Keene A51

[Sample Pan Dan]

When my wife and father in law started asking what I would like for my birthday, I told them a sluice box. I had a few in mind, at reasonable prices, and smaller for smaller water. I guess my father in law figured bigger is better, so I'm the proud new owner of an A51! Now to hope I can move rocks and damn up my creek enough to get proper flow... :-)

 

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[nuggetshooter323]

An A-51 isn't hard to get good flow, but if you want a cheap small drop riffle for smaller water the California Sluice Box, Jr. Sluice Box is 7"x23" for $25. The next size up is the Stream Sluice at 10"x38" for $55. Also the Bazooka Gold Trap Mini-Sluice is about $115, A little more money but little or no classifying. The thing about the drop riffle design is you still have to classify, but clean-up is only, pick it up and dump it into a bucket. It takes 30 seconds.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Thanks nuggetshooter. Ya what I hinted about was the Mackirk stuff, the Grubsteak more specifically. I will still get me one, and ya it looks like the Bazooka products kick a$$.... I've got my eye on the super mini... I've used a Keene before both in no cal, and in no ga... I know this will catch the fine gold I've got available, just gotta go play around with it, and using some lead figure angles and flow in my little stream.... Just gotta move some rocks :-)

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

How deep am I looking for? I've heard anything from full to just barely over the riffles...

 

[DizzyDigger]

Had my Keene A51 (and an A52) for nearly 30 years, and over that time they have both caught me some
nice gold. Up here it's mostly very fine gold, and the A51 does a bang up job of capturing it. I do wish it had
a wider flare at the front, as in slow water conditions I find it difficult to get correct flow...still, a great tool!

I don't prospect in rivers any more, but if I were to I'd be borrowing my neighbors Bazooka. Less
classifying needs to be done, and cleanup is much easier and faster. Still, I'm hanging on to the Keene's,
as there are certainly places where they are quite efficient.

Congrats!

Mike

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Thanks Dizzy... Good diggings to you

 

[63bkpkr]

drywallman,
Water just over the riffles is how it should be used with the Right Side to Left Side position of the box set so you have V's forming X's as the water flows down the length of the box. It looks cool when its done properly. Too much water and nice flat 1/4" nuggets blow out of the box kinda easy, sigh! Good luck with the new toy!...............63bkpkr

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Thank you 63bkpkr, I can see it in my head...thank you greatly kind sir

 

[wingmaster]

I really like mine it caught some real fine flour gold, I'm only hoping here I can get into some bigger stuff than the flour gold.

 

[KevinInColorado]

We are ALL hoping for that wingmaster!

 

[wingmaster]

Yes but I live in Indiana so most likely your chance of finding the bigger stuff is alot more probable than it is for me. The glacial gold doesn't seem to have much of a chance of being bigger than flour gold, but I'm hopeful anyway.

We are ALL hoping for that wingmaster!

 

[nuggetshooter323]

Like 63bkpkr said, the water just over the riffles, and about a 1" drop per foot depending on the speed of water flow.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

The keene a51 is top notch in my book. Best 3 ft sluice out there! A suggestion would be to start the sluice fast. Get the black sand clearing your ribbed mat in one Mississippi... Most of your gold should stay in the v mat. If its not slow down. Remember dont start slow and ramp your way up with water volume and speed. Start Fast! And work your way slower. U will be amazed at how much material you can process

 

[DesertNuggets]

An A-51 isn't hard to get good flow, but if you want a cheap small drop riffle for smaller water the California Sluice Box, Jr. Sluice Box is 7"x23" for $25. The next size up is the Stream Sluice at 10"x38" for $55. Also the Bazooka Gold Trap Mini-Sluice is about $115, A little more money but little or no classifying. The thing about the drop riffle design is you still have to classify, but clean-up is only, pick it up and dump it into a bucket. It takes 30 seconds.

Nice! Just bought one thanks to you. Always wanted to try a drop riffle and you can't beat those prices.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Ok suggestion time. I know there's a bunch of different views. My question is, should I run this thing stock as is, or should I replace some, or all of it with miners moss, vortex mat etc? Thanks guys.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Sorry but I lost track...which thing are we talking about modifying?


Does the fact that you have to modify it tell you something about the original design? Hmmmmm

 

[wingmaster]

Running stock seems to be just fine, I've heard others say for fine gold stay with the carpet.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Thanks wingmaster.

 

[Vance in AK]

I do wish it had
a wider flare at the front, as in slow water conditions I find it difficult to get correct flow...still, a great tool!

Mike

Drywallman, I too have a atock A51 that I have had for may years & it does a fine job, even withfine gold just as it comes from the factory if you pay attention to what you are doing.
Regarding Mikes's comment above, when I am sluicing in remote or low water areas I always carry a small piece of light visqueen (4' x6 or 8') that I can use to very easilydamup a creek or form a HUGE funnel for my sluive box (no matter which one I have with me. makes life MUCH easier!

 

[idowa]

My A51 seems to work well when there is plenty of water, which is not so easy in AZ...

I had to engineer quite the dam to get enough flow to clear out the small gravel, even after classifying down to 1/4".