River / Stream Sluices - advice, information and questions

[Ferrous]

I'm after a Sluice Box that's lightweight and rugged, any ideas?

 

[Aussie Detecting]

Are you after a high volume Highbanker or one that works of a car battery?

 

[Nugget]

I have one that I ordered in from Canada. I'll post a pic up after dinner.

 

[Nugget]

Sorry I was wrong, I actually ordered it in from California. It's called an EZ-SLUICE, I think it cost me about $60-$80 delivered.

 

[dave14110]

I like the look of that. It's look small and efficient. I am slowly building a large high banker sluice box. brought ripple tray on Ebay my brother folded first piece of alloy now need second piece & diamond mesh then put it together. It's kind of on hold at present. The only cost is the ripple tray so far. When I do finish it I can take the kids to some like rushworth park 4wd next to river & watch kids playing gold miner. 5 Kids lots of liittle miner's LOL

 

[Ferrous]

Do you know the dimensions of the EZ-SLUICE?

 

[Nugget]

Not off hand but I'll measure it up later on and let you know.

 

[Aussie Detecting]

Looking at the Ezy Sluice it should be 10" x 48". Same as out 48" power sluice that can used as a river sluice by attaching the flare.

 

[Aussie Detecting]

Check out the 2 little sluices in the back ground

 

[Nugget]

What's the weight of those bad boys?

 

[Aussie Detecting]

I honestly don't know. Maybe 10kg? But it can easily turned into the river sluice which weighs about 5kg

 

[Ferrous]

I would prefer something in the 4-6kgs range, I have to travel a long way carrying a lot of gear and I want to pack a light as possible. When you say it can be turned into a river sluice, what do you mean by that?

 

[Ag Man]

Hi Ferrous,
I use a MacKirk Explorer sluice. Dealt direct with the manufacturer in USA. just fits into a standard bucket for quick clean out & can handle good volume. Classify using a 1/2" screen. They're rugged, simple & light.
About $125 inc. delivery to Aust. 8 days.
Quicker & cheaper than going thru an Aus distributor as they don't generally stock this model & they said there'd be extra freight charges for special orders & that it may take a while to get here...

That Ezsluice looks the go too... $60-80 inc. delivery is most excellent!

 

[Ag Man]

Here's a pic of the MacKirk in a local creek.
Needs very little water to run but can cope with good volume of water too.

I love how you can see your gold hang back on the feed tray(big or small...)

Hmm, here's a pic of how I cart my sluice & gear around only thing to carry in your hand is a shovel(& a pump if using it as a powersluice)

 

[Ferrous]

They all look good but I wonder if I could just make one :/

 

[the duck]

i have one the same as nugget and they work great first time out got quite a bit just get a 20 litre bucket for the gravel and a fine sieve and then just trowel it slowly in the mouth of the ezi sluice
They weigh about i kilo

 

[Lenton]

Are there any good videos showing how o set up the flow through the river sluice box's? How fast and how deep above the riffles do you need?

 

[the duck]

try sluicing on youtube there are quite a few that may be of help i use some shotgun shot in the front and they should settle near the front

 

[Ag Man]

Here's one vid I like.
It's the same sluice I got. This review helped me decide to choose this model.

The bloke craps on a bit for the first 4 minutes but worth watching & explains things fairly good.

[video=480,360]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHd-KriR7SE[/video]

Make sure sluice is set level(sideways) & enough drop to get a 1" rock to casually roll thru the sluice. Too fast - then make the angle less. To slow increase the drop.

I try & aim to have water about half way up my sluice.

You want the riffles to not load up completely - just catch the heavies. you want the lights & heavies to do a little dance in the water - lights rolling out of the riffles & heavies remaining.

One good guide is when you see the "V' formation at the the entry of the sluice - you want the point of the "V" near the 1st riffle.

Best thing is to go out with someone who knows & get out & do it.

Sometimes to get more water or flow/drop you may need to build temporary wing dams with logs, rocks etc.

Good luck.

 

[Lenton]

Hi Ag Man

what is the link?