Must Have Equipment??

[Jagdpanther]

After the basics; gold pans, sluice, highbanker, mini sluice, blue bowl, gold vac and crevicing tools, what is your "must have" piece of equipment? I'm not interested in dredging at this time, maybe in a few years when I retire. Do you think a gold (metal) detector is a must have?

Thanks
Grndfisher

 

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[bigfish31]

Without life, my 4" Dredge wouldn't suck!

Fantastic Invention, the Dredge... I had an Air compressor one time that would run three jackhammers at once, I hooked it up to the dredge, instead of a waterpump to create a vacuum. It worked great, but you need to run the air through a de-oiler before it touches the gold.

I like that idea. Did it still move enough water to run the sluice? I've seen air used in the ocean for dredging, but wondered if a big nugget might drop out.

 

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[eathan]

Any opinions on the smaller Dredges? I see one on Ebay 1 1/2" for under $800. Most of the places in my area are smaller streams that a large dredge would not fit. Plus the state limits the size to 4" or less.

Thanks!

I enjoyed my 1.5" quite a bit, but I'd probably still go for a 2" or 2.5" if you're mainly going to be in smaller streams.

 

[Needle]

Without life, my 4" Dredge wouldn't suck!

Fantastic Invention, the Dredge... I had an Air compressor one time that would run three jackhammers at once, I hooked it up to the dredge, instead of a waterpump to create a vacuum. It worked great, but you need to run the air through a de-oiler before it touches the gold.

I like that idea. Did it still move enough water to run the sluice? I've seen air used in the ocean for dredging, but wondered if a big nugget might drop out.

What little I used it, it seemed to be enough water to run a sluice and if it were to pick up a big nugget it would not let it drop out.

Once the water started flowing, the water traveling in the discharge tube seemed to help increase the vacuum force or power.

I have heard that the deeper you dredge with air the more power you have to the discharge - created by the natural fact that air wants to rise in water.

As stated before, the air must be ran through a de-oiler filter to remove the oil if you were dredging for Gold.

 

[r49miner]

First, they should never have named it a dredge. Total negative word. Should have called it a Rock Vacuum or Water Vacuum something that signifies no damage to the environment.

As for what size a dredge to get depends where you will be mining. Personally I would get the biggest dredge the river/creek will handle. The smaller the dredge the more rocks I have to pick up and throw.

What equipment would I take depends on how long I plan on being there and how far I have to pack-in. When I was working on the North Fork of The Yuba River in California for 5 months out of the year, I took everything I had for mining:
8” dredge and hoses,
3” dredge and hoses,
homemade trailer to get the dredge in the water off a bank
Hydraulic winch,
ropes to hold the dredge in the current.
18 five gallon gas cans,
oil
miners moss
steel slings to secure the winch.
Digging/large pry bar.
Compressor for air,
airline and regulator and face mask,
wet suit & hood.
Weight belt and lead weights.
Gold pans
classifiers
crevice tools
small sledge
chisel
Gloves
First aide kit
Clean out tub
Rock slings
Metal detector (I never used)
Spare parts for dredge engine
Solar panel to keep dredge battery charged
Small electric winch
This does not mention what I had at camp.

If it was just for a week and I’m working on a small creek, again the largest one I can pack-in.
I would need gas,
Dredge and hoses
Crevice tools
gold pan
classifiers
crevice tools
small sledge
chisel
Gloves
First aide kit
Clean out bucket
Large pry screw driver

And if the water was deep enough:
Compressor for air,
airline and regulator and face mask,
wet suit & hood.
Weight belt and lead weights.

If I thought about it more I would probably add a heck of a lot more. Camp is up to you, I cheat and take a 5th wheel trailer.

 

[Functional]

One important item I neglected to mention in my previous post that, I have to take with me whether I'm going into the bush miles from anything, or the beach a block away. Glasses with polarized lenses. If your planning on working outdoors anywhere near water, or other sources of reflected sunlight, polarized lenses are a must if you want to save your eyes.

