Converting a Raptor to a Dredge

A

Armitage

Jr. Member
Aug 12, 2017
29
59
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey,

I got a Gold Hog Raptor and would like to convert it to a dredge.
Do u think its possible to use a 4 inch suction nozzle with a 4 inch hose that feeds the high banker?

I saw the videos the Doc put online using a 2 inch and a 2,5 inch, so, I am not sure if the high banker can keep up with this.
Maybe i should use a extension for the high banker.

I have very limited time and the best places are 3 days driving away. If i could get more material with a 4 inch, I would prefer the 4 inch.
 

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2 1/2" is the max might get a Hydro-force nozzle for versatility, the monster/super hog is 14"
they use a 3" hydro-force when beach mining
.
.(go to 4:55min you can see how fast the water is moving)
 

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You need a lot of pump power to lift 4" of slurry into a highbanker hopper.
 

Ok, in this case i get a 2,5! Has to be enough.

Thanks
 

on a dredge the sluice is as close to the water as possible to reduce the power requirements
with a high-banker to run a 4" suction nozzle you would need a 11 to 13HP motor.
having a 2.5" nozzle for a high-banker is used to suck out the bottom of the hole to get all the gold.
I think you'll be happy saving on equipment you have to carry & setup, the faster you get setup the more time running.

as a rule of thumb for sluice size needed for the amount of water
  • 4" to 6" toy or clean up
  • 8" to 10" for 2" nozzle,
  • 10" to 12" for a 2" or 2.5" nozzle
  • 14" for a 3" nozzle or powerjet
  • 16" for a 4" nozzle or powerjet
  • 20" for a 5" or 6" mini, powerjet
  • 26" for a 6" powerjet
  • 28" for 8" dredge
*you can fudge a little, depends on the riffle or matting used.
 

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winners58 said:
on a dredge
*you can fudge a little, depends on the riffle or matting used.
Click to expand...

winners...I fudged a little all of last season....shhhhhhh!!!!!! HA!

But here's my 2cents...a high banker is a highbanker and a dredge is a dredge.
 

that's true, a highbanker the water drops or is falling, a dredge the water is being pushed.
if you have more water you can change the angle, even if the water is splashing over the sides
the heavy's & most impotently the gold, will still be on the bottom.
 

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That? is not a pump... You need double the normal for a highbanker be used as a dredge because of the extra lift needed and the distance. So if a 2-1/2" dredge needs at least 150gpm with a suction nozzle, your going to want 300gpm to be able to run it on the bank and have good suction. You would be much better off with a Proline HP300 minimum. Because you need distance, your going to need a high pressure pump. We run an HP400 on ours
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLcAJzGCJ3Q7yKW1aDzym2cRP04AkIK0q4&t=60s&v=HvbYwzaTX80
 

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Armitage said:
Hey,

Well, I got the raptor, and i am planning to use this pump

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...de=as2&tag=goldhog-20&linkId=BLBNGE6UKOISWN6O

What do u think about the right suction nozzle for this pump?
Click to expand...

Let me try to explain a couple of things. A "HIGHBANKER" like your rapter is only set up for material being poured or shovelled into it. All you need is a fresh water or trash pump with enough water flow to keep the sluice box working properly NO NEED for high pressure. You mentioned a "nozzle" meaning you have intentions of sucking material thru a hose into the hopper....big difference. You need high pressure water source (motor/pump) to make a nozzle suck properly and NONE of the combo units come with a strong enough motor/pump IMO. Now try to use the term "power sluice" when referring the use of a suction hose/nozzle into a "highbanker". A dredge is in need of a high presure pump to have enough force to extricate gravel up thru a hose into the sluice box. Two kinds of "nozzle systems" can be used. One has the powered water source at the nozzle, suction nozzle [ http://www.keeneeng.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SN ], the other close to the sluice (jet/venturi). Most systems used with an out of water unit use a nozzle/water source at the sucking end of the hose...most dredges incorporate a "jet log" close to the sluice box.The biggest difference is that you can take a suction nozzle ( Suction Nozzles: Keene Engineering Online ) out of the water with no problem but if you remove the nozzle using a "jet log [ Power Jets: Keene Engineering Online ] " .....well.....you gotta see it and it's not a good thing.
Since a couple of years ago when the creek flooded overnight and probably sent our Keene combo down stream and on a path for japan (managed to retrieve alot of pieces out of a downstream tree but not the hopper/sluice) I converted an old 3 inch crash box into a "power sluice" with a Honda 6.5 extra motor/pump I had and used the 2 1/2 suction nozzle/hose etc. My carrying buckets to drop into a hopper are over....just suckin' these days. For the price of that Amazon Honda/trash pump you posted it's either to much for one or not the right pump for the other ( 6.5 HP Honda Engine & Pump: Keene Engineering Online )!!! If I was you I'd try to find a good used 5 or 6.5hp off a dredge and not look back.
I didn't spend to much time checking that raptor out but it appeared not to be built for a suction nozzle/power sluice...just as a "HIGHBANKER" clue me in.
 

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Well, I live in Japan, I cant use a dredge over here, thats impossible. I can only search in small rivers or creeks(to small for a dredge) with no roads. If a river has no roads or hiking path, nobody will notice me.
Because all the areas with gold are really far away i can only go there when i have holiday(not much of holiday in a Japanese company!)
I dont mind carrying my highbanker up the river, pumps and so on..

