my first blue bowl (actually green) all materials under $15 total

[blayke]

ok so saw the idea here through a google search but thought id search for a little different than using a threeway hose adapter, so i went for some poly irrigation adaptors/pieces and a standard hose adaptor.

so bought the same green bunnings 16l round tub for $4.98
funnel $1.88
irrigation attachments $3.97
and some of the cheap Maxi Nails adhesive which has always worked for me in the past $2.80
so for $13.65 including the sealant adhesive i have the materials for my first try at a blue bowl!

it took about half an hour to cut everything down and glue together now just a couple days to properly dry and solidify the position of the output tube in the bowl (facing slightly down)

by measuring the width from multiple angles and marking the dead centre then measuring the width of the base of the funnel i could accurately position it dead centre....so i got a needle and piece of fishing line with a marker attached and drew a circle around the middle of the bowl (where the funnel sits) so theoreticall it should be dead centre or near enough as makes no difference.

all i need now is some cons to test it! will post pics of it working once i get some...

on another note anyone that has used these, what is the best mesh to screen with to keep that fine gold?

any ideas please let me know

 

[Ramjet]

Looking good Blayke.
Be good to see how it works out.

 

[blayke]

thanks, yeh heading out to glendon campgrounds in warwick this weekend so hopefully get some good cons to test with

 

[Nugget]

Thanks for sharing mate, I hope to build one of these myself sometime very soon.

 

[blayke]

nugget, providing it actually works....which it should....for $15 and half an hour (dremel made things a heck of a lot faster) i think its a bargain....or you can buy off ebay for $140 lol...sorry also forgot to say the only thing i did a little different to most of the others i seen homemade was use a different funnel ie one with a much steeper degree which i believe may keep more of the really fine gold but get right down to eliminating the black sand also....but only a test will prove its worth

 

[Ramjet]

I think you are on the right track with the steeper angle of the funnel blayke.
My first attempt has a more shallow angle funnel.
Here is a pic of the dimensions of the proper blue bowl.
Sorry I can't remember which forum member posted it originally.

 

[Goldtarget]

I'm a little curious about these homemade blue bowls and i really hope noone sees this as criticism, (not my intention at all) but after observing a genuine one in operation i have observed what seems to be a distinct design difference which has me wondering. The original has a clear lip at the top of the funnel, Obv intended to sort the lighter material and behave as a horizontal riffle to stop any fine gold from escaping over the top. Yet in these homemade ones it seems mostly absent. I would love to see how these perform as i intend on building one, subject to their ability to discriminate correctly. Any video of an operating homemade one without it would be fantastic.

 

[blayke]

wow only 5cm funnel height.....hmmm seems a little shallow.....im going to see what happens my thinking is having it slightly higher around the 7-8cm i can increase the flow a little higher to pick up the black sand aswell....ill give it a go anyway and see if any yella goes into the bucket below or not worth a try.....

 

[blayke]

no worries target.. yeh i did notice the lip hence buying a particular funnel with a deeper neck and not so much a lip but the angle becomes a vertical honestly though if this doesnt work that just got me thinking.....make it $15 buy a second funnel cut them at the same section but invert one and glue them together, ergo creating an identical lip to the genuine bowl . but i will test it this weekend when we are out digging at glendon....get some fines and ill post it to youtube and put a link here when its up

now im wishing i thought of the second funnel thing earlier haha oh well ill test it first as is

also as a secondary idea....it would be extremely simple to use a course sand paper and put some small grooves into the funnel, do you guys think that would help prevent the fine gold from rising?

 

[Goldtarget]

I applaude your efforts and i really do hope it works a treat. As soon as someone designs a home made spiral wheel I'll be even happier! I've walked many an aisle looking for that elusive shape. In the mean time I'm panning away. if i ever find it you'll be the first to know. a video would be great, i love the innovators around here, makes this not only a fantastic hobby, but a truly great forum. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Snowy]

I got my blue bowl for a present a couple of year ago, yours looks just like the real thing at a fraction of the costs, only thing I would add is a flow adjuster on the outside of your bowl to regulate the water flow so you get the right amount. Looks great

 

[blayke]

yeh I looked at the flow adjusters but using the tap...can just turn the tap uo and down. I'll see if it works otherwise yeh ill get a flow adaptor too assist

 

[Ramjet]

I'm a little curious about these homemade blue bowls and i really hope noone sees this as criticism, (not my intention at all) but after observing a genuine one in operation i have observed what seems to be a distinct design difference which has me wondering. The original has a clear lip at the top of the funnel, Obv intended to sort the lighter material and behave as a hourizontal riffle to stop any fine gold from escaping over the top. Yet in these homemade ones it seems mostly absent. I would love to see how these perform as i intend on building one, subject to their ability to discriminate correctly. Any video of an operating homemade one without it would be fantastic.

I created the lip in my bowl by using another cut down funnel.

 

[blayke]

haha ramjet yeh I posted that last night when he said...thought it would work the same but I'm going to test this first anyway

 

[V_8]

Hey Guys,

I have a 3D printer and have been printing the centre pieces for the home made blue/green bowls - its ABS plastic and works a treat. I could knock a few out if members are interested

 

[blayke]

haha that's sweet, I've been playing with the 3D printer we have here at officeworks (I work there) lol great fun....I would definately be keen....The extra advantage of the 3D printed Centre is the little lines aall the way up would act as mini riffles perfectly...I'd definately love to try one

 

[V_8]

Yeh, that one was printed with a .01 mm layer height, and its red cause that's what I had loaded up on the printer, i can make them green or blue or whatever colour. I could give it an acetone vapour bath to remove the slight ridges, but like you say they act like mini riffles. Tested on the weekend and it worked fine, the only probs were the cons weren't classified to the same size - a definite must. It was made for the regular small blue bowl, a friend bought the larger green bowl and it also worked in that - just needed the $40 pond pump from Bunno's to run it.

 

[Ramjet]

Clever V_8

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Good job, you may find the little riffles actually stop the thing working properly.. I would think they would catch the material and interrupt the water flow over the top.. anyway, if it works it works.

Cheers, Tone

 

[joe]

Clever V8, has anyone printed their own sluice yet? Would be Interesting to see