First Dredge!

[okbasspro]

OKBP Dang , I've always had to hump mine in one component at a time. I'm lucky to even have a trail ! LOL

Thanx to LandMatters I have a dredging claim I can drive right to dont have to hand carry anything.

 

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[Auhunt]

Well remember golden rule if you make adventure easy then you'll wrk your ass off for lil instead of pulling right up maybe park 50' an pack in. It like camping you can hike an camp or you can car camp. But have a blast an may yeller flow .

 

[Auhunt]

I hike my gear 2 miles it take a bit to get camp up but it there for a month or so .I enjoy the peice an quiet. But we all mine are own way but still same we get gold.

 

[okbasspro]

I hike my gear 2 miles it take a bit to get camp up but it there for a month or so .I enjoy the peice an quiet. But we all mine are own way but still same we get gold.

I drive 2500 miles round trip I dont want to spend time humping in my equipment plus I just got DANG lucky in finding that claim.

 

[TintedSnow]

Got a pic of the nozzle finally.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mendoAu]

Yep...dang near like my first 3 inch yellow pontooned Keene. Been running twin engined 5 inchers for many years and don't look back. That's a "jet nozzle" designed for shollower water and even out of stream bedrock pockets with the addition of water...re: that hundred feet of layflat blue hose. With a jet nozzle you can remove the nozzle end from water and move to another spot without having a big problem with your sluice like you get by removing a power nozzle/jet log system. I think in time you will know what I mean when you see it happening..HA! Your jet nozzle setup will work better in some ways and visa-versa for power nozzle setups. One "pushes" the flow/material thru many feet of hose the other sucks it . One picture is worth...so here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=jet...sAQIcw&biw=1280&bih=699#imgrc=q4fhyA3dDwVJlM:
You'll find out fast enough about blockages thru-out your system and will want a rubber mallet and a five or six foot 1/2 piece of plumbing pipe to dislodge those plug ups. (thats what the little hole is for at the riffle side of the crashbox, the hammer is for beating along the hose for plugs.) Anywhere you have a bend or reduced spot is a potential problem spot.
Guess I should let you make your final payment before telling you to start saving more money...HA! BUT when you get tired of kickin', cussin' and throwing that Briggs and Stratton, carberator malfunctioning, valve bending tempermental piece of backward engineered motor into the creek STEP UP to a 5.5 Honda/pump and really suck some dirt. By the way, I think you will find that pump has a plastic impeller inside it and probably impossible to locate a replacement. Now, on the more pleasant side of things...crash boxes are great pieces of a darn good working sluice box...perhaps better than my flare/3 stage sluice (modern).
I've used a INNER TUBE 4inch dredge in our creek...not bad, not great but pontoons are very spendy so just to get you on the right track and with a little garage/tool/hardware time:
https://www.google.com/search?q=blu...=RTCxWKC3LIijjwTCyYTABg#imgrc=wgIGdGPZz4NpLM:

I used to be lucky and was able to test my dredge at the community swimming pool (good friends of the park manager). Saves alot of anguish when you find a missing part or bad fitting,etc. Now I'm even luckier...live year around on our 40 acres and watch the creek from my window...and even then I'll have to shut down and come back for a part now and then. It's a ***** when you have 30 or 100 miles to fetch something that only costs a couple of bucks. Set up your tool/spare parts box wisely. Duct tape and two-part epoxy are a MUST HAVE!!!! HA!
ALL in all you will have day after day of joy with your new friend and of course while waiting for the snow to melt I'm sure if you search this and other sites you will gain more tips than will fit in yur noggin.

 

[Reed Lukens]

https://youtu.be/qQiUJ9fwgsk
The inner tube should be filled with just enough air to float, to much air, like in that video, makes it even more unstable. The frame in the video above is the perfect size for your dredge.

 

[Auhunt]

So true. I remember 2yrs ago ia Freund dropped oil plug in water well it gone. An Boise 5 hr drive. Now I carry every part for motor or pump. Enjoy new toy great learner tool or for the kids. Enjoy the adventure an may yeller flow

 

[russau]

ME TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most of the time I drive for 5 - 16 hours to get to where I really like to dredge and forgetting something REALLY BOTHERS ME! And Ive helped quit a few other guys that did forget something! Im also known to be called the portable hardware store!

 

[N-Lionberger]

One time I lost my footvalve, it is possible to get it running without it but boy is it monkey business.

 

[russau]

It depends on what kind of pump you have. Ive heard that some pump doesent need a foot valve to keep it primed.........I don't know what kind that is BUT...

 

[Auhunt]

Like I've said before. Enjoy the Adventure nothing better than being with mother nature.🇺🇸

 

[okbasspro]

It depends on what kind of pump you have. Ive heard that some pump doesent need a foot valve to keep it primed.........I don't know what kind that is BUT...

Trash pumps have a flapper valve inside pump

 

[russau]

Plus foot valves are EZ to make and replace! Ive made several out of check valves and made my screen to keep gravel and rocks out.

 

[jsurddy]

Picked one of these inner tube 2.5” dredges myself a few weeks ago. Didnt have hoses or nozzle and the motor was seized. Got it pretty cheap. Fixed everything and took it out last weekend. Pump is sealed up and moves water really well, but it turns out the ignition coil on the 3hp briggs is bad. Luckily i also brought my old 3”, so still got some suction time in. Mine is a little older than yours, it doesnt have the flared hose inlet on the crash box. Otherwise it’s all the same. I’d put a pic up, but it wont work.