cool. Probably not something i would use in the field though. does anybody know about these or the company. I wonder if it has any value? i tried a google search of the company name and came up with bubkiss.