I was planning to get this pump because i read and saw this.

Convert to Dredge | Gold HighBanker

Over there is this video:


And when u watch this video, u can see that Doc is using this pump, and to me its seems like its working fine, seems to do the job just the way it should do it.
So, I pretty much plan to do the same thing, I cant see what is wrong with this pump!
I think its to small for a 4 inch suction nozzle, I understand that. I will use something smaller.

And i cant get something like a used dredge engine, because, nobody here is doing this kind of things.
There are not even high bankers sold in Japan, I have to order from the US.
 

should work if you are just mining in-stream but if you want to use it off stream you would be under powered
you lose pressure pumping water to the nozzle then more pumping up from a hole and lose suction power
to the point of not getting the gold out of the hole.
I would run 2" hose and reduce it just before the nozzle.

you can get a Keene P180 for $385 another 80 for a footvalve & mounting plate
250 GPM Direct Mount Pump: Keene Engineering Online
then find a 5hp to 6.5hp threaded shaft motor for less than $250
turn a few bolts and you will have something that will power lots of things and future projects.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kohler-Cou...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Briggs-Str...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-5-HP-HY2...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Honda-...268008&hash=item25b469993d:g:8xAAAOSwwPhWj3mC
just an idea of what would work, I'm sure you could find a motor locally that would work :occasion14:

just threaded shaft motor from northern tool same seller as the trash pump you were looking at
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_303_303
 

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Yeah, its possible to buy a used engine over here. That would be the cheapest option, I will think about it, Thanks!

What u think about this pump?
The PSI and GPH are higher then the first pump...

https://www.amazon.com/NorthStar-Hi...163&sr=1-15&keywords=High+Pressure+Water+Pump

(Total Head (ft.): 263, Flow (GPH): 10,550, Discharge Port (in.): 3, Engine Displacement (cc): 270, Max. Suction Lift (ft.): 26, Max. PSI: 116)
 

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this is the impeller in a dredge pump ........ this is whats in a trash pump.
2017_0923_135001_007.JPG . s-l300.jpg

the trash pump is made for moving water alright but more for farm irrigation
a dredge pump is made for forcing the water through a 3/4" orifice with a lot of force.

I've used the 2" trash pump with a combo with a nozzle and wasn't impressed,
it was setup in the water on legs and worked a hole along the edge of the river, it was frustrating.
my brother had a 2" nozzle with a keene p90 on a honda wx?
and I had a 2 1/2" nozzle on a keene p100 an 3.5hp briggs
both worked ok but had to be within inch's of the waters surface, try the setup with the sluice setting
on rocks or the side of the stream it wouldn't have much suction and easily clog up.
 

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the motor has to have a threaded shaft for the impeller to screw on to
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_303_303
or
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...8KhmMKxsVPKr8OuKqXevFWHgnyGLHKBRoCMn8QAvD_BwE

this one uses the 1 1/2" inlet its easier find the hose/connectors for.
2.5" Suction Nozzle for 1.5" Pressure Hose: Keene Engineering Online

if you are just wanting to work in-water might just go with the original 2" trash pump
like Doc's setup, it would work alright for just getting started in prospecting.
 

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Japan...o.k. Seems to be a good location for placer gold. Never knew that before. Check to see if you can find a local Predator engine w/ 5/8 inch threaded shaft at a local outlet. Good solid engines. Basically a Honda knockoff but much lower price.
And winners is right... have Sam @ Armadillo Mining, Grants Pass, Oregon, USA have you sent a catalog via mail or go to their website: Dredge Sales, Dive Equipment, Mining Supplies and Metal Detectors - Armadillo Mining Shop - ArmadilloMining.com
 

Hey,

Thanks for the infos.

I will get the bigger Honda Engine from Northern tools and the nozzle, (mendoAu) I dont mind ordering there, but i dont buy in the next time, no need for this tools during the winter!

Japan has a lot of gold and also special areas where u find a lot of platin, iridium, osmium. Not just gold and silver.
Because Japanese only search with pans and sometimes a river sluice(hobby). There is still a lot left.
But, whoever reads this, dont come to Japan and try this, u need to be fluent in Japanese to know where to search, and its illigal. And a foreigner that searches gold and cant explain himself will get arrested for sure.
I dont know if i can use a Japanese engine or not, I will research that later, mainly because the pump is american with a inch threaded shaft. And Japan follows the metric system, we dont use inch.

Well, for anyone that has a interrest, here are some Google picture searches with Japanese words. So, like this u can have a look at Japanese gold, if u want.

River Gold (Japanese word: 砂金　Sakin）
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=砂...ypDYAhVJU7wKHXo5CaEQ_AUICigB&biw=1585&bih=928

Tradional Japanese wood Pan（Japanese word:　ゆり板　Yuriita)
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=ゆ...ypDYAhXHwbwKHdBjBqMQ_AUICigB&biw=1585&bih=928

Japanese Natural Gold (日本の自然金　Nihonnoshizenkin)　　－　Some of the pictures are from around the world but a lot from Japan.
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=日...y5DYAhURQLwKHbYxBKkQ_AUICigB&biw=1585&bih=928

Platin, Osmium, Iridium Nuggets from Japan:
¤¢¤Ê¤¿¤Î¥Û¡¼¥à¥Ú¡¼¥¸¥¿¥¤¥È¥ë
 

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