My DIY Dredge

YES YES YES I like that I want to build one exactly like that I have all the 2-1/2 dredge parts already thats SWEET thanks for sharing


Maybe find a small inner tube to put in front of the dredge for that lift you need and just bungy them I had to do that on mine either that or move the sluice box back a bit or adjusting the pontoons, might consider dropping the box down more level with the pontoons also but looks like you pretty much got a working dredge there nice job hell i'd pay you to make me just the frame I already have 2" keene pontoons I just need a frame but that looks easy enough to build myself ( i'm not to mechanically inclined but this will make you get that way) .
 

Goober said:
Oh boy, the last thread I read about some one wanting to make their own dredge ended up with people attacking the guy who said it could be done. He even posted pics of his and allot of people started in on telling him why it was cheaper to just buy used. So how dare you post this here in stead of buying the overpriced crap that's out there already :wink: ;D :D . JK just trying to join in the fray before it gets started. :tard:

PS looks like a sweet unit, I'm sure you'll do well with it. :thumbsup:
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I would agree that buying a used gold dredge is the way to go. The only reason I am building my own is because I like working with my hands and solving problems with original ideas. I think it can be cheaper to build you own dredge, but will it be as functional as a used dredge from proline, keene, or any other professional manufacturer? Maybe, maybe not. The people at keene and proline have put lots of time and money paying people that are much smarter than me to produce a product that is commercially viable and durable. I appreciate your compliments on my DIY Dredge Groober. I personally would encourage anyone who has the time and means of building their own dredge or highbanker or whatever to go for it. The one caveat is if prospecting is how you pay the bills, then tinkering with a home made unit might not be that smart. I would also encourage anyone that is not handy with tools to consider buying used and maybe modifying to suit their needs. I think you will get a lot of personal satisfaction from using your own design rather than buying a professional rig even if it does not work as perfectly as an out of the box unit. When my dredge is done the only componets I will have made are the wetsuit heater, pontoons, frame, and transport system. The rest is all keene stuff.

Thanks for the kind words flyspekau. I like functionality, but I also wanted this to look professional even though it isn't. I'll post another comment here when I put a video up on the original thread of the dredge in action. When I bought my Rivet gun they guy said he thought an outfit rented them, but he wasn't sure. You might want to ask around to see if you can rent one. Since I thought about this frame a lot before I built it I was able to cut file and rivet the aluminum frame together in one weekend.

Have a good one

-Kevin
 

well if building your own dredge/equipment is the main goal i say great! i build my own equipment myself. theres a lot of personnaly satisfaction in makeing your own equipment. sometimes it can be built cheaper,sometimes not. but the next goal should be does it work like you want it to. a lot of trial and error and a lot of help from others will help get you your equipment up-n-running in time for spring! good luck! show some pictures of what youve made!
 

Dear newbieOne;
I personally think that building your dredge is a wonderful idea! From the photos in the link you've provided, it seems that you are doing a very professional job and I can imagine the satisfaction you will receive from recovering gold using equipment fabricated by yourself. please keep us updated with photos and commentary.
Your friend;
LAMAR
 

Nice job. As you said sometimes the real fun is in the creating part, not to mention the pride of using YOUR design versus just throwing down the VISA for someones idea. Looks well thought out, craftsmanship looks to be excellent! You're definately heading in the right direction.

Please keep updating us with you're progress.
 

DUDE it even has a grill on it!
dredge.jpg
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :wink:
 

Very nice......I am in the process of building my own too. I am using my old Keene sluice box for the basis of a combo unit. I have already built the High Banker......jim
 

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arizonaames said:
Very nice......I am in the process of building my own too. I am using my old Keene sluice box for the basis of a combo unit. I have already built the High Banker......jim
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It looks good Jim. It's looks like you already built your slope into your unit, so all you have to do is plop it on some semi-level ground? I think my unit might be a bit front heavy, but I was able to fit a plastic panning tub in the back, and I figure if I need to level it out more I can throw some rocks in the back. I know I could have saved some money buying used, but I've sure enjoyed making it.

