Keene 191/161 Drywashers

[ghostminer]

Does anyone have any experience using the Keene dust free 191 or smaller brother 161 drywasher?

 

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[Bodfish Mike]

I have a Keene puffer DW2 bought it used and love it. The list price for the 191 is $2,149.00 -- so you better be on some good ground. Don't see a 161 on there site. I would like to hear an opinion on one too. Dust has to go somewhere? hopefully down wind for where your working.

 

[Hard Prospector]

Picked up my 191 today from Keene. I've been doing lots of asking around on this machine and info has been scarce as a 1 pound gold nugget from Kansas. Contacted over 6 Keene dealers from 3 different states and only one had a any decent knowledge on it (Blake, owner of Miners Cache in Quartzite) Cost and retail space seem to be the main reason dealers resist to stock it.

Blake said that he's sold several 191's this past year to a number of claim owner/drywashers who were previously using standard forced air models and have been very pleased with its performance. One fella was so happy with his he ordered a second 191 as he works his claim on a commercial level........Thats all I needed to hear to throw down the dough and get one for my self.

Buying directly from Keene worked out great because Pat was there to give me the 30 minute info session on the machine. Which turned out to be huge because many of the old ways pertaining to forced air drywashers don't apply to this thing, the 191 creating "new rules" specific to its self.

Reason for the high cost is because this drywasher is extremely labor intensive to build..... plain to see just by looking at it. The best price I could find for the 191 w/blower was from Miners Cache @ $1950.00 which included shipping from Quartzite to San Diego. Blake closes down his store during the summer to work his placer mine in Alaska so thats why I didn't end up buying from him. Pat shaved off some of the price but the killer was having to pay Cali sales tax.

 

[utah mason]

Congratulations on your new purchase. Looking forward to seeing some pictures or maybe a vid or two of the gold it gets you

 

[Panman]

Get an 151 or 140. Tried and true.

 

[Hard Prospector]

Get an 151 or 140. Tried and true.

I've had my Keene 140 for years and no doubt its best in class. But.....forced air vibrastatic models loose too much of the very fine gold period. Puffers catch the fine gold much better but they lack volume. Two friends of mine are running two 191's on their commercial placer claim and the small gold recovery has been fantastic along with substantial volume production. I have yet to get my 191 out (still to damp at my claim) but what I've heard first hand is very encouraging.

 

[ghostminer]

Thanks for the great info. What are some of the new rules that are specific to itself? Thanks.

 

[Hard Prospector]

Thanks for the great info. What are some of the new rules that are specific to itself? Thanks.

Still learning this monster as I've only had it out once. After the most rainfall in over 20 years, finally drying out to be "drywashable" in my area of the Mojave. I've big plans for this thing come September. What I learn along the way I'd be glad to share, told Pat (Keene) he needs to come out with a good You Tube info. vid for the 191.

Shopping for a small enclosed trailer for all the mining gear as I'm sick n' tired of loading / unloading the pick-up every time I go mining. Drywashers, hand tools, wheelbarrow, vac, buckets, tarps, pans, H2O, etc....etc. its all going in the trailer so all I've got to do is hook it and I'm off to the diggs.