How long is too long for a sluice?

[Goldtarget]

I thought about it but as a prototype it's a bit rough and ready, and after my last banker went walking I'm a little hesitant... Once the final design is done mate I'll pm a pic and some of the goodies she catches. Spent some time already today ironing out a few defects and adding a few ideas and started marking out and pre cutting for the final design. Once I've got the beast going I'll pop up a pic of the original, which I'm sure will be close in design but lacking the finish and polish, going all aluminum for the final as it stands now is a bit of everything, plastic steel and Aly.

Started on the twin side by side sluice and it's working a treat. The advantage is better flow rates and better capture, the downside more to clean up and clogging may be an issue but I made the Centre removable and kept the original mat configuration so I can still run it wide open. Back in the man lab with a bit of room to move has been great.

 

[Twapster]

Hanging out for pics!

 

[RottenRon]

I'm thinking a sluice can be as long as you like, provided the water speed can be maintained with the right fall. I'd expect that the longer it was, the less frequently you'ld need to clean out. Geez, wouldn't it be good. A dirty great sluice, worked for a day, then a cleanout to reveal the first few riffles chocka block with yellow.
Hey dwt, need someone to help ya shovel???

Cheers, Ron.

 

[dwt]

I'm thinking a sluice can be as long as you like, provided the water speed can be maintained with the right fall. I'd expect that the longer it was, the less frequently you'ld need to clean out. Geez, wouldn't it be good. A dirty great sluice, worked for a day, then a cleanout to reveal the first few riffles chocka block with yellow.
Hey dwt, need someone to help ya shovel???

Cheers, Ron.

Working on a design as we speak, a while away yet but when she's rolling i will throw you out holla mate and we will give it burl
Hanging out GT, its sounding good

 

[RottenRon]

I'm thinking a sluice can be as long as you like, provided the water speed can be maintained with the right fall. I'd expect that the longer it was, the less frequently you'ld need to clean out. Geez, wouldn't it be good. A dirty great sluice, worked for a day, then a cleanout to reveal the first few riffles chocka block with yellow.
Hey dwt, need someone to help ya shovel???

Cheers, Ron.

Working on a design as we speak, a while away yet but when she's rolling i will throw you out holla mate and we will give it burl
Hanging out GT, its sounding good

Done,,, I'll bring me shovel,,, and a beer to celebrate,,,lol

 

[Goldtarget]

There you go DWT, not quite what you suggested but should sort a few cubics out. .... Off to the folders tomorrow to make things happen.

 

[dwt]

Im lovin it mate, i can just see the 2nd page of GGTM, it would read something like this......
"A stunning but rare sluice box has been discoverd a few weeks back by some traveling prospectors to the Golden Triangle, they reported it stood some ten feet high, had as many levels as shopping centre car park and that pile of tailings at the end of the box, would match that of kalgoorlies super pit. It was also reported bending in the centre of the sluice box had actually renderd it unusable, to the extent, the only possible way this could of eventuated is mere fact it was so heavily laden with gold, so it has been transported to the local mining museum and heritage listed.

 

[dezman]

Great use of secondhand material, I'm a fan of the long tom and also like the idea of deep and fast too!
My view is that they 'the miners' shovelled large loads through and by using water pressure to move the tailings.
Plus the use of a sluice fork to clear the big rocks out, look forward to the build pics.

 

[Goldtarget]

Turns out my mate who does folding has had a bit of a downturn in business so he's taken on a paid position so the folding will have to wait. On the upside got the ugly box out for a test run, as expected she had some issues but overall the design is still a step in the right direction I felt, ran a few buckets for not much and finally hauled down and the flexi tub full of material which has been on the ute for nearly a fortnight, been dreaming of what might be, picked up maybe half a gram including 4 little specis so I'll have to put the shovel back in there.

Went to a place to dig a couple of buckets on the advice of an old contact panned out 2 duffer pans then a pan with 30 colours not much body but not bad going for a brand new spot, good gold always occurs in the most likely places. Walked up and down and found two more white clay intrusions but it was too dark to get any sampling done, all within a 40 m stretch about 3 kms from home so prospects are good. Time to spend some time refining the banker so I can put some cubics through.

 

[dwt]

Any closer GT, i have a pan brake you can use but its only good for 1200mm sheets, that also includes the guillotine

 

[Goldtarget]

I might take you up on that. ... This folding at home is not fun, most of what I want to do is 1200 or under my mate can sort out the rest out for a few drinks. So after yesterday and much to the anger of Mrs GT I spent the day in the shed putting together something less agricultural more polish. So it's a cinderella story. First the ugly box... You can laugh it worked pretty damn good.

So from that I came up with something less like a sister more like a cousin. Here she is

Inside with the classification plate removed looking from the over burden end.

From the side showing the Underneath collection box that I'm running expanded over vrib on held in by hand clips from the left of pic inspection from looking from the top and slides out toward the feeder end. This worked better than I expected picking up some heavies before it made the sluice. Should be even better once I cut the gold hog ur for the last section before the material enters the sluice. As you can see the height is adjustable and the hopper can be tipped.

Here is the spray bars removable and interchangable can be connected either side or Centre depending on where the pump is. It's an issue I'm glad I've addressed been a problem in the past. Still need a few welds and make up a proper classification screen and it will be a winner. Upgrade on the sluice won't be too far away after that. That white film is a bugger to remove after its sat in the weather for a while. ... Any suggestions on how to remove it would be helpful give it a bit of shine.

 

[dwt]

Starting to come together mate, looking sharp, you got my number mate txt me tomorrow for a time that suits , as for the protective white tape over the alloy, acetone or petroluem based products usually strips that off pretty easy.

 

[Goldtarget]

Acetone, strip off just about anything but what I meant was anything like heating it up or using a blade, might just see what I can come up with just want to avoid putting anything on it then only to go and season it like a pan or scrub the thing to death, I'll see how I go.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Coming5 together gt bet your chomping at the bit to get put and get her dirty

 

[Goldtarget]

That white plastic was a right pita. Stripped it by hand never again. Next time I'll wear it of. Only wanted it off to spray a name on it. ... silly boy. Tig next weekend with any luck just to up the build quality for a few cans.

 

[dwt]

That white plastic was a right pita. Stripped it by hand never again. Next time I'll wear it of. Only wanted it off to spray a name on it. ... silly boy. Tig next weekend with any luck just to up the build quality for a few cans.

Forgot to mention you can usually get the white plastic off with a heat gun, or if the mrs is out,...... hair dryer and srcaper.

 

[StirFX]

About yay big

 

[Goldtarget]

Gonna have some trouble on the shovel. ... Just set it up in the river?