talk about screens you use for classification

[FiresEye]

So I use 1/4 galvanized steel fit to a bucket to get the big stuff out, then I have a nice window screen classifier to get the stuff real small.

But now, I need even smaller. I mean dust like classifier. THe best thing I can come up with is some wooden frame silk screens from an art store. THey have a frame built and can classify stuff to dust. They're used mostly for artists impression, but are quite durable and cost around $10

I was wondering if there was anything cheaper... Like even using a t-shirt cloth like material to get out the real fines that would pass through?

Since it's winter and it's been a particularly cold and wet one, I have time to go through concentrates that I have sitting around, and I realized there was some really tiny heavy stuff, and so I know some must be gold...I could finish my miller table, that's a great option, but, I need to be able to classify first. .. Maybe some drain pipe blocks are real fine stainless mesh? I don't need a huge size screen, but the bigger the better up a certain point. and small enough to fit into a five gallon bucket is a huge plus.

Edit: Oh yeah I just realized that at this points it's super important to use an anti floating agent...
Can anyone tell me if jet dry or dish soap works best for this.. SOme say soap is bad.. I'm unclear but I assume jet dry is a same bet?
I've seen huge clumps of fine gold float right off my pan at the river, so maybe I should carry a bottle to drop in the pan in the field. Any ideas?

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Why not just buy a made one? They aren't expensive, and you can chose whatever mesh size you need.

JEt dry or soap doesn't matter, just remember that you only need a FEW DROPS. Most people put WAY too much. If its creating suds, you put too much. This is why some people put down soap and say to only use jet-dry.

Never finish-pan right into the river. Always have a container under it in case you do float off some gold.

 

[FiresEye]

Hey that's a nice video, except we cant hear what you're saying, just the music, but I get the idea... Looks like a t-shirt filled with already classified material to get the dust out? I'll have to use one if i ever roast my black sands and pour into cold water to fracture...

 

[Astrobouncer]

Home depot sells a bunch of different mesh sizes in the garden section, near the fences. Its almost as much to buy just the screen though as a Keene classifier. I made a couple bucket classifiers and a 2 bucket classifier with 4 mesh screen from there. Its not real heavy duty though, as the bigger rocks have broken it in a couple places and I have had to replace it once so far in less then a year of use. For fairly small classifying (its maybe 30 mesh?) you can use a flour sifter, though I don't know anything finer then that which is cheap, sorry. Good luck and let us know if you find something.

 

[FiresEye]

Hello Astrobouncer, Takado, and all, mERRY CHRISTMAS!

What a wonderful day today, a whole day of awesome, was, totally awesome"! Now I have some time to surf the forums!

Well Turns out I did find something, my vacuum cleaner has two fine screens before the filter, so I can wash off the plastic screen and use it for classifying without getting the real filter wet...
And then it crossed my mind why not just let the vacuum do the work, dry the cons, vacuum up, large stuff ends up in bucket collector, small stuff gets stuck in filter and filter screen Then I decided against it...

Well, Even today amidst the madness, I found time to set up my recirculating sluice with my shoot tube to re-run some cons. I lowered the angle, and added jet dry, and was amazed at how much small gold I got out of the cons.. SOmething like 20 fly poops and even a few small flakes, and probably some micro Yes, it snowed here in Atlanta GA int he SOutheast USA.... first snow in 100 years on Christmas. I got some nice tools too as gifts... you know they're gonna be used for building my next sluice