Mini finishing sluice.

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Joined
Nov 17, 2014
Messages
13
Reaction score
12
Location
Central West of NSW
Hi all,
Hope this works. The post, not the sluice! The finished sluice works a treat but I'm a bit uncertain about getting the pics up here. Anyway, here goes with No 1.

1416810569_mini_3.jpg


Uploaded an image and a long string of digits appeared on the screen. I'm assuming that's the picture which will come up when I post this. So I'll go ahead and describe it. Water recirculates from the black tub and back again. Sluice box is a zincalume channel, 4" wide by 36" long. Bunnings sell the fine ribbed rubber matting at $40 a metre, but they cut me a smaller bit 12" wide for $10. Got some spare if I need it! Mat is glued in. 12v bilge pump sitting on a little bracket fires water out of tub around to head of sluice. Plugged in to a regular jumpstarter it runs for hours! I have 2 ways of controlling the flow. The red inline volume control tap and an adjustable 'dam' , the bit running at an upward angle. The water stream hits the back of this and spreads out as it falls to the trough. The dam just pivots on a small nut and bolt, allowing me to raise or lower the level of the water coming into the channel. So by also adjusting the slope of the channel I can create any volume, speed, depth etc of the water down the channel. The aluminium bars across tub stops any spread when filled with water and the blue container catches every thing exiting the channel so nothing gets back to wear the pump out. All I need is some good paydirt to put through it! The entire thing, excluding the tub and the jumpstarter, cost me $42, some strange looks from my mate and a cut finger.

If this works, I'll show the suction thing I'll be using to get the paydirt. If I'm lucky!
 
Hey, it worked. Just noticed on the pic what appears to be gaps at either side of adjustable dam. Wouldn't work then, would it? They're not gaps but black rubber strips to squeeze against the channel side to stop water leaking through. Set up seems to work OK. Any comments or suggestions for improvement would be welcomed.
Wal
 
Looks good gopher

Is there some bubbles coming down? If so sneak a bit of miners moss or a scourer under the I let to smpoth the water amd pull the air out. Air carries gold I dont care what anyone sais ive seen it :)
 
Thanks, Goldigg & Digginholes. No bubbles GD, just angle of shot and sunlight. Also the channel wasn't trued regarding angle and cross ways so a bit more water on one side. You're dead right about bubbles carrying fine gold, GD. Surface tension will easily carry a bit. Anyone doesn't believe you, show 'em the old needle floating on top of a glass of water trick. If the glass is filled to the brim you can see a bit of a bulge on the surface. A needle placed gently on top will float. And a small bubble will do the same to a tiny bit of gold. Good tip about the scourer, thanks.
 
yes it floats in my pan several times today

lol

nice looking mini sluice will it remove all the Black Sand ?
 
Nice looking setup there gopher. I hope it catches plenty of the yellow for you.
Re uploading pictures. I always use the "preview" button to check my posts before submitting.

Cheers

Ramjet
 
I think it should get most black sand, Ronk. Design allows infinite adjustment of water speed and volume etc. I followed Golddigs excellent tip and put some scourer pad under the dam lip. Water can be adjusted now till it's totally smooth right across. Thanks for the pic tip Ramjet. Been at the gold chasing for years but this computer s... drives me crazy
Wal.
 
This looks great gopher, top job.
I just picked up some ribbed mat from Bunnings today and my bilge pump arrived yesterday so hopefully I'll have my converted sluice up and running by next weekend and run the fine cons I've been saving.
 
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