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Small Gold Dredge, Constructive Advice Needed?


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Hmmmm...many years ago while living at home, we had a backyard pool, like late 1970 era...I seem to recall being about blind without my glasses, UNTIL I put on a facemask...and everything underwater was clear as could be...but when I popped up above the water, was back to being a big blurry image...Another issue I cringe about is the water itself... a lot of swim beaches in our area get closed every year due to bacteria counts being too high.Is this true in slow moving rivers and creeks too? I see hookah divers with regulator hanging in the water when not in use and all I can think of is bacterial infections and my poor gut issues...do you pros ever have issues like this in reality or am I  worrying too much?  I will try to stick with shallow gravel areas or use my shovel if need to go deeper. The shovel blade is bent up on 3 sides to form a scoop and gravel cannot slide off the back.

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Yes, don't get in nasty water.

In Alaska the water is fairly good but you still need to process it before you can drink it. Also I would not get in anything that has algee in it. You can end up with skin issues.

For shallow water dredging you can use a snipping scope to good effect. Check this one out it has a light built in and is inexpensive. http://goldsucker.com/

post-10-0-38490500-1455473835_thumb.jpgpost-10-0-20652100-1455473888_thumb.jpgpost-10-0-04636900-1455473913_thumb.jpg

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I got the major parts of the dredge tack welded together today,hope to test float soon, maybe this weekend, sposed to be 55 on Sat.Guess I better attach my pull rope so the river don't take it. I had a lift handle installed at the discharge end, wonder where to put one by the engine? Are side rails helpful like on Keene frames? Where/how to mount tool box / 1 gallon gas can holder?

Current weight with sluice, frame, floats, pump approx 50 pounds, hoses and etc will add another 20-25 perhaps. Sluice detaches via 2 wingnuts and bolts or can be slid up /down frame for more or less angle thanks to the slotted angle irons I used ....will try to get a river photo soon..I don't like pumping water in our local river as it smells like dead fish for some reason...wonder why my 2 photos refuse to open now?

-Tom

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

ok guys, she is all welded up and ready for trial runs.I took Bobs and Jasons advice and put in Keene riffles. Keene did a horrible job on the riffle tray, 1/8 inch gaps under the dredge riffles and 3/8 inch gaps under the stream riffles in front. I cut out the 1st 3 stream riffles and had 1 welded back in, minus the huge gap. I made some steel flats to rivet onto the dredge riffles and eliminate the 1/8 inch gaps. Miracle mat installed in 1st 12 inches,  2 feet of moss and carpet underneath the 30 inches of 1/8 inch raised expanded steel under the riffle tray and holding down the 1st 3 inches of Miracle mat. Why do miners like to put in a Perforated metal screen at the front of the riffle section? I will try it without the Perf and see what happens. I raised up the Miracle mat with moss underneath to keep the flow less turbulent.. Had a rail welded almost all the way around, easy to grab onto , 2.5 inch sluice box slope built in,approx weight  80 pounds ,rope tow handle.Does it make any difference what end of the drege the tow rope is on? Am using a nozzle I got off Ebay with a crevice buster built into it via a ball valve,has anybody else used one of these? Need 70 degree warm water for my 60 year old bones before I can jump in the creek yet.

   It rained real hard today and a pond formed in the backyard so I dragged the dredge back there, and she floats perfect, nice and level.

Ready4TrialRunsToms2 inch gold dredge,Mar 2016.jpg

Toms2inchgolddredgeTopViewMar2016.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Made a small acquisition yesterday. 2 x 2 foot sheet of HEAVY Raised Expanded aluminum that sits 5/16 inch tall

to try out in my dredge and hibanker riffles. I had a small section of this stuff  in my mini highbanker, always wondered why it did so well at catching fine gold with just an 18 inch x 7 inch sluice? Then I noticed I had a 12 inch long piece of this super duper raised expanded aluminum in it .Was almost impossible to find it online and locally. Wasn't cheap, cost 80 bucks with shipping for a 2 x 2 foot piece. But the strands are 1/8 inch thick x 3/16 inch wide, diamonds approx 5/8 inch x 1 3/8 inch, overall Height 5/16 inch vs my normal 1/8 inch tall expanded.Should be able to take a good beating in the dredge sluice.Cuttable with small Sawzall or handheld grinder.

Hard2Find, 0.30 inch Thick raised expanded Aluminum for gold dredge sluice.jpg

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