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which pans are your favorite ?

paydirt1850 said:
I must be odd man out - I don't like the garrett pans. I like a pan with a wide bottom, sharp riffles that cover about I/3 of the pan and black. Or my good old rusty beat up steel pan ( as long as I don't have to pack it very far).
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You are describing my fantasy pan: it would be shaped like the Proline Professional but in black rather than green. Is there a brand you like made as you describe?
 

I use the Proline Professional in black, I like how solid it's made. You can throw it down a cliff to free up you hands and it doesn't faze it. I have been using one for about 3 years now. I also love the cheep 10" black pan for metal detecting and prospecting. Whites made a great pan 15 or 20 years ago, but they made it out of hard plastic and they broke real easy. The pan went off the market in less than a year.
 

KevinInColorado said:
You are describing my fantasy pan: it would be shaped like the Proline Professional but in black rather than green. Is there a brand you like made as you describe?
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Kevin, Proline has black, green and blue in their Professional on their website. I use the green as one of my favorites, but thought you might be looking for black.
 

PurpleGold said:
What is the blue pan called and where do I get one? I want to try this pan.
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Go here...ez pan angus mackirk https://www.google.com/webhp?source...US576&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ez pan gold pan

I would think that, at the least, it is ideal for streamside concentrate collection. The side profile is sort of like this /______/ so you can see how it traps the heavies below the lip (along the left hand edge) in the first stage of cleaning and concentration. The other sides gradually transition to the opposite angle as shown on the right edge of the profile.

I have one but have not had the opportunity to use it so no users opinion yet.
 

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No one was selling any Proline pans at the GPAA show in Pomona today, unfortunately, but I did pick up 10" and 12" blue Keene pans. They seem well designed but don't look nearly as sturdy or high quality as a Garrett Super Sluice, which I also didn't see anyone selling.
 

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Good to know Hamfist. Hopefully someone in Las Vegas will have a black Proline for me!
 

arizau said:
Go here...ez pan angus mackirk https://www.google.com/webhp?source...US576&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ez pan gold pan

I would think that, at the least, it is ideal for streamside concentrate collection. The side profile is sort of like this /______/ so you can see how it traps the heavies below the lip (along the left hand edge) in the first stage of cleaning and concentration. The other sides gradually transition to the opposite angle as shown on the right edge of the profile.

I have one but have not had the opportunity to use it so no users opinion yet.
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It is a very fast pan.... I have 2 and for production panning it is hard to beat... The shape and technique takes a little getting used to but no big deal.

I think with this pan and a 1/4 or 1/2 inch classifier, Which are completely optional.... a person could move almost as much materiel as a keene A52 sluice AND have better recovery, especially fine gold recovery....... It's all in the technique....

Here's the link to Angus MacKirk for the pan EZ Gold Pan - Angus MacKirk

ALSO..... I found these classifiers. Haven't bought them yet so I can't offer any reviews but thought I would just let ya know about them.... https://www.riogrande.com/Product/Stackable-Sifting-Screens-150-Mesh/350016
 

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Looks like a GOOD deal!
 

Since this thread is about favorite gold pans I have a couple questions for y'all.

Now the thoughts about gold pans and there uses generally fall within a rather narrow range of thought.
1. A prospecting tool.
2. A clean up tool.

Nobody really ever considers a gold pan a production tool.
Sure there are a couple of pans on the market that are called production pans but they still stop short of truly being used or properly designed to do the job I am eluding to.

Everybody's idea of panning is to put a shovel full of hopefully gold bearing dirt into the pan (maybe they pre-classify it) then they spend the next ten minutes reducing the load to a point that they can get their little snuffer bottle out and suck up that precious yellow metal........ So lets say they spent the last 20 minutes on this process........ BORING.........:BangHead:

Now lets think about production.........
Use your pan as the prospecting tool everybody thinks it is to find your spot.

