Zipline to send paydirt downhill

[1637]

 

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[gold tramp]

This is why I have a handcrank, to much work any other way, we just take it to the dig, I bribe a youngster do this for me.
Only pay them 1/2 they get the rest when they bring the equipment back out ..
Good luck stay hydrated and wear you mask don't want that lung bug ..

Gt ...

 

[Goodyguy]

Hindsight IS 2020. LOL!

Not sure why I originally thought that flimsy Harbor Freight roller stand would do the job
Good thing I field tested it close to home before wasting a 2 hour trip out to the claim.

GG~

 

[No gold in NY]

I was going to suggest a chute, but Kray Gelder beat me to it. All that zipline stuff seems complicated. While you are loading buckets and zipping them down, who is going to take them off? Who is going to be feeding the dry washer? A chute will leave you a nice big pile to work on later. If keeping the material moving along the pvc is an issue, how about adding vibraters?

 

[russau]

Buddy , using that H.F. roller stand , it looks like it would work good if you would use their stand as a pattern to build one out of heavier steel tubing. I know it would be heavy BUT it'll last and get the job done ! you already have the design and know it'll work for you ! One modification I would do is make the height of the upper pully adjustable and make the lower legs so they would fold in for a EZer package to carry! Yep, I know , it's EZ for me to say and hard on you to do!

 

[Goodyguy]

Buddy , using that H.F. roller stand , it looks like it would work good if you would use their stand as a pattern to build one out of heavier steel tubing. I know it would be heavy BUT it'll last and get the job done ! you already have the design and know it'll work for you ! One modification I would do is make the height of the upper pully adjustable and make the lower legs so they would fold in for a EZer package to carry! Yep, I know , it's EZ for me to say and hard on you to do!

Well, on the HF stand it does fold and the height is adjustable by about a foot and a half.

After more thought on the subject I have pretty much decided to go with a tripod design with a shorter length rear leg to allow for the slope of the hillside.
Will still use the tie down straps as guy wires to help anchor it in place. Going to weld up a head piece similar to the one pictured below so I can slide whatever length poles I want into it.

GG~

 

[xracer550]

Adjustable leg extensions is an option that comes to mind for sidehill setup.

Good luck.

I like the Extension idea

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

I think your tripod idea will work great. Do you have any scrap yards around? Junk yards? Place near me is .50 a lbs. it’s not always pretty but I can dig up just what I need and it’s often pretty cheap.

Best of luck. Seems to be coming along nicely

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Oooh. I also always build heavy. Best to build heavy and know it’s up to the task. If you build it right you could put a wheel at the top so you could flip it upside down and roll it up the hill like it’s a wheel barrow. Hell, maybe even enough space on it to toss your tools and make it all in a single trip.

 

[Goodyguy]

I think your tripod idea will work great. Do you have any scrap yards around? Junk yards? Place near me is .50 a lbs. it’s not always pretty but I can dig up just what I need and it’s often pretty cheap.

Best of luck. Seems to be coming along nicely

Thanks,

Oh yes, I am the king of scrap.
Bulldog recycling is my favorite scrap yard. 30 cents a lb. for steel and 1.00 a lb. for aluminum.

 

[Goodyguy]

Oooh. I also always build heavy. Best to build heavy and know it?s up to the task. If you build it right you could put a wheel at the top so you could flip it upside down and roll it up the hill like it?s a wheel barrow. Hell, maybe even enough space on it to toss your tools and make it all in a single trip.

There is no way in Hell you could roll a wheelbarrow up this hill, not even an empty one!
For that matter you couldnt even roll one down this hill.

You have to thread your way around and over boulders and cobbles of varying sizes to even walk the hill.
There's paydirt under the boulders and rocks but you have to move them to get to it.

That is why I came up with the zipline idea to send buckets over the top of everything.


This is NOT the hill but you get the idea.......

I plan to be able to make only one trip up with everything I need to set up the zipline.
Hopefully all of it will fit into a bucket, a backpack, and a long hand held bag that a popup canopy comes in.
Guessing/hoping less than 70 lbs. total. Anything else can be sent up line later, by my partner, like shovel, pick, prybar, gas vac., extra buckets, classifier, water, etc.

GG~

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

There is no way in Hell you could roll a wheelbarrow up this hill, not even an empty one!
For that matter you couldnt even roll one down this hill.

You have to thread your way around and over boulders and cobbles of varying sizes to even walk the hill.
There's paydirt under the boulders and rocks but you have to move them to get to it.

That is why I came up with the zipline idea to send buckets over the top of everything.


This is NOT the hill but you get the idea.......

I plan to be able to make only one trip up with everything I need to set up the zipline.
Hopefully all of it will fit into a bucket, a backpack, and a long hand held bag that a popup canopy comes in.
Guessing/hoping less than 70 lbs. total. Anything else can be sent up line later, by my partner, like shovel, pick, prybar, gas vac., extra buckets, classifier, water, etc.

