Hanging up the bgt

TheGoldProspector

Hero Member
Apr 14, 2014
853
734
Gold Country - California
Detector(s) used
-Keene A52 - Fab2.5 Highbanker - GoldNSand Hand Dredge

Garrett AT Pro - Bazooka Gold Trap 30" Prospector - Garrett Ace 250 - Blue Bowl Concentrator
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I am choosing not to waste any more time attempting to run this 30" prospector. It was nice of todd and chris from bgt to talk me through how to run it at their shop in Placer, and even allow a trial period of sorts, yet I cannot in my right mind keep shoveling into a box that i know isnt working properly.

I am 100% sure that the tubes are not clogged, and flow is getting into the trap as well as over the table. Yet the trap fills before i can finish a bucket; not allowing Anything into the trap and push All material over the grizleys.

I was interested in this sluice for its portability, no classifying and you could pretty much submerge it- with no matting.
Yet i feel the need to classify, for I am spending just as much time clearing the grizleys as i am scooping onto the table with my trowel (not shovel). And as for the no matting to clean/quicker run, there are far more cons to work from 1 bucket of dirt through a bgt, than 20 with the a52.

In prior trips i have run the A52 directly behind the bgt, 'catching' the material coming out of the box, and i have gotten more gold from my matting than the bgt box.

Today I got a late start, and couldnt even finish a full bucket before it completely clogging up. Panned the rest of my bucket and found more gold in the bucket than after cleaning the trap.

Im not attempting to put down the company, the employees or even the product itself. I feel either the box isnt correct, for whatever reason, or I am not using it correctly (within the flow or capture). Either way, having used many other boxes in my time, this one is not simple as some have stated.

I wish it would have worked glorious the first time I laid it down in the flow, yet after 5 attempts, I dont feel the desire to bring it with any longer...
 

Wow, I guess my experience with the Zook is 100% opposite than yours. I have never filled the trap on mine even after 2 guys digging all day. Can't beat the ease of setup and a great collector of super fine gold and some big ones too.
 

20140622_184625-1.jpg Some trap gold note particle size
 

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1030890"/> Some trap gold note particle size

Im happy you have a box that works for you. :). Truely
 

I recently got my trap to compact solid on my Supermini but that was my fault as I kept overloading it until no flow was on the top deck and it was running with very little water flow. Once i slowed down just a bit and reset it for better flow it worked great. It dropped a few specs over the edge during that episode and I took a panload and checked it. It had five small spec in it so I just put four or five shovel loads of tailings back through the BGT. I then took two additional shovel loads of tailings and panned them and they were clean. I usually check for loss at least once a trip and I never find any. The best of luck in your prospecting.
 

I am choosing not to waste any more time attempting to run this 30" prospector. It was nice of todd and chris from bgt to talk me through how to run it at their shop in Placer, and even allow a trial period of sorts, yet I cannot in my right mind keep shoveling into a box that i know isnt working properly.

I am 100% sure that the tubes are not clogged, and flow is getting into the trap as well as over the table. Yet the trap fills before i can finish a bucket; not allowing Anything into the trap and push All material over the grizleys.

I was interested in this sluice for its portability, no classifying and you could pretty much submerge it- with no matting.
Yet i feel the need to classify, for I am spending just as much time clearing the grizleys as i am scooping onto the table with my trowel (not shovel). And as for the no matting to clean/quicker run, there are far more cons to work from 1 bucket of dirt through a bgt, than 20 with the a52.

In prior trips i have run the A52 directly behind the bgt, 'catching' the material coming out of the box, and i have gotten more gold from my matting than the bgt box.

Today I got a late start, and couldnt even finish a full bucket before it completely clogging up. Panned the rest of my bucket and found more gold in the bucket than after cleaning the trap.

Im not attempting to put down the company, the employees or even the product itself. I feel either the box isnt correct, for whatever reason, or I am not using it correctly (within the flow or capture). Either way, having used many other boxes in my time, this one is not simple as some have stated.

I wish it would have worked glorious the first time I laid it down in the flow, yet after 5 attempts, I dont feel the desire to bring it with any longer...

Sounds to me like it just isn't getting enough flow. :icon_scratch: :dontknow:

GG~
 

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I would have to agree with GG here (as always). The Zook likes to run flat to slightly sloped and needs enough water to excite the trap particles. Good flow ensures that intake can pressurize the jets in the tubes. Build wing dam shaped like a "V". This will increase the velocity and flow. This sluice has a wide tolerance for setup. Only low flow and extreme angles will produce poor results.
 

Take a look at the low angle and poor flow in this mid winter drought shot. I dammed the creek completely and reduced the cross sectional width to 1/5 of the creek width. This will cause the creek to rise and force 100% of the creeks energy through the sluice. I pulled nice gold that day end enjoyed watching it slide down the deck.008-1.jpg
 

Same here. Show your ladies lol. Low flow higher angle of attack (attacking the gold)!IMG_183571876741145.jpeg
 

attachment-7.jpeg Go with the flow. Smile! Get gold.
 

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgHere are some photos from today
 

TGP the shot on the left looks like the water is just barely going over the deck. You have alot of fin showing. I would run the water up near the top of the fins, pitch it a little more and move that big rock that is a foot away from your intake compltely out of the way. It is splitting the flow and the water is going around the sides of your BGT. That's a pretty low situation.
 

TGP the shot on the left looks like the water is just barely going over the deck. You have alot of fin showing. I would run the water up near the top of the fins, pitch it a little more and move that big rock that is a foot away from your intake compltely out of the way. It is splitting the flow and the water is going around the sides of your BGT. That's a pretty low situation.
Putting the box deeper in the water would stop the trap from taking in any material. It would lock up and send the material over.
 

Send the Material over what? You are in a low flow situation from what I see. If you plop a shovel load on it you will have absolutely no flow. The big rock blocking the in take is the first problem. You need to ha unobstructed flow into it. Mine blocked up the other day because I had pitched sideways about 40 degrees cause I didn't want to move rocks. This slowed down the flow. With the water just barely skimming over the deck you do not have enough topwash to blow the debris out. You need at least half fin or 3/4 in that situation and then pitch it to whatever works. All that little stuff should be flowing over the grizzlies or blown out completely. That does not appear to be happening. I don't have a link but look at Todd's videos in the creek with the three sizes. Lots of flow.

Sometimes I run mine deeeeep in the water.
 

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TGP fast forward to 1:16
 

Yeh they are right, you need a LOT more flow! Rocks should blow right off the grizzly!
You can actually put a 'zooka under water, still works. The trap will clog..with out the water flow to make it work properly.
 

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Yeh they are right, you need a LOT more flow! Rocks should blow right off the grizzly! You can actually put a 'zooka under water, still works. The trap will clog..with out the water flow to make it work properly.

More flow? Heard you loud and clear
 

I think it will work better for you. Hope it does and you load that trap with Gold.
 

I think it will work better for you. Hope it does and you load that trap with Gold.
I wont be bringing it next week, but perhaps when i meet with another bgt owner, it will be shown as quite simple.


Heavy pans
 

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