Gold Dog Trommel - My experience + Mods to make it work as it should

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Sep 9, 2017
Messages
68
Reaction score
98
After years of going out panning I finally set out to get of my ass and build a trommel. This led me to doing the old YT searches and found a series teaching you how to make a trommel from a combination of buckets, wiper moter and a few other bits and pieces.

Here is a video showing the build mid build https://youtu.be/BIu0P--pXiI

After finishing the bucket trommel and getting it out into the field i decided to walk away from it all together as I found it couldnt take the thrashing i had intended to pass upon it with some rich ground I'm working.

This led me to do the search around in search of a Australian made trommel for the hobby porspecting.

Low and behold I find the "Aussie Gold Dog trommel" and thought how good is this, just what im after.

Storey cut short, I part with my bullets (place my order) Then the fun begins we never ending stories and disappearing acts... each time coming within a whisper of thinking I've been had (his disappeared with the loot) he would then come back with a new excuse and new time frame.

Fast forward a few more months I end up having this thing delivered with the last excuse being " I told my mate to ship it but doesnt look like he did"

Anyway enough pissing and moaning about that.

So now months in the making we have the Gold dog trommel, So i set out with the work Van, trailer and IBC with 1000L we plucked out of a dam and headed to some ground in Whroo which know to be rich.

After setting it up on a makeshift jig straight away i notice the following issues.

- Hopper is to small, when water strikes your material is likely to get shot out the back (unless you load with a teaspoon)
- Spray bars are shooting water down the outside of the unit (WTF) im not talking little overspray im talking missing the drum entirely.
You then have another external spray bar shooting from the top of the unit down instead of inside the unit.
- No internal collar in the unit so when material goes into the trommel it can discharge backwards onto the cog driving the unit and piss out the wrong side of the trommel resulting in un washed material hitting my banker.

Here is a video showing the issues https://youtu.be/xehfzJpUDLE

After digging around i found reviews to the same effect online & spoke to Omni fox trommels (Omni make top units but i prefer to buy Australian made) - and turns out this unit is a failed replica of the first series of Omni fox trommels out of USA with lots of missing key items that made it a good unit.

Anyhow moving forward so now im about $700 in the hole on something destined to gather dust in the shed I contacted a few metal fabricators and in my search come across a bloke that goes by the name of "Fly Customs". His based in North of Victoria and makes custom fabricated gold prospecting gear.

I showed him the videos of this unit in action and went over the things that need to be fixed and sure enough, dropped it to him and away we go....

This unit now kicks ass - his increased the size of the hopper, installed a internal collar to prevent backwashing out the trommel, reinstalled the spray barso the material gets a good wash, installed a flow guard on the hopper so i cant overload it and modded my highbanker to make sure i have a good jig.

Now this machine is a weapon.... if the golds there im taking it home.

Here is a video of me and a mate with the new build working some ground... happy days now....new hopper, spray bars, internal collar and few other items made a massive difference.

Heres a vid of the new build after Fly customs has given it a once over.

https://youtu.be/NF53VsYSUA0 :perfect: :pickshovel: :money: :Y: :beer:

Had i had my time again I would have gone straight to fly customs and got him to jig up the whole lot for me.

Since then Mitch from fly customs is now finishing my Shaker table, rock crusher and he doesn't know it yet but centrifuge :)

I hope this post saves someone the trouble of time/money wasted with gold dog trommels as comparing these two gold tool fabricators is like apples and oranges.

Heres a link to Mitchs FB page... makes some awesome gear.

https://www.facebook.com/FlyCustoms8/

*** Please note i was inspired to write this post today after being threatened with legal action if I leave a review online from Aussie Gold Dog after receiving a random message from them this week asking "if im still interested?" as if i was still mid purchase (chat attached below :power: )***

1595816500_gold_dog_threat.jpg
 
Doesnt all Australian Consumer regulation state that an item needs to be "fit for purpose" it is manufactured for and sold as ?

And along that line a seller of that product is responsible for promptly correcting any warranty or product defect ?

If video and records show that the product is faulty and the retail seller or manufacturer evades contact, supplying the item or providing warranty.
Then the consumer has to get it repaired by an industry expert to function at all.

I think the consumer stands a very good chance of getting all his costs covered by a Court if it went that way.

The Retail Seller would be foolish to take this type of action, and should just let it blow over me thinks.

Armchair lawyer.
:argh:

Bugger of a thing.
 
Greenhornet_au said:
Doesnt all Australian Consumer regulation state that an item needs to be "fit for purpose" it is manufactured for and sold as ?

And along that line a seller of that product is responsible for promptly correcting any warranty or product defect ?

