Home built dredge frame

[N-Lionberger]

I'm in the process of revamping my 4", I put together a frame out of unistrut and conduit pipe like in Reeds videos, this style frame would work great with my old crash box but I have replaced it with a homemade ABS flare which is longer flatter and can be adjusted up and down for angle, I'd like to be able to adjust on the fly and tuck the jet and flare up for portaging. I can't really do that with the conduit frame so I'm thinking my best bet would be to weld somthing up, I have a pile of angle iron laying around. Has anyone on here built their own frame?

 

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[Mgumby16]

Yep, i built my 5 inch dredges frame from 1 inch square tubing. It works great. I made it so that i can run a single engine or duel engine set up.

 

[Mgumby16]

Sorry im not sure why the pictures are flipped around weird, they were all right side up in my folders.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Nice setup! I'm using the same type and number of barrels for my floats.

 

[Mgumby16]

N-Lionberger - You could get away with using 4 15 gallon drums for a 4 inch dredge setup. Mine is a 5 inch with 20inch wide by 60inch sluice box and 8 hp motor, and even when running it still has plenty of flotation. Depends on if you want excess flotation or if you want light weight.

 

[russau]

I've built several dredge frames , BUT they were a 5 , 4 , 3 , and several 2 inch dredges. They are all gone now that I'm a F.O.G. and to sore to get out much anymore !

 

[winners58]

They have all kinds of cool connectors for the unistrut, Z brackets and such
I used channel nuts to be able to make adjustments on my box.
.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Winners how exactly does that work?

 

[winners58]

the whole box will slide to adjust the trim like keene frame does
I got the unistrut connectors from a building recycle place by the pound
so I dont know what they are called like an angle then one side folds again
I found a pin with holes at Jerrys some washers and cotter pin so I can quickly pull the spring clip to pull off the box
the unistrut in the photo is level I loosen the one bolt and it slides, the channel nut is the one with a cone.
https://www.garvinindustries.com/ha...XBWMF1esgLpz-Ki9fbbdS_4BaiyTLjNoaArlVEALw_wcB

I can get some more photos if you want when it stops raining.
.

 

[Mgumby16]

Mine adjusts by sliding as well, just a little different in its operation. Since my sluice has the U bends at the top, those ride on a 1/2 inch rail and the sluice slides back and forth on that to adjust the pitch of the sluice.

 

[mendoAu]

Mgumby....Gluing everything to the ceiling is a great idea to save valuable floor space....
One of the problems I have with my Keene is that it is really hard to adjust that sliding bar when in the water and full of material, the flare and hose. So this year I'm thinking of putting a ratchet strap under the front of the box. Could be a simple solution to allow one person to adjust that kinda stupid bar.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Winners can you post some more pictures of your sluice adjustment system?

 

[russau]

N-L Winners has a link to the tie down nuts he used for his adjustment. I also used these in my 4 inch dredge. just use a length of uni-strut on both sides of the sluice and drop your sluice brackets down on top of the nuts described in the video. Use anti-seize compound on the bolts WITH OUT FAIL !! To adjust the sluice just back off on the tightness of the mounting bolts for the sluice and slide the sluice to or fro to get what your looking for... the blots don't need to be really tight and I liked using homemade "T" bolts to keep from using tools near the water. Hope this helps you.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Thanks russau, thats pretty much what I thought just making things clear before I started building away.

 

[alaskaseeker]

Nicely done.....

 

[mendoAu]

Just to update that problem with the Keene box adjustment, that ratchet strap works great. Ratchet the top of the box up, slide a 2X3 on the frame up or down, release the tension on the strap, and away ya go. Makes for a quick adjustment when on the water and you have all that weight in the box. And just for grins...noticed that my Pulsar watch was no longer on my wrist while getting out of the water yesterday....yep, in my tailings. Pulsar...heck with them timex's.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Got itchy so I went to my friends ranch in northern Nevada to take it for a spin. I used my Vortxrex booster jet which worked well had good suction. The propane power works great. The hot water heater felt like I was constantly peeing my suit all over LOL. My new full face mask with army gas mask glasses works great, the flare header I fab'd from ABS works great on levels I hadn't even conceived, I assumed it would increase fine recovery but didn't realize to the extent it would increase suction and diminish plugups. The only issue I encountered was I set up the sluice too low in the frame causing back pressure which clogged my undercurrent.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Flare's do make a big difference. Looks great

 

[N-Lionberger]

I tried using some ratchet straps to get the box in line, it worked very well but I managed to hurt my back and angered an old dredging injury in my leg, dropped a Keene 3X4/ 8hp BS on my knee in a rain storm a few years ago broke my tibia and walked it off, smacked it and it’s not happy probably need to see a doctor soon. Backs killing me, I had my buddy help me pull the dredge out of the creek he wouldn’t listen to me about the jet flare needing to be pulled up and secured before dragging the machine sideways and damaged it where it joins the sluice box. I said some things that Probably shouldn’t have been said. I have a spot on a high bench I figured I would work with a backhoe/trommel once I was too old to dredge I think I need to get on that sooner than later.

 

[russau]

Your post sounds like one I've written about how beat up I've gotten over the year's ! I ended up selling ALL of my equipment because I cant do all the moving involved ! I wish it wasn't this way at all !!! I REALLY miss getting out dredging with my friends!!!!