Underwater Sniping idea: Using Pump to blow away overburden: Fish & Game OK! :)

[NeoTokyo]

Heya everyone;

I have been thinking about buying a pump to help blow overburden away while underwater sniping.

I got the OK from Fish & Game today, they said as long as I am not sucking material in and just using the force of the water to blow overburden away that I would be fine.

So now I have to choose the right pump.

What pump would you guys suggest?

One that I am looking at is the Harbor Freight 3" Trash Pump.
It is made by Pacific Hydrostar, has a 2 year warranty (Can buy extended) and pumps 15,840gph.
Here is the link.
3" Full Trash Pump with 212cc Gas Engine

What I would like to know is if this will be enough to move most overburden out of the way, of course I will move apple + sized rocks by hand.


Thanks everyone.

-Eric-

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[Barndawg]

Sounds like you're wanting to move a lot of material. 3" trash pump? Really? If I were just sniping I would go with a smaller1" and maybe go battery power. You'll have to move larger rocks by hand anyway. Why not get a stronger, smaller pump and make a jet nozzle for blasting stuff from between the bigger rocks? Something like a garden hose or a little larger. Seems like it would be more portable.

 

[Oakview2]

Buy the clear water pump and not the trash pump. I would think that 3" is way overkill and the hose will be expensive and clumsy. I would think a small ultra light like for a backpack dredge would be plenty. My two inch HF pump is 10,000 gallons per hour. I would think a large pump would wear you out...


Something like this....http://www.ebay.com/itm/Homelite-AP...595?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1b713cbb

 

[okbasspro]

I use this pump only about 25lbs and runs my 2 in dredge but you may want a highpressure dredge pump

PORTABLE 2.5 HP 2" GAS POWERED WATER PUMP SELF PRIMING | eBay

 

[Jason in Enid]

Trash pump will be useless, "clearwater" pump is next to useless. For what you are wanting to do you need pressure and it takes a centrifugal pump to create that much pressure. The problem now is that you need stiff HP hose to contain that, and it's very hard to maneuver that around under water.

Lastly, this will have to be very shallow bedrock because moving gravels like this is much harder than with suction.

 

[Hoser John]

GET IT IN WRITING AS ALL ELSE BLUE SKY AND 100% PURE UNADULTERATED BS--bureauratz speak with forked tongue but written word yet another deal..err on the side a caution...always...John PS-small 1 1/2 hp works fine for blasting with a p-100 or 2.5 hp if ya wanna run a compressor too to go deeper-John

 

[NeoTokyo]

Thanks for the info everyone.

I found a couple video's of trash pumps and of the HF one that I was interested in.
Yes they move water well, but like you guys already said, the pressure isnt there.

I had been thinking about centrifugal pumps too but they are expensive, cant I just find someones old Paxton or Procharger and make that work? :P lol j/k.

I dont want to move mountains of material, I just want to be able to dig a hole to bedrock that has about 1-3' of overburden ontop easier as well as blowing off all that light stuff that keeps falling back in the hold when you do dig.
My wrist is also getting pretty sore. :P

I also found a nice deep hole (About 10' deep which is deep for this creek) a couple miles downstream that has a boulder in the bottom of it about the size of a VW Bug with a couple smaller low tripple digit weight boulders around it.
All around that boulder is a sandy pea gravel mix and I know I can not move it easily by hand, especially having to come up for air all the time.

So to help move things along faster and go a little deeper thats where I figured I could use a pump.

As far as the hoses go, I dont havt any experience with them but naturally would like the easiest to maneuver and use.

John, I have the same feelings too especially after reading some of the "Battles" waged on legal miners.
The guys name is Mark, I am going to write him asking for written and signed permission before investing.

 

[Hard Prospector]

LIFAN 1.5" High Pressure Water Pump OR LIFAN 1.5" Water Pump(standard)
model#LF1.5HWP (2000gpm) model#1.5WP-25(2000gpm)
$399 $229
*Both pumps are four stroke, lite weight ,portable and very fuel efficient. The standard model may give you plenty of pressure if you reduced the discharge to 5/8"
Buy them both at the Home Depot....Good luck! Rob

 

[Gravel Hog]

Do as ya please, just don't annouce it and spoil it for the rest! Hey!!!

 

[shawngrey16]

Need Amy help
On
The boat?

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

 

[NeoTokyo]

Do as ya please, just don't annouce it and spoil it for the rest! Hey!!!

Gotcha.

Need Amy help
On
The boat?

Dont have a boat, sorry but dont mind people enjoying prospecting along with me.

View attachment 670332

So the prospector n00b in me see's a tool for scooping light overburden but the forum pro in me says that you think my posts are pooper scooper worthy Crap. :P
Just not sure which, but if strong enough that would be a nice scoop.

 

[Hoser John]

Mark Stopher of the CDFG is one lying sob and if he said the sun was out ya better run outside to believe. He's the sob who couldn't even finish--or really even start--the EIR in 5 years with $5 million dollars. 30 year history here with nuttn' but lies,deception and pure unadulterated bs. Go to enforcement and NEVER that CSMFGDSOB Stopher-John

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

So the prospector n00b in me see's a tool for scooping light overburden but the forum pro in me says that you think my posts are pooper scooper worthy Crap. :P
Just not sure which, but if strong enough that would be a nice scoop.

I think the photo was on 49er mike because I can't find it, but the california dredger who unfortunately died recently was using a mini one of these and supposedly it was approved because there's no hose.



You ask whatever bonehead you're talking to if this document still applies in california

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=46636

Because it clearly states you are not suction dredging if you are not using a sluice.


[edit]
Correction, it was Jay Dee Myers, from Oregon, dredging on the Klamath River in california. Photo of the rig:

 

[NeoTokyo]

John, yeah it was Mark Stopher.
Didnt know anything about him till now.

Sorry to hear about his passing, that looks like a great tool, great way to modify a highbanker on a dredge platform.
I wonder how much material it would scoop up easily.

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

I've cleaned {fine} gravel in a 5 gal bucket with the 60 or so psi that comes outta the house hose.

I can't picture you blowing gravel out of a hole of any depth.

Was thinking about those treasure hunters in florida that blast the sea floor with prop blast by dropping elbows into the flow. They just move sand around with all that horsepower.

That's why I suggest the bucketdigger style. Take scoops like a excavator, pulling the bucket towards you.

 

[NeoTokyo]

If it doesnt work at least I will have 1 part to building that awesome rig that he had and be able to use it for highbanking.

I do like the scoop idea though, the back corner of the spot where I found most of my gold has not been worked yet and there is a TON of sand in there ticking me off every time I go in to fan.
It just keeps coming and coming and coming, covering any gold on the bedrock that I may find before I can snuff or pluck it up.

Where would I buy a scoop like the first yellow handled one that you linked?

Thanks.

 

[Hoser John]

JDG rig killed him so always err on the side a caution---John

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

Click on 'bucketdigger' in my prior post. They also advertise in the gold magazines. Looking on the website, it's fairly short handled. I'd build one with a 6-10 pole.

If you're just moving sand, maybe you'll have some luck blowing it away.

I haven't found a link indicating the cause of death so I wouldn't assume it's the rig. Though anytime you're diving alone you're taking a big risk.