# PVC floating dredge



## grance (Sep 24, 2012)

I'm thinking of building a PVC framed floating dredge from 2inch PVC and just wondering what you guys think about it and or if it will work. I will be useing 2 15 Gallon poly drums as pontoons. The pontoons wont be realy attached but more traped by the frame and 8in peaces that go down from the frame that will dubble as leggs. The PVC pipe frame will be sealed just so you know. I have a sluce box 10in x 36in. One thing I'm not sure about is how many GHP pump should I look for. I found one that is a pacific hydrostar 2" clearwater 212cc and wieghs 61lbs it dose 9000GPH . The over all size of the dredge is 29inches long and 42 inches wide all parts and componets costing under $700-800 dollars Try to keep the cost as low as possible I have seen a few people useing PVC clean out fittings as a power jet with road cone as a flare think ill try that as well.


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## grance (Sep 25, 2012)

Wow 45 views and no one had nothing to say lol


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## grance (Oct 2, 2012)

Well I scraped the PVC idea and started building one out of 1" square tubeing and desided on a pacer clear water pump 2inch but cant work on it for awhile. I dislocated my shoulder last night it hurts realy bad and yes drinking was involved


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## element47.5 (Oct 2, 2012)

> Wow 45 views and no one had nothing to say lol



Well, speaking only for myself; 

1: Most people here are into refining and not so much prospecting; in particular, dredging. While I am sure that at least 75% here are very interested in prospecting, I tend to doubt that many have tried it and thus don't have anything in particular to say about it one way or another, other than "good luck, I hope it works for you!". I've never tried it; I'd love to...but I have few illusions about it being anything but a difficult and perhaps low yielding thing. One would have to have the freedom to wander off into the woods for a few weeks, find a spot that doesn't belong to someone else or where the Feds or a game warden won't come along and ruin your day and confiscate your rig.....I mean, life isn't as simple as it once was where you could just wander off somewhere and set up "shop". It's a considerably more involved process than researching some spot where people congregated 80 years ago and wandering over the area with a metal detector looking for Barber quarters. 

2: Your word picture was...a little spotty. I don't know how anyone who knew what they were talking about could say whether or not it would work. If you built such a beast and operated it for a time and got....some sort of result....you yourself would be the best judge of how and/or why to tweak it. Different stream conditions are different; rate(s) of flow, type of bottom, lots of other things I don't know the first thing about as I've never done it. 

Chemicals & chemical processes are different: Each and every person who places karat gold into nitric acid for base metal dissolution gets a similar result if they carefully and assiduously follow the specified procedures. Each person who runs a silver cell gets remarkably the same result provided they, too, follow the rules. I don't know what the rules are for dredging, and if I did, what worked for me might not work for you if you were operating under much different conditions. 

So at the risk of seeming like I'm speaking for the forum, I wouldn't take the lack or reply as an indication of disinterest or lack of positive interest. We're interested in gold any darn where we can find it! I myself just can't think of anything to say to you other than "good luck, I hope it works for you".


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## grance (Oct 2, 2012)

Well thank you and ill begin posting pics as I start working on it agine. as for the legalitys of it in my area mostly comes down too the privet land owners witch I know quite a few localy and wont have an issue getting premition. I did alot of reseach all over the internet and the Pacer pump and my 10x36 inch sluce will work fine. I'm sure some tweeking will have to be done but like you said only I will beable to judge what needs done. Something interesting I found from geological survey of northern ohio is not only is there gold in the rivers and streams there is also garnet and diamonds so I know not to become over excited but I think next summers gonna be alot of fun

P.S I know most of the places i plan on dredgeing becuase Ive been fishing them for 20 years now lol


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## shaftsinkerawc (Oct 3, 2012)

I agree with earlier statement - "good luck, I hope it works for you".

Couple observations beyond that is that just because you have private property owners permission to dredge does not mean you have the states or feds. permission to do so. Dredging licenses and water permits are likely necessary.

Is your (pacer clear water pump 2inch) a high preassure pump or just a standard water pump? Are you making a suction dredge or using it as a high banker?

Diamonds take a different recovery process than Au. And if you're looking to sell the garnets, you will have to have exceptional quality to sell to the rock hound community or ability to fulfill large quantity contracts to sell to the sandpaper and other user industries.

Just some thoughts, Have a Great Day.


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## grance (Oct 3, 2012)

From what the Head park ranger told me I would only need a permit if the dredge is over 4". The pump is a standerd water pump it put out up to 200 G.P.M at 50 psi. The dredge im building will be set up for use as both but primarly a suction dredge. Ive been reseching how to mod the sluce to catch dimonds that part is still in the works


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## shaftsinkerawc (Oct 3, 2012)

As a highbanker all you need is water running through a spray bar and down the box so the pump would probably work. As a suction dredge you need a high preassure pump to create the venturi effect to run your suction which that pump will not likely do.

Don't know what you're planning to change in your box but diamonds are generally caught on a grease plate. If you set your box to catch the low specific gravity diamonds then you are going to be catching lots of low specific gravity minerals like common quartz, and likely overload your sluice and then your gold will wash over the top of the plugged riffles and back into the water.

2 forums where mining, prospecting & sluice design have been and are discussed are,

Alaska Mining & Diving Supply

Alaska Gold Forum


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## grance (Oct 3, 2012)

thanks for the links and yeah I was looking at a grease plate that mounts in your sluce and if 40-50 psi isnt enuff what is?


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