Thinking of getting a "back pack" dredge ,Question

[Goldwasher]

you can shovel faster

 

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[RTR]

you can shovel faster

Think so ? Lets see. ALL companies that sell 2.5 inch dredges claim they will move 1.5 yards material per Hr.
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
1 cubic yard = 140 to 150 (full) shovels per Hr.
Shoveling material off bedrock.and in between rocks it would be impossible to get even 1 (full) shovelful

 

[wildminer]

Deeper water and cleaning the bedrock and cracks favors the dredge. Go Dahlke.

 

[N-Lionberger]

What the companies claim is far from realistic in real operating conditions. Depending on the material being ran in a lot of cases a shovel is faster than a 2.5" dredge. If you have lots of shallow exposed bedrock to clean that's where a small dredge is handy but if there is overburden that needs to be moved a shovel is faster.

 

[russau]

Think so ? Lets see. ALL companies that sell 2.5 inch dredges claim they will move 1.5 yards material per Hr.
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
1 cubic yard = 140 to 150 (full) shovels per Hr.
Shoveling material off bedrock.and in between rocks it would be impossible to get even 1 (full) shovelful

I don't think anyone other than "John Henry" could shovel that much material in one hour much less all day. And a dredge is much EZer to do it day after day and NOT grind you into the ground and get up the next day and repetr it !

 

[Goldwasher]

Think so ? Lets see. ALL companies that sell 2.5 inch dredges claim they will move 1.5 yards material per Hr.
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
1 cubic yard = 140 to 150 (full) shovels per Hr.
Shoveling material off bedrock.and in between rocks it would be impossible to get even 1 (full) shovelful

I don't care what those companies " claim" once you are in the field..have to breakup material..chuck cobble and prep/strip an area before you can even dredge..yes you can shovel faster.

I'm speaking from experience.

Yes it is perfect for cleaning bed rock... but getting to bedrock..not so much.

 

[Goldwasher]

Deeper water and cleaning the bedrock and cracks favors the dredge. Go Dahlke.

small dredges lose suction/power very quickly with depth..

no one in the field is moving 1.5 yards an hour of common creekbed material.. with a 2.5 "

the only people claiming so have either ..

Never dredged or...are selling dredges..

 

[N-Lionberger]

What they are referring to is the sand going up the hose, if you were sucking straight sand you might get to that 1.5 yards per hour through that little dredge maybe if all conditions are perfect. Unless you are out mining fine gold from a beach you will not be in an area anywhere in gold country to have enough fines in the sand to bother operating on just sand. What doesn't go up the hose needs to be removed from the hole by hand, long arming results in constant plug ups and you can miss whats up so laying down with a snorkel on to run the nozzle is key, nit picking cobbles and flinging them out by hand sucking up the material that comes loose will you hit that 1.5 yards per hour not likely. If you can find some such material will 1.5 yards of gold bearing sand going through a 10/36 sluice with lazy L's will it catch everything no way. Running too much material changes how the riffles operate you need 12% gravel to maintain good recovery in a dredge, what can be sucked up and what should be sucked up are different things. I modified my backpack dredge into a highbanker/dredge combo on a stand. A 2.5" operates in such shallow water that having it on floats is meaningless apart from ease of mobility in a creek with enough water, getting a sluice to run properly is much easier on a stand than on floats.

 

[RTR]

Even IF a 2.5" dredge only sucks 1/2 cubic yard (1/3rd of their advertised claim of material) per hour. Its the 'quality' of the material I'm after ,not the 'quantity'. I've been hunting creeks in Va. & NC for over 10 years now and I've yet to see a "shovel"that can suck out material from submerged bedrock cracks,or between rocks.

 

[russau]

I gotta back up here....No doubt that a young guy having to shovel only that amount (1 yard) of sand could shovel that amount , he couldn't do that all day or he would be sore as all get out and wouldn't be up to the challenge the next morning! On the other hand the dredge poses no real physical exertion to that extent . where as the dredge operator would be back at it the next day! and shoveling underwater ,you lose most of the material as it comes up out of the water. I'll pick the dredge for the long haul!!

