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So i love building innovative equipment for prospecting almost as much as i love prospecting.  I usually try and build things that solve problems that i see with current designs or builds that help me get to hard to reach places.  

One of my biggest issues with any high-banker/ mini trommel set up is that regardless of the size of the hopper and depending on the angle you would either have baby feed material in from a five gallon bucket or you would be clearing off the grizzly bars constantly with your hands or a combination of the two.  

Ive noticed most of the big equipment fed plants and trommels use a vibrating feed system to provide a nice even feed of material regardless of the amount dumped in the hopper.  But i have found that no one makes a system like this for smaller equipment and small scale prospectors, so i decided to build my own small version and see how it works.  

This video is the first time out testing my build and i will say it needs some modifications, but the overall concept worked amazing.  My buddy and me couldnt keep up with feeding it, probably need about 4 people shoveling into it.  It will take up to three 3/4 full 5 gallon buckets at a time.  Should be an awesome tool for leveling old tailing piles, and when paired with a mini trommel should really help with emulsifying clay.  

Hope you all enjoy the video, please comment and let me know what you think, and like, share and subscribe as well!

 

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When I look at what you’re trying to accomplish I think of myself in some of the things of my prospecting past.

 Never give up on a dream because that’s what makes life worth  living..

 The Best To You  

 Chuck

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Ridge Runner:  Insights and recommendations are welcomed, especially since you've gone down a similar path.  

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 I enjoy your enthusiasm and admire your inventiveness. I do have a modest suggestion that may contribute to your net recovery and that is- move your operation to Northern California.

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Klunker :

While California is beautiful i could never live there given its current political climate, we will leave that at that. lol

Plus i love dredging, and cant dredge there either.  But you are right im sure my ounce to 4 ounces a year would shoot up out west lol.  

 

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Haha, sounds about right!   In VA you can dredge as long as it is man portable and nozzle is 4 inches or under.  No permits needed.  Main issue is that there are no claims, everything is private property, so you must get permission from the property owner or join the local club that leases a number of gold bearing properties.  

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Most of your video shots was at a distance and it’s hard to see what’s going on . At the same time I understand you don’t want to give away a secret that one day you may want to sell . 

Chuck 

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To see how good your equipment is get your hands on some cons and run it through.

 The main thing is catch all the tailings your equipment didn’t. Then it gets down to work panning everything.

 If you don’t have a lot of cons to run then I’d dig up some gravel. To me if it came from a gravel drive mixed with the other material would be great. Now between the two you got a good river run and a true test .

 You may have to make several runs and trying to improve your equipment each time.

 If you ever get to the point that all your gold is in your cons and not the tailing then all will be beating a path to your door.

 You can run this test in your backyard. I went to Walmart and got a kids play pool for 15 dollars . Set your equipment inside the pool filled with water and this way you can’t lose any of your material. You’re just pumping the water out the pool and back into your equipment that’s in the pool with nothing lost.

 Hope this will help !

 Chuck 

PS I think that pool was about 7 or 8 feet across plastic 

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