help building dredge

[smitty4687]

First of from alabama never dredged before. i have a 5.5 hp honda gx 160 2" also 2 a52 keene sluices and a highbanker set up i got in the last week. kinda spur of the moment. got a welder that can weld and make everything want to build a dredge. Frame is easy.what i want to know is crash box or flare, power jet or suction nozzle. what can i do with the motor, pump, and sluice as in dredge size was focused on a 2" can always get new stuff welded for nothing if i want to go bigger if i can. anyone every built suction nozzels, crash box, flares, or power jets? google is getting me nowhere?? need specs. sizes especially on nozzels with suction tube. flares jets?? need specs and angels.. i have absolutley no clue whats best for this regions. in everything i got ive only got $150.... thanks

 

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[Oakview2]

Watch Reeds videos, this will get you started.

 

[smitty4687]

i got spects on the frame but need to understand what size dredge i can build with what i have was planning on a 2".. the size of the nozzel "size" compaired to the discharge size the angle of the nozzle the angle the discharge to the nozzle to create the best venturi effect.. or power jet tube size and discharge size and angel of the pipe entering the jet for 2" best oprons for the flare say i want a 2" what size should the flare inlet be??.. and if i need to have a crash box or a flare for the region i live in. irun into clay with u would rather have a crash box but also do alot of sand and gravel

 

[smitty4687]

im about saven money got a pretty new pump and motor for free and sluices and highback for 150. and can build the frame and floats for around 60. i work full time for fire department and got empty 15 gallon jugs. just not sure how the inlet outlet sizes work..if i have a 2" pump what size nozzle what size flare and jet i need to go with a a52 sluice.if the nozzle need to be smaller then the sluice hose if the discharge size to the nozzle size is the same size or not. or power jet i have the same problem. if need to go with flare or crash box.

 

[Oakview2]

Send Hoser John a pm. When it comes to motor, pump, and the particulars, he would be the guy who can steer you in the right direction...

 

[smitty4687]

Thanks

 

[omnicron]

Building a jet and flare is a task. The jet is possible the flare is almost not. You can get a traffic cone and use your imagination...building one from metal is well not worth the effort as it will be heavy and awkward. You can also build a suction nozzle but it will be much easier and almost as cheap to buy one. Honestly you should consider just buying a nozzle and hoses or hoses and jet and flare, You could spend the time and money building this stuff to only not have it work and or plug up all the time or worse yet lose gold.

Building a 2" dredge is kind of like taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back as you can dig with a shovel more material per hour then you can dredge but a shovel has limitations. I would suggest a 2.5" (biggest your a52 can handle) Also do you have the dredge riffles for your keene? If not you need some.

As for the nozzle vrs get/flare... you need to ask yourself were are you going to dredge? Shallow water or deep water? With a jet/flare you can take your hose out of the water without losing your prime. With a nozzle you can take it out of the water with no problems.

What you might want to consider FIRST FIRST FIRST is go out and run your a52 as a steam sluice and learn. LEARNING what the hell your doing is more important then any equipment. As a firefighter you know this. Do you even know what angle to set a sluice at? Do you know the difference between pyrite and gold? Do you know how much water you should have flowing through your box? Do you know how to gold pan? These are core skills/knowledge you MUST have. There is so much more to dredging then just sucking up gravel...like do you know were to look for gold? I'm talking about were in a river or creek that gold drops.

Seriously, run your sluice and learn first then work on building a dredge.

 

[russau]

flairs for a dredge can be easily made from sheets of ABS plastic. ive made several.just use the ABS adhesive to glue the edges and itll NEVER come apart!

 

[Oakview2]

Do they stand up to cobbles pretty well in cold water?

 

[Vance in AK]

My thought would be to go with the 2.5" factory suction nozzle & forget the flair & jet log. Show us a pic of your highbanker conversion. Good chancethere will be a fair way to pump straight into that & not need a header box. If you do an aluminum one can be bought or fabricated easily. Suction nozzles do better in shallower (no compressor for diver) water.

 

[russau]

Do they stand up to cobbles pretty well in cold water?

My ABS flair has lasted for 10 years now.it really depends on what thickness you use to build it. i used 3/16 and heated it to form it.

 

[smitty4687]

My ABS flair has lasted for 10 years now.it really depends on what thickness you use to build it. i used 3/16 and heated it to form it.

How long did u make the flair and what size sheet of abs did u use?