Gold Hog Mat Performance

AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,251
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
So I decided to run 35 gallons of 1/2" screened dirt I had saved from my last trip southeast of Tucson. I setup my new 12" x 60" x 4" sluice that's outfitted with Gold Hog Mats. The pump was nearly running a max flow of which is 8000GPH but I have throttled down from the 2" NPT to 1-1/2" ID nipple so the flow is less. The sluice was setup with a drop of 1.5" per foot or 10 degrees. I was very excited to run sluice for the second time as I ran the sluice one other time. I was feeding the sluice at a very face rate. As you can see the Gold Hog Mats retained the fine gold as well as large gold. I have yet to rerun the paydirt but will soon. I will provide a link to the videos once they have been processed.


T188.jpg T189.jpg T191.jpg
 

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I like your rubber damper and id like to copy your design on my dredge,if youd be so kind to allow!

Sure I have no issues, if I posted it its free game. I just ripped down a piece of nylon, rounded the edges with a router, then cut a groove with the table saw. I then tapped three holes and used stainless steel screws to secure the 1/8" rubber mat. Will have a video up in 20 minutes of the damper in use.
 

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I believe I need to run the sluice at a steeper angle to aid in cleaning more of the dirt from the mats. Anybody who is running Gold Hog Mats what's your opinion when you look at the second video? The first photo is to show how well the damper is smoothing out the water. Before the mat I had such a rush of water down the center of the sluice.



 

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Looking great AZ! I can't wait to get my sluice set up with my new mating. I'm thinking of going out high-banking first just to learn how to run the mats. Like you I'm stoked to see the material running. Have you had the surgery yet?
 

Looking great AZ! I can't wait to get my sluice set up with my new mating. I'm thinking of going out high-banking first just to learn how to run the mats. Like you I'm stoked to see the material running. Have you had the surgery yet?

No surgery yet. That all takes place on Wednesday and will be back home on Thursday and digging for gold on Friday... LOL... Sure...
 

No surgery yet. That all takes place on Wednesday and will be back home on Thursday and digging for gold on Friday... LOL... Sure...
thats the spirit!
 

Be interesting to see if you find any gold in the second run
of the material. Was the paydirt already good and wet when
you were feeding it in?
 

Be interesting to see if you find any gold in the second run
of the material. Was the paydirt already good and wet when
you were feeding it in?

Mike it was not and I am afraid I will find gold on the second run as I had clay balls that would have never broken up due to the speed of the water flow over the mats. Those buckets had been sitting around for a few month from the time I ran them so the dirt had dried out, but this will be a good test as everything is wet now and will be once I rerun everything. I will just salt some buckets of dirt once I rerun everything and do another test. Hell I am going to have a good 4 weeks after allowing 4 weeks to heal and rehab to mess around with rerunning dirt.
 

Good luck on the surgery AZ. I had mine done in mid April, 3 months after the original injury. I was playing in the creek before the surgery and again within 2 weeks after the surgery. Of course this was against recommendations by both the Doc and the wife. Obviously i had to take it easy and shoveling one handed came with a learning curve, but I was going nuts sitting on the couch. I stuck with PT 2-3 times a week for 3 months and was back to 95% in 4 months. Surgeon said it would take 6 so i figured my extra curricular PT worked out for me.
 

Hey AZ, after your surgury, forget about sleeping in your bed for maybe a week or more. laying in bed will put a strain on that surgury site. i used my recliner to sleep on! it was the only way i could get up! and start your own PT as soon as your up to it useing a rope and pullys overhead to extend your upward reach. youll be happy you did this once your real pT starts! plus work on your strength for that arm, because youll lose some of it. im older and maybe thats why i did??
 

Hey AZ, after your surgury, forget about sleeping in your bed for maybe a week or more. laying in bed will put a strain on that surgury site. i used my recliner to sleep on! it was the only way i could get up! and start your own PT as soon as your up to it useing a rope and pullys overhead to extend your upward reach. youll be happy you did this once your real pT starts! plus work on your strength for that arm, because youll lose some of it. im older and maybe thats why i did??

Oh I plan to start PT in the hospital before I leave. I did when I got a new knee. I plan to work on the PT day in and day out as I want full range of motion as I do with my knew.
 

AZ what is your mat configuration like it looks like u have ur and then some riverhog anything else

UR - UR - Razorback - Scrubber - Razorback - Scrubber - Riverhog - Scrubber - Riverhog - Scrubber - UR

The sluice is 12" X 60" x 4" x .080. The Riverhog has been cut down.
 

Ok but first 2 thing 1 im not doc and my 2 cents are only worth a penny.
now if I did the math correctly you should still have one piece of river hog and one piece of Razorback
still left over? my next question would be did you cut the river hog mats at an angle when you cut them
down? If so great. you may need to watch the video on dredge mat configuration he shows two different styles of cuts
I might suggest you use your extra piece and cut it opposite the other 2 (2 will face
same 1 other way). Ok here goes ur scrub scrub razor river river (2 face same way) river razor razor ur ur
This would be my first try otherwise ur scrub scrub razor scrub scrub river river razor ur ur
Remember they tell you to start with the water and angle at extreme then watch the materials to see if they are
exchanging then bring your pitch down or your water down.All in all your not to far off. Hope it helps
 

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Yes the Mats have been cut and no I can't use the other two pieces because all the master super glued together. I am very happy with the performance to this point. The ultra fine gold recovered is amazing.
 

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