Angus MacKirk Sluice questions, information and questions

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I'm looking at purchasing a river sluice, and have seen a few different types online. Would a traditional aluminium Eldorado type of sluice with matting/mesh etc be better than the moulded plastic MacKirk type of sluice? Would a larger/longer type of sluice potentially catch more gold? Or is a mid size just as effective?
 
Neither is better or worse each sluice type has its benefits and disadvantages you need to to find the best solution for the type of prospecting you will do most. The angus takes a bit if getting used to and works best in fast water whilst a expanded metal sluice will be much more forgivong.
 
G0lddigg@ said:
Neither is better or worse each sluice type has its benefits and disadvantages you need to to find the best solution for the type of prospecting you will do most. The angus takes a bit if getting used to and works best in fast water whilst a expanded metal sluice will be much more forgivong.
Thanks for that, still trying to figure out our plan of attack. It was just pans at first, now sieves, buckets, crevicing tools, and hopefully a river sluice soon. I think that's where we'll stop, just small scale :)
 
yeh i know the feeling :) its addictive and sometimes you dont know if it will ever stop.... for me never/.... :)

I always say buy whats convenient use it and see what you like if you want something else put it up on the forum for sale someone else will want it and so on... that way you get to play with lots of equipment.

For me i can pan like a demon, i can process a bucket of dirt quicker than classifying it and running through a sluice but its an enjoyment compnent and sitting down to feed a sluice is about as relaxing as it gets.

good luck out there mate
 
Thanks mate, all good advice :)

Still learning the ropes, but that's all part of the fun. Been eyeing off a few detectors too 8) ... :D
 
Very handy information thanks GT, I have a custom made Gold Rat sluice and recently bought a AM Grubstake, only managed to use the GR once so far and had difficulty getting the correct flow and wasted 10 litres of classified material trying when I should have taken the time to set it up correctly first. I'm yet to use the Grubstake but I'm planning on getting out more frequently after Christmas so will spend some time in the field learning about both sluices with your advice in mind.
 
There's some awesome videos on this from some serious prospectors on setting up a river sluice, if I knew how to post up a video from YouTube I could show the ones I recommend, probably the best is by a really grumpy old yank that goes into detail about what is what ssystematically if I can find his name I'll put it up. Some are rubbish. Realistically if you get drop/flow/level set up and classify well you're halfway home. The AM grubsteak was my least favorite out in the field but awesome at home to run some cons. It does extremely well in slower flows in its pre set drop that is molded into its shape.
 
Some recommended videos would be great GT, I bought the Grubstake after taking the GR sluice to a small skinny creek that I was trying for the first time a few weeks back, there was water flowing but the length of the sluice is 1.2m plus the flare so I had trouble sinking the sluice enough to achieve drop/flow/level and ended up taking the bucket of classified material home to pan out.
I thought the Grubstakes shorter length may help in this situation and now I can setup the GR sluice with Bunnings ribbed mat for my final crushed rock samples and the GS for any 1/8th classified material I bring home, I bought the hose, 1" ball valve and required fittings today and ready to set both up in the next few weeks.
 
Hi all,
Do any of you use an Angus Mac Kirk sluice? Im looking at purchasing one because of the ease of clean up and there lightness to backpack into hard to get places. Just deciding which one to get. I want something to test ground with but also not limit myself to a slow feed rate incase i find a good spot and want to shovel away. Im also looking for some flow rate figures for each type as the creeks i frequent arent always flowing and i want to set up a small Petrol pump (eg Rato or Thornado or Gemquip) or battery bilge pump to use if the flow isnt enough. Anyone use one and which one did you get and why? Theres so many to choose from. Im heading to Tuena for a PA meetup early July and want to get one before then. Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Cracka
 
Hey mdv,
Ill take you up on a look at your setup at Tuena. Just for interest sakes, what flow rate does the honda WX10 have and what flow rate do you use when running your setup? Thanks in advance for any info.

Cracka.
 
cracka said:
Hey mdv,
Ill take you up on a look at your setup at Tuena. Just for interest sakes, what flow rate does the honda WX10 have and what flow rate do you use when running your setup? Thanks in advance for any info.

Cracka.

Honda WX10 is rated at 140 litres per minute. It works fine with my Walbanker for gold in most cases, but lacks spray bar pressure to bust up clay. If I had my way over again, I'd go the WX15 which is rated at 200 litres per minute.

For working an AM sluice, the WX10 is more than ample - I run mine at little more than idle (I am guessing <50 litres per minute)
 
Ok, Just going to post this here for all the people who would like some info on the flow rates of the Angus Mac Kirk sluices. Just got an email back from them stating the following figures - Hello Craig,

Below is the recommended water flow rates for the sluices you are considering.

The Adventurer and the Grub stake: 1,200 gph

Outback, Explorer, Expedition: 1,750 gph

Eureka, Boss II: 2,220 gph

Great Northern: 9,000 gph

Thanks for your interest in Angus MacKirk Sluice boxes, Get Some!

Hope this helps out.

Cracka.
 
Converted to Litres per minute (Lpm) so as to directly compare with pump ratings:

The Adventurer, Backpacker, and the Grub stake: 78 Lpm

Outback, Explorer, Expedition, Alaskan: 113.75 Lpm

Eureka, Foreman, Boss II: 143 Lpm

Great Northern: 585 Lpm
 
Thanks mfdes,
I have a list I have made with the sizes both width and length and flow rate. Will post later. I have decided to go for the Boss II with a length of approx. 960mm and a width of 406mm (that width is the entire unit width) and riffle width of between 248mm and 350mm (Tapered). Also a flow rate of 143 LPM as mfdes stated. What do you think of this one?

http://angusmackirk.com/shop/boss-ii-sluice/

Cracka.
 

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