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It Was Old, Just Like Me


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Posting this here just in case.

 

Yes, it was old, just like me. It even took on some of my old age idiosyncrasies; it was heavy when full, started hard in the morning, ran intermittently depending on mood, took a lot of tinkering to get it to perform properly, created a lot of dust and its exhaust smelled bad. But it was a trusty old friend that was always there in a pinch. It’s ability to draw material and gold upward out of a crack was second to no other method.

You may have guessed by now that I am talking about my trusty gas powered vacuum. It is the old original Vac Pack.
Unfortunately someone thought they needed my Vac Pack more than I did and rudely helped themselves to it.

Yes, I should have known better than to leave it where I was working, but circumstances dictated that I do just that. I was working in my “secret spot” that has lots of exposed ancient bedrock and my trusty vac was producing enough gold to keep a smile on my face.

But part of getting old is that you just can’t do the things you once did and old age infirmities make hauling equipment and full buckets of material over rough ground an almost impossible task. In recent years I have developed peripheral neuropathy, the result of which is no feeling in my feet and legs.  This translates to not being able to walk very far and extreme instability. I have to use a cane at all times for stability. So what I carry and how much must be limited as much as possible.

So, I chose to carry buckets of material back to the truck and leave my vac concealed behind the bedrock. This is in a place that no one drives into and even if they did they could not see the equipment without walking all the way to it. I have been working this place all summer and had no problems leaving the equipment and have not seen one other person.

In the past I have left mining equipment in numerous places and never had a problem, but all it takes is one time and just the right person.

If you see or know of anyone trying to sell a gas powered vac I would like to know about it and possibly get a look at it. As I said this is the old, original Vac Pack brand. It says Vac Pack on the bucket. The bucket is 5 gallon black with the letters in faded gold. The engine is the old Gray colored Echo brand leaf blower motor. The bucket has a traditional wire carrying handle, but I replaced the old thin grip with one of the new snap on orange handles. This should make it easy to identify.

So I guess its back to using the old methods, screwdrivers, crack tools and a brush. I already miss my trusty friend.

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Jim

I'm sorry to say what ever I say is not going to make it better. It's not so much the cost but it was yours. 

It's way the world is now and that's if you want it then don't put it down.

Chuck

PS I have a good engine that is a blower. It needs a gas tank and if you want to make a vac I'll ship free to you. You would have to mount it on a bucket.

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I am sorry this had to happen to you Jim.....  There are a lot of people these days that are just no damn good..............

Hope someone spots your old friend for you soon.

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4 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

Jim

I'm sorry to say what ever I say is not going to make it better. It's not so much the cost but it was yours. 

It's way the world is now and that's if you want it then don't put it down.

Chuck

PS I have a good engine that is a blower. It needs a gas tank and if you want to make a vac I'll ship free to you. You would have to mount it on a bucket.

Thank you for your generous offer Ridge Runner. That would be a way to get me back running again. I would like to pay the shipping since you are donating the blower.

I would like to wait just a bit and see if it somehow surfaces since I have put the word out on all the forums. If you send me an email I will send you my address: jfoley@sisqtel.net

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Jim… very sorry to learn about you losing your mining equipment to theft. Years ago someone took the liberty of removing a brand new prospecting detector from my truck. I should have locked it, but have always been more concerned about misplacing or inadvertently losing the ignition keys… and locking myself out while in the middle of nowhere. So I do understand how you must feel. 

I’d been thinking about caching some equipment in the field this autumn because of the long hike into where I’ll be working. Perhaps stick a note on it asking anyone to please leave it in place, but now that doesn’t seem to be such a good idea.

Let’s hope you either get it back or can do something with Chuck’s engine replacement. All the very best with everything…

Jim.
 

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