I'd prefer to have some that only had the polarization, (causing a light gray coloration to the lenses), with UV 400 protection, (that don't look like they belong on elderly people, or someones pet). I haven't found any cheap ones that don't have additional tint, (the ones I use at present do work but I don't care for the extra tint), with the possible exception of the ones on this web page that requires my buying a dozen at a time:
http://www.wholesalereplicasunglasses.com/polarized-sunglasses-s/114.htm
Or:
http://www.lawholesaledist.com/polorized.html
And:
http://prsunglasses.com/store.cfm?event=showcatalog&catid=69857
(These guys want a $100.00 minimum order too.)

There are lots more, but by the looks of things, its going to take awhile to find one that looks reputable and ships orders in the range of $30.00 to $60.00 per dozen pair, plus shipping to Canada by USPS.


F.

 

[eathan]

Thanks for the links Functional. Polarized sunglasses is something I wouldn't mind carrying in our shop at some point (as well as in the field).

 

[Functional]

Thanks for the links Functional. Polarized sunglasses is something I wouldn't mind carrying in our shop at some point (as well as in the field).

No problemo!

Even on a slightly cloudy day, it sure makes life easier to have them when trying to pick flakes out of a gold pan, or trying to spot something other than the sun glinting just below the surface of the water when beach hunting for something other than broken beer bottles. They're great for spotting all sorts of precious things, either at the beach, or wherever. Good markup on them too, if you can find shipping at a good price.

F.

 

[Strikefleet5326s]

First, they should never have named it a dredge. Total negative word. Should have called it a Rock Vacuum or Water Vacuum something that signifies no damage to the environment.

As for what size a dredge to get depends where you will be mining. Personally I would get the biggest dredge the river/creek will handle. The smaller the dredge the more rocks I have to pick up and throw.

What equipment would I take depends on how long I plan on being there and how far I have to pack-in. When I was working on the North Fork of The Yuba River in California for 5 months out of the year, I took everything I had for mining:
8” dredge and hoses,
3” dredge and hoses,
homemade trailer to get the dredge in the water off a bank
Hydraulic winch,
ropes to hold the dredge in the current.
18 five gallon gas cans,
oil
miners moss
steel slings to secure the winch.
Digging/large pry bar.
Compressor for air,
airline and regulator and face mask,
wet suit & hood.
Weight belt and lead weights.
Gold pans
classifiers
crevice tools
small sledge
chisel
Gloves
First aide kit
Clean out tub
Rock slings
Metal detector (I never used)
Spare parts for dredge engine
Solar panel to keep dredge battery charged
Small electric winch
This does not mention what I had at camp.

If it was just for a week and I’m working on a small creek, again the largest one I can pack-in.
I would need gas,
Dredge and hoses
Crevice tools
gold pan
classifiers
crevice tools
small sledge
chisel
Gloves
First aide kit
Clean out bucket
Large pry screw driver

And if the water was deep enough:
Compressor for air,
airline and regulator and face mask,
wet suit & hood.
Weight belt and lead weights.

If I thought about it more I would probably add a heck of a lot more. Camp is up to you, I cheat and take a 5th wheel trailer.

DAAAMM !

 

[Needle]

A portable 12' X 25' shop with side curtains and benches and bins setup close to the work area with all the parts laid out for quick access for use.

( This is where the wife can come in real handy, she can be sent to retrieve and take back things as needed. GOOD LUCK ON THAT!)

 

[boogeyman]

Any opinions on the smaller Dredges? I see one on Ebay 1 1/2" for under $800. Most of the places in my area are smaller streams that a large dredge would not fit. Plus the state limits the size to 4" or less.

Thanks!

You can always fab up a hopper & stand, take the floats off and use it as a highbanker.

Most handy gotsta have tools knife or screwdriver to clean out cracks scrub brush or stiff bristle paint brush & a rock hammer.

 

[Functional]

A portable 12' X 25' shop with side curtains and benches and bins setup close to the work area with all the parts laid out for quick access for use.

I just passed up one of these at a flea market last weekend. They wanted $200.00 for it and I just didn't have room. (Likely would have taken less at the end of the day, since I saw them loading it back up when leaving).

( This is where the wife can come in real handy, she can be sent to retrieve and take back things as needed. GOOD LUCK ON THAT!)

Maybe an enthusiastic girlfriend in training? One thats still trying to impress you with her willingness to make you happy? I know that phase doesn't last long, but one can dream.

F.