Fluid bed sluice plan

[crabtree]

You need to get some footage of your box in action. Some YouTube results, cleanouts, etc.

Yes I do. It's just a little tricky trying to feed it with one hand and video with the other. I couldn't live with myself if I ended up dropping it in the water.

 

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[Goldfleks]

Go Pro!

 

[Sockeye1730]

I've got a knock off "geek pro" from amazon that works great for less than $100. It uses go pro accessories. All the features of a $400 go pro. Quality isn't quite as good, but plenty good for me

 

[Sockeye1730]

Can't wait to test my zabooka. Finished it just in time for a winter storm warning, lol. March is soooo my least favorite month, haha.

Thinking about making a mini now.. pretty sure I can scour up enough scrap aluminum. Thinking about making one with a slightly larger / deeper trap

 

[G-bone]

Sockeye1730,

If you redo the trap area, try and go with Goodguys idea of a low pressure trap.
I think - if I am envisioning it right - he means something like this:


And it total makes sense too.

 

[Vagadero]

Your diagram will work against what I was suggesting. Appears to me that It would scour even more due to the venturi effect created by the narrow opening into the trap itself.
Better to have a wider trap at the opening if you want to create a lower pressure drop zone. Then the trap could widen out even more from there if you wanted.

GG~

I run out of ideas.

G-bone, nice drawing but complicated to build.

 

[G-bone]

G-bone, nice drawing but complicated to build.

Agreed on that, especially for us hobbyists.
But if sockeye is using aluminum and welding it all together, I think he can mock it up fairly easy.
Just a thought....

Cheers!

 

[Goodyguy]

Sockeye1730,

If you redo the trap area, try and go with Goodguys idea of a low pressure trap.
I think - if I am envisioning it right - he means something like this:
View attachment 1421220

And it total makes sense too.

You definitely have the concept right G-bone.

I doubt the potential increase in recovery would justify the extra trouble to build the low pressure trap.
Although If I ever do feel the need to build another fluid bed gold trap I'm sure I will go that route.
However, I'm so satisfied with the recovery of my currant build that I doubt I will feel the need.

As you know I'm not a big fan of the inclined grizzly so my version would look more like my diagram below.
I do get that the inclined grizzly holds larger gravels there to get a better wash but I'm not crazy about clearing the jambs.



GG~

 

[Sockeye1730]

I'm playing with ideas of making a larger fluid bed for running tailings from the Alaska Gastineau mine. It's a huge beach here with quite a bit of gold left in it, just really, really small stuff. I'm thinking along the lines of "minny" powered with bilge pumps.

Gonna try a gold cube there in April to see how that works out.

 

[Goodyguy]

I'm playing with ideas of making a larger fluid bed for running tailings from the Alaska Gastineau mine. It's a huge beach here with quite a bit of gold left in it, just really, really small stuff. I'm thinking along the lines of "minny" powered with bilge pumps.

Gonna try a gold cube there in April to see how that works out.

Great idea!
Love me some gold cube
Some folks say they get better results with a beach box designed specifically for those sands.
But I have never tried one of those.

Would rather work virgin ground but I would be happy to run tailings from any of the productive big wash plants in AK or the Yukon.
The 5-10% or more that they lose I would be happy to recover a share of!

GG~

 

[Sockeye1730]

Yeah, they look great, except the price tag, haha. I'm just not sure if it can run enough tailing sands in a tide. My Dad us bringing one up that they use on WA beaches.

I've also had ideas of making a drop-trap beach box type sluice, but I dunno... should really just save up for a gas pump :b

 

[Sockeye1730]

...

 

[arizau]

I'm playing with ideas of making a larger fluid bed for running tailings from the Alaska Gastineau mine. It's a huge beach here with quite a bit of gold left in it, just really, really small stuff. I'm thinking along the lines of "minny" powered with bilge pumps.

Gonna try a gold cube there in April to see how that works out.

Sockeye1

You should look up rayzer13 over on the goldprospectingforum.com. He is a Juneau local who dredges the tailings and sometimes works local streams. He is a Gold Hog advocate. The videos he posts are always entertaining.

Good luck.

 

[Sockeye1730]

Haha, yeah I've met Ray. He's quite the character! I saw a gold hog banker on craigslist for sale, hope it wasn't his

 

[crabtree]

GG, where can I buy the punch plate you use? Or what are the specs so I can google it?

 

[russau]

www.micknickles.com www.mcmaster-car.com If you don't have a location close to you ,try online ordering.

 

[mofugly13]

You definitely have the concept right G-bone.

I doubt the potential increase in recovery would justify the extra trouble to build the low pressure trap.
Although If I ever do feel the need to build another fluid bed gold trap I'm sure I will go that route.
However, I'm so satisfied with the recovery of my currant build that I doubt I will feel the need.

As you know I'm not a big fan of the inclined grizzly so my version would look more like my diagram below.
I do get that the inclined grizzly holds larger gravels there to get a better wash but I'm not crazy about clearing the jambs.
View attachment 1421358


GG~

Combining both of these ideas, with a little more thought, a removable trap could be a possibility.

 

[Sockeye1730]

The problem with a removable trap is how to seal it?

The scoop and tubes need to be sealed to maintain a pressure gradient otherwise I don't think the gold trap would work. I suppose some rubber gaskets could be used, but seems like a PITA to build

 

[G-bone]

Combining both of these ideas, with a little more thought, a removable trap could be a possibility.

I had the same idea Mofugly!!
That would be sweet to drop the trap and empty it, without having to lift the whole sluice after painstakingly, placed perfectly!
But that removes the KISS factor out of it....at least if your contemplating production.
I am very temped to try and make one out of my 24" Sniper.

And per Sockeye's notes, yes a good seal is the main battle.
Doing it once on my own sluice, I think is worth it.
O-ring gasket type material in long strands glued on the proper edges.
Cam-type clamps pulling the trap up and into the sluice bottom....I think it would work.

 

[mofugly13]

I had the same idea Mofugly!!
That would be sweet to drop the trap and empty it, without having to lift the whole sluice after painstakingly, placed perfectly!
But that removes the KISS factor out of it....at least if your contemplating production.
I am very temped to try and make one out of my 24" Sniper.

And per Sockeye's notes, yes a good seal is the main battle.
Doing it once on my own sluice, I think is worth it.
O-ring gasket type material in long strands glued on the proper edges.
Cam-type clamps pulling the trap up and into the sluice bottom....I think it would work.

I have so many ideas that could make bazooka clones easy and fast to produce...

But I am not a businessman, and have no time, or money, to be the new Mr. Bazooka. So, anything I do would be a one-off for myself. And in that case, the issue of extra time taken is moot. The cam type clamps pulling the trap up and into the sluice bottom is exactly what I was thinking. My thoughts are that the removable trap and tubes are one unit, and there is a vertical piece, at the end of the plenum sealing the end of the plenum. That piece would have three holes for the tubes in the trap to fit into. This would also serve to locate the trap properly against the body of the sluice. basically, the back wall of the trap fits against the front wall of the plenum, with the tubes passing through them both. Then, an O-ring around each of the tubes between the back trap wall and the front plenum wall to seal it, should do the trick.

For prototyping, the cam type clamp on many tool boxes would do the trick, I think something along the lines of what Jeep uses to hold the hood down on Wranglers would be ideal. Even some strong springs could be used if done right.

Crap, I see a trip to TAP plastics in my future....