-Kevin

P3100001.jpg
 

Connect a hookah line to a Corny Keg reserve tank.

Connect a hookah line to a Corny Keg reserve tank.



-Kevin
 

well if it is a little heavy, it help it being stable in faster water. also you may want to vent those barrels to help vent off condensation that gets built up with the heating/cooling of the air.now go get some gold!
 

Kevin AWESOME dredge building there, GREAT video also.

I gotta say folks Kevins an absolutely perfect gentleman I hope my check didn't bounce Kev :tongue3:


Now go gets some of that gold best of luck to you, get some neoprene wears :thumbsup:
 

flyspekau said:
I gotta say folks Kevins an absolutely perfect gentleman I hope my check didn't bounce Kev
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It defeats the purpose you giving me a compliment and then paying me as well. I should be paying you... ;)

I got the check,

Thanks Vini

-Kevin
 

You DID do me a big favor Kevin and your damn right I paid you for it, that stuffs gonna get me some gold and I still owe you one LOL :thumbsup:


Hey have you tried to dredge with that yet ?

I am getting all my crap together just got a new T-80 then snapped a bolt off so have to fix it already I got a nice old new set of non leaking pontoons to put on need to do a little work on the carb on my motor probably a rebuild would be a good idea and heading out memorial day weekend to test sample our new 160 acre claim will get lots of pics and some video too of that.
 

Hey Vini,

I have not tried to dredge with that belting yet, but I plan on it before and when the season opens. Before I test it I need to figure out how to attach some wheels to transport the dredge that will come off easy when we get to our put in location. My buddy is extending the sluice box to improve the fine gold recovery. After I get the wheels attached I will bring the frame in to a welder to weld the stress points and we will be ready for the test before the season opens. I plan on having the belting material in the top 16" of my sluice under the punch plate, and the rest of the sluice will be riffles, over expanded metal, over miners moss, over ribbed v-matting. The bottom extension will be only expanded metal and no riffles.

I think I mentioned to you my idea of making a boulder bag. I have given up that I dea for now in favor of four 33 gallon barrels under a platform that holds a 3k boat hand winch in the center for transporting boulders down stream. I don't know if I will have time to get this project done in time though.

Last week my buddy went out with a friend to the river we are focussing on and he used the A-51 with the belting in the top flair section. The river has gone down so he was able to run some gravel from a lower bench. He ran 4 buckets and got good color, so I'm excited about getting off the benches and down to bedrock this summer.

4 buckets:
4buckets.jpg


You can see the stuff in the picture above is much bigger flaky gold on average whereas below is super small super flat stuff that likes to sail out unless the box is set up just right. My friend said that the belting caught about 50% of the gold in the picture above in the belting material. A couple weeks before this we took the time to set the same box up just right and caught about 90% in the belting. When he ran the 4 buckets he had very little water flowing a lot faster than normal.

I posted this picture on a Canadian forum of some super fine gold I found on another river. I classified it down to 1/4 minus and ran it through real slow. I am still learning what speeds and angles work good for certain types of gold. I think that belting would work excellent by itself for super fine gold in an over under sluice where the water is slowed down so the small gold can settle out. I think the belting will capture super fines all the way up to flake sized gold you see above if your box it setup right. I think the ribbed v-matting might not hold the medium sized flakes like it holds the super fines. I still need to do more testing.

49mike2.jpg


Here is a picture of our first picker that we found about a month ago. I posted this picture on the canadian forum as well. It was sure fun to see that guy show up. We ran about 15-20 buckets through our hand sluice that day and were rewarded. My buddy called me over and I thought it was fake at first. This is big gold for Washington.

P3290015.jpg


Sounds like you have your hands full before open season as well. Good luck on your new claim!!! Sounds exciting.

-Kevin
 

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