Under Water Gold Prospecting

[Gold Catcher]

Thank you guys! Great feedback.

GC

[Valens Legacy]

3 hours ago, phrunt said:

You could probably make one yourself too, pretty simple device.

Grandfather and I have made a few that looks like a tire pump, they are very good and can reach up to 15 feet in depth with a 1 1/4 inch hose. There are plenty of plans on the net for them and we found out for the valves to use some of the super balls that you get out of a machine in stores. We would set up near the creek or river, someone in the water, hose went to a 20 gallon keg, while the other person did the pumping.

When I get back home from the coast I will take some pictures and send them to you.

[GotAU?]

Have you seen Gerry’s and his friends underwater finds with SDC’s?

 

[Gold Catcher]

20 minutes ago, GotAU? said:

Have you seen Gerry’s and friends underwater finds with SDC’c?

Thanks for sharing.  I heard the O-ring on the battery compartment seal needs to be checked frequently. I have the first gen. SDC which has a lot of mileage since I bought it years back, so I hesitate a bit to submerge it. I am very sentimental with this machine as it has been my companion for countless expeditions and adventures. And it has found me good gold. It will take courage to submerge it, like pushing an old dog into the water who has never swam. 

GC

[Swegin]

I wish I lived by water.  LOL  

 

[GotAU?]

3 hours ago, Gold Catcher said:

Thanks for sharing.  I heard the O-ring on the battery compartment seal needs to be checked frequently. I have the first gen. SDC which has a lot of mileage since I bought it years back, so I hesitate a bit to submerge it. I am very sentimental with this machine as it has been my companion for countless expeditions and adventures. And it has found me good gold. It will take courage to submerge it, like pushing an old dog into the water. 

GC

I understand your hesitancy to take it underwater, I would probably only go as deep as the front end of the unit as well. It is a great idea to check O-rings frequently, one grain of sand can mess them up. Also check to see if the ring is getting flattened or hardened with age. If it is or has an indentation it should be replaced.  Wipe and clean the ring and the channel, and use silicone grease - just a light film.  Don’t use petroleum-based grease like Vaseline though,  it’ll eat o-rings up.

[Tom T]

I’ve found screwdrivers ok in a pinch, but for some crevices you’re gonna need a hammer and chisel a dedicated crevice tool and a long/large set of tweezers as well as a regular plastic sucker bottle for any fines…

 

[Lanny]

I should add that I've found that hemostats work great for reaching into hard to get to places to clamp onto flakes and flat nuggets to clamp on to get them out (vs. tweezers) and not have them drop back deeper into crevices or have them shoot off with the current in fast water. I have various lengths and sizes depending on the depth of cracks I'm working.

Simon's suggestion for using automotive hooks is something I've done as well.

All the best,

Lanny

[MSC]

phrunt, that is a nice crevicing kit, I have one that is a lot like that.