Buying first set of classifiers - Help!

[Fossil4Life]

I'm looking to buy my first set of classifiers. What manufacturers should I be looking at, as well as features to look out for?

Thanks!

 

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[Hoser John]

First-buy used and not abused as new insane pricing. Forums,craigslist,swap meets or garage sales everywhere or make your own. 1/4 & 1/16" my favorites for field work. Working cons for fines total different story-John

 

[KevinInColorado]

To add on, for finish processing your concentrates, add a 30 and a 50 mesh...makes the finish panning or whatever go much better.

then someday when you've built up enough processed concentrates to be worth it, maybe get a 100 mesh to reprocess those old, accumulated heavies. Hard to get enough gold that way to justify the $$ for the classifier though.

 

[GoldpannerDave]

First-buy used and not abused as new insane pricing. Forums,craigslist,swap meets or garage sales everywhere or make your own. 1/4 & 1/16" my favorites for field work. Working cons for fines total different story-John

Ordinary window/door screen is about 12 mesh and easy to make into a classifier. There are plans on the internet for making 1/2" hardware cloth into a classifier using a 5 gal bucket. This would work for 1/4" also.

 

[Fossil4Life]

Can someone tell me why the Jobe Gold Classifiers are so darn expensive compared to other options, such as Gold Rush classifiers or Top Gold classifiers? What, if anything, makes Jobe classifiers worth their price?

 

[SLNugget]

Can someone tell me why the Jobe Gold Classifiers are so darn expensive compared to other options, such as Gold Rush classifiers or Top Gold classifiers? What, if anything, makes Jobe classifiers worth their price?

Heavier more durable wire in the screen and 6 support spokes instead of 4. More impact resistant plastic. Quality always costs more and will last longer.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Get ahold of AzViper. He's got a friend who sells classifiers
that are decent quality and a damn good price.

FWIW, as said above you can make classifiers out of
1/2", 1/4" and 1/8" wire screen you can get at any hardware
store. Depending on the gold and where you're working
those three should cover just about any classifying you'll need
to do in the field.

For final clean up, I use 30, 60 and 100 mesh, but they are
only 6" and not the full sized ones.

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Get ahold of AzViper. He's got a friend who sells classifiers
that are decent quality and a damn good price.

FWIW, as said above you can make classifiers out of
1/2", 1/4" and 1/8" wire screen you can get at any hardware
store. Depending on the gold and where you're working
those three should cover just about any classifying you'll need
to do in the field.

For final clean up, I use 30, 60 and 100 mesh, but they are
only 6" and not the full sized ones.

I use about the same sizes but even with the fine (tiny) gold in Colorado, but I don't use 1/8th in the field; too much extra trouble since my LeTrap and Bazooka can handle that easily with no problems. As several have said, it depends on the area you are working (size of the gold); here it is consistently very small.

For clean up at home, to get the cons ready for the Miller table, I use the same small (6 inch) classifiers listed here. Good luck.

 

[Fossil4Life]

I think I've decided to go with the purple JOBE gold classifiers. Which sizes do you all recommend as a must have at the very least to get started?

 

[Duckwalk]

1/2 for sure, then 50 and 100 for fine gold. just my 2 cents.

 

[SLNugget]

I think I've decided to go with the purple JOBE gold classifiers. Which sizes do you all recommend as a must have at the very least to get started?

I use mostly a 1/2 inch in the field in AZ. In WA running a stream sluice I use a 1/4 and sometimes a 1/8.

I have 20 - 30 -50-70 and 100s also but don't use them much anymore. Use the 20 before running stuff on the Black Magic. But we run it in the desert not at home. My partner takes stuff home and uses 50-100 to play in the black sands.

 

[arizau]

I think I've decided to go with the purple JOBE gold classifiers. Which sizes do you all recommend as a must have at the very least to get started?