 

[wildminer]

I'm going to "circle back". I'm with Russ.

 

[Phil]

Here is what will happen.............You will buy the cute dredge because it's compact and easy to transport. After some prospecting, you will get on good color, then work yourself to death trying to suck more material. After a few weeks of that, you will be back here asking for recommendations on a 4".

You asked, and several of us that have been dredging for years answered because we went through the same process you are going through now. Learn from our experience, or spend double on two dredges. It's your choice.

 

[russau]

For me I went with several dredge's and I liked my choice in doing so! Back when I could still dredge & prospect ,I traveled around the Country and different state's and the prospecting laws and state laws are different in each state. Plus the stream conditions are ALWAYS different. I always brought all my equipment where ever I went ! It's very costly to forget something at home and either do without OR drive back home or go buy another close to where your working. Among friends , I was referred to as the "traveling hardware store". Funny at the time but most people knew that I brought the tools to repair it ! Now that I've come to the end of my journey in prospecting / dredging I ended up selling everything EXCEPT for some hold out "STUFF" and maybe I can build for someone else in our Show me G.P. club . AZViper sent me a email about his plans for a Miller table that I bought the mat several years back and now I'm going to build it and donate it to one of our club member's in some sort of raffle with the money going to our club whenever this Corvid-19 goes away !!

 

[Vance in AK]

Here is what will happen.............You will buy the cute dredge because it's compact and easy to transport. After some prospecting, you will get on good color, then work yourself to death trying to suck more material. After a few weeks of that, you will be back here asking for recommendations on a 4".

You asked, and several of us that have been dredging for years answered because we went through the same process you are going through now. Learn from our experience, or spend double on two dredges. It's your choice.

I agree with your theory to some extent...
There are definitely places in my neck of the woods that I will pack the backpacking dredge into for some fun prospecting that I would never try if I had to hump a 4" in in pieces...
Now, that said if that place pans out I may decide to spend several days getting the larger dredge & all it's goodies in there. So in my opinion, the small dredge (like the 2.5: Dahlke) is never wasted even when you buy that 4 or 5" dredge. They are both tools in the tool box. Unless you want to spend all your time close to the truck. Then start big & stay there

 

[Phil]

I agree with your theory to some extent...
There are definitely places in my neck of the woods that I will pack the backpacking dredge into for some fun prospecting that I would never try if I had to hump a 4" in in pieces...
Now, that said if that place pans out I may decide to spend several days getting the larger dredge & all it's goodies in there. So in my opinion, the small dredge (like the 2.5: Dahlke) is never wasted even when you buy that 4 or 5" dredge. They are both tools in the tool box. Unless you want to spend all your time close to the truck. Then start big & stay there

You make an excellent point I had not considered. If I was starting over and looking for new areas, the 2" is the way to go.

 

[RTR]

Well, I know for a fact old yeller is there

 

[Phil]

Well, I know for a fact old yeller is there View attachment 1902951

I take back what I said.............With color like that a 6" dredge is the only way to go! LOL

 

[N-Lionberger]

I'm not saying don't buy a 2.5 I am just saying it won't move the overburden. They're great for cleaning cracks that are shallow. I hate floats they make adjusting the sluice a pain I built a stand with adjustable legs for my 4" to run without its floats in my creek. How much water is available?

 

[RTR]

I'm not saying don't buy a 2.5 I am just saying it won't move the overburden. They're great for cleaning cracks that are shallow. I hate floats they make adjusting the sluice a pain I built a stand with adjustable legs for my 4" to run without its floats in my creek. How much water is available?

Depending on time of year a few inches of water to 2 Ft. of water. AND IF I could use a bigger dredge,I would, but its a Looooong walk in.And most of the walk there isn't enough water to 'Float' a big/heavy dredge.And no way to get a ATV in .

 

[N-Lionberger]

When I was younger on the Yuba we would drag the dredge up and down stream on its floats, my current creeks are too rapid/rocky to effectively drag it on it's floats so I have to backpack my 4" in over multiple trips. Puddle jumping with a little dredge can work if you have enough water for your pump to run, you can dam up a creek but it clouds out quick making it hard to see what you are doing underwater.