Get em while you can

[Hard Prospector]

Some observations after using the Thompson for over 7 years;

Never have I wished it had adjustable legs, riffle tray or header box. Once the base is set level, the entire machine is efficient. Now I expect some to differ on this which is to be expected. There's beauty in simplicity.

All puffers run best on 1/4" minus material, there fore I have on occasion wished this drywasher came with an (optional) 1/4" grizzly as opposed to the standard 1/2". Wished the same thing of the Keene puffer.

Since Bill has stopped production, price has shot through the roof for the used ones out there. Especially among the snow birds wintering in the Ca and AZ desert. I even heard of one guy (in Quartzite) who had two Thompsons and rented them out by the day!

BTW; your not the only one I've heard looking into building these for re sale.

 

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[1637]

i use two 1/2 screens that i can adjust.works good.
brad

 

[1637]

i dont know how to delete the last two pictures,oh well,the brick is from the indy speedway

 

[mtchuck]

Would anyone be interested in sharing a few closeup photos of a 12V Thompson and some dimensions , I would like to see inside the riffle box and both sides of the riffle tray , length of legs and location of bolt holes Please and Thanks

 

[Clay Diggins]

Would anyone be interested in sharing a few closeup photos of a 12V Thompson and some dimensions , I would like to see inside the riffle box and both sides of the riffle tray , length of legs and location of bolt holes Please and Thanks

Just a random thought...

Why not reach an agreement with Bill and Mary to reproduce Bill's design? You could probably get dimensions, instructions based on experience and maybe some parts or even a completed drywasher in the deal. In my opinion that would be better than publicly attempting to copy Bill's design after he spent so many years perfecting it.

The Thompson drywasher is respected by many, I'm sure others would appreciate it if his original drywasher were being produced again.

Heavy Pans

 

[mtchuck]

Clay Diggins , thank you for your comments , they are well received , and appreciated, thanks again for taking your time to post them .
I will try to clarify my thoughts , first I live in Montana and have done wet prospecting a fair amount when I lived in southern Oregon , now as I get nearer to retirement , I would like to try dessert prospecting . I have family in Tucson now so we will be visiting them from time to time.
So I think joining a local club will be in order .
My thoughts on the Drywasher are this , I have been watching videos , and reading on this forum for a while and came to the conclusion that Bill Thompson’s Drywasher was a great design because it is not too heavy and moderately priced . I also like the Whippet but it is a bit pricey, reasonable though for what it is . I just waited too long to decide to purchase one . If I can find a used one I will buy one though.
I spoke with Mary Thompson earlier this week to see if they had anything left , but she said they sold everything, had nothing left.
I also inquired if anyone was taking over production of them as I had seen an ad for them on a site out of Chicago, she said no one was .
Also she volunteered that he doesn’t have patents on his designs .
I will try talking to her again, thanks for that advice , and looking out for Bill’s intellectual property , I appreciate that .

I know this is very wordy, I’m just trying to explain my intentions.
I thought if this Drywasher style is hard to find and is so liked , that I would make something similar for myself . And if I could make a few available for others at a reasonable cost, I might do that just because I get satisfaction making things . It’s not all about the money , I own an HVAC business with five employees, and I can make a lot more money with a lot less effort than building these Drywashers.
But crafting is a lot of fun and if I can help other people, and make a few new friends, that is the real treasure.
So not trying to copy the Thompson but using what can be learned from it as a starting point .

Thanks again Clay Diggins , I really appreciate and respect your opinion and input .

 

[Clay Diggins]

Clay Diggins , thank you for your comments , they are well received , and appreciated, thanks again for taking your time to post them .
I will try to clarify my thoughts , first I live in Montana and have done wet prospecting a fair amount when I lived in southern Oregon , now as I get nearer to retirement , I would like to try dessert prospecting . I have family in Tucson now so we will be visiting them from time to time.
So I think joining a local club will be in order .
My thoughts on the Drywasher are this , I have been watching videos , and reading on this forum for a while and came to the conclusion that Bill Thompson’s Drywasher was a great design because it is not too heavy and moderately priced . I also like the Whippet but it is a bit pricey, reasonable though for what it is . I just waited too long to decide to purchase one . If I can find a used one I will buy one though.
I spoke with Mary Thompson earlier this week to see if they had anything left , but she said they sold everything, had nothing left.
I also inquired if anyone was taking over production of them as I had seen an ad for them on a site out of Chicago, she said no one was .
Also she volunteered that he doesn’t have patents on his designs .
I will try talking to her again, thanks for that advice , and looking out for Bill’s intellectual property , I appreciate that .

I know this is very wordy, I’m just trying to explain my intentions.
I thought if this Drywasher style is hard to find and is so liked , that I would make something similar for myself . And if I could make a few available for others at a reasonable cost, I might do that just because I get satisfaction making things . It’s not all about the money , I own an HVAC business with five employees, and I can make a lot more money with a lot less effort than building these Drywashers.
But crafting is a lot of fun and if I can help other people, and make a few new friends, that is the real treasure.
So not trying to copy the Thompson but using what can be learned from it as a starting point .

