River / Stream Sluices - advice, information and questions

[AtomRat]

Gday Golddigga, I talk to David a bit, how do you personally find the dream mat for everyday hbanking? Is it worth its penny

 

[G0lddigg@]

mate i have to tell you i'm happy with it so far. i need ot make a dedicated setup for it as all my gear is 300 wide and hes mats are 308.8. initial tests are amazing. i'm a volume kind of guy so i will wait to see if it really takes a hiding. the science juts makes sense. cells remain active thats the biggest problem we have here ironstone jamming up and this stuff doesn't jam up./ it holds micron gold so thats a win for me/ yet to see it on flat hammered gold.

 

[nucopia]

Thanks Golddigg
The sluicy is a little bit different with small expanded mesh over a fiber carpet and all held down by a steel frame with slanted flat bars so not sure .. Its got me a little perplexed.

 

[G0lddigg@]

wow ok theres your first problem mate your angle is in the wrong way!!!! that will flush everything out the bottom

 

[G0lddigg@]

the princilples of setting up a sluice are still the same you want to see vortex action, you want to see material in suspention moving about and if your riffles are packed tight there isn;t enought energy behind them so you need more angle or less water or mre velocity if that makes sense. ahh difficult to explain.. 5 minutes in the field i could explain a bit better.

you want a smooth action, keep your water flat. google sluice riffle vortex look in images

 

[cecc]

Nice sluice and good video goldigg. Hey Goldigg u in QLD yet? Where do u get that dream mat? Long sluice, looks like u need a little bucket or hand scoop to get that water into the sluice when cleaning up and maybe into a bucket, but being long and awkward might be hard aye? Good job matey.

 

[G0lddigg@]

hey mate 4 weeks got a place in Redcliffe. the dream mat currently you need ot get that from montana usa but i'm working on an aussie supply shhh nearly there.

mate i wasn't really worried too much its just a 2400 bit i bent up for the test future sluice and highbanker will be setup properly with legs and such. i try ot just use a pan it works for me. too many things take away the fun of it.

 

[G0lddigg@]

just noticed your top picture nucopia the riffles are in the wrong way too big fella

 

[nucopia]

just noticed your top picture nucopia the riffles are in the wrong way too big fella

I know I just worked it out after watching a few you tube vids .. I'm guessing after the first clean out I put it back in backwards.

 

[G0lddigg@]

learning is half the fun mate, if you take a bit of time to watch what happens when you feed it will all make sense and te rest comes naturally.

 

[nucopia]

Cheers Golddigg
1 inch drop for every 1 foot of sluice length seems to bethe recomended bench mark then. Watch and balance the water flow to get a V shape in the water flowing to the first riffle..
Yep its all a learning curve .. Hard work sometimes too
i must have classified 10 5 gallon buckest then ran the concentrate through the sluice and got SFA in colour while the Mrs did 5 pans and got heaps..

 

[cecc]

hey mate 4 weeks got a place in Redcliffe. the dream mat currently you need ot get that from montana usa but i'm working on an aussie supply shhh nearly there.

mate i wasn't really worried too much its just a 2400 bit i bent up for the test future sluice and highbanker will be setup properly with legs and such. i try ot just use a pan it works for me. too many things take away the fun of it.

Hey mate, redcliffe is only about 20 min from me, next time we go out for a dig to Gympie you are welcome to come along if you like.

 

[G0lddigg@]

at least you know where your sluice was dropping material as a side note i always ....alwasy no matter how good i think i know stuff do a test pan at the end of a day right at the end of my tiaings where i know the gold will drop out. this give you and opportunity to at least salvage a few pans if you've been losing gold.

its all good fun anyway mate. be boring if it was all same same

 

[G0lddigg@]

hey mate 4 weeks got a place in Redcliffe. the dream mat currently you need ot get that from montana usa but i'm working on an aussie supply shhh nearly there.

mate i wasn't really worried too much its just a 2400 bit i bent up for the test future sluice and highbanker will be setup properly with legs and such. i try ot just use a pan it works for me. too many things take away the fun of it.

Hey mate, redcliffe is only about 20 min from me, next time we go out for a dig to Gympie you are welcome to come along if you like.

cecc you know i'll be out every chance i get, might not be for a while as moving a company and home interstate is a bit of a challenge. but i'm in mate... XXXX and all

 

[cecc]

Ok mate I understand, yes would be hectic and busy, let us know when you're ready to go, have a good Easter.

 

[G0lddigg@]

i'm ready now.... but my back wont be after the move hahaha looking forward to meeting you blokes

 

[cecc]

Yeah the old back takes a beating aye, and they seem to get worse the older you get.

 

[limpalot]

I put a bit of mat that I used to use in the slice behind the sluice wash area, pan it off and you can see your loses. I do it with all my new sluices; tells you what your missing, or if you set - up is not right. Same as putting a tub under the highbanker. Helps having your mat in 2 bits, top and bottom of riffle area, can pan each off and see where the gold drops.
Cheers LL

 

[bazxa]

Riffles need to be high side down stream, reverse to photo. Level the sluice across to ensure even depth of water across the sluice, slope of 1 inch per foot is a good start. Keep the discharge end clear of the stream. Have water in the sluice about 1 inch deep. Sieve down to 6mm over the inlet or into a bucket. Load the sluice and watch the blonde coloured particles as they should 'dance' in the voids of the mat as they move through the sluice. Adjust slope until 'dancing' is observed.
Never permit the sluice to form a carpet of 'blonde' or the gold will just travel over it.

The goldhog mat video will give you a good view of 'dancing'.

Barry

 

[nucopia]

Thanks guys
much appreciate all the advice.