Advice on first Highbanker purchase

I just joined my local prospecting group and went dredging last weekend, got a new job and have a little extra cash coming my way, am looking for the best mini- highbanker.

I'm looking for something to get very fine gold from lightly classified material (1/4"). I'm in Portland, Oregon, so all the gold around me is super fines that I have access to.

 I have seen three popular types of gold capturing systems:

1) riffles with moss or matting or some combination there-of

2) fluidized-bed

3) ABS molded plastic drop-riffle design

 People seem to be conflicted on the drop-riffle style ABS plastic sluices, they seem super easy to clean up, but I'm among the very skeptical as to the validity of their claims, but I hope they are right!

I'm looking at the:

Royal Mini-highbanker

http://www.royalmfgind.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29791

Prospectors_Choice Scout 2000GPH

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-GPH-Highbanker-12-Volt-System-Portable-Find-Gold-Easy-Use-SCOUT2000-/271876130466?hash=item3f4d1486a2

RDH #58

http://www.ebay.com/itm/58-highbanker-recirculating-sluice-dredge-panning-gold-With-12VDC-800pgh-Pump-/181869951944?hash=item2a584b3bc8

mini-cascade highbanker

looked interesting but i'm not sure about the "gold drawers"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Mini-Cascade-Highbanker-Gold-Recovery-System-12V-800GPH-Pump-Stand-Sluice-/151832535398?hash=item2359eca166

My main limitations are:

mainly money, and second space. I have a small apartment and need to be able to store it and transport it with ease.

I have a 400 dollar budget. total.

I'm open to suggestions and really need real world advice, I can't afford to buy lemon!

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Comments

  • If you check out my pictures the gold in the pan came out of a drop riffle sluice.
  • I have looked at the Angus MacKirk, and the California Sluice Box versions, funny enough the CASluice owner claimed to be the son of the owner of Angus MacKirk in a forum I came across looking for highbanker reviews.

    So the drop-riffle system isn't just a gimmick?  I could find very few reviews/forum posts of people that had purchased them and were happy

  • I have na angus mackirk sluice that I built in to a highbanker.im in ohio so all we have it flour gold and the abs drop riffles seem to catch it just fine and it takes 2 min to do a clean up. Mackirk has a mini recirculating highbanker. I met a guy who was using one and it was catching nice gold. You might take a look it's about $400 before shipping.
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