MOCK UP OF A HIGHBANKER KIT FOR MY BAZOOKA PROSECTOR (i hope it works)

Frank D.

Frank D.

Full Member
Sep 20, 2013
132
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Pennsylvania
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
The weather is nice finally so it's time to pull everything out of the basement, go out back on this nice warm sunny day and try to finish up this project. The water supply is a 3,700 GPH electric pump powered with a lightweight small, super quiet generator. I still need to glue the PVC pieces, make a bracket to secure the waterfall and sluice when using, rig up something to hang the pump underneath, and make a trash screen to go around the pump. I am doing this project because it's fun, and a lot of places of interest don't have enough water flow. This whole setup fits in my backpack along with a 14 inch gold pan, container, food and water. Bazooka owners with any input or advice on this idea would be appreciated. Thanks, Jay

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Two questions:
1. Do you have a valve in there somewhere to control flow between the fluid bed vs. the waterfall?
2. What is the blue stuff on the ends of the tubes feeding the fluid bed?

Looks like it'll work great btw. Eager to see a video!
 

Hey Kevin,
Thanks, I hope it works! As for the blue stuff. That is 3/4 inch heavy duty foam from an exercise mat bought at Walmart for 5 dollars. The reason I put it in the end of the tubes is to try to keep the water feed isolated to the fluid bed input tubes only. No, I don't have a valve, but could easily put one in. Do you think it would be needed?
 

your gonna need a bigger pump
 

Jayrock said:
Hey Kevin,
Thanks, I hope it works! As for the blue stuff. That is 3/4 inch heavy duty foam from an exercise mat bought at Walmart for 5 dollars. The reason I put it in the end of the tubes is to try to keep the water feed isolated to the fluid bed input tubes only. No, I don't have a valve, but could easily put one in. Do you think it would be needed?
Click to expand...

Not sure if you'll need a valve, I just imagine you might but it's an added cost so just do it if needed.
 

Hey Goldwasher, I was thinking that the sealed fit of the PVC pipe over the input tubes to the fluid bed would beef up the water pressure to the fluid bed. The idea is higher water pressure to the fluid bed, and more volume to the spillway on top. What do you think?
 

Kevin, I thing I'll give it a test run first, and then see if I need one. I'm hoping the reduced pipe where it goes to the fluid bed is going to really up the pressure to the jets in the fluid bed, while filling the top effectively.
 

like the looks it also would like to see a vid of that too and add a valve at least you'll know for sure while testing
 

I agree with getting a valve without it you will have have little control of flow a pvc ball valve is under 5 bucks
 

Jayrock said:
Kevin, I thing I'll give it a test run first, and then see if I need one. I'm hoping the reduced pipe where it goes to the fluid bed is going to really up the pressure to the jets in the fluid bed, while filling the top effectively.
Click to expand...

Upping the fluid bed pressure may be a very bad idea. I am quite eager to hear how it goes. Lots to learn here!
 

Kevin is right you don't want too much pressure. Luckily and unfortunately for you ...you have a bilge pump so pressure won't be an issue. In our testing an open flow to the trap(if there is no valve for control) is essential. Creating a mock up of a creek seems to be the best bet. Up to the snipers its doable with portability.
The problem is when you get to the prospector line you have to have 150 GPM at least to get the kind of flow volume needed to actually have a productive " POWER-SLUICE"
I wish I could get a prospector to run at the production level I can achieve with my traditional Hi-banker. I can run A LOT of material with it running a 50 to 90 gpm pump. And be pretty free to move. With a prospector I would need to huff around a 40+ pound pump plus other gear.
 

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I will be sure to add a valve for the fluid bed. I am hoping that the waterfall set on a good angle will use that gravity to compensate for the pump so I get enough flow down the top
 

Yes, fowledup is right; progress report and pictures (video?) needed. :)

Hopefully, it is going super well.
 

I'm also very interested in how this is going. I love modifying things to make them multi-use and practical. It's always fun when something you create works as good as or better than expected! Hopefully we can get an update . :)
 

Jayrock I like your ingenuity. :icon_thumleft:

If you want to run that outfit as a concentrator and only feed it classified material 1/4" or less then your pump should be adequate.
However you will need way more gpm than that pump is capable of to run unclassified material and get satisfactory results.

I tried it once using two separate pumps, one not quite as powerful as yours (2400 gph) for the top deck and a smaller one (800 gph) for the trap. The trap would stay fluidized but there was just not enough flow on the top deck to move the unclassified material at a rate necessary for timely feeding or without spending time helping the material progress by hand. Panning would have been faster.

One thing that may come in handy is to place your highbanker assy into a slow moving creek and let your pump assist by boosting the flow down the deck.
It appears from the photo that you allowed enough space under your waterfall for the above scenario to operate successfully under certain conditions.


GG~
 

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Might I suggest building a steel fluid box for the end of any highbanker. Just weld up a deep steel box with a lip on the upper end same width as your sluice on the highbanker and wala! Fluid bed catch just like I have on my trommel. It works on any trommel or highbanker.
 

itspaidfor said:
Might I suggest building a steel fluid box for the end of any highbanker. Just weld up a deep steel box with a lip on the upper end same width as your sluice on the highbanker and wala! Fluid bed catch just like I have on my trommel. It works on any trommel or highbanker.
Click to expand...

Got a photo?

This is what I use on the end of mine made from PVC......
I call it "Add a Trap" and it works like a charm on the end of highbanker, trommel, or even a dredge.
addatrap1.jpg dow2.jpg
 

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Hey Mr. Goodguy,

From your posts here and elsewhere, I think you have done the thinking and development work involved in making a Bazooka into a working highbanker.. I am awaiting delivery of a 36 inch Sniper ....with plans to make a highbanker ( I choose the Sniper hoping the water requirements could be met with 12v pumps). The highbanker shown under development at Bazooka does not look real promising. I think any real highbanker ought to have a "crash box" or whatever it is called to clean and slurry the shoveled material with a grizzly to exit the bigger stuff before entering the sluice.

Chris at Bazooka mentioned the issue you have raised - that of adequate water supply; even going to a gasoline pump for this purpose. I think this kills the idea of a portable high banker running on 12volts. Surely a couple of 2000 gph 12 volts pumps should be able to do the job. I for sure don't want to position the highbanker in a stream to accomplish good results.

So what am I missing. Volume, pressure, what? I have seen many (even recirculating) sluices set up that seem to work. Surely the small fluid bed of a Sniper could be fed adequately with a "bilge" type pump - and another pump to clear the slick plate after removing the larger material in a crash box.

Obviously, I need some conceptual help with this problem. Any comments would be appreciated, even references to your earlier posts or suggestions for my further studies, as I know this is not a simple subject. Thanks for all your insights on this forum.

Best regards, Thurman
 

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