blackjack

I tend to agree with GotAU? I think wheels or at the very least I guess a sled. I'm just asking the question 'why did someone invent the wheel', my answer would be because they were using a sled. Seems like people have come up with some good options for you N/E keep us informed, on your progress.

Like many others I'm sure, it's something that I put some thought into 45years ago, I was working in plastic fabrication at the time, my brother in law was an electronics wiz, I though of something with wheels and a tow line attached to a winch. I had in mind the large number of areas in W.A. that are flat, including salt lakes. Thinking about it was as far as I got. It's interesting to hear that the idea still has merit, good luck with it N/E, I hope you can make it happen, in fact I think you can.

Hey Chuck, just my opinion as usual, I've had both, granted the e-bike was an early model 10years ago, but the battery died and I never did like it much. It had a twist throttle and plenty of power but I just didn't like the high riding position, too far to fall at my age. I now have a chinese 'pit' bike 12" rear and 14" front wheels, 125cc Lifan motor, cheaper to replace than a battery. It's electric/kick start, I've taken all the 'kids' stickers off it and added lights. It's 75 kilo's wet and I carry it on a tow hitch mounted rack, goes forever on a tank of fuel, and goes like stink if I want it to, my feet can easily reach the ground on rough terrain. Cost me $950 au brand new, I like it.

Thanks Gerry your comments on older models and those on a budget confirms what I have been thinking. To have it confirmed by someone with your credibility is reassuring.

Thanks Ghostminer My question was based on curiosity not malice, please read my answer to Tahoegold. after reading all 194 pages from you I think I have gotten some insight into how you would operate.

Hey Tahoegold, now that you point it out I can see that it would be easy to think that I was questioning the process. I can assure you and others that was not my intention, I understand that Ghostminer is operating a legitimate business, further more I know how strict the rules would be in California, this was the basis of my question, I was curious as to what was required to operate legally. In asking the question I though I was giving Ghostminer the chance to share with others some of the details of his operation. For those who took it another way, that is understandable. I commend you for jumping to his defence.

If this question has been covered before, apologies, but I'm wondering were the water from the trommel goes. I presume it cant go back to the creek, do you have closed system from a dam and if so what rehabilitation work is required when you finish. Riparian zones are protected over here, unless you are RioTinto or BHP, then I think some concessions apply.

Thanks, they say 'once bitten twice shy' I must be a slow learner, but from now on it's 'twice bitten three times shy' I can see how things could get nasty really quickly.

I agree Jim, after record floods for us in Tasmania in the winter of 2022 we had high hopes for replenishment of a 20 meter section of river that we took 3 ounces out of in the 2021/22 summer. The summer of 2022/23 just gone, not one crevice/crack/gully that we had worked for gold the previous summer had even a speck of gold and none of the crevices had been compacted, the indicator in our river of an unworked crevice. This area that we know well looked much the same as it did the previous summer, except for one small section that had less gravel/overburden, this gave us access to some new bedrock and more gold. A nearby river that has been worked by others was the same, no replenishment. One thing of note is that upstream and downstream from the section we have worked, probably no more than 30 meters of river, has no gold in the crevices that have been compacted and therefore we assume are unworked. I can only speak for what I have observed in these two rivers and in particular the section that I know like the back of my hand. Who knows Jim it may take 500, 500 year flood events to replenish some areas ?

Sorry C-G you nailed it first, I missed it.

Nailed It

Yes I agree, this is my experience with 'Domestic' bees in my topic " Killer Bees ! Or Famous Last Words " Corey had a bee caught in his hair, which stung him, that set off a rapid chain reaction from the bees. However years ago my wife and I were the target of an 'unprovoked' attack from a wild hive. It happened on the top of a steep rocky hillside, which made a rapid escape difficult I was stung at least 6 times but my wife with her long hair was stung more, about 10-12 times. We were about 20 meters from the hive when it happened. I have no idea if we have/had Africanized bees in Australia. This happened in 1989 in Western Australia at Kalbarri.

Ha, the penny drops g-j, I was looking at Hobart, Melbourne etc. Thanks for not leaving Tassie of the map. Judging by the way property prices have gone recently I think the secret is out, we were happy to be left of the map.

Hey g-j, Canberra is the biggest square, what are you trying to tell us ?

This is a really good point, if you're finding lead then you are on the right track, I had to find three bullets before I found gold. But I knew I was on the right track, lead is relatively rare in a lot of the West Australian fields, unlike bloody boot tacks !

Sniping is an easy and successful way to find gold, if you get into the right river/creek. Finding gold by eye is unique, there's something exciting about seeing every piece of gold you find. Going for extended periods without putting your snuffer bottle away is simply exhilarating.

I wasted a lot of time as well g-j in 1979-80 looking for the fabled virgin patch instead of going to where it had been found by the old timers, eventually I caught on. Last summer I finally found my virgin patch, but I had something the old timers didn't have, a 7mm wetsuit and mask.

Yes they were Yes this is true because the old timers were everywhere. The old adage was "gold is where you find it", now I believe it may be "gold is where it's been found before".

Hey Eric it's always good to find pre 1946 silver. I'm guessing Horseshoe Bay would have always been popular, especially when arriving by boat, because of it's shape and it's location, it would mean it's sheltered from the S/Easterlies ? Florence Bay looks like a good place on the right day and Radical Bay and Balding Bay, you're spoilt for choice.

I'm a bit envious of where Eric lives, I'm sure most of the time he's in bare feet and thongs are his version of safety footwear. I wonder why they are called flip flops ? 😉

You've got to admire him on two levels, honesty and persistence. It's an interesting topic, a good percentage of people started finding gold when the technology improved, I do wonder how many small pieces I missed with my ground hog, before I found a piece large enough for it to register. At the time we had no choice the A2B was state of the art.

Yes Ethan, we are mostly sniping. I've posted under Gold panning, Sluicing, Dredging, Drywashing etc. forum

A great post from Eric 'Randy' Oostra 😉

The joys of language, I'm sure Eric meant to say flip flops. Get that other image out of your heads please

I see what you mean, I looked at the mouth, Thongs ? that's going too far !