Need help

[austinp675]

I am about begin building a trommel already have my plans drawn up. I live in iowa and have researched alot on my design, but everyone say to run water alot slower due to the type and size of the gold we have. I was wondering if a 1 inch or 1.25 inch water pump ( gas powered honda)would be enough to produce sufficient water flow for a 12 inch trommel

 

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[Goodyguy]

Better to have a strong pump and not use all the power than to be underpowered.
You must have sufficient water pressure to fuel the spray bar because washing your gravel completely clean of any fine and flour gold is of maximum importance!

You can always go with a larger pump and vary the speed as well as use a valve to control the water volume.
I am able to run a high volume of water through my trommel and still capture the fine glacial gold common to the northern states due to my sluice design.

I am using "Clarkson Riffles" ( 1" tall 2" apart) over black vortex mat with a "rubber flap" at the sluice entry to knock down any flour gold.
Believe it or not the Clarkson riffles are designed to be most efficient with a 3" per foot drop, coupled with a fast water flow.

The flour gold (or any size for that matter) typically will not make it over more than a couple of the 1" vertical riffles and the vortex mat is like a gold magnet, once the gold hits the mat it's trapped there. The only draw back to the Clarkson riffle design is that you end up with more concentrates to process than with shorter riffles, but I feel the difference in performance justifies the trade off.

Here is an example of fine and flour glacial gold taken from a creek in Indiana with my DIY 15" trommel....


Be sure and post photos of your build, it would be great to see it.

Go for the gold!
GG~

 

[austinp675]

What size and brand pump are you running? Also could you post some photo's of your machine. I would like to get some more idea's for mine.

 

[Goodyguy]

What size and brand pump are you running? Also could you post some photo's of your machine. I would like to get some more idea's for mine.

It's a 6 and 1/2 HP, 108 GPM, 2" pump from Harbor Freight that I also use for my high banker and my 2" dredge.
Here is a video of my trommel being fed by a young man who volunteered to feed it while I ran the camera during a recent trip to North Carolina.

 

[russau]

thanks for the tag-a-long GG! kinda wish i was there myself! the trommel looks like its doing it just right

 

[Oakview2]

I still want to know how you get free labor like that? A self feeding trommel, now that's a DIY project. All you need now is a girl in a bikini separating your cons and cold drink

 

[blynch35]

i second that nice job gg