Best classifier material for highbanker

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jml

Jeff
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Apr 13, 2013
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Hi all,

I wanted to hear feedback on what others are using as classifiers for a high-banker.
Many seem to use the punch plate (electrical cable tray) style but does anyone use say the woven mesh as it has far more 'open' area compared to the standard punch plate style?
JML
Jeff
 
Hey Jeff

A buddy and I were tossing ideas around on this very subject today. Personally I think the 1/4" grille style is ideal.. from what have seen the expanded mesh and drilled hole or slot types seem to have a few disadvantages, like clogging and flow restriction.

The grille style is basically rows of steel rods 1/4" apart..that sort of thing. I took a photo of a grille I saw at the carpark at work today, thought it would make an ideal highbanker grate.. Pity it was welded down :)

Cheers James

1368448621_image.jpg
 
They're ok as a grizly, but no good as a forward classifier....If you use them as a grizly and the bars aren't close enough, larger "flat" stones fall through, and the suction created by larger flat stones drags fine gold down the mat....Cheers Wal. ;)
 
Dogmatic said:
I wonder if using a grate like that would make it more difficult to slide your material over as there is not a smooth surface?

As Wal was saying in his post as a Grizzly should be OK, with gravity and liquidfication it should slide down pretty easily..
 
I came across this material which I think would make as a good classifier on a high-banker and as a forward classifier on WalnLiz's design. It is stainless steel woven mesh, size 5 with an open aperture of 3.83mm and a wire thickness of 1.25mm. Reasonably stiff but would probably need some support over a width of 300mm. Not able to load up a photo (too big).
JML
Jeff
 
Hey jml, please see the link in my signature "Optimising images".

Cheers,
Nugget
 
Making a highbanker at the moment and for the grizzly have settled on an old oven grille a mate picked up at the tip. Fits like a glove. I think the fun part of making a highbanker or any other prospecting gizmo is the give-it-a-go aspect, try one thing...doesn't work, no worries, try another..

BTW: If anyone is after a petrol pump for their highbanker these are great little unit and very cheap at only $167 delivered :)

http://www.megamachinewarehouse.com...nline-products/steeltec-big-river-water-pump/


water-pump-300x300.jpg
 
jml said:
I came across this material which I think would make as a good classifier on a high-banker and as a forward classifier on WalnLiz's design. It is stainless steel woven mesh, size 5 with an open aperture of 3.83mm and a wire thickness of 1.25mm. Reasonably stiff but would probably need some support over a width of 300mm. Not able to load up a photo (too big).
JML
Jeff

Please note that in no way would I recommend this mesh be used with my hi-banker design. Any forward classifying screen should allow material smaller than 8mm to pass through the screen. This includes all nuggets from 1gm to 4gm, and a grid of 3.8mm would see most of these remaining on the classifier, and be too small to be easily seen. Same goes for Sapphires. No probs with using on your design Jeff, but just expressing opinion for use on my banker. I'm sure that with your banker this mesh will be quite fine...

Very interested in checking out that pump Goldbug....looks like great value .....Cheers Wal, :)
 
Thanks Wal,
In the very short time I've been panning and rooting around for gold the biggest 'spec' of gold I recovered has been 2mm... at best. In terms of the places I've been, such as Majors Creek, Bombay Crossing and from the feedback on the Shoalhaven further down, is that it is all flour gold. Maybe the best option is two classifiers, one the smaller woven mesh I've come across and the other, the electrical cable tray which you recommend for different locations.
Everywhere I've been reading, particularly Canada and US seems to indicate the the smaller the classified material you can put through your machine the better.
Obviously I don't want to miss out on that "nugget" of a life-time. What is the average size you have recovered from say the Tuena over recent years Wal?

The Steeltec pump looks a nice unit but it is only putting out 1100L/H. I would have thought this is way too small for say a high-banker of Wal's proportions.
Wal, question, can the suggested min. flow rate of 240L/H for your high-banker drop if you use a narrower sluice?
JML
Jeff
 
G'day Jeff,

Don't want to be too specific about nugget sizes...But lets say you used that grid where i go.. "in the Tuena region"..you would have thrown out at least 20 nuggets, and I would have put all your tailings back through my banker, ;)

What you have to remember Jeff, is you have to move "Volume" ,and to classify less than 8mm in a hi-banker will not get you the volume at the end of the day. 4mm screens are great for river sluices and for cleanups. You will trap 99% of the Oallen flour gold with 8mm classification and you will get "ALL" the 1gm to 4gm nuggets from other locations. Just my view, but, experimenting can be a lot of fun and you get to learn quite a lot...The pump hasn't got the flow needed for volume work.

At the end of the day we all have to use what suits us best...good luck with your build... Cheers Wal. :)
 
Yes, that makes a lot of sense and after all I don't want you following me all around the place re-processing my tailings :p
Regards
JML
Jeff
 
Hi Wal & Jeff
If the above Big River Water Pump is rated at 1100L/H & Wal's hi-banker design needs a min. flow rate of 240L/H then am I correct in assuming the pump would be a good buy/well suited for a high-banker of Wal's proportions?
If my assumption is incorrect then please explain why since 240L/H << 1100L/H :)
Reason I ask is that I plan to pick one up while in Vic/Melb.
Cheers Jed
 
Jed said:
Hi Wal & Jeff
If the above Big River Water Pump is rated at 1100L/H & Wal's hi-banker design needs a min. flow rate of 240L/H then am I correct in assuming the pump would be a good buy/well suited for a high-banker of Wal's proportions?
If my assumption is incorrect then please explain why since 240L/H << 1100L/H :)
Reason I ask is that I plan to pick one up while in Vic/Melb.
Cheers Jed

G'day Jed,

The wx15 runs at 240Lper min ...14,400L per hour. The above runs 1100L per hour. ...Cheers Wal. :)
 
Many thanks Wal for clarifying the typo. OK I will stay with the WX15 water pump. cheers Jed :)
 
Jed said:
Hi Wal & Jeff
If the above Big River Water Pump is rated at 1100L/H & Wal's hi-banker design needs a min. flow rate of 240L/H then am I correct in assuming the pump would be a good buy/well suited for a high-banker of Wal's proportions?
If my assumption is incorrect then please explain why since 240L/H << 1100L/H :)
Reason I ask is that I plan to pick one up while in Vic/Melb.
Cheers Jed

G'day Jed,

The WX15 runs at 240 L /min ...14,400L /H....the above is only a transfer pump...1100L / H......Cheers Wal :)

Sorry Jed, I seem to have somehow repeated myself....
 
Sorry, I caused that confusion with the typo.... litres per hour (L/H) instead of litres per minute (L/M).
JML :8
 
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