New Dredge to check out

Im surprised the Mark didn't get a citation for running a dredge in Calfornia! :) I think while shoting this video with Mark there was a CDFW spy in the pool with him shotting his own video for Marks prosecution!:):) I really like this video Mark did and wish I could afford it and be able to physically run it up the Missouri River pulled by a large pontoon boat! :):) BUT thats what dreams are made of! I like the sump idea on the rear of the main sluice to pull all fine cons to the side sluices! Ive seen that basic idea on a 5 inch Dalke dredge in Colorado by Mark Evens (ME) but he quit and sold his dredge. Did anyone spot the neibhor with spy glass' looking out their window and on their phone???:):):)
 

I had seen some short test run videos, but this was the first I saw a full explanation. Nice design. It's interesting that they went back to a single stage sluice and added the sand trap at the end. I also like that they finally got the box out of the water, I feel that has always been a problem with their design.
 

Mark built us one for our 8" subbie, but like him we have yet to test it out. There is one guy we know who has used it this way and just rocked the fine gold. All of the volume of an 8" in a package smaller than Mark's 6", with very good fine gold recovery. We are Jonesing to get it out

ratled
 

russau said:
ratled I don't blaime you one bit for wanting to give it a whirle! id sure like to see your 8 inch subbie!
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Ask and you shall receive... w/o the sump. the sump he made for us has a single 3" instead of the 2" & 2.5" he has

Happy New Year
ratled

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So Keene went to the Proline style HP500 pumps for their new dredge design and then the American dredge style sump at the bottom of the sluice box. It looks good but there's really nothing new here. The sump from Alan Tree's goes way back :evil6: Then here's a pic of an 8" subbie sump cage

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Reed you nailed it!!! There is however one thing new I picked up on. Keene's recognition that these ideas like screen vs punchplate and sumps with second stage recovery actually can work better. I hope they mod some of there other old designs over to screens.
 

I have 2 Proline Dredges, a Proline high banker and a home made 12'' trommel with an o/u sluice and they all have punch plate in them and I have no complaints with my gold recovery, punch plate is a lot more expensive than woven wire / screens and I believe that may be Mr Keenes' reason for professing it to be better. IMHO
As a matter of fact the sluice I use on the trommel is a keene sluice from a 3'' crash box dredge with the o/u mod that keene sold and it has punch plate, not trying to start a fight but you do the math.
I do agree that the screen is the best choice for the sump!

Wes
 

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I use punchplate myself for certain applications because it does work fairly well and is easier to implement. I have found though that depending on water flow punchplate can restrict flow too much and cause heavies to skip right over it. Screen passes water and material through much better especially in an application like the sump he was showing with 1/8" screen. Under the same conditions a 1/8" punchplate would not pass nearly the material through it and act more like a slickplate and a fair portion of the fine gold would go right out the back. I ran some tests in the past comparing punchplate and screen and captured the separated material in two separate containers, screen passed much more black sand and other heavies through it so I have to agree with Keene's change over to screen for this application.
 

As I stated the screen was the best choice for the sump but punch plate does a lot better job of creating an area for the fines to settle and not have to deal with a lot of turbulent water.
I guess this subject is like all the rest and we can agree to disagree.
Happy New Year!

Wes
 

The secret to punchplate is make it a ramp that starts at the absolute bottom of the rear of the head end and second size ,bigger, over first set of riffles for them dwtrs. Posted pics a 100 times here but lookn' at private property 2 buy this am so maybe post later. John
 

Good luck on buying the private property this AM John! I hope it has a solid gold vein 2 foot across on it for you to pick as you please to get the gold!!!!!!
 

Hoser John said:
The secret to punchplate is make it a ramp that starts at the absolute bottom of the rear of the head end and second size ,bigger, over first set of riffles for them dwtrs. Posted pics a 100 times here but lookn' at private property 2 buy this am so maybe post later. John
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John, excellent point to get the best operation from punchplate. I never was aware from your pic's in the past that you were implementing a ramp. Folks could benefit greatly from your experience and explanation of why and how to do this to increase flow though and reduce the dead sump effect usually seen when punchplate is installed flat. Probably worth it's own thread. Great post.
 

This may be the Mercury recovery beast that we need to get back in the water.
The mercury would drop out perfectly into the lower sump, then just add catches after the side sluices and you have 100% recovery, no questions.
 

I want this dredge and I want to move to Alaska
 

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