where to get started?

[alz]

greetings all,

I am very new to the panning/sluicing lifestyle and want to get started soon.
I was going to build a simple sluice box. something I can carry easily.

can anyone offer suggestions on where to get started?
pictures of your setups would be appreciated.
thank you.

 

[DizzyDigger]

For a home-built sluice, best spot to get directions might be YouTube. There are
many simple designs you can build, but in all honesty saving up a few $ and buying
a proven gold-catcher could make for a better investment.

Plenty of placer gold available in your region, although you may have to do
some hunting for it, but then again that's half the fun!

 

[mytimetoshine]

Yea...you can get a proven gold catcher for 75 bucks. Dont see how building your own and most likely catching less gold is a good idea.

 

[Hard Prospector]

I will touch on the pans/sluices that work for me in the prospecting that I most often do. You will need other tools as well, but I'm sure other prospectors will jump into this thread. If you have no panning experience; the Gold Grabber gold pan(mini) makes panning as easy as it gets and the Garrett Super Sluice(its actually a big 14" round pan with deep riffles) really moves the material and I carry both if space allows. This year I switched to the Bazooka Super Mini(fluid bed) sluice and it works great. It just eats up the material and no wasted time classifying but, it needs a lot of water flowing through it and a steep angle to work efficient. The Angus MacKirk "Recon" drop riffle was my front line sluice for a long time and I almost sold it until I realized that it works better than the Bazooka in slow current, low flow streams. But back to classifying so if I have to do it; 1/2" to 1/4" into a five gallon bucket(wet) and I call it good. Many prospectors classify down further which is better but I can only carry so much in my pack and besides, I hope to never have to screen gravel again.

 

[B H Prospector]

Welcome alz,
Hard Prospector had some good suggestions. As you get mor involved you will find that you will need several different sluices for different situations. No one sluice does it all but there are some that will work in most situations. I also classify only 1/2 or 1/4 but I do it dry as my claims are either dry or on a high bench. If you want to build a sluice find Astrobouncers thread in these forums on his homemade drop riffle sluice. You will learn alot in here so start reading.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector

 

[KevinInColorado]

Homemade tend to be heavier, lower gold recovery and in the end more expensive than you think. I suggest starting with a medium/small plastic sluice which will be nice to have around later as you get further into this hobby for low water situations and long pack-in situations. Go to your local prospecting shop to learn what works in your area and buy from them. The local advice you get will likely be worth more than the sluice!

Ps like hard processor, I have an angus Mackirk and a Bazooka (Prospector model in my case) and find that both have their place where they shine.

 

[Hoser John]

Buy a used metal sluice and pan and save the cash man. Wood is sooo expensive,heavy,soaks up water and gets heavier and then as a reward for all your diligence,it falls apart. Join a local yokel club FAST,save money,learn a ton of info fast and start having fun now as summer is running away. Out west the waters about gone too-bummer-John

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

greetings all,

I am very new to the panning/sluicing lifestyle and want to get started soon.
I was going to build a simple sluice box. something I can carry easily.

can anyone offer suggestions on where to get started?
pictures of your setups would be appreciated.
thank you.

Watch this how to video