Wals' Hi-banker Specifications

[Phantom]

Hi All,

I'm a newby and am just loving the information Wal has made available.

I have decided to start soft and build a river sluice, as my main hobbie is Kayak Fishing, I can take this with me. We are going to Dangera Dam(Kanagroo Valley) next week so thought I would try some crevicing up the back of the Dam. )

I note Wal is heading to WA and may not be answering, so I was hoping another member could help me out.

I'm ready to build, but the bread tray pattern is doing my little head in. There appears to be different patterns on each device I see.

Member bazza2210 posted a pattern that has a lot more L's but as Wal has been at this for many years I imagine there a reason behind the patterns used, or is it not so import as long as you have some and keep more cells connected for strength.

In Wal's video "Using River Sluice to Test Pan" there appears to be less L's and more simple two cell straight cut outs.

I have attached a few examples I what I have seen, the bottom image is in Wals video for the river sluice.

P.S There is also a image of the dimensions I approximated from Wal's video. Any suggestion welcomed.

Kind Regards,
Eric

 

[slowflow]

G'day Phantom welcome.
Have a look right up the front of the Walbanker posts for diminsions, Wal has been good enough to post everything. https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1115&p=1
Also see post 63 of this subject.
Barry

 

[Nugget]

For comparisons sake, here's the bread crate pattern in my Walbanker (built by the man himself )

 

[WalnLiz]

The pattern is not as important as the "L" shaped cutouts. Different lengths and widths of crate will inevitably show slightly different pattern configs. The principal is to have as many interlocking "L" shapes as you can and the least amount of squares. Only leave squares for strength areas if necessary.

The "L" shapes cause a snaking pattern to the water flow and small whirlpools on the inside bends. These whirlpools and the vortex they create drive the gold deep into the mat. Water directional change is what the theory works on....just as you have in a real life stream situation. The 2 cell cut outs work just as well in areas with low ironstone content, and the one in the vid is more gem oriented where ironstone is limited.

Don't get too concerned if the pattern is not 100% symmetrical, as the system will still work efficiently. The pattern in Nuggets banker is the one i recommend for the dimensions of the sluice i build. and is the best version in high ironstone regions.

Cheers Wal.

 

[Phantom]

Thanks All,

Its full steam ahead.

I have the box (1.6mm) cut and folded + plenty of off cuts ($63 total).
The bread tray is made of a 2cm x 2cm square pattern 1cm high. Very kind Chinese bread shop had no damaged ones, but gave me a new one for free.
I have marked out the bread tray pattern ready to cut.
Could not get the 12 mm vertical aluminium, will get it later. For now I will use the 6mm aluminium grate two layers pop riveted together
Have some offcut to make latches etc.
Will need to go to a bigger Bunnings to get the mat with backing.

This is great fun.
Kind regards,

Eric

 

[Terry]

hi wal thanks for the spark its made me start thinking about gold prospecting again I have my walbanker under way can you tell me the size of the conduct for legs great vids mate cheers terry

 

[WalnLiz]

G'day Terry,

I use 32mm OD electrical conduit and it's available from Bunnings for around 7 bucks a length. One length does the 4 legs. Make the front legs 100mm shorter than the back legs, and that compensates for the angle you need for the sluice.

Cheers Wal.

 

[WalnLiz]

Thanks All,

Its full steam ahead.

I have the box (1.6mm) cut and folded + plenty of off cuts ($63 total).
The bread tray is made of a 2cm x 2cm square pattern 1cm high. Very kind Chinese bread shop had no damaged ones, but gave me a new one for free.
I have marked out the bread tray pattern ready to cut.
Could not get the 12 mm vertical aluminium, will get it later. For now I will use the 6mm aluminium grate two layers pop riveted together
Have some offcut to make latches etc.
Will need to go to a bigger Bunnings to get the mat with backing.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1395898537_bread_tray.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1395898256_first_materials.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1395898256_grate_6_mm.jpg

This is great fun.
Kind regards,

Eric

Make sure you have no carpet or matting of any sort under the expanded mesh. This boiler section relys on displacement theory to clear the heavies, and nothing displaces gold, so 95% will remain in the boiler section. Many put mat under the expanded in this section and this defeats the purpose.

