River / Stream Sluices - advice, information and questions

[MikeB05]

As a newcomer to this forum I am constantly impressed with the ingenious ways folks are designing and building things like sluices. More than half my enjoyment since starting my interest a couple of weeks ago is the amount of reading and learning I have done so far. Dr Google is fantastic and this forum is outstanding.

Great work Pot of Gold...I am motivated by your efforts and I am probably going to have a crack at building my own sluice. There is a little creek in a designated fossicking area not far from home at it has a flow rate that should lend itself to sluicing... now the hard part...figuring out what dirt I should put through it or my pan.

Great work cheers
MikeB05

 

[Ed N Erica]

Hi guys, just wanted to know if there was a rule of thumb for the angle to set up your sluice, how to minimise bubbles, and how to know when you have a good flow of water where you catch gold..cheers

 

[Tathradj]

Hi,
Generally 1" per foot but,
It all depends on what you are doing.
Best giveaway is the action in the riffles.
Called fluid bed.
When you get things right, You will have small rocks dancing
in them.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Hi guys, just wanted to know if there was a rule of thumb for the angle to set up your sluice, how to minimise bubbles, and how to know when you have a good flow of water where you catch gold..cheers

i personally use a app called clinometer and start at 7 degrees and can work up to 9 depending on the mat, riffles, sluice dimetions... how the wind is blowing just make sure you have an active exchange mate

 

[Guest]

Hi,
Generally 1" per foot but,
It all depends on what you are doing.
Best giveaway is the action in the riffles.
Called fluid bed.
When you get things right, You will have small rocks dancing
in them.

Works for me

 

[AussieGamer_Ben]

gday everyone.

I bought myself a river sluice from central west prospecting supplies last week and I am looking at using it this weekend for the first time. has anyone got any tips on correct use, or on levelling, water flow etc

thanx in advance

 

[blisters]

There's info around but don't be afraid of water velocity and shallow depth. You want the material to be dancing and exchanging lighter for heavier particles around the riffles/mesh but not scouring to nothing irrespective of what sluice you have purchased. The material definitely should not be hard packed.
Jon

 

[AussieChris]

What do you guys use? DIY or purchased?

Can't really find what I'm after locally, seems like plenty to buy from the US but they either don't ship here or even the cheapest parcel forwarding company blows the price out by miles.

I'm after something like this, preferably foldable

I'd love to head to the shed and knock one up but right now I'm not really in the position of making my own as all my tools (about 25k worth) were pinched!

2 more that caught my eye, thoughts?

 

[Dirtdemon]

Midnight mining used to do a 50 inch folding one for around $215 odd delivered from the states , though now can only seem to find the JOBE one or the ROYAL ones for closer to $300 .

Ive just bought an aussie GS8 , which is around 700mm long for $115 delivered , and have a sheet of alloy im planning to make an extension that bolts on (1200mm ) that will push it up near the 2 metre long mark when bolted together .

I'll be able to use the GS8 by itself , o depending on location use the extension , I plan to ditch the ripple carpet that comes in the sluice and replace with ripple mat and miners moss , and just run the extension with ripple mat behind it .
the extension im making could also be used as a Finishing sluice on its own also.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/32188833...04&_trkparms=gh1g=I321888338529.N41.S1.R1.TR1

Looks like I got in at just the right time , he had 5 in stock on Saturday when I bought mine , and now they have none , lol.

 

[G0lddigg@]

hey mate there's a few issue with folding sluices that often isn't addressed. i purchased a keene folding sluice 5 years ago and found the gold was being sucked into and out of the fold right where the bend was.
I'm yet to find a fold necessary I just use a short run and feed to suit. I run Dream mat in all my sluices and am the manufacturer so full disclosure i'm not trying to sell you something our dream mat has a particle travel of over 70 inches or two meters there about so its not about length any more as much as it is about efficiency.

there's a few models around that are light weight if that what ur after just remember the more metal screws, riffles etc you have the more complex your sluice needs to be. with a few different small sluices with slick plate area maybe you can put one into the other if need be? a good low budget start would be using a found channel and adding vribb rubber and some mesh from a salvage yard. plenty of info in the diy section mate

 

[AussieChris]

G0lddigg@ I love the look of your products, from all accounts the craftsmanship is outstanding. I'm determined to grab one of your 12" bankers as soon as I can run it by the Minister of Finance, will definitely have one for next "season" as the colder months tend to slow me down on getting out prospecting. I think it's the hands that take the beating when its topping 5C for the day and the water in the Turon is not far above freezing. I remember last winter going out and there were still piles of snow on the ground. I picked up the crowbar and had forgotten to bring some gloves that day and thought to myself what are you doing?

In regards to your river sluices, is the header box accessory only available with the 8" & 10" models? I like the idea of the 12" for volume but would like to leave myself open to getting the header box to suit down the track.

 

[G0lddigg@]

hey mate ooh that is cold yes i recall the same deal in ballarat with snow overhead my 5mm neoprene gloves thinking really this is the life hahaha better than getting fat watching tv.

yes mate all my sluices have a header option, dont know why it isn;t showing on the side actually thanks for pointing that out. they will be listed here. i do love taking my sluice with me and just laying it on a rock https://highbanker.com.au/collections/accessories

 

[G0lddigg@]

here's the 12 inch mate in a sluice

 

[AussieChris]

awesome looks like it's working now, glad the 12" comes with that option. I'll order one early next week.

 

[cecc]

AC I know one thing lots of people have bought the Gold Rat with dream mat and really love it, I have even seen the dream mat in a rocker and worked well. The owner really does a top job and workmanship is superb. I don't get anything for this comment, but I follow lots of forums and see lot's of positive and happy feedback about his work and Item's.

Hope that helps.

Len

 

[Westy]

Ive just finished putting together my 12" Outback pioneer series highbanker. Cant recommend the Gold Rat products any higher. The workmanship is second to none, a lot of design and research has gone into the sluices & the dream mat seems to work perfectly with them.
As soon as my broken leg heals ill be back out in the hills with my new banker. Cant wait!

 

[cecc]

Ive just finished putting together my 12" Outback pioneer series highbanker. Cant recommend the Gold Rat products any higher. The workmanship is second to none, a lot of design and research has gone into the sluices & the dream mat seems to work perfectly with them.
As soon as my broken leg heals ill be back out in the hills with my new banker. Cant wait!

Good luck when you get back into it.

 

[itsdw]

Hi all

Just chasing some recommendations for a small river/creeke, I have about $150 to spend.
I have plenty of access to good flowing water in creeks and rivers.
I currently only pan, but would like the next option for processing a bit quicker.
Thanks in advance.
Drew

 

[7.62marksman]

where are you from mate

 

[itsdw]

Cairns.

where are you from mate