Thanks again Clay Diggins , I really appreciate and respect your opinion and input .

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Chuck. I think you may have misunderstood my intent as well. I didn't assume you were violating anyone's patent or infringing on Bill's intellectual property Chuck. I certainly wasn't questioning your integrity and I think you have been clear what your intentions are.

These type of drywashers have been made in small shops for a very long time. Bill, as you pointed out, was successful in combining price, weight, function and build quality into a great example of how to design and build a successful drywasher. I imagine Bill got some of his ideas and knowledge from other builders that went before him. It would be difficult to make a case for a valid patent or intellectual property right in my opinion.

Did you ask Mary just what was for sale? For all you know you might be able to pick up Bill's patterns or build notes at an affordable price. That could answer all your questions and show Bill just a little of the respect he's worked so hard for over the years. Legacy and all that tends to be more important later in life. That was really all I was trying to convey in my previous post. Since you have a current interest in the details of Bill's build techniques it seemed like there was a possibility of a meeting of the minds. Mutually beneficial exchanges. Stuff like that.

We all good now?

When you get settled in Tucson send me a PM and I'll give you a pointy finger to some good gold for your new drywasher.

Heavy Pans

 

[mtchuck]

Clay Diggins , thanks again, I asked about Drywashers and parts , she said all gone. I didn’t think about further plans or drawings , good thought though, thanks I will call her again .

 

[arizau]

I live in NW Montana , I wouldn’t be opposed to paying shipping , or I have f@mily in Tucson Az . I would like to have one , and I am also interested in making some like them . I spoke with Bill Thomson’s wife Mary the other day ,and no one is taking over for him . I would like to get one , and maybe make some improvements and start producing some , I think that a low to mid priced lightweight Drywashers are now missing from the marketplace. I am interested in finding out what others think?

It's not a Thompson or a Whippet but these plans have all the basic construction info you need. Just substitute aluminum to make things lighter and your ingenuity (and pictures of other washers) to devise different modes of powering the unit, etc. Gold Prospecting and Nugget Hunting is what We do!. Find these and other plans and lots of other interesting info here. http://www.billandlindaprospecting.com/.

Good luck.

PS I love my Whippet.

 

[Hard Prospector]

Bill started out making his drywashers from wood, which evolved into wood/aluminum, then wood/aluminum/steel and finally the aluminum/steel model of the past several years. Constantly tweaking and perfecting, pretty sure I've seen most of them. The all wood model was really neat, wish I had one just for my den. Word had it a couple of old timers around Randsburg shared their puffer knowledge with him for that first model.

 

[mtchuck]

It's not a Thompson or a Whippet but these plans have all the basic construction info you need. Just substitute aluminum to make things lighter and your ingenuity (and pictures of other washers) to devise different modes of powering the unit, etc. Gold Prospecting and Nugget Hunting is what We do!. Find these and other plans and lots of other interesting info here. http://www.billandlindaprospecting.com/.

Good luck.

PS I love my Whippet.

Yes I have those plans thanks , would love to get hands on with one , have only seen videos and a few photos, there are always details you just can’t quite see.

 

[mtchuck]

Bill started out making his drywashers from wood, which evolved into wood/aluminum, then wood/aluminum/steel and finally the aluminum/steel model of the past several years. Constantly tweaking and perfecting, pretty sure I've seen most of them. The all wood model was really neat, wish I had one just for my den. Word had it a couple of old timers around Randsburg shared their puffer knowledge with him for that first model.

I have spoken with Bills wife Mary a couple of times , seems really nice , I wish I could have met them before his health declined. I used to live just a couple of hours north of there .

 

[arizau]

It's not a Thompson or a Whippet but these plans have all the basic construction info you need. Just substitute aluminum to make things lighter and your ingenuity (and pictures of other washers) to devise different modes of powering the unit, etc. Gold Prospecting and Nugget Hunting is what We do!. Find these and other plans and lots of other interesting info here. billandlindaprospecting.com -&nbspbillandlindaprospecting Resources and Information..

Good luck.

PS I love my Whippet.

I'm making this post because the link for Bill and Linda prospecting that I originally referenced above is no longer valid. That website had numerous free detailed plans for all kinds of mining equipment as well as a lot of informative or just plain entertaining articles. If anyone has a new link I and probably many others who were fans of the site would be appreciative.

 

[Bodfish Mike]

I'm making this post because the link for Bill and Linda prospecting that I originally referenced above is no longer valid. That website had numerous free detailed plans for all kinds of mining equipment as well as a lot of informative or just plain entertaining articles. If anyone has a new link I and probably many others who were fans of the site would be appreciative.

Bill and Linda prospecting was a great site -- hope all is well with him -- learned lots and built my drywasher off his plans.
Cheers Mike

 

[Clay Diggins]

Bill and Linda's site may be coming back soon.

Stay tuned

Heavy Pans

 

[Vorra65]

Cool, I need some backup components......������