need help with a sluice

[ben2363]

took the sluice out over the weekend. had issues getting the flow right. iv looked at youtube and each video is different so it didnt help.. is the v of the water flow at the start of the sluice ment to stop so the point of the v is just before the black ripples??

also had issies with how deep the water should be going over the rifles. it was a pain as i put thought 5 buckets and only got ine speck on the black ripples. but when i lifted the sluice up a little then put thought the last half bucket though i got 6 flakes.
i feel the water flow was to much now i have to go back and try to get all the material i washed though to try again this weekend.

and one know what youtube video or rule of thumb to help me out.

thanks.

 

[dirtyharry]

Hi Ben

I have had the same issues
I had believed i had set the flow correctly down the sluice only to discover at clean up time i had hardly any gold
What was in there was quite large & unable to make its way out
I believe i had to much water flowing through the sluice & the water going through it was to deep
I sample panned some of the material i was sluicing & got a resonable return from that
The bottom line is never assume you have all the processes worked out. Keep checking the sluice after a few buckets until you are convinced it is working correctly & dont be in a hurry
A good days digging can turn to crap if the sluice aint catching gold
Practice makes Perfect

Regards

Dirty Harry

 

[Jaros]

I think the sluice angle is 1" per foot of length.

 

[dirtyharry]

I forgot to mention the angle of the sluice
1 x Inch of drop per foot length seems to work for me
You dont want to see all your material washing out as quickly as you put it in
Nice to see the water vortexing over the riffles & removing the lighter sand & gravels

I found it difficult the other day as the creek i was working was in flood & roaring along
I should have assembled a rock platform for my sluice to sit on & reduced the depth of water in the sluice & paid more attention to catching gold than digging it

Regards

Dirty Harry

 

[ben2363]

dirty harry. what size sieve do you use to take out the over size??? i used a 14mm maybe it is to big i have a 9mm too

 

[dirtyharry]

Hi Ben

I have a highbanker assembly similar to a wallbanker classifying grill mounted above the sluice so i can shovel or yabby pump the material straight in
The grill is 18mm & seems to work fine with the larger material dropping over the sides & back into the stream
I will post a picture soon

Regards

Dirty Harry

 

[bazxa]

DH have a search of the forum.
Keep the tail of the sluice clear of the water, 1" in 1' fall. classify down to about 6 mm if you can. Dry material won't stratify properly resulting in high losses.
Look into the riffles, particles should 'dance' with about 1/4 of the depression containing material. If you achieve the dancing the vee won't matter.
Best of luck
Barry

 

[The Green Wanderer]

took the sluice out over the weekend. had issues getting the flow right. iv looked at youtube and each video is different so it didnt help.. is the v of the water flow at the start of the sluice ment to stop so the point of the v is just before the black ripples??

also had issies with how deep the water should be going over the rifles. it was a pain as i put thought 5 buckets and only got ine speck on the black ripples. but when i lifted the sluice up a little then put thought the last half bucket though i got 6 flakes.
i feel the water flow was to much now i have to go back and try to get all the material i washed though to try again this weekend.

and one know what youtube video or rule of thumb to help me out.

thanks.

Its a tricky one Ben, theres a little bit of angles and such in it but mostly trial and error until you find what is working best. Especially since different creeks have different gravel and it doesnt always behave the same.
Classifying with the 1/2 inch (14mm) is fine, remember that when your shoveling into the bucket the gold will move around and settle through toward the bottom.
Classify with water coming up into your sieve where you can so that gold stuck on bigger rocks can come free and sink into the bucket below.
Also remember not to get over eager and choke the sluice riffles with gravel. Let them clear a bit in between scoops.

Goodluck,
TGW.

 

[DropBear]

I run a gold hog Mini.

Top box runs at 9 degrees, and bottom box at about 6.5 degrees.

Water speed it high.

Seems to do ok...

 

[casper]

took the sluice out over the weekend. had issues getting the flow right. iv looked at youtube and each video is different so it didnt help.. is the v of the water flow at the start of the sluice ment to stop so the point of the v is just before the black ripples??

also had issies with how deep the water should be going over the rifles. it was a pain as i put thought 5 buckets and only got ine speck on the black ripples. but when i lifted the sluice up a little then put thought the last half bucket though i got 6 flakes.
i feel the water flow was to much now i have to go back and try to get all the material i washed though to try again this weekend.

and one know what youtube video or rule of thumb to help me out.

thanks.

Is it a river / stream sluice that you have or a banjo/highbanker? a photo would help also.
casper

 

[ben2363]

its a 50 inch royal sluice the original folding sluice. i believe its a river sluice. i got it when i was in the usa..
sorry no photos ill try my best in the next few days.