Darren in NC said:
Le Traps are very similar to Garrett's green pans except they are square and the riffles go all the way around the pan instead of just being on one side. I haven't used them. I've only used my Garrett pan, but I have heard good things about them.
Hi, Raleigh!
I've recently joined TreasureNet...and I've been surfing through this site...looking, learning, whatever.
There is lots of talk about pans. What size, what color, what shape(s), riffles, no riffles, deep vs. shallow...what's a guy to think?
I'll tell you what I think... my pan (a big, blue, partially riffle-sided one) is hanging in a tree...where it has hung for years. I don't use it anymore. It's too lossy! Too heavy! My poor back...stooping over to swirl & wash this slurry. Do I use a sluice? I've made a few...but they are a bear to clean! ...and they use a lot of water...which washes away a lot of fines! N.C. has fines...lots of fines (in spots)!
What do I use? A device called a "Goldpype". It captures 100% of all heavy materials in classified sands / gravels ( run through 1/4 inch mesh hardware cloth over a large square tub)...in a single pass. This includes birdshot, BBs, swivel snaps, pieces of rusty barbed wire fence, and assorted trash. And black sand...lots of black sand! The black sand does not impare the "Goldpype", though. It goes right on separating / holding the gold. No visual effort is needed, either. Just feed it sand & a trickle of water - as a matter of fact, this trickle can be recycled back to the feed end. Just think... this makes it perfect for working a "dry" find! Bring in 2 1/2 to 3 gallons of water and run that dry stuff through it. The water will last all day; it thickens and turns muddy (like PANcake syrup?) but it still flows....and the gold still falls out!
The "Goldpype" is made from PVC pipe / pieces / PVC glue. It is entirely homemade...anyone who made a plastic model when they were a kid ( and those who didn't) will have no problem building one. I spent about $30.00 building mine, but I had a few of the flat PVC strips on hand. I found more than that in gold the first time out in the field! Is this cheap or what?
Where did I come across this kit? No kit...only instructions / pictures / directions. In a booklet ordered from AuRUMASTER ..."aurum" is Greek for "gold"... in Pittsboro, NC. The booklet costs $20.00. Contact [ goldpype at yahoo dot com ] -whitevette