I have used many things in my pursuit of gold. I've run a 4" Keene dredge, a 3" Proline. I've used a Honkoop and a Gold Cat highbanker. I really like the Gold Cat "Big Cat" model. I've never used a trommel. But most of all for me I like to just plain ol' run a sluice box.
Fits my personality the best. As a type of equipment will choose the person it wants. Yes, thats what I said. Do you really think you had a say? Much like with pets, you can get a good idea of the owner. I like to be able to get to spots often unaccessible to bigger equipment sometimes for the solitude, but more for the feeling I got there first. I can work over some areas that have been dredged (usually to hastily) and get some decent color from the tailings. I get a more friendly response from BLM and State Forest officials when I indicate I will be sluicing and then the panning. I find for me it gives me more time to explore and enjoy what is around me, and it sure a heck lot less maintainance and repair. I especially enjoy seeing those small pickers in the ribbed matting at the head of the sluice, that really gets me grinnin'. I will build a small hand operated dry washer from plans that will fit in a 5 gallon bucket for the same reasons..
I have no problem with the bigger stuff, and I will use it on occasion as the situation dictates. I know I will move less material and probably get less gold but I do not mind. I do not mind the work as long as it does not seem like work. If there are others around it gives opportunity to BS without to much inconvienence. It is more on the safe side as I work alone a lot and safety is a must. Many dredgers have learned some harsh non habit forming lessons. These are just my personal opinions. I do think all equipment is essential, serving it's place for the situation and the operator. We all have our favorite toys, these are just a couple of mine.
Good Color
Mike
Comments
Hey Tim,
I guess I'm more in line with you. I like to highbank and sluice. I will eventually get into drywashing. My thing is I am a big fan of footable portability.. I like how it was done before the age other than horse and wagon. I think that is were our roots are from and to some extent they should be honored. Plus I like to walk and explore alot. I do combine gold prospecting with the same for fur. I love the adventure of both, and sometimes they both compliment and conflict each other. IT'S A RUFF LIFE THAT I LEAD!! OH WELL. LPC'S are the most depndable mode of transport. That is a veteren refernce.
I agree with Chris, metal detector and drywasher, I do love to pan though and have alot of fun with my Catch It II water table.
I like my trommel and backhoe, pans, finish sluice, gold genie, GMT, and everything else I've got that has anything to do with gold.
Metal detector, drywasher.
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I've seen the Jobe in action and it is a nice sluice. I started with a small proline, and I now use a Keene.(A51)? I like the hungarian riffles in the first stage. I also have a buckabilly I have made a small recirculating highbanker with. As far as a pan I use and like the Garret gravity trap pan. I have a set of 3 from the clean up pan to the big classifying pan. Plus I like the pretty picture on the bottom. I had a blue bowl concentrater but I sold that.
I have to say my favorite and most used is my 10 inch Jobe sluice when first starting out Chip Hess of Miners Cache in Redding California helped guide my choice its well built and does the job I use it as a high banker with recirculating the water a 1200 gph bilge pump supplys enough water to keep it fed and as a stream sluice were condition permit. it has stood the test of time and helped me learn the rights and wrongs of prospecting , It's the back bone of my prospecting equipment!!!!
The scale when I am weighing all the gold, lol.
Well I like the GPAA pan, Garet pan, Camal panner, my 3 home made sluices, and the bluebowl. but the sluice is my thing.
gee guys i got so much equipment i dont know where to start40m some pans 3 full sets of classifiers couple of sprial panners old faveroit green bowla half dozen different types of sluices which i not in love with but keep them around just to look at 4 inch and 5 inch dredge a couple of banker dredges which i built and use all the time several different types of recirculating equipment but all in all i like the dredges the most as far as a brand name piece of equipment i could care less for them the ones you build are the bestlol i forgot to mention comercial trommel operation that we run a few years back and the small portable tromte that i use a lot its all good fun with what you perfer to use
well I like my green pan. I started with a trinity bowl but think I like a plain ol pan better. Ok it is the only tool I have at the moment besides a couple classifiers.
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