PVC - Cleanup Sluice

[hyperscott]

Hi All,

Put this together today, Aim is to run through some material I collected while out the other day.

I noticed another couple while I was out panning, using a highbanker and then using something similar to what I have made to clean up their concentrates from the highbanker. (Thank you to 7.62marksman for both guidance and the idea for this sluice sounds like the one I had seen being used may have been one of his he gifted at some stage )

Parts
- 1 meter / 3 1/2 feet of 100mm PVC pipe - $11.40
- 200mm V Rubber matting (Bunnings have a Fine RIB Rubber matting this is what I have used its 1 meter wide) - $29.90 a meter I believe so 200mm cost me about $6
- Glue (I already had I used PVC cement)

Tools
- Circulate saw bench or something to cut pipe in half
- Utility knife
- G Clamps

Steps
1) Cut PVC pipe in half length wise

2) Sand the inside of the half pipe ( could be done with a wire brush on drill to speed up or angle grinder. I used a nice bit or 80 grit coarse paper)

3) Glue rubber matting in place

4) Clamp Matting in place for glue to set (note use the second half of the pvc pipe to hold every thing in place and shape while clamping)

Hope this helps some one else in the future as well, as I mentioned 7.62marksman was kind enough to give me a call and run me through how he built his saving me some time in trial and error so really appreciated it.

Running some Material through the PVC Sluice as a recirculating setup.

Here is what I did today
Built this morning ( maybe an hour tops messing around )
Ran 3/4 bucket of Sand and small rockets ( classified down to 13mm using bucket sieve when collecting) through this afternoon 2-4 hours lost track of time having fun

Now I have the run off in 3 small buckets of sand,

1/4 bucket of larger sand/gravel - Hopefully something else when I search through it as well..

And finally the important stuff to pan either tonight or tomorrow.

 

[7.62marksman]

You have done well mate yes i did give them the one you saw the other day yours looks like it a winner

 

[Occasional_panner]

Nice work, I saw digginforgold do something similar, but he used the plastic downpipe which gives you more surface area, which I would assume would process more in less time. But if it's working, then ripper! Beats panning it out.
I'll have to come up with something soon, I have 2x 20l buckets of cons, a sample of each handful has about 6 colours.

 

[yobskin]

Nice build mate...its a good start.
I started the same way then realised later i should have used a channel instead of semi circle. Just for more trapping surface.
Regarless its a good gold trapping devise

 

[hyperscott]

Nice, Yes I have seen digginforgold's looks like it would great.
I wanted to be able to use this in the river still which I can. The one digginforgold put together looks to be purely for recirculating, though if i find a bit of the box drain pipe laying around ill still put one together as well

I'd say put one together for the 2 buckets my 20L bucket was only 3/4 full and it took me log enough and im sure I'll run it again tomorrow to make sure I didnt miss any thing being my first time.

 

[hyperscott]

Hi Yobskin,

Thanks for the heads up will keep eyes open for some channel. I have some spare matting so that might be a progression in the future.

thanks

 

[hyperscott]

Hi 7.62marksman,

When you have used yours in the past do you finish with this completely or still pan or miller table aferwards?

I've really only got what resembles really small flakes so far so havent really been able to pick up out of the mat more just empty the mat and plan to now move around in pan to pick it all up.

Any thoughts/Suggestions?

Thanks

 

[7.62marksman]

I dont pan at all i just run it through then use the sniffer bottle i did pan everything that came out the end at least the first 6 times but found nothing at all i also found that if you get anything over half way down then the water flow is to quick so you need to lift the end up to slow the water down
As you are doing it into buckets keep adjusting the water flow until the only thing left is the gold then when you bo it in the field you will know how fast you will need the water
Its like anything else practice in a controlled invirement ie at home until its down pat and no gold ends up in the pan
You have my number so feel free to ring anytime

 

[hyperscott]

sounds good thanks.

yer i was getting no gold past half way well not even close to half way, but lots of sand and rock would sit, maybe my material was to big to start. will run this through and see what i can learn thanks.

 

[7.62marksman]

If thats the case increase the water flow that should clear it all

 

[Eldorado]

Great job on the cleanup sluice Hyperscott,I just went to Bunnings and bought some of that mat.Well I asked for half a metre and the young bloke said "I will give you a Bunnings half metre".Anyway I ended up with a metre for $15.I am thinking of putting some in the slick part of sluice just below the hopper and making up a little cleanup sluice.Had a look at a little 240v pond pump that lets out 750 lph for $45,do you guys think that would be sufficient for a cleanup sluice?

 

[7.62marksman]

it should be plenty if not just adjust the outlet end up or down depending how fast you want the flow

 

[hyperscott]

I have a bigger pump (pond pump 2000lpm) but i just used some of the black hosing from bunnings for irigation and put a hand value, that is how i adjust flow. I had most of the irrigation parts so was really easy. the hose is pretty ridgided (hot water helps to get it in shape) but I used 3 x 90 deg angles to get it where needed as well.

You can sort of see it in the photo here.

to the side.

I did the same thing got half a meter (not quite a bunnings half meter) glad you got a bit more means you can try different options out.

I'm considering making a couple different ones up, maybe trying a flat bottom or channel type one up as well, use the pipe in the field and flat one at home. Will feed back when I do.