my poor mans BGT

[Jeff95531]

I'm sorry. I just can't wrap my head around the sheet in a stream, but rather than sit back and throw barbs, I decided to present my latest project that IMHO should work.

Parts: half of an 8" diameter plastic culvert, found on road...about 32" long, inside ribs 1/2 " deep, 1/2" hardware cloth and two belt keepers (out of strap ties)
Cost: $0 scraps and found items

We all know you gotta anchor your sluice in a fast body of water. I wanted a cheap, light, disposable sluice and didn't want to pack anything bulky or heavy. So then I spied the left over hard ware cloth from the pump filter project and

Gonna test it on Tuesday with the edge of rapids feeding it. One big rock in the middle. I plan on treating it like a carpet and panning the cons (for fast sampling) of a new (but large) area.

 

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[delnorter]

Hey Jeff, looks like a your in for moving some material. Are you going to the place we've talked about recently?

I've tried calling you but don't get a ring at all. I don't know if it's my phone, US Cellular, your phone or what. Call me if you get a chance.

Just got your message.

Mike

 

[Thurman]

Jeff,

Good idea. Better than a sheet. As with any gold catcher, it depends on what you feed it. I can see some problems of clearing the "grizzly" as it fills with the wrong size pebbles, but so what. You will definitely catch some of the gold fed through it - maybe a large percentage of it. Much better than doing nothing while you wait for your new Bazooka to arrive in the mail!

I like boots on the ground shoveling pay into anything that encourages heavies to settle while the lighter material continues downstream.

Good luck, Thurman

 

[Jeff95531]

Thurman-The good thing is gold is heavier than anything else I'm shoveling in. Lots of flow and 40" for it to drop? It'll work me thinks. Just don't want to overload it. We''ll soon see.

Yes Mike, same area. Last time I was scouting upstream, I found either an old tailings pile or old river bed on the other side. You may have already seen it. I'll pm you if I can't call tomorrow.

 

[rodoconnor]

It'll work well, plus the price is right

 

[Rawhide]

i like

 

[russau]

Jeff your idea is very basic BUT it oughta work and IF you would lose it , your not out a bunch of cash! K.I.S.S. at its best!

 

[Jeff95531]

Thanks guys. It weighs less than 2 pounds and I can bungee it to my pack and not even know it's there. I can also use the bungee to keep it with me in the water.

Did some"bench" testing today to avoid any surprises at creek side. Probably start out submerging the sluice completely. I also plan on feeding it with my hand trowel to keep myself from breaking it down. At first I will pan the contents of the pan to ensure nothing good is coming out of the end. After that it should be dump, clean out and pan.

I was wondering what I could use to rinse it completely out while it is vertical

 

[russau]

another gold pan..or just splash it while its upright over your pan. EZ-PEZEE

 

[Jeff95531]

another gold pan..or just splash it while its upright over your pan. EZ-PEZEE

I did just that Russ. It worked great! Everything did! Very pleased and it works very well. Delnorter and I went out Sat for the test. Stay tuned... story/pics coming...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I've read a lot of tips concerning sampling highway drainage culverts in gold country. I've a culvert myself which I soon intend to check out - after spiders and snakes go away for the Winter.

 

[Jeff95531]

Just a final update on the sluice. When I last used it, it was a rough prototype that I really didn't think would work as well as it did. After testing, I was 100% satisfied with it's performance and finished the job. To finish it up, I rolled the seam of the hardware cloth down to the bottom and locked the sluice in place by "sewing" or folding ALL the exposed sharp points of the hardware cloth. Before, when you handled it or reached inside to clean out the rocks it was much like putting your arm in an angry sharks' mouth...and I have the scars to prove it.

I also wanted to be more exact on sizes and details. The rigid non-perforated culvert was 32" long, found already cut in half and just under 8" across. I wrapped it tight with the cloth so the intake was 7 3/4" and exit is 7 1/4". I believe the original pipe was like this tho I'm not good with pie/circumference/ etc...

Culvert Plastic 8" X 20' Solid by Hancor Inc. for $36.99 in Pipe - Tubing - Pipe - Fittings - Plumbing - Hardware : Rural King

Be creative and find a remnant. All you need is 30" or more and once you cut it in half, you can have his and hers.

Here is the finished product...

View attachment 1209363

View attachment 1209366



Is it ugly? Yep. Does it work? You'll be amazed. All you gotta do is fully submerge it in a fast flow, anchor it down with a little bit of drop, feed it and keep an eye on the level of your cons. Dump as needed.