Under flow sluice ?

[Rebel73153]

Has anyone bought and used one of the Under Flow sluice being sold by X Grumpy Prospector? If so, what do you think of it. I am considering buying one in the spring but being that money is tight i don't want to waste it on something that doesn't work any better than a standard Keene or Joe type sluice. Appreciate any info. Thanks.

 

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[NeoTokyo]

I have not tried his but I have tried a gold trap sluice (and own it.)

I bought a Bazooka Gold Trap sluice which does not need to have the material classified.
I like it, its a good box that got a lot of micro gold along with the larger stuff.

Here is a video of the first time I used it, just 1 5gal bucket from cleaning cracks, you can see how well it did.

 

[russau]

any peice of equipment is only as good as the operator! they all work!

 

[Gold Maven]

NEO,

a couple drops of dish washing soap, is all you need to break the surface tension of the water.

Actually any kind of soap should work. Good post, Good Luck.

 

[Hoser John]

NO SOAP NEVER EVER AS IT FLOATS GOLD FOR GODS SAKE- jet dry is the surfactant you want to use as it releases oxygen and tightens up the surface tension for better recovery. Just google a floatation cell to see why NO SOAP-even if told so by the pope as gospel-John

 

[Rebel73153]

Ok, i checked out the Bazooka Gold Trap and it does sound interesting. But are either of them any better than a standard sluice for the average person?

 

[NeoTokyo]

I have bought a little thing of Jet-Dry since that video.

Rebel;

The Bazooka is better in that you do not have to classify first.
The Bazooka is worse in that you lose any nuggets over 1/2" in size.
The Bazooka is better in how quick the initial cleanup is.
The Bazooka is worse in how long the following cleanup of the cons takes.

The Bazooka also needs more water flow.

Chip (Miners Cache owner here in Redding) had a friend of his use it with a regular sluice behind it, his friend isnt back with the results yet but he will let me know how it did when he gets back.

In the long run of things, the Bazooka is quicker but you lose larger nuggets and specimens that a normal sluice would catch.


From what I hear they are working on a nugget catcher attachment though.

 

[Rebel73153]

Thanks Neo. Not many nuggets at all around here, let alone over 1/2", so no problem in that respect. I have a large free standing classifier so classifying don't take any longer that shoveling into a bucket would. So that isn't an issue either. So in the long run i guess i just keep on using the sluice i have. Thanks for the info though.

 

[Goodyguy]

Hey Rebel......

Do you have a photo of the large free standing classifier?
Sounds interesting and I'm always on the lookout for classifying ideas.

I have a bazooka style sluice that I use in certain situations and it works great as a time saver as long as the water is running fast enough to properly supply the fluid bed.

Usually I dig right next to where I set it up close to the bank and dump the material right onto it using my scoop shovel. Once that area is finished I'll move the sluice and start over.

Clean up is a breeze..... just a few dunks into a half full 5 gal bucket of water and it's clean.

My scoop shovel can be used right in the creek ....





GG~

 

[Rebel73153]

Pics

If i did this right here are pics of the free standing classifier as well as the shovel i had a friend weld up for me. Works great in water and out.

 

[Goodyguy]

Thanks. I like it, and the shovel too!




GG~

 

[Rebel73153]

Thanks. Yea, they both simplify things. I am thinking about modifying the classifier by putting the 1/2" screen one one side and then a 1/4" on the other side of the 2x4 and run the stuff over 1/2" off the end since there is not a piece of gold in this area that big, and then putting a bucket at the end of the 1/4" screen and catching the stuff between 1/4" and 1/2" and then checking it out with a metal detector and a separate bucket under the vinyl to catch the under 1/4" to run through the sluice. Hope this made some sense to you.

 

[Goodyguy]

Thanks. Yea, they both simplify things. I am thinking about modifying the classifier by putting the 1/2" screen one one side and then a 1/4" on the other side of the 2x4 and run the stuff over 1/2" off the end since there is not a piece of gold in this area that big, and then putting a bucket at the end of the 1/4" screen and catching the stuff between 1/4" and 1/2" and then checking it out with a metal detector and a separate bucket under the vinyl to catch the under 1/4" to run through the sluice. Hope this made some sense to you.

That sounds like a good idea ..... don't forget to post photos when it's completed

Here are photos of my homemade fluid bed sluice.....

 

[Rebel73153]

Pics

How does it do? Do you think it is any better than a standard normal sluice? Here are a few pics of the cheapy home made highbanker i just finished. What did you use to funnel the water in?

 

[Goodyguy]

How does it do? Do you think it is any better than a standard normal sluice? Here are a few pics of the cheapy home made highbanker i just finished. What did you use to funnel the water in?

It's better in some ways but I still use my modified Keene A-52 on my highbanker and trommel and 2" dredge.
I kind of over engineered the intake. Those are funnels I bought in the automotive department at Wal-mart. Really all that is needed is a cover over the bottom same as bazooka uses. I was out of aluminum at the time and made do.

Great job on the Highbanker!

GG~

 

[Rebel73153]

Thanks. Looks good. Always nice to see what others come up with. Especially others that know what they are doing.

 

[Goodyguy]

Hey Rebel.......

I just went to the X Grumpy Prospector site..... That is a different animal than the bazooka fluid bed trap and what I posted.

It uses the gate system similar to the Gold Cube. I would worry that if the water goes through too fast that it would blow the gold out.
The gate system needs a controlled water speed to opperate effeciently. Too slow and material will back up, too fast and you loose your fine gold.

GG~

 

[calisdad]

GG does your sluice work as good as it looks? It really is a beauty. About how much water is optimum- 1/2", 3/4" ?

 

[Goodyguy]

GG does your sluice work as good as it looks? It really is a beauty. About how much water is optimum- 1/2", 3/4" ?

If you are talking about water over the top surface I usually try to get around 1" or so.
I am very happy with the performance and the only changes I am considering are the addition of an extended flair and a hinging bottom cover with sides so I could adjust the lower opening to allow a greater volume of water underneath in case of a slow moving water situation. In fast water it works great just the way it is.

GG~

 

[Rebel73153]

GG, you ever think about build some of them to sell? And yea, the Under Flow is different than the Bazooka. I am thinking now that seeing the Bazooka type in action that it may be better for the small flour gold we have around here? Right now i am working on a standard sluice build. Just bought a sheet of 5052 .063 aluminum and had the side bent up on it. Now to put in some ribbed ribber matting and find someone to build a back angle riffle bar set up for it like Figure 11 in this Sluice building file. Start with (2) 3/4" high riffles then (2) 5/8" and then (2) 1/2" and finally (2) 3/8" to maintain the water flow as stated in the file. What you think? Feasible?