- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 1,074
- Reaction score
- 571
seeing a recent thread about seives I thought I'd post up how I make a bucket seive that I use for gold.
Not sure if these are suited to gems etc.
I didn't invent this - found it online somewhere a few years back.
You can process heaps more paydirt with one of these & I believe process it more thoroughly too.
It's very simple. fill one bucket up with water about 3/4 full. sit the 2nd bucket that has a mesh bottom into the water bucket & start shoveling pay dirt into it.
depending on the paydirt you might be able to put in 2-4 shovels into it.
then lift te top bucket slightly & shake, twist & shake it. get your hands in there & wash the mud & off the rocks.
the more rocks go in the bucket the better you'll wash your paydirt.
if you dislodge a large rock & it'll fit in ya bucket - then do so - wash the underside of it then get rid of it.
Once it's washed - tip the top bucket out & check for anything of interest.
Insert the seive bucket again & repeat.
keep doing this untill the bottom bucket is full of concentrates.
then pan or sluice that.
Cost is free if you can scrounge up the materials.
you need 2 buckets & some wire mesh that is big enough to cover the bottom of one bucket.
The mesh I use it 11-12mm squares & I find it's the ideal size.
Construction method:
Take one bucket.
Cut the bottom off it & place on your mesh - trim the mesh so it's 50mm bigger than the bucket bottom.
Start bending/moulding the mesh around the bottom of it. Bend the edges up.
once you got it roughly bent up, you may need to trim some of the mesh edges so they don't bunch up.
Then use a flat piece of timber 19mmx40mm x 30cm? & use that to whack/slap the mesh gently around the bottom so it forms a nice smooth rim.
Next get the bucket that you cut the bottom off & mark out 50mm from the bottom edge & trim a 50mm ring off it.
Now you can chuck the bottom of the bucket in the bin/recycling.
Insert the 50mm ring inside the mesh that you've cut & bent up.
I put liquid nails on the outside of that ring so that the mesh gets coated aswell.
Now, take the mesh & ring (as one unit) and fit it thru the top of the bucket you cut it off and push the ring & mesh down carefully.
Take your time & try & keep the mesh tout. It will start to wedge into the bottom of the bucket & you may think it won't go down any further.
Now get your bit of whacking timber & use it as a punch to tap the ring down untill it bottoms out.
I've used this kind of seive for a while now & everyone I prospect with is impressed with how fast & thorough you can process your pay dirt.
Not sure if these are suited to gems etc.
I didn't invent this - found it online somewhere a few years back.
You can process heaps more paydirt with one of these & I believe process it more thoroughly too.
It's very simple. fill one bucket up with water about 3/4 full. sit the 2nd bucket that has a mesh bottom into the water bucket & start shoveling pay dirt into it.
depending on the paydirt you might be able to put in 2-4 shovels into it.
then lift te top bucket slightly & shake, twist & shake it. get your hands in there & wash the mud & off the rocks.
the more rocks go in the bucket the better you'll wash your paydirt.
if you dislodge a large rock & it'll fit in ya bucket - then do so - wash the underside of it then get rid of it.
Once it's washed - tip the top bucket out & check for anything of interest.
Insert the seive bucket again & repeat.
keep doing this untill the bottom bucket is full of concentrates.
then pan or sluice that.
Cost is free if you can scrounge up the materials.
you need 2 buckets & some wire mesh that is big enough to cover the bottom of one bucket.
The mesh I use it 11-12mm squares & I find it's the ideal size.
Construction method:
Take one bucket.
Cut the bottom off it & place on your mesh - trim the mesh so it's 50mm bigger than the bucket bottom.
Start bending/moulding the mesh around the bottom of it. Bend the edges up.
once you got it roughly bent up, you may need to trim some of the mesh edges so they don't bunch up.
Then use a flat piece of timber 19mmx40mm x 30cm? & use that to whack/slap the mesh gently around the bottom so it forms a nice smooth rim.
Next get the bucket that you cut the bottom off & mark out 50mm from the bottom edge & trim a 50mm ring off it.
Now you can chuck the bottom of the bucket in the bin/recycling.
Insert the 50mm ring inside the mesh that you've cut & bent up.
I put liquid nails on the outside of that ring so that the mesh gets coated aswell.
Now, take the mesh & ring (as one unit) and fit it thru the top of the bucket you cut it off and push the ring & mesh down carefully.
Take your time & try & keep the mesh tout. It will start to wedge into the bottom of the bucket & you may think it won't go down any further.
Now get your bit of whacking timber & use it as a punch to tap the ring down untill it bottoms out.
I've used this kind of seive for a while now & everyone I prospect with is impressed with how fast & thorough you can process your pay dirt.