Get yourself set up as comfortable for panning as possible,..... good water, comfortable sitting position....etc.

Now if it's just you doing all the work things will take a little longer but not that much.... or if you have a buddy to do the shoveling while you pan things will go more quickly... you can take turns on the shovel & pan..... a bit less fatiguing ...

Get yourself set. Let your partner put the first shovel fun into your pan... You may classify or not.... not really that big a deal in most cases.

Now get busy on the pan, lots of water, 10 seconds to stratify, 5 seconds to pull out the oversize, 10-20 seconds to reduce to initial cons which you just leave in the pan...

Second shovel full.... repeat process...... don't worry about the gold in the pan.. it will still be there after the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th ........... shovel full has been worked. that gold is staying in the bottom of the pan.........

Now when the heavy cons get to a point where you have a 1/4 or 1/3 of a pan just dump those into a bucket... reduce them further later.

This method will get you through about 40 pans an hour without really busting your ass.

One of these days maybe I will make a vid of real production panning but probably not since I'm kinda camera shy......:laughing7:

Anyway think about this..... yes it's a little outside the box but you can start understand this process if you cogitate on it a bit.........

Now think about this in those panning only areas..... you can move a lot of material with just a pan in production mode....... without all the BS. Also in the areas you can sluice or use a small dredge the pan only production mode is a lot easier to pack in and out.... and not noisy gas engines to dull your senses ...... always nice to be aware of your surroundings.

Also this method can be used where you wouldn't have the water to run a sluice.
 

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johnedoe said:
Since this thread is about favorite gold pans I have a couple questions for y'all.

Now the thoughts about gold pans and there uses generally fall within a rather narrow range of thought.
1. A prospecting tool.
2. A clean up tool.

Nobody really ever considers a gold pan a production tool.
Sure there are a couple of pans on the market that are called production pans but they still stop short of truly being used or properly designed to do the job I am eluding to.

Everybody's idea of panning is to put a shovel full of hopefully gold bearing dirt into the pan (maybe they pre-classify it) then they spend the next ten minutes reducing the load to a point that they can get their little snuffer bottle out and suck up that precious yellow metal........ So lets say they spent the last 20 minutes on this process........ BORING.........:BangHead:

Now lets think about production.........
Use your pan as the prospecting tool everybody thinks it is to find your spot.

Get yourself set up as comfortable for panning as possible,..... good water, comfortable sitting position....etc.

Now if it's just you doing all the work things will take a little longer but not that much.... or if you have a buddy to do the shoveling while you pan things will go more quickly... you can take turns on the shovel & pan..... a bit less fatiguing ...

Get yourself set. Let your partner put the first shovel fun into your pan... You may classify or not.... not really that big a deal in most cases.

Now get busy on the pan, lots of water, 10 seconds to stratify, 5 seconds to pull out the oversize, 10-20 seconds to reduce to initial cons which you just leave in the pan...

Second shovel full.... repeat process...... don't worry about the gold in the pan.. it will still be there after the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th ........... shovel full has been worked. that gold is staying in the bottom of the pan.........

Now when the heavy cons get to a point where you have a 1/4 or 1/3 of a pan just dump those into a bucket... reduce them further later.

This method will get you through about 40 pans an hour without really busting your ass.

One of these days maybe I will make a vid of real production panning but probably not since I'm kinda camera shy......:laughing7:

Anyway think about this..... yes it's a little outside the box but you can start understand this process if you cogitate on it a bit.........

Now think about this in those panning only areas..... you can move a lot of material with just a pan in production mode....... without all the BS. Also in the areas you can sluice or use a small dredge the pan only production mode is a lot easier to pack in and out.... and not noisy gas engines to dull your senses ...... always nice to be aware of your surroundings.
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40 pans an hour?
That works with black beach sand too...right?:laughing7:
The link for the classifiers, very cool. I have been looking for 200 but 325? whoa!
 

