Which screens to use, 9 pan screen set

[jcazgoldchaser]

Which screen sizes do you use the most often?

I've been playing with grading sand/gravels (for a completely different hobby) and have all sorts of kitchen and office supply products to classify material. Problem is for the other hobby, I can't very well say what the $9.99 walmart strainer mesh's to. All I know is it is too small to classify any quantity of material and nearly impossible to dry classify anything through it.

So I was a tad tickled when Utopia tools summer flier came with a 5 piece set for $50 and 9 for $65.

These I'll be able to stack on a 5 gal bucket and strap to a vibration table and just dump material.

But for gold panning, I wouldn't think you'd take but a couple of these and certainly not the bottom 4, unless you need to turn coffee back into water.

1/2, 1/4, 1/8th?

 

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[Underburden]

4 mesh, 8 mesh, 30 mesh will cover most gold found in the US.

 

[Davisdog]

For my river sluice (Keene A52), I classify to minus 8. I then classify the cons to minus 12 to run through my homemade cleanup sluice. After tweezing any bigger chunks, I classify the "super cons" through 40 and 120 mesh screens, then run each seperately through the blue bowl. When running my highbanker, I don't classify at all.

 

[TerryC]

I classify everything that goes through my Jobe highbanker. I have the highbanker set up as a recirculator (for arid desert). #2 mesh into a bucket, then over to the unit. 4 mesh into the top of the Jobe. About 15/17 mesh (window screening) at the bottom of the sluice (above the tub). If I am going to "Blue Bowl" the sand, it first goes through a 50 mesh. Note: much of the gold that TimC and I get from Lynx Creek, near Prescott Valley, AZ, will show up on a 20 mesh classifier so BEWARE you might be throwing some gold OUT! If you have ever stayed at Stanton, AZ LDMA camp, you can SEE the western edge of the property GROWING! That is the years of highbanking sand being thrown out by the miners! Edit: I pay between 22.00 and 24.00 per classifier at the gold shop in Jamestown, CA. The green ones are better than the purple ones. If you buy the purple ones, for a few dollars less, put a size 4 or 6 sheetmetal screw right in the center, securing the screen to the plastic BEFORE it starts to come out from the steel (old style) retainer ring holding it in. Wouldn't hurt to put the screw into the newer plastic retainer also. TTC

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

Well, I got them dirty last night. Couple pounds of Cody dirt and I used every screen. That was interesting, I should have taken pictures (that's ok, I have another bag to do so with). I wasn't happy with some of the screens where the screen didn't say on the support. Those seemed to gather the dirt. I went to A&B in mesa today and the $23 screens seem to have the same issue. I'm quite happy price wise.

One reason I went to A&B was I didn't even have a snuffer bottle so that's fixed.

With using every screen, there's so little material at most of the steps, I wasn't sure I was panning right. No 1/2" nuggets though

 

[TerryC]

Well, I got them dirty last night. Couple pounds of Cody dirt and I used every screen. That was interesting, I should have taken pictures (that's ok, I have another bag to do so with). I wasn't happy with some of the screens where the screen didn't say on the support. Those seemed to gather the dirt. I went to A&B in mesa today and the $23 screens seem to have the same issue. I'm quite happy price wise.

One reason I went to A&B was I didn't even have a snuffer bottle so that's fixed.

With using every screen, there's so little material at most of the steps, I wasn't sure I was panning right. No 1/2" nuggets though

I've bought from Cody. He has a good product for the money. TTC

 

[kuger]

LOL!No,there probably wasnt any 1/2 inch nuggies in there.As I said....I pick out the BIG gold....1/2" size is considered jewelry grade by one of my buyers and I get near double spot.You cant say there was no clinkers in there though?

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

LOL!No,there probably wasnt any 1/2 inch nuggies in there.As I said....I pick out the BIG gold....1/2" size is considered jewelry grade by one of my buyers and I get near double spot.You cant say there was no clinkers in there though?

That thunk sure makes you giggle like a little school girl,.. doesn't it?

Photos didn't turn out so well and didn't think to throw something in for scale. I'll do that next time.



That's not the whole 1lb, just off one of the screens.

 

[TerryC]

That thunk sure makes you giggle like a little school girl,.. doesn't it?

Photos didn't turn out so well and didn't think to throw something in for scale. I'll do that next time.

View attachment 658208

That's not the whole 1lb, just off one of the screens.

Didn't have to throw anything in for scale, I think your finger will do! Nice color! Tnx. TTC

 

[kuger]