Need help buying a sluice.

Sluice thoughts

Witch is the best sluice to buy for a beginner gold prospector .

Hi, If you are mechanical at all, there is a place online to buy just the bent up aluminum channels in whatever width you prefer. I would buy at least 3 of them(3 ft long each), Join them together and them then buy the specialty mats that Gold Hog out of Georgia sells. By far, they are the most efficient ones available. Watch some of their videos. You will clearly understand. They have done their testing.

Then I would buy whatever size pump they recommend for the size sluice you are building and the hoses etc. You will have to fab legs and odds and ends, but when you are done, you can knock off probable at LEAST $1500 bucks as opposed to buying one outright.

Remember, this is all predicated on how mechanical you are. If you are not, depending on size a power sluice will run areound $3500.

Good luck, freflite
 

Agreed, just go get a bazooka!
Without knowing more about where you'll be digging and sluicing I'd suggest the 36" Sniper as the most versatile model. If you won't be in low flow creeks you could jump up to the 36" Prospector model. Don't go bigger at this stage as it gets awkward to work with and you just don't need it.
 

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+1 to the Bazooka Gold trap, it is the easiest way to go.
Find enough flow, set it up and start throwing shovel's full of material at it.
There are different sizes/lengths, classification grizzlies and build thickness, all change the price, weight and ease of use.

Now depending if you are on a budget you cant beat the quality and proven efficiency of a Keene A52 sluice or sluice's like them (Such as the Jobe Yellow Jacket 45.)

If you are running a super tiny creek that doesn't have much flow and you are ok with running small amounts of material then the TeeDee EZ Sluice is a very nice mini sluice to use.
I use my EZ Sluice for cleanups from my Bazooka.


Here is a video of me running a Keene A52 sluice with WAY TOO MUCH WATER and I still recovered a nice amount of gold for just 1 5gal bucket.




Here is a cleanup video of cons from my old Bazooka Miner, you can see the large amount of cons that it produces. Each step down in size on the bazooka's produces less cons.
I could have also reduced these cons more had I just let it run for about 30 minutes on its own and it would have cleaned much of that out.




I hope this helps a little bit. :)
 

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Bazooka Gold Trap. What area are you sluicing? Give us some details and we can help you pick the right one for your situation.
 

Agreed, just go get a bazooka!
Without knowing more about where you'll be digging and sluicing I'd suggest the 36" Sniper as the most versatile model. If you won't be in low flow creeks you could jump up to the 36" Prospector model. Don't go bigger at this stage as it gets awkward to work with and you just don't need it.

Right, let me reinforce that. I have the 48" Miner. It is not for beginners. Get the 36" Sniper or Prospector as KevininColorado suggests, depending on where you are going to be working. For a beginner, it is by far the easiest; next to impossible to set up wrong; especially if you follow directions. And many folks here will help if you have any difficulty at all.

As noted, you don't have to classify, which is a pain in the neck (or lower) and so you don't need classifying gear. Just a Bazooka, a shovel and a 5-gal bucket. A gold pan would help, too, for reducing the cons. :)

Like I said, just ask, many kind folks here will jump in with answers.
 

I am going to be sluicing in a medium flowing river near gympie Queensland Australia. Where I know there is gold. Thanks for all your help. ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1422132997.200648.jpg
 

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I am going to be sluicing in a medium flowing river near gympie Queensland Australia. Where I know there is gold. Thanks for all your help.View attachment 1110169

Beautiful country there! If you are good with your hands there are several threads here about how to build your own bazooka. It's probably fairly expensive to have a Bazooka shipped to you from the States. Can you find a local dealer in Queensland?

BTW, welcome aboard. Lots of friendly, knowledgeable people here.
 

I bought a keene a52 right out of the gate when I started it works good for me out in so. Cal in streams and recirculation. It cost about 200 to start with sluice and pump etc. But these guys on here are full of great info on here they know their stuff.
 

I would recommend a Bazooka if nobody has yet lol.
 

i dont have enough flow where i am to use a bazooka. That being said, i prefer the drop riffle style boxes. they run in slower water (depending on the box) and REALLY hand on to that flour and micron gold.
 

I'm sure the Bazooka is as great as they say it is with the following it has here.
BUT, since I don't have one I will say that I too have found good gold (mostly small, as that's what my area is known for) in my Keene A51, A52, & whatever they call their old little one.
I also have an Angus MacKirk Explorer (may be expedition) that I have only used a bit but it's recovery impressed me. Ease of cleanup impressed me even more. Of the sluices I currently have it's probably going to be my "go to" sluice this year.
That said, I like it well enough that I may try one of their bigger sluices, possibly one with their Abyss riffle. Weight is one of the concerns for me as some of the places I go are like mountain goat or dall sheep hunting areas. Backpack in to alpine above timberline.
 

Since your in Austrailia aren't there local shops that sell a basic sluice? Shipping is gonna be a lot for you.
 

GoldKid If you have lower flow that does not matter. Check out the little dams that Kevin builds to channel the water into his Bazooka. Very effective.
 

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