Highbanker slope?

[KurtB]

For sluices I see recomendations of 1" per foot. From the pictures and videos I've seen it looks like highbankers are at a steeper angle. Are there any rule of thumbs out there for highbankers or do you just go with what works?


Thanks for any advice.

Kurt

 

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[Hoser John]

The mfgr,pump,gravels being run predicates angles. Also the smaller the gold the flatter you run. Highbankers are notariously bad for gold recovery due to extreme turbidity and frothing foaming mess. Put a dampner flap like a dredge to even out the flow,deaireate and increase retention-tons a au 2 u 2 -John

 

[Astrobouncer]

In this video from the other weekend we ran a sluice behind the hibanker and found it was catching gold that the hibanker was not. So running a sluice behind the hibanker is another option to help gold recovery.

 

[Goldwasher]

the nice thing about a highbanker is you can buy a kiddie pool and run all kinds of tests in the back yard.make lead shavings of different sizes paint them neon pink...... make a batch of mud as close as you can get to your diggin sites mix in the lead(if you want to be really authintico make sure you dry that mud as much as possible and it must have rocks in it dry it on a 4x8 sheet of plywood) then dig that break that and feed it into your banker......what comes out the other end vs what stays in the box may just change what you think youve been doin.....? everyone......i bet you wont want to go through all this and if you do it once you may be so educated as to not need to do it again..........R your possible results if you run a stock banker like you see in the videos....loss of some maybe alot of your gold........so combined with what i saw in the above posts short boxes are no good for production,and retention of fine gold.......Damper like hoser mentioned.......try to know if gold is comin out of the end......i believe if your geared for the finest of gold you wont have to worry about the bigger stuff.....throw some split shot through your banker if its not in and staying in the very front of your rig you are losing gold........with longer boxes you can run different angles per box to tune recovery by size......classify down from box to box automated like use your hydraulics if ya catch my DRIFT..... and make it work for you.....losing big material runnin a more classified slurry and let the slurry get a chance to settle out...just watch what happens.

 

[jog]

the nice thing about a highbanker is you can buy a kiddie pool and run all kinds of tests in the back yard.make lead shavings of different sizes paint them neon pink...... make a batch of mud as close as you can get to your diggin sites mix in the lead(if you want to be really authintico make sure you dry that mud as much as possible and it must have rocks in it dry it on a 4x8 sheet of plywood) then dig that break that and feed it into your banker......what comes out the other end vs what stays in the box may just change what you think youve been doin.....? everyone......i bet you wont want to go through all this and if you do it once you may be so educated as to not need to do it again..........R your possible results if you run a stock banker like you see in the videos....loss of some maybe alot of your gold........so combined with what i saw in the above posts short boxes are no good for production,and retention of fine gold.......Damper like hoser mentioned.......try to know if gold is comin out of the end......i believe if your geared for the finest of gold you wont have to worry about the bigger stuff.....throw some split shot through your banker if its not in and staying in the very front of your rig you are losing gold........with longer boxes you can run different angles per box to tune recovery by size......classify down from box to box automated like use your hydraulics if ya catch my DRIFT..... and make it work for you.....losing big material runnin a more classified slurry and let the slurry get a chance to settle out...just watch what happens.

Very good info!!!!

 

[strickman]

good advice fellas,I bet the damper would help any type setup!pville is right,good info.

 

[strickman]

on second thought ,don't paint the lead pink-use flourescent yellow or orange(wouldn't want my buddies to know i pan PINK gold)

 

[jog]

on second thought ,don't paint the lead pink-use flourescent yellow or orange(wouldn't want my buddies to know i pan PINK gold)

What!!!! you pan Pink Gold.

 

[Goldwasher]

lol....did that intentionally..

 

[patches63]

hoser john hit the nail.areation from common spraybars reduce recovery.as foamy looking water normally seen while highbanking is a bad way to begin.also,an old or faulty pump impeller,or line size reduction,especially right near the pump housing will cause cavitation in the housing.if the water running over the riffles is foamy looking,figure out why.the spraybars supplied with hoppers are usually 1 inch pvc.when the water volume required for the sluice bottom involved calls for at least 1.5 inch.how many highbankers have reducers between the pump and the hopper?almost all of i have ever seen do.first major flaw.reduce volume=increase pressure.then shove it all through some raggedly drilled holes in plastic pipes,creating even more back pressure in the pump housing=more cavitation/areation.small wonder that people think highbankers have poor recovery.they dont.their operators do.example,keenes 3inch combo,12 inch bottom,i inch pvc spray bar.am not singling out keene,most fabricators sabotage their products in this very way.and nearly all newbys,also many oldbys trust the equipment as supplied.if a 1.5 inch pump is needed to supply the size of the box,try a 1.5 inch sprayar.you will have to build it yourself,most likely.if the water in the recovery system still has foam,try 2inch spraybar.smooth out the drilled holes involved.or try saw cuts instead of drilled holes.thin kerf,perpindicular to the pipe involved.smooth inside edges,holes or cuts.when the water is smooth over the riffles,next step is flow/angle.books could written about that.inch per foot good start.increase pitch=reduce water and vice versa.study your equipment,learn it.then trust it,and your ability to use it.highbankers have a reputation of poor recovery because their operators typically dont take the time to study them.and improve factory design flaws.did i mention spraybars?

 

[strickman]

good info patch, i want to make a highbanker for my cons.but might use it as a winter toy also -with a bilge pump and use it sniping.can't decide on which way to go for the header.but what ever it will probably use bilge pumps as i don't have a small gas pump. i would love to have one of those small honda 4 stroke pumps like on the 2" backpacks. i am working on the frame ,as i get material.

 

[KurtB]

Thanks to all for all the great information. I will be putting it to good use in a couple of weeks in South Dakota. Taking my 11yr. old son and his best friend with me. It will be interesting to see how much work I can get out of them. I'll get some pics of what we find.

Kurt

 

[patches63]

good luck in the black hills kurt.hope the weather treats you well,enjoy yourself.strick,am guessing you mean the 2.5? couple years back,bought a new wx-10 honda,4 stroke.weighs less than a six pack,but only 40 gpm.will just run a g1 at streambank,in highbank mode.full throttle,louder than wh-15x honda at just above idle.(50 lbs).would rather pack the quiet pump on cargo pack 5 miles,than hear the screaming little lightweight one.other than guns,I hate loud noises.bought that 15x new in 92.has spent most winters outdoors disguised as a rockpile.still runs like a raped ape.3.5 when made,new models are 4 horse,even better.whisper quiet unless working far uphill,and easily hidden.gas weighs less than batteries.if using a eight inch bottom recirc,or similar,check out the wx-10 honda.but for 200 more,the quiet one.highbanking is immensely more fun with the loudest thing being your tools on the rocks.luck.