Hand Powered Gravel Transfer Unit

[Underburden]

I cobbled up a gravel transfer system for cleaning bedrock when all shovel work is complete.
I used my Gold Grabber Rocker Box frame and Whale Gusher pump. The collection bucket has air / water tight fittings in the Gamma Seal lid. If I had an extra hand to direct the suction hose in the tub, I could have filled the bucket within 10 minutes.


Part 2 shows the gamma seal lid being removed and the gravel exposed.


Bob

 

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[Goldwasher]

How much suction is there at the end? How does the pump handle soupy water. Like when your cleaning out exposed bedrock holes, as you scrape and break into them? We use a King Kong size sucker tube right now but, a more constant suction would be nice instead of one big pull. Can you put a smaller tip on the end, does it restrict the pump in any way? Would have to weigh down that stand with some boulders, we have a couple laying around, so that will be easy. Thank for any input

 

[Underburden]

Goldwasher
There was almost 10' of suction hose between the bucket and the gravel tub. There was also 1½' of lift to get over the top of the tub, then 2' lift up into the bucket...and it still pulled gravel. I clamped the end of the suction hose to the tub to hold it in place...the end of the hose was buried in 4" of black and blond sands. I would never operate it this way as every dredger knows you can't hog material like that, even with a motorized pump. But for demo purposes and no one to direct the hose properly, it was good enough. Soupy water won't harm the pump...you could probably send ¼ solids through it but that would never happen if you noticed the fittings under the gamma seal lid protrude 4" into the bucket, under the surface of the water. Even floats like pine needles and such are above the pumps intake.
You could put a reducer at the tip of the suction hose, however, it will make pumping more difficult. You've got 1½" pump inlet to the bucket so putting any restriction at the suction hose end will reduce the pump's volume. The only way to maintain volume would be to just squeeze the suction hose end to an oblong shape...area would still be that of a 1½" hose.
If I were to build this from scratch and not use my Rocker Box framework, I'd use some aluminum plate, bent to 90 degrees and mount the pump on the upright and keep my foot on the horizontal.
Hope that helps.
Oh, there is an alternative pump on the market that I think would work real good. A little spendy at $170 but it gives a constant flow, not pulsed and will deliver from 50 to 90 GPM. Hand cranked or portable drill powered. It's called the EZ Crank Pump

 

[Bejay]

I see it does work Underburden. Years ago I bought a 2 inch hose unit with a similar application; except it had the pump attached to the top of the bucket. I used it a few times but it required 2 people to run it....one pumping and one on the nozzle. Like I said I used it a couple of times prospecting but I realized that my shrimp gun (suction tube gun) would do a much faster job and only require myself to do it. Plus it could place the material directly into a sluice or shallow sided lug. I just posted a thread on the shrimp gun the other day under a title "a must tool with gold pan". Check it out. Having been mining for the past 35 years (mostly dredging) I can attest to the fact that the suction tube/gun is a must use item. It will replace what you have created and allow you to do it yourself without the help of anyone else. The cost of the one I use is around $18.00.....a very inexpensive item that really gets the gold.

There are some Youtube vids on shrimp guns and suction guns. I can honestly say it is the best tool I have; other than my dredges, when gold is submerged in water. I have even gone down thru 3 plus feet of gravels using the shrimp gun method. A simple suction gun is extremely easy to pack in and requires only a shallow sided lug (plastic dish pan will work also) and some crevice tools.

Hope you find some gold so good luck no matter what you decide to use.

Bejay

 

[Underburden]

Bejay
Been using a DeserDog sucker tube for the last few years...love em. Got the 2" (modified) and two of the originals.
I have to buy two of everything as my wife is my mining partner (both retired).
I built this thing because I could...not to replace our sucker tubes...just something fun to build.
Nice part is, I didn't have to cut my Rocker Box hose to make it work.
P.S. Yes, we do get some nice gold...see my September post on my blog
Bob

 

[afreakofnature]

Boy that would be a fun experiment to try out that Crank EZ pump. Would solve the problem here where we can dredge, but our rules are that you can not use motorized equipment.