Sluice or highbanker mats / matting

[G0lddigg@]

Hey Mark yes riffles and mesh work against each other unless the mesh has no undercurrent which you can achieve better with carpet. Moss is great for keeping things fluid and mesh is better at maintaining fluid and riffle exchange. I personally like walkway grade mesh as its super reliable and efficient..

Up to you if you go larger or not but you will find low profile mesh is great for low profile gold. A perfect example of this is the becah boxes of nome alaska or new zealand. A higher profile opens things up a bit for a wider range of heavies i find the larger mesh i get more specimen gold.

 

[G0lddigg@]

 

[Occasional_panner]

That then leads to another question, I got used to getting a nice wave over each riffle to create the dead zones for trapping gold, how do you judge the amount of water needed when just using expanded mesh/moss/v matt?

I'll have to shout you some beers when you come down my way

 

[G0lddigg@]

Imagine hundreds of small riffles accept they don't have the mesh on the base to interfere with the backwards movement created with a dialed in system. Instead you can see a more active upward jostle of material.
Youll need to get some material in the box first and run clean water to relearn.

You should see dark up top and blue mat towards the front of each arc riffle. Science is the same its still crash theory just alot more exchange going on and alot better fluid dynamics for stratification.

 

[7.62marksman]

thanks mate i will try your idea next weekend seems logical to me
so do i go one or two grades of expanded mesh

 

[G0lddigg@]

Up to you mate. I ran a single mesh myself but have made many sluices with variations of size. The idea is to keep smoothing the flow out means you get more micron gold as the length goes on.

Let us know how you go

 

[7.62marksman]

Yes will do thanks mate

 

[Occasional_panner]

How big are the gaps in that walkway mesh Dustin?

 

[G0lddigg@]

these are the three different gauges i use, the large walkway mesh is 32x100 the aly on the right is 9x21 and the small stuff is great for running the wrong way as a clay scrubber in a header box and is 3x6.3 commonly found in security window suppliers its tuff stuff.

there's no point paying for galv in walkway it will come off anyway the best way to prevent rust is with use

 

[Occasional_panner]

Thanks mate, it appears to be hard to source, I found one bloke who had some 60x40 but had to buy a 1200x2400 sheet for $160.

Everyone I spoke to said they scrapped all their offcuts for xmas cash. One bloke had 3 full sheets he tossed yesterday................ BUGGER!

 

[G0lddigg@]

Yeh thats about it mate $160 a sheet. Sorry i dont have any leftover otherwise I'd send you some. I use it for my welder table frames some ramps and a few boot scrapers but havent bought any for a while. Maybe start a thread and see if anyone else wnats to chuck in for a bit.

 

[Occasional_panner]

I found this one too, would this size be better?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/112007339249?rmvSB=true

 

[G0lddigg@]

U dont want that its a architectual rolled mesh. You want raised only

 

[Occasional_panner]

OK well I had a trip to the scrap yard, I found a security screen, and some walkway mesh pieces, I'll have to cut and weld the walkway stuff, but that's fine.
I could also double up some of the smaller stuff I have, dunno if that will create funny currents through it though.
Anyway what do you reckon will work better. Next trip will be reedy so fairly small stuff.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Well done you got yourself some nice profiles there thatll do just fine mate.

 

[Occasional_panner]

Here is a vid of the small stuff spaced two high. I was only running a garden tap, so not enough flow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hRiwJ6nGJQ

 

[Occasional_panner]

I got some of the heavier gauge stuff that is only 215 wide. If anyone would like it give me a yell, one strip is prop 50cm and there are a few 20cm lengths as well you could weld together.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Looks nice and active mate

 

[Occasional_panner]

yeah, here is the bits I can't use sing out if anyone wants it. Also the security door will have plenty left over too.

 

[goldengoose]

That is Absolutely the best !
The local scrap guys around here have none or have been cleaned out by fellow prospectors LOL.

You must have got there for some new old stock.
Well done should do nicely

Cheers
GG