Beach sand?..... Not so much.. but in a creek you can really go to town.

The other advantage of this system is you can operate without nearly as much water.
 

johnedoe said:
Since this thread is about favorite gold pans I have a couple questions for y'all.

Now the thoughts about gold pans and there uses generally fall within a rather narrow range of thought.
1. A prospecting tool.
2. A clean up tool.

Nobody really ever considers a gold pan a production tool.
Sure there are a couple of pans on the market that are called production pans but they still stop short of truly being used or properly designed to do the job I am eluding to.

Everybody's idea of panning is to put a shovel full of hopefully gold bearing dirt into the pan (maybe they pre-classify it) then they spend the next ten minutes reducing the load to a point that they can get their little snuffer bottle out and suck up that precious yellow metal........ So lets say they spent the last 20 minutes on this process........ BORING.........:BangHead:

Now lets think about production.........
Use your pan as the prospecting tool everybody thinks it is to find your spot.

Get yourself set up as comfortable for panning as possible,..... good water, comfortable sitting position....etc.

Now if it's just you doing all the work things will take a little longer but not that much.... or if you have a buddy to do the shoveling while you pan things will go more quickly... you can take turns on the shovel & pan..... a bit less fatiguing ...

Get yourself set. Let your partner put the first shovel fun into your pan... You may classify or not.... not really that big a deal in most cases.

Now get busy on the pan, lots of water, 10 seconds to stratify, 5 seconds to pull out the oversize, 10-20 seconds to reduce to initial cons which you just leave in the pan...

Second shovel full.... repeat process...... don't worry about the gold in the pan.. it will still be there after the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th ........... shovel full has been worked. that gold is staying in the bottom of the pan.........

Now when the heavy cons get to a point where you have a 1/4 or 1/3 of a pan just dump those into a bucket... reduce them further later.

This method will get you through about 40 pans an hour without really busting your ass.

One of these days maybe I will make a vid of real production panning but probably not since I'm kinda camera shy......:laughing7:

Anyway think about this..... yes it's a little outside the box but you can start understand this process if you cogitate on it a bit.........

Now think about this in those panning only areas..... you can move a lot of material with just a pan in production mode....... without all the BS. Also in the areas you can sluice or use a small dredge the pan only production mode is a lot easier to pack in and out.... and not noisy gas engines to dull your senses ...... always nice to be aware of your surroundings.

Also this method can be used where you wouldn't have the water to run a sluice.
Click to expand...

This method lends itself to using the EZ pan discussed above because of the way the pan traps the heavies with little risk of losing any gold. Where your panning efforts go to the advanced stages of super concentration and gold recovery is where there is the highest risk of unknowingly washing out gold. While doing those steps it is a good idea to use a safety pan or tub. To be super safe, classify before starting these steps.
 

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arizau said:
This method lends itself to using the EZ pan discussed above because of the way the pan traps the heavies with little risk of losing any gold. Where your panning efforts go to the advanced stages of super concentration and gold recovery is where there is the highest risk of unknowingly washing out gold. While doing those steps it is a good idea to use a safety pan or tub. To be super safe, classify before starting these steps.
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While classifying is not absolutely needed it will ultimately make your job easier and really only takes a couple seconds......
If your worried about loosing that elusive nugget that might be bigger than your classifier just get a good pinpointer to do a quick scan over the oversize material.....

I like this pinpointer from White's ... Bullseye TRX Pinpointer
 

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paydirt1850 said:
The problem I see is standing up straight at the end of the day
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I have trouble standing up straight after a day on the end of a pick and shovel......:laughing7:

I think I mentioned ...... find a comfortable position and place to work in.......:dontknow:

This also means you don't have t sit it out all day.... Come on use your imagination, get out of the box.
You seem be trapped into a very narrow mindset about panning.
 

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IS THE PROCESS THE SAME FOR SAMPLING OPPOSED TO PANNING A KNOWN SOURCE?

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