First trip out with the highbanker.

[ashhhhh]

Hey all,

My partner and I got out yesterday and gave the Walbanker its first run, great fun!
I was pretty happy with the result given that neither of us has done this before, the tail pictured below shows what we were getting after running it for about 30mins each time. (we did 4 runs)

Next time we will do much longer runs obviously, we were impatient and wanted to see what we were catching..

Ill add a picture of the final cleanup when I finish with the cons, I didn't want to try and pan it right down because its really fine flour gold around here.
Next project is a Miller table.

I do have to change a couple of things with the banker though, I thought it would be a good idea to have long rails that the riffle sections just slide under, instead of the hinged tabs that Wal designed it with....yeah it sucks and is almost impossible to dismantle when filled with sand and gravel...lol
Ahh well... :8

Ash

 

[Guest]

Great report mate, And the gold says a great debut run for the Walbanker.

 

[Jaros]

Nicely rounded rocks along the watercourse there Ash. Looks like a bit of a flood plain. Great looking gold for your first 30 minutes run time. Looks like your on the money with that unit.

 

[WalnLiz]

Great result and good looking creek you're working there. Check out my later posts and you will see the rail system I use on all my bankers these days. The clip version was from one of the very old bankers.

Good luck on the next trip.

Cheers Wal.

 

[richo966]

I use a pair of pliers to tap the bolt out when filled with sand and I use a split pin on the top section speeds up the clean up nice looking gold for first time keep it up mate

 

[Tathradj]

Great life isn't it.

 

[ashhhhh]

Cheers all, did a bit of a cleanup and it looks nice in the vial, looking forward to getting more now.. Lol.

Yeah the creek is a lucky score for us, private property with access at will, can drive right to it, and right in the local goldfields.

Any advice on the best way to work these really sandy spots? I mean the sand seems to be of an endless depth in the actual creek bed, we just found a boulder trap with mud and clay, roots and stuff - seemed to go OK!
Not sure if it's worth digging down deep through the sand?

Great result and good looking creek you're working there. Check out my later posts and you will see the rail system I use on all my bankers these days. The clip version was from one of the very old bankers.

Good luck on the next trip.

Cheers Wal.

Thanks mate, have you got a link to any pics of the new arrangement?

 

[WalnLiz]

Couple of pics way back in the threads....will take a pic of my banker in the morning and post it here for you tomorrow arvo mate.

Cheers Wal

 

[HeadsUp]

it wont hurt to dig down deeper and do some test trenches down to the bedrock

that really is a juicy looking spot , it must have had some huge floods through there for long periods to produce those formations

If you look for rock bars or crevices facing transverse across the river flow that are visible on the riverbanks , then follow them down and dig down to where the lowest parts of the crevice are in the middle of the river

If you cant see where such transverse crevices might be then you have to do some test digging through the gravel

If you can find old crevices in bedrock a few feet down under that gravel you might get pockets with 10 times - 20 times more gold in them than whats in the surface so you come home with 10's of grams or "better"

I would bet money on it that if youre getting that gold from surface scratching , then there certainly will be pockets of "ounces" accumulated in catch zones if you can find them.

especially if its private land

keep it under your hat and tell nobody

 

[HeadsUp]

oh i forgot

If you find you get sore eyes after a while , try getting longer hose for the pump and put the pump further away from you

2 stroke pump fumes give me a headache and sore eyes

also BIG heads up here , be aware not to put a pump in a low hollow if youre in there working next to it coz carbon monoxide fumes build up and you would just suddenly faint and never wake up.

If you have a constant breeze or the pump is in a better spot then its okay , you will have fresh air.

also , if you feel like some fun , pick up a yabbie and put it in the top of the sluice so it can have some fun "rolling down the rapids" they love it mate , i am sure if you put a little ramp for them to climb up they would be lining up for a turn.

 

[outboard]

Thanks mate, have you got a link to any pics of the new arrangement?

you can see it in the detect a den add in the trades section Here

it has another set of wingnuts and bolts at the feed end, undo that end and use the exit end as a pivot point

 

[Tathradj]

I have my pivot points at the hopper end. When lifted they are not in your road.
I have gone to great pains that nothing protudes into the race area. Just a smooth long box even down to soldering the two screws that hold the step down.
when you release the two wing nuts on the step, the screws stay in filling the two holes not letting any thing run out on clean up. I cut the expanded mesh to sit around the wing nuts.

 

[ashhhhh]

Great info Heads Up, thanks mate.
Yeah luckily the owner is a close friend, a crotchety old bastard and a great shot.

Yeah that design is a lot better and means I can modify what I've already done pretty easily, nice.

 

[jimnyjerry]

Looks like you are having fun Ashhhhh. Great setup, location and gold.

 

[Willo]

Well done Ash and D -Looks like some familiar faces and check out their youtube channel as well! Ian

 

[Tathradj]

I have to say it.
The 2nd and 3rd photo should be used as a "Get out there and do it" Kind of shot.
Great contrast of colour and a Good Looking Aussie of the female type enjoying her self.
what harm can we do.?
Intelligent good looking people doing what comes second best to human nature.
Just enjoying the great out doors with the "prospect" of maybe finding a small reward but reaping the very best on what this land has to offer.
I take my hat off. 8.(
.
Doug

 

[Tathradj]

I also understand that Ashhhh you like the colour blue.
LOL, How do I know that. :lol:
Well Done...

 

[ashhhhh]

Well done Ash and D -Looks like some familiar faces and check out their youtube channel as well! Ian

Willo! Thanks mate and hood to see you on here.
LOL thanks Doug, I'm very lucky to have a partner like her, up to her arms in mud and still smiling and having fun.

 

[Golddiggergirls]

Well done on your first run with your Walbanker Ash, very lovely gold indeed....!

The pics are awesome.

Cheers....!!

 

[ashhhhh]

I also understand that Ashhhh you like the colour blue.
LOL, How do I know that. :lol:
Well Done...

Well it took a hot shower to process this comment, I'm guessing your on Aussie lapidary yeah? ;p

Golddiggergirls, thanks, love your channel too.