Cheers Wal.

 

[Phantom]

Thanks Wal,

Next week-end will be my first trip out. We are going Danjera Dam and I hope to Kayak up the back of the dam into the river and do some crevicing with my brother. Do have any knowledge or tips for this area?

Kind regards,

Eric

 

[Varts]

G'day phantom,
I did as you say,but used an old aluminium door,glued one on top off the other with silastic and it worked a treat
Good luck

Varts..

 

[Terry]

thanks wal for the help I should have asked before is there a leg length and hole spacing to the 4in1 ect
cheers terry

 

[Mudguts]

Quick question Wal
Is there a minimum width the bread crate will work
Ie 200mm 150 mm wide
Cheers

 

[Phantom]

Wal,

I am only building the river sluice and was wondering, do I put the angle bar across between the bread tray and the grate? The grate would then sit up 1-2 mils as per your highbanker video?
kind regards,

Eric

 

[WalnLiz]

Quick question Wal
Is there a minimum width the bread crate will work
Ie 200mm 150 mm wide
Cheers

Anything less than 150 and there wouldn't be enough bends across the sluice to get much directional change to the water flow. 150 would certainly be the minimum for the principle to work efficiently.

Cheers Wal.

 

[WalnLiz]

Wal,

I am only building the river sluice and was wondering, do I put the angle bar across between the bread tray and the grate? The grate would then sit up 1-2 mils as per your highbanker video?
kind regards,

Eric

The critical part of the equation is to have the expanded a couple of mm off the sluice bottom. Angle or channel between the crate and the expanded is the best way to achieve this. The expanded in the river sluice is just a smaller version of the boiler section of the Hi-Banker.

Again put nothing under the expanded as this will hinder the displacement of the heavies, and choke the sluice. The idea is to have a single layer of heavies at the front and through the expanded acting as a maize for the gold to slide under and around whilst it sticks to the slick plate.

The crate is the backup only and won't have much gold in it.

Cheers Wal.

 

[WalnLiz]

Just a quick one guys,....I'm leaving shortly for my annual pilgrimage over to WA for 3 months to replenish my nugget collection (hopefully), so will be unable to shed any hi-banking advice. Best of luck to all over the winter break, and take care out there.

Cheers Wal.

Best of luck Wal, btw are you heading out before the Tuena weekend?

rgds
Barry

I'll be at the Tuena outing and leaving for WA the day after.

Cheers Wal.

 

[Phantom]

Thanks everyone that helped me build my first river sluice.
I finished today and will head off to Dangera dam next week for field test.
I'm very green at this and still waiting for the gold pan I ordered online, hopefully Monday.

Wal thanks for sharing and making to so much easier for newbies to enjoy the hobby.

Kind Regards,

Eric

 

[Digginholes]

Hey wal with the boiler section / skid plate if it was only 300mm skid then 150mm of expanded before the crate do you think the results will be the same if there was more water flow?? Or is it crucial to have atleast 500 skid?
Cheers
Digginholes

 

[WalnLiz]

Hey wal with the boiler section / skid plate if it was only 300mm skid then 150mm of expanded before the crate do you think the results will be the same if there was more water flow?? Or is it crucial to have atleast 500 skid?
Cheers
Digginholes

Not sure if you're talking about the Hi-Banker or the river sluice here. On a HB you can get away with a 300mm slick plate if you run a two tiered sluice as the water speed will be generated from the top tier. A single tiered sluice like I use needs 500mm of more to gather the same water speed for displacement to occur.

A river sluice can run a 300mm slick plate if enough water speed is present, as this is generated from the existing current and the stream fall. General rule is, the slower the water speed the longer the slick plate needs to be for efficient displacement of the heavies, especially in high ironstone regions.

Cheers Wal.

 

[Digginholes]

Thanks wal, its a high banker like yours but off specs, its 1300 long 300 tapered down to 270 and the slick plate is currently only 450. guess I should of checked first but I got a bit excited I tried to get a pic up it's not working.
I was aiming to go for sapphires and gold but I'm now thinking just build it for gold and run a 3/8 sieve/ catch basket on the end, what do you think?

Cheers