anyone want to rent a dredge in NC?

H

helogunner

Greenie
Aug 1, 2012
19
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi folks,
I live in NC and started small time prospecting last winter. I'm hooked......So far, I have confined myself to three creeks and have not had a shut out yet! All family land so no land use rules apply. I really want a keene 2 or 3 inch but I'm not going to be financially able for a while. My latest creek is just downstream from a major mine here in NC and is on private family land. I found much exposed bedrock, quartz blocks, some the size of volkswagon engines and every pan has produced 10 + small flakes and even one very small nugget.
Anybody have a small dredge they would like to rent out for a day or two? Sorry, but the family member that is the landowner will not allow anyone in but me. I even bought a MD but have not figured out how to use the thing to find gold!

thanks for any info.
 

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What kind of money do you have to play with right now?
You might be able to part one together if you cant find someone to lease you a dredge.
 

Just get a sluicebox as that ramps up production much over pan sampling. Work off bedrock only/cracks/crevices and classify down to 1/2" prior to sluice introduction. Always classify dry as much easier,whenever possible. Straight ol' el simpo used sluice will more than suffice and if the fever continues unabated selling your house is next as the fever will indeed grow-lotza luck-John PS-PRIVATE PROPERTY RULES!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I doubt you will find anyone willing to let you rent their equipment. Letting you work with them on your site for a split would probably be acceptable to some.

As a 4 inch dredge owner, here are MY concerns. This is an expensive peice of "hobby" equipment. You are looking at AT LEAST $6000 in equipment plus extras and there is no insurance like a car rental place. If you don't know what you are doing to could ruin my motor, my pump, the flair, floats, hose.... Every piece is expensive and time consuming to replace. I wouldn't rent out my dredge for less than a $5000 deposit (refundable) plus $250 a day in rent.

That's my persepective, and I've never even seen another owner make ANY offer to rent even though I have seen several others ask.
 

there are some nice pools but the water is not moving fast enough for a sluice yet. I really dont want to bust up the bedrock flakes running across the creek until I get a dredge on them. loose too much material in a shovel!
 

Jason in Enid said:
I doubt you will find anyone willing to let you rent their equipment. Letting you work with them on your site for a split would probably be acceptable to some.

As a 4 inch dredge owner, here are MY concerns. This is an expensive peice of "hobby" equipment. You are looking at AT LEAST $6000 in equipment plus extras and there is no insurance like a car rental place. If you don't know what you are doing to could ruin my motor, my pump, the flair, floats, hose.... Every piece is expensive and time consuming to replace. I wouldn't rent out my dredge for less than a $5000 deposit (refundable) plus $250 a day in rent.

That's my persepective, and I've never even seen another owner make ANY offer to rent even though I have seen several others ask.
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I am sure you are right, probably better chance borrowing their car or wife. I will stick to my earlier plan of getting one slightly used.
local dealer says they are easy to find, people buy them for the dream and after a day working their butts off for a tenth of a gram, they sell.
thanks for the honest opinion!
 

NeoTokyo said:
What kind of money do you have to play with right now?
You might be able to part one together if you cant find someone to lease you a dredge.
Click to expand...

i have been thinking of that, just worried that since i dont know that much on the proper specs for a dredge, i could buy something that will shoot all the gold into the tailings pile. I will keep looking, with Christmas coming, bound to be one hitting the used market
thanks!
 

nickmarch said:
You can look here: All of Craigslist dredge

Here is a 4" in Asheville: gold dredge
Click to expand...

Good find Nick! $2600 would be a decent price if everything is there, in good working order, AND it has air. An air supply is very important when you get to a 4" dredge.

If you are going to look for a used dredge, it can be iffy since you are new to dredges. There are so many things to check for and many are hard to determine without actually flowing some water with it. Here is a list of area I would be sure to look at:
Motor - fires easily, runs solid, no cut-outs or coughs at high speed or idle. CAUTION!! running the motor without water in the pump can ruin the pump seal!
pump - hose mounts (esp input) are solid without chips, cracks, or breaks.
Frame - solid, no obvious damage, no obvious owner re-welds
pontoons - no cracks, breaks, repairs and still have some flexibility. inspect the bottoms CLOSELY.
hoses - no taped-up holes, cracks or damage. Hoses should be flexible (pressure will be stiff by nature, but should still flex)
Flare - no holes or cracks or breaks
sluice - all carpets, moss and riffles in place. Everything locks down solid where latched.

If you go to check out a used sluice, try to find online pics so you know what it should look like before arriving.

Good luck!
 

yep i agree on not renting a dredge out to anyone that possibly dont know how to use one correctly or care for your equipment. but why not find someone that would take you out and learn about useing one, then buy your own? i once offered to let a friend of mine use my dredge (for free)but he never took me up on it thankfully! but you just gave me a idea to offer myself and my dredge up for rent,if they come up with a location and permission tobe there.and ALWAYS workout the details BEFORE you startup and have it in writing! HAVE DREDGE,WILL TRAVEL!:)
 

I think we have pretty much decided to pony-up and get a 3 or mini 4. We do like the ability of an air compressor even with the added weight. just looking at the locations that have tested positive for color, all accessible by truck or four wheeler with a trailer, we may be thankful to be able to move more material through the sluice. russau, you from St. Louis? I was there teaching a course back in June. Chesterfield area....had a blast.
 

I was a Helogunner.....for the Gov
 

pm sent
 

What general area in NC are you from? What type of access is available to the creek/stream. Dirt road... goat path?
 

OKIE said:
Helogunner,
Did you get any equipment yet?
Click to expand...

Nope- I have to go out of the country on business so I have not had time to chase the fever. Have done a couple panning trips with great success. I'll work on it in Feb when I get home. You have one?
 

ncclaymaker said:
What general area in NC are you from? What type of access is available to the creek/stream. Dirt road... goat path?
Click to expand...

Stanly county- most creeks can be accessed by road, at least to within 100 feet or so. Some have paths, wide enough for a truck though
 

I may be interested In playing and teaching ya some
But ya have to be pretty hard core to hit this in the winter
I have wets suite heaters buts still rough
I have 2 4" keenes and a 6 " tripple
How big of creeks r u talking about
Do ya have some pictures
You need at least enough watt er to float I'd say 12 min
And some movement would be nice as it feed ya some clear water for sight
Thanks
 

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