GG~

Yeah I suppose not. I guess if you’re not so concerned about taking it down every trip then you could build it as robust as needed and just take it up in a couple trips. I guess if there are that many large boulders and such you’ve got plenty of things to anchor to.

 

[Bodfish Mike]

How long of a distance are we talking - I have a spot with the same problem and have been using 2 - two gallon buckets but only walking about 40 feet.
Was thinking of using a chute of corrugated tin roofing to get it to the drywasher.
Saving that idea for a day when a friend want's to put in a good days work.
Cheers Mike

 

[Phil]

Why bother building something when you have all of those boulders to use as anchors?

 

[russau]

Oooh. I also always build heavy. Best to build heavy and know it?s up to the task. If you build it right you could put a wheel at the top so you could flip it upside down and roll it up the hill like it?s a wheel barrow. Hell, maybe even enough space on it to toss your tools and make it all in a single trip.

There AINT NO ROLLING ANYTHING UP THAT HILL !!!!!

 

[wildminer]

For reference, Continental Cable. Stainless wire rope 1/4", 8500# breaking strength, 13.7# weight per 100'. 5/64" 800# breaking strength, 1.4# weight per 100'. I use 5/64" 7 strand wire for salmon trolling with 60# cannon balls. It is quite tough with very little stretch if any. A lighter weight will give you far less sag in your mainline and also seems as though it would put less stress on your A-frame on the uphill end. In my mind I would anchor the A-frame at the uphill end and attach the other end to a good comealong which is attached to your jeep. Then of course a snatch block with your bucket with haulback line attached. Interesting problem Goodyguy and I know you will get it figured out!

 

[Goodyguy]

How long of a distance are we talking - I have a spot with the same problem and have been using 2 - two gallon buckets but only walking about 40 feet.
Was thinking of using a chute of corrugated tin roofing to get it to the drywasher.
Saving that idea for a day when a friend want's to put in a good days work.
Cheers Mike

100 feet as the crow flies is what I want to do, even though there is gold higher up. I figure it will take me a whole season just to work across the 100 ft level and down.
Then if the values dictate may add a third person and another 100 ft. section above and use the third person to transfer the bucket from the top 100ft line over to the bottom 100ft line and add him or her to the rotation.

Not sure I could do a 200' continuous line.

 

[Goodyguy]

Why bother building something when you have all of those boulders to use as anchors?

Phil,

Unless the hill gets much steeper further up, the line will just follow the same height off the ground.
I will check that out next time I'm there to see if it's a possibility.

Thank you for the suggestion,

GG~

 

[Goodyguy]

For reference, Continental Cable. Stainless wire rope 1/4", 8500# breaking strength, 13.7# weight per 100'. 5/64" 800# breaking strength, 1.4# weight per 100'. I use 5/64" 7 strand wire for salmon trolling with 60# cannon balls. It is quite tough with very little stretch if any. A lighter weight will give you far less sag in your mainline and also seems as though it would put less stress on your A-frame on the uphill end. In my mind I would anchor the A-frame at the uphill end and attach the other end to a good comealong which is attached to your jeep. Then of course a snatch block with your bucket with haulback line attached. Interesting problem Goodyguy and I know you will get it figured out!

Thanks for the info Wildminer

I will most likely go with 100ft of 5/16 aircraft wire 7 strands 19 wires per strand, Breaking strength 9800 lbs. working load limit 1960 lbs. I am planning to use my hand crank winch to tighten the cable.
Also have a come along winch but the hand crank boat winch is more convenient to use.

I appreciate the comment about knowing I will figure it out.
Thought I had it figured out the first time, but nooooooo. LOL


GG~

 

[Goodyguy]

I think your tripod idea will work great. Do you have any scrap yards around? Junk yards? Place near me is .50 a lbs. it’s not always pretty but I can dig up just what I need and it’s often pretty cheap.

Best of luck. Seems to be coming along nicely

Good suggestion
Just got back from KAR scrap yard and they have the pipe I need for 40 cents a lb.

Have to go back with a hack saw so it will fit in my vehicle.
Going to cut 6' lengths and maybe 4' lengths of smaller dia. pipe that will fit inside them for a telescoping height adjustment so it can be tall enough for me to take a ride .......... Just kidding, at 225lbs. I will just hike, but I do like the telescoping height adjustment idea.

*Just found a FREE A-frame metal swing set on Craigslist, pretty sure I can use the parts to make a tripod!
Just shorten the top cross pole so that the opposite leg bracket assembly butts against the other leg bracket assy. rotate it so that a leg sleeve centers up with the front two, slip in the leg and remove the unneeded sleeve. Instant tripod!


GG~