Building a highbanker

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Tophunt said:
Kaz, your a buzy man, will you have it done by next weekend and need a truck? Good choice on the thicker material. It should bend up easy and be plenty strong. I picked up a Royal highbanker today, it's not very big, but a start.
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No, I will not have it doen by next weekend. I need a pump and hoses, nozzle, etc first. If you want, though, maybe we can go up to Turkey Creek with a pan, shovel, and the detectors... Don't want to go up a creek without a pan, like I did last time!!
 

Well, got my punch plate punched. About 300 1/4 inch holes. Not the neatest job in the world, but feels good getting it dun! Tomorrow I plan on working on geting the slots cut in the bottom of the header box. I am going to look some more tonight, but I am planning on doing slots about 1/4" wide randomly across the bottom of the header box. That way I am not messing with making bars. I will be putting the slots across the box.
 

Well, I tried to post pictures, but it is not working. I will try and figure it out. Ugh
 

After a couple of hours searching the dredging forum here on TN, I have come to the conclusion (doitlaynestyle) that I need this Gold Dredge Power Nozzle , and a pump. I saw the pump he recommends. Am I wrong in thinking that this set up will allow me to dredge and dry land dredge as well? Also, with the same pump idled down, I can highbank? My set up is 10" wide with a hopper box 9.5" wide. Let me know what you all think.
 

Well, pictures finally uploaded correctly. Here are the pieces I made. Hopper box with end cap. I need to cut my slots in the bottom of the hopper box for a grizzly before I attach the endcap. The sluice is 42" long and 10" wide. I am waiting until I get my mats assembled, then I will be cutting the sluice down. I expect it to be 36" long when I am done. Highbanker dredge pieces.JPG100_6392.JPG100_6394.JPG100_6395.JPG
 

just wanted to throw this out there ,i use grills from old bbq grills as small grizzlys, they are 3/8 and will take a beating with what ever you throw at them with a shovel.easy to cut to size and there are always some around.when cutting to size i leave the (cross rods) alil longer than your box is wide and drill 4 holes this way you can attach grizzlys with ease,just a thought. your project is looking good man, very cool.
 

Well, I got a look at the prices on that dryland suction nozzle. $300. So, after a short bit of research on the internet. (You know that they can't put anything on the internet that isn't true!) I came up with this scheme. I am thinking that I can get a large pump. The one I posted a link to a few posts back does a little over 9,000 gallons an hour. Then, I can get a standard 2" suction nozzle. Lastly, I install a ball valve to direct a portion of the water through a smaller hose down to the end of the nozzle. What do you guys think of this?
 

I stopped and picked up some aluminum bar stock today. $26 for four blanks and some formed aluminum scrap. $169 so far. I picked up
1/2" by 1" by 3' pieces. 3 pieces. I put them in my benchtop vise and heated them up with a soldering gun. It took a good ten minutes of heat to form each piece. I got them good and hot, and then applied steady pressure as I heated them. That did the trick. They have 3 and 1/4" legs now that are 1/2" thick. Prob be pretty hard to wear them out. I wacked them off with a sawz-all so that on flat ground, they will have a 2.5" drop per foot. Next step is to cut and shave the bracket material so that it will sit flat on the sides of the sluice. I plan on drilling two holes in the brackets on a 1 and 1/4" offset. Then, I will drill out the legs with 1/2" offsets. That way, I will have 1/4" set points. Here are a couple of pics. Note* I know that there are leg kits for sale, but I want to keep this as home built as possible. So far, the only things that I haven't made or formed myself are the rivets that hold together the sluice and hopper box. 100_6401.JPG100_6402.JPG
 

How big should I go? I want to dryland dredge as well. I figure highbanking on idle with whatever pump I get.
 

Well, I have been busy making a leg kit for the build. Not turning out so well. I got the kit all done and bolted it up. It wobbles like crazy. I am heading over to AandB in Mesa today to look at their Keene leg kit. The slots in my header box are turning out nicely, though. Goldhog in Georgia got hit with a winter storm, so my mat got delayed until Monday. Hoping to get the rest of it done this weekend, so that all I am waiting for is money to get a pump and hoses, foot valve, nozzle. I imagine by the time I get this monstrosity built, all the creeks will be dry. Oh well. I'll get some pics up later today or tomorrow.
 

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Well, I had a convo with a guy at the mining shop. He is saying I will only be able to use about 12' of suction line between the nozzle and header box. If that is true, then I am going to be dropping the dredge part of this build. Any comments?
 

I just picked up a GX120 off ebay for $120. Now, I need to find a pump to go with it.
 

Well, here are some pics of the header box and sluice assembled with the stand I purchased. Any thoughts? 100_6406.JPG100_6403.JPG100_6404.JPG100_6405.JPG100_6407.JPG
 

Kaz, looks great to me! Can't wait to see some gold from it. Nice job.
 

The mat will be here tomorrow. I will work on that this week. Then, it is pump, nozzle and hose time. Are you volunteering to work the nozzle?
 

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