This is a loaded question. For streamside/field classifying get the largest mesh bucket classifier that your equipment (sluice?) can handle. The exception is if you have to carry buckets a long distance. In this case choose your poison. Let your sluice do most of the work. If you are strictly panning then go fairly large, pan and rake off or pick out large stones to reduce volume, add more material, repeat. Do this several times then save your concentrates and repeat. Save your final panning to separate gold for the end of the day or at home. Only pan to completion when testing to see if you are on, or still on the gold then start a production run. Classifying takes a lot of time so the smaller you classify the less material you have to process in a day. Running large volumes of material is what you should shoot for. For classifying concentrates you probably don't need a bucket classifier as a 4 or 6 " in 30, 50 and 100 mesh are probably all you will need unless you generate large volumes of concentrate. Small mesh classifiers like these are important since gold is easier to pan if it is about the same size as the rest of the material in the pan.

 

[Prospector70]

ok since we are talking classifiers (ugh! LOL)
I've noticed on my 1/8 inch classifier its got a + on the bottom that stuff hangs up on them because where it touches the screen it's flat. (shewt i better hit that with a rubber hammer a few times over a pan...)
I've always thought something round would be better for the supporting spokes...

So with the smaller cleanup classifiers I notice mine always get clogged up. What do y'all do to keep this from happening or what do you use to clean the screen off? The 100 mesh is like a piece of glass, this is going to take forever... lol
Best wishes for light shovels and full pans,
P70

 

[arizau]

ok since we are talking classifiers (ugh! LOL)
I've noticed on my 1/8 inch classifier its got a + on the bottom that stuff hangs up on them because where it touches the screen it's flat. (shewt i better hit that with a rubber hammer a few times over a pan...)
I've always thought something round would be better for the supporting spokes...

So with the smaller cleanup classifiers I notice mine always get clogged up. What do y'all do to keep this from happening or what do you use to clean the screen off? The 100 mesh is like a piece of glass, this is going to take forever... lol
Best wishes for light shovels and full pans,
P70

Rubber or flexible soft plastic bowl scraping thingy (don't know what you call them) rubbed on the bottom of the screen should clear most of them without damaging the screen. This is close to what they use in labs.

 

[Fossil4Life]

I guess I should have been more specific about how I plan to use the classifiers. My bad, LOL!

So, let me preface this by saying that I have degenerative disc disease in my lower back. I am trying to create a prospecting situation that is as low impact/stress to my back as possible. I plan to gold prospect in rivers, streams and creeks, rocks and such no bigger than my fist. I have no intention of lugging heavy/bulky equipment into the claim (dredgers, large sluices, highbankers etc.). I am trying to keep things light, small yet highly effective at moving large amounts of material in a short time.

I have purchased a HogPan (Large Gold Pan - The Hog Pan) and will be using that to square away most of the large rocks and debris. Whatever falls through the 1/4" grizzly bars will be what I concentrate with my classifiers. My main goal is to avoid classifying/panning while on the water so that I can maximize the amount of material I can bring home per trip. I will do the classifying/panning/cleanup at home where I can be more comfortable.

At this time, I am leaning heavily on a Miller-type table. Whether I build one or buy, I'm not certain yet. If I do buy, it will most likely be a Black Magic, or something similar.

Hopefully the above will give you folks a bit more insight as to which size classifiers I should use. If anyone has a better idea or advice concerning the above, please let me know. Thank you! =)

 

[AzViper]

Without a doubt you need to make sure the classifiers are of stainless steel wire. I do know someone who sells classifiers by the single, set of three, set of 5, and a set of 9. We use them and they hold up well. He will mix and match sets if you see a size or a combination of sizes you want. These are of the 6 spoke design. Obviously you get a much better deal buying the larger sets. FREE SHIPPING!!!

9 Piece Set<<<LINK


5 Piece Set<<<LINK

 

[ISOG]

TRy these. Ordered them a few weeks ago and they work great plus you get a free gold pan that is quite nice. 9 piece set <------

 

[Fossil4Life]

Anyone have any experience with these?

Gold Fever Buckets - Home

Pros? Cons?

 

[LRC253]

I've heard they are good fossil, I use Keenes for my gold cube and would recommend getting as deep of a tray as possible. Or even a better idea, get a BGT and don't classify at all. You said you don't want to carry in much, so if you had say a BGT prospector in 1 hand and a shovel and bucket in the other your set. Get a few cans of redbull and have some fun.

 

[2cmorau]

if your set on Jobe # 2 for wet material, #4 for dry material, and then for clean up go for a #30, #50 if your in a lot of fine color, or build some. built these for winter prospecting filled the bucket up with water and the clay and sticky mud would wash off really good