Started Building My Own Dredge.

[FunWithTreasure]

Well I cant afford a store bought one so I decided to try and make one. Here is the start of the project. I made the sluice box from some scrap metal I got for free and some painters screens. The Riffles are made of flat Iron..It is on its own hinge the riffles lidt up and the carpet slides out. It is 15 Inches Wide and 36 Inches Long. Weighs 17 lbs Without the header box and 20 Lbs with the header box. Total coust invested in the sluice is 18 dollars.
The jet log is 2" and has a 1 3/4 inch dropped to 1 1/2 inch pressure line. I tested it on the pump at work and it had good suction.. Total coust of the jet log 16 Dollars..This is my start. I am buying a pump and motor tommarow for $100 I got the 1.5" hose in the picture for free..Just wanted to share the progress..

 

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[arizonaames]

Looks good......

 

[rangler]

yea it looks good,
but.
I would want more riffles. at 3 foot long and only 3 riffles,
you need more like one riffle every 5-6 inches ,or so..more
riffles more gold, also the screen under the riffles , if it is too
thick you will not get a seal under the riffles that are holding
down the screen, be sure no gaps between riffles and carpet.
the carpet seals the riffles to the bottom and if you can see
under the riffles the gold will "duck under" and get swept out.

you might want to consider, expanded metal aluminum to take
the place of old style 'hungarian" flat riffles..it is an upgrade.,
dont plug as often and has more surface area, then all you need
is 'miners moss' carpet to replace the painters screen!

have fun, any questions - been mining 29 summers - since 1980
rangler

 

[flyspekau]

Adding raised metal good idea instead of the painters grid but give that a try it just might work GREAT, good going hope it works out for you i am sure it will hold the gold just as it is, refine it later just go get some gold

 

[packfan_1982]

yea it looks good,
but.
I would want more riffles. at 3 foot long and only 3 riffles,
you need more like one riffle every 5-6 inches ,or so..more
riffles more gold, also the screen under the riffles , if it is too
thick you will not get a seal under the riffles that are holding
down the screen, be sure no gaps between riffles and carpet.
the carpet seals the riffles to the bottom and if you can see
under the riffles the gold will "duck under" and get swept out.

you might want to consider, expanded metal aluminum to take
the place of old style 'hungarian" flat riffles..it is an upgrade.,
dont plug as often and has more surface area, then all you need
is 'miners moss' carpet to replace the painters screen!

have fun, any questions - been mining 29 summers - since 1980
rangler

ok... are you saying to forego rifles all together and just use expanded metal over carpet/miners moss? I'm pretty new at this but I thought that rifles are pretty much the backbone of the sluice box...

 

[rangler]

packfan
riffles ARE the dredge, but as I stated,EM 'expanded metal (aluminum )
the large sized of course, with openings an inch or so..
it has much more surface area and cobbles roll right over the EM
and usually get stuck in the Hungarian types riffles.

You might want to keep one or two riffles (HR) at the very top of
the dredge to act as a nugget trap, with rubber ribbed matting
under and just above the riffles,. this will let you see instantly
if you are in a pay streak..without paying out the carpet!
rangler

 

[EggyOG]

I may be wrong, but the angle on those riffles seems pretty steep for the height of them. I think if water hits the first riffle at dredging speed, the water will never touch another riffle because it will be flying over the rest of the sluice. I would lessen the angle.

 

[flyspekau]

A lot depends on a lot of factors how that things gonna work, you can make it work just have to adjust it an work with what you've got. Dont suck up a lot of big material, run lots of water but not too much. If your in fine gold country then you dont need the riffles if using RM, but keep the water flow minimal so you dont blow out anything just run slow-medium and not to steep , just enough to allow larger material not back up in box.

2cents worth