matt

Work out the details before the hunt! It saves a lot of hurt feelings.

These two gold bars were made with one of the mini kilns that are advertised in the ICMJ. First the gold was crushed out of a couple specie rocks and then panned out. I purchased a couple different fluxes because I wanted to get them as pure as possible without sending them to a refiner. I smelted them a couple times and the 5 ounce bar was tough to pour, but if you heat up the graphite mold (leave it on top of the kiln kind of like a lid) you can get it to work. A couple different things I learned. Melt the crushed material into smaller bars and then use bolt cutters to cut up the bars into smaller pieces. You can then weigh the cut up pieces to get the exact weight you are looking for and melt them into a specific weight bar. After smelting, there can be some impurities on the surface of the gold (sometimes a red coating for me) and putting the gold into some muriatic acid (pool acid) cleans off the coating. The smelting flux can really get it pure though. It takes a few times to get it right, but once you figure it out, the results are really nice. I used to melt my dredging fines in a cupel with mapp gas and would go through a couple cans of gas in no time. These new mini kilns can use regular propane and after probably 10+ melts, both my original propane cans used with the furnace are not empty yet. I have taken the bars into my kids 4th grade class to teach prospecting for California history and the 5 ounce bar is a hit with the them. Especially when I tell them what is is worth!

I enjoy the thrill of the hunt! Some people fish, some hunt, but for me nothing is better than putting on the gear and detecting gold nuggets. I too started detecting for gold around 1998 and have found it one of the most relaxing and enjoyable things that can free my mind of all the stresses of life. The adventure of exploring new places and prospecting is in my veins and always will be. Regardless of the spot price, I will always spend as much of my free time as possible (hard to find any of that these days) prospecting and detecting for gold.

Thanks Steve and GoldEN! Maybe we will try and get out tomorrow and give them a go. I love this forum. Thank you Steve.

Can you explain a bit more about your setting with no threshold? I have only had my 2300 out for one hunt, but have countless hours on gp's and gpx's. Always have had a threshold humm to hear the faint variances in it. Do you tune the threshold completely out and only hear a target?

Thanks for posting that video! It's amazing the engineering that went into these type of construction projects and some very simple things at such a large scale.

Sweet find Mitchel!

The American River through Sacramento has been at levels near or above what they were in 1997. Not yet at the 1986 levels, although the flow is controlled with the Folsom dam.

You are right Chris! I found 5 in less than an hour that day and one of them weighed a dwt. Went up to Downieville last Sunday for a day trip and the rivers are running high and it looks like a lot of material has moved around. Should be a nice summer up there this year for prospecting. Too bad we can't put a dredge in the water!

Nice Chris! Best wishes to your Dad, as I did not know about the loss your Mother. Looks like a picture from the bridge at Mineral Bar? Slater and I were out that way a few weeks ago.

Well done. Hope you find the big nugget still hiding in that patch.

Can you post a link to the thread?

I have never metal detected for coins, but every time I see a video of people detecting for coins it seems like they never get good overlapping coil swings. Are target responses from coins that broad that you don't want to overlap for complete coverage?

It will be interesting to see if it has any sort of discrimination?

Usage by people that detect for gold nuggets on a regular basis.

Looking forward to some true reports on this detector. Minelab must be feeling the heat from the newly released QED.

I got mine in the mail last week, but with all this rain I may never get out to try it!

Sure hope you didn't pick it up!

Sweet. Hope some units get over to the US in the near future.

Beautiful! Did you spy it or detect it? I love sunbakers!!!

Sorry to hear about this! Crossing my fingers that you somehow, someway, get your stuff back. I never leave anything of value in my vehicle unless it's the ONLY option that I have available.

Nice finds for only a few hours! It rained so much up in Norther California we had no opportunity to get out this weekend.

Thanks for all the responses guys! It seems he is developing the same passion for prospecting that I have. He's really taken a knack to detecting so hopefully he starts finding gold without my help when we head out to the hills. It sure is a great way to spend quality time together. It will be nice to see him give a presentation about prospecting next year in the fourth grade with first hand experience. We plan to hit the rivers this summer and do a bit of sniping. This winter is sure to move some gravels!

Thanks for the replies guys! Norm-He has adventure in his blood. It's fun to see and makes me realize that I need to work less and get out more often! He really excels in youth sports, but nothing beats being out in mother nature. We plan to spend a lot of time in the mountains this summer. Chris-This summer we plan to spend a lot of time up in Downieville. Not only detecting, but getting the Keene hydro air all geared up to use. I really hope we can spend some time together this season. The high water has already altered some of the gravels. You are always welcome with us. AU_Solitude-He takes to things easily and the only thing he complained about was that his arm hurt. I told him let's get out more and it will feel just fine after a couple more trips. Fred-you are right!

Picked up an SCD2300 for my son from a fellow member of this forum right before Christmas. Thanks Allen! Finally made it out for just a few hours today with my 9 year old son. Third target, a nice little picker! First 2 targets were the tiniest shot I have ever found with a detector. I am amazed at the response from the SDC on such a tiny target. We were working around a small bedrock outcropping and I was teaching him what to listen for and how to retrieve a target. After the first two targets were lead shot within about 12 inches of each other, the third target had to be shot also (within the same area). I wanted to move on and he said no way let's dig it. About an inch into the decomposing bedrock the target had moved. He grabbed a handful of dirt and had the target in his hand. The target was small and he was having a little trouble figuring out how to split the dirt between his hand and the scoop, but when he finally had a few small bits of dirt in the scoop I could see a glint of yellow. Once he realized it was gold he kept saying I told you we should dig that target! Dad you wanted to walk away! I will probably never hear the end of it. Well, he was right! We spent about 3 hours out in the Motherload on an absolutely beautiful afternoon. Temps on my truck showed 60 degrees. We moved to another spot that I found several nuggets at a few years ago to give the sdc a go to finish the day. Steve H. you, Chris R., and Steve W., and Mike G. were there the day I found the nuggets at this spot. First target was the tiniest piece of gold I have ever found with a metal detector. It does not even register on the scale. I didn't take a picture of the tiny piece cause it probably would not even show up in a picture it was so tiny. I am amazed that any detector could find a piece of gold so small. I doubt it will even register on my gmt. We had a great day and my son should be able to really use this detector on his own next time out. He took to it like...on... Funny thing he found some old rusty sardine cans and a broken old flashlight to take for show-and-tell at school tomorrow along with his piece of gold. Looking forward to getting out again!