Theory crafting : large hand style dredge

allenkeeton

allenkeeton

Full Member
Jun 26, 2014
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cartersville, GA.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
All this GA. rain has the creeks up and I got nothing better to do at the moment. So I'm finishing up my lil DIY hand dredge (nothing fancy here other than using 2 check valves for bucket pumping) and i began to wonder, how big can these things get? I'm just wondering if it were possible to do a large one operated by a 2nd person while the first simply focused on moving the nozzle around.

as I said, just simple little ideas. no plans on making anything like that anytime soon. just curious to hear other peoples thoughts.
 

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allenkeeton said:
All this GA. rain has the creeks up and I got nothing better to do at the moment. So I'm finishing up my lil DIY hand dredge (nothing fancy here other than using 2 check valves for bucket pumping) and i began to wonder, how big can these things get? I'm just wondering if it were possible to do a large one operated by a 2nd person while the first simply focused on moving the nozzle around.

as I said, just simple little ideas. no plans on making anything like that anytime soon. just curious to hear other peoples thoughts.
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There is a video of Goldgrabber's friend using a 4" one in Scotland. (he posts here or check YouTube) Beautiful country and the creek has a great look to it, with bedrock and boulders and fast water.
 

Here is the link:
 

allenkeeton said:
well that is certainly interesting. my back already hurts watching him lift that though.
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Looking at that flow, all I could think was dam it up a bit, run a bazooka and shovel material till you need a nap. Or build a pre classifier for the sluice and set it all up in the flow. I sure wouldn't move and then classify when you have good flowing water.

Rather than pick up and swing then dump water and material:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su1j1toRGUo&feature=player_detailpage#t=33
 

Wow that thing sure sucks up the material but why is he using it where he doesn't need it? Would be moving more with that shovel he has in the background..
 

allenkeeton said:
well that is certainly interesting. my back already hurts watching him lift that though.
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Yes, it does, but if you want one that big, Goldgrabber has a youtube video on how to make one. I think you can find it off of the video above. The most interesting thing about his procedure is that he uses a nerf ball as the gasket. Much cheaper than leather.
 

I'd say he needs to test his tailings...looks to be losing gold!
 

allenkeeton said:
jcazgoldchaser said:
Imagine this with the flair in the water to dump material on, the grating over a sluice or box connected to a 10' pooptube down to a sluice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cNY97XKQ9Yc#t=186
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Idunno about that one though. Doesn't seem like he is getting a good wash on them rocks.
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If you watch the full video, he mentions reducing the slope.

My point was for the stream in the 4" hand dredge video, let the water do the work and shovel like mad. Lay that sucker flat and let the stream classify for you. More material, more gold. That guy was using the 4" to lift material into a classifier, hand classifying then had to run the fines through a sluice. Use a hand dredge when you hit bedrock, or to under and around large boulder that you can't get to with the shovel. It's all about yardage.
 

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I use a 3" super gold sucker, with a 45 degree elbow and a nozzle 6" long. At the end of the stroke, you give the barrel a twist so the 45 points uip. This keeps the material inside the barrel. To empty, you just point down. I feed a sluice directly, with a classifier set at the head. You can move enough material with the 3" that you really need a person working the super sucker, and one working the material at the head of the sluice. 3 inch super gold sucker.JPG
 

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Seems like most times a shovel would be less work. Is there a special situation where this super sucker makes particularly good sense?
 

I think it would do pretty good for areas laying between rocks or maybe if you just don't want to bend down. Also brings a decent amount of water with it which could help in certain situations. I think it just boils down to "each their own".
 

In deeper holes, a shovel sucks, in a bad way; and a super gold sucker sucks in a good way. In a deeper hole, as you try to lift the shovel out, you lose a lot of material. Not so with the super gold sucker. the super gold sucker also works great for getting material from underneath boulders. A prospector friend of mine uses a nozzle about 18" long to reach way under some boulders. Another advantage of the super gold sucker is that you can set up your sluice, and gather material from some distance from the area you are collecting material from. You give the barrel a twist, and you will not lose any of the material. If you are carrying a shovel full of wet material, and water is draining out of the material, guaranteed you are losing gold along with the water. One of the old books I read about placer miners up in Canada is that they would stop shoveling at the waterline, as they would lose too much gold trying to dig up the material with a shovel from under water. The 3" super gold sucker that I use can collect material faster than a sluice can process it.
 

Not denying the need for the dredge. Sides and a back reduce the loss of material.
ShovelHead1-225x300.jpg

Or scoops. And also showing a sluice with a classifier.
 

get an upsized one of these with a hose on the end.

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Have your friend do the pumping while you operate the hose. You'll own the first dredge powered by wheaties!
 

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