built a diy quicksand concentrator PRO

[MikeB05]

fbtsomp63,
thanks for the photos and posts....what size pipes are you using...is that 100MM sewer into 90MM stormwater...or smaller?

Keen to know also what rating bilge pump you will use on your rig.

Great job !!

 

[daniel2015]

UPDATE:

Instead of the dust pan one can use this banjo pan from goldcube homepage. Just drill a hole in the middle of the banjo pan and fix the concentrator to it. The integrated vortex mat should catch gold that is trying to get away.

 

[fbtsomp63]

MikeB05,
It's 90mm into 75mm stormwater pipe and running a 450gph (us) bilge pump with a 3/4" ball valve in the hose to vary the flow. I've ran water through it and it appears to be O.K., I'll run some material through it once I have fitted a dustpan.

 

[MikeB05]

fbtsomp63,

I had a look at Bunnings for 75mm pipe and a 90 to 75 reduction collar...couldn't find any fitting in 75mm. Where did you get your pipes/collar etc.
cheers
MikeB05

 

[fbtsomp63]

MikeB05,
The 75mm pipe and the reducer came from Home timber and Hardware.

 

[EthanRogers]

Can we see picture of some gold you have caught, when you get a decent amount?

 

[MikeB05]

fbtsomp63,
many thanks.

I am pretty sure that 75mm stormwater fittings are not generally available in Qld...certainly not at my local Bunnings. I will ty Home Timber & Hardware up here and also dedicated plumbing stores.

I have already made and tested a unit using 90mm and 65mm pipe (all from Bunnings) (kept other dimensions as per Daniels plans) and it seems to work...but think the 65mm pipe may be a bit tight to get the fluidisation water-bed principle to work properly.

My units is working OK but particularly good for re-processing already classified cons (1/8inch sieve seems to work well).

I am also using a 750GPH (US) 12V bilge pump thorough 19mm black garden irrigation type semi rigid poly pipe - with a tap....works OK but tap is fully open, so not sure I need the tap to regulate flow. I might do a more direct fit between pump and fluid bed concentrator and see what happens.

I threw some raw dirt (plus gravel and small stones) yesterday as a test run and it jammed up after about 10 handfuls of dirt. It certainly got rid of the fine dirt and soil

I've got some pretty fine but messy tailings ( fair bit of clay mixed in it)... I am gonna put through it today and see how I go...hopefully might find some yellow missed first time around.

Gonna keep playing with my prototype to see if I can get it to perfection and will post some pics soon.

I like Daniels idea of the banjo pan/sluice instead of a dustpan but it then becomes an expensive unit as those things sell for around $50 (incl freight).

thanks again