If video and records show that the product is faulty and the retail seller or manufacturer evades contact, supplying the item or providing warranty.
Then the consumer has to get it repaired by an industry expert to function at all.

I think the consumer stands a very good chance of getting all his costs covered by a Court if it went that way.

The Retail Seller would be foolish to take this type of action, and should just let it blow over me thinks.

Armchair lawyer.
:argh:

Bugger of a thing.

To be honest mate the whole lote wore me down with to much time invested so in the end i was stoked to have found Mitch from Fly customs in the creek testing some new gear he made when i was out having a dig... it was literally a random event that i got poked with a message on FB today asking "if im still interested?" from his new staff member thats sparked this again.

It's the threatening me with legal action (for a honest review) that motivated me to share my experience as a consumer here especially after seeing he has deleted negative reviews on facebook and google listing all together. With him still trading and with no real reviews out there some other poor bugger on this forum is likely to make the same mistake. To be honest i didnt think about recovering costs to fix it but if push comes to shove I'll happily fight in in court and produce the invoice on principle alone... not about the money

If he had of said "Sorry mate ill put together a internal collar to stop the back charge and new spray bars" that dont piss out down the outside of the machine,i would have been happy enough to install it myself and put it down to so random issues along the production line.

There's enough going on in the world without these first world probs - curious to know did you see the vid of it in action (first run)?
 
Hmmm. This is a heads up to would be buyers. That's a pretty shameful set of circumstances they let get away from them. Prospecting is a hobby and hobbyists talk, they needed to make it right as fast as possible for their long term best interests. I'd say their failure to do so is going to impact business for them now.

Thanks for posting this. I have all the gear I could need (well nearly :playful: ). But I'm sure this will help some with their decision on who to buy from, especially on more expensive purchases. :Y:
 
"Legal matter" :lol: :lol:

I doubt they wood would noknow where to file a sivelcival civil claim, let alone have the :money: .

The amount of times I hear of legal threats flying around you would think its cheap and easy.

That money would much better spent on a web designer, a proof reader, and stock :lol:
 
Having looked at the photo showing the milk crate they sit on , and the bit of OEM wood that holds the thing up I am surprised that anyone felt it needed commenting on.

My comment...... Its fit for purpose in the kids sandpit as a plaything next to the tonka trucks.
 
Eski said:
wash bar in the barrel goes a long way. what does that thing weigh? assume it is battery powered?

yeah mate internal spray bar made a massive difference, re weight not 100% BUT is a one person lift for sure. Runs off a battery yes a little 17 amph battery will run it all day no probs.
 
Gday everyone, Rory from Gold Fox Australia, its been years since i been in this forum.. i keep paying my membership.. anyway.. i gotta say, after personally talking with you about your experience i was SHOCKED but NOT SURPRISED... what can i say, im not here to bag anyone, only speak from my own personal experience, which i shared with BJarvie...... Years ago i had a similar experience, i didnt buy anything from Aussie Gold Dog, and i wasnt 'Gold Fox Australia' back then, just a guy using a Gold Cube...but ended up with the generic 'im sueing ya' inbox surprise on facebook.. yeah whatever, this guy pulls scare tactics on me.. get stuffed.. WHY.. who cares, its the principal.. for the record its a known fact this manufacturer has been trying for about 5 years to replicate GOLD FOXs now 'out of date' trommel.. unsucessfully.. fair enough.. good on him for having a go.. i and Gold Fox do not care what people make.. it all adds to a better market and develops new ideas.. thats my view on everything.. theres heaps of room for everyone! Play nice, respect other.. i was furious about what you told me mate.. i ended up questioning Aussie Gold Dog because i know the bloke hates me guts.. and all i got was 'im sueing ya' reply.. yeah whatever.. dont let this company scare you.. i always recommend people read customer reviews first before buying from anyone.. including me.. look im shocked, and i sat here thinking.. 'no way.. thats just wrong.. this guy needs my help.. im going to stick my neck out and go in to bat' because thats the Aussie way.. i personally reside on facebook 'GOLD FOX AUSTRALIA' is the group i made to show/help/vids/info/orders/enquiries for available 'Gold Fox USA' gear.. welcome to join and have a look... trommels arent for everyone.. cant believe in that video of Gold Dog trommel it didnt even have a collar between the barrel and hopper.. water spewing everywhere. PS.. i like the look of Fly Customs work.. easy going guy too. Ok everyone.. hope this helps enlighten those who have had similar experience.. it certainly would rattle the average person.. you bought a product from a manufacturer and then they sue you?!! LOL! Cmon.. when is this kind of bad service and plain disrespect going to stop.. Out with the old .. in with the new.. All the best mate, stay in touch
 

Latest posts

Top