building a dredge...sluice question

[n.h.gold]

Right now I am working with 2 inch hose because I have a lot of it..( we make lots of maple syrup and use it for pumping sap..lm useing old peices) once I learn how to build a power jet and a nozzle that wll rip the skin off my hand I will build a 3 and 4 inch set up...2 and a half inch exhaust pipe fits over my 2 inch dredge line nicely and the 2 and a half is what I am using for my power jet,,cut in slots into the exhaust pipe and add a clamp and its a tight connection to the dredge line ( i have learned that its a good idea to increase the inside diameter it your connections as you go from the nozzle towards the sluice . my first attempt at a jet used sevral quick connects that restricted flow resulting in instant plug ups)...i don't want to spend the money for 3 and 4 inch material till I have the fabracation -engenering down,,,I know its cheaper to buy new but I like making things and understanding the concept...I'm also seeing if I can find the 3 and 4 inch material used...I'm a scrounger..and cheap...thanks for the input!! Getting advice from people that have tried it and seen it is great! Parker

[n.h.gold]

Another question is what is the best reduction from the pump line into the jet or nozzle? I'm built one last nite that is 2 inch from the pump into an 8 inch long piece of 1/2 inch black iron pipe welded into my 2.5 inch power jet..will try it later to bay...seems like a lot of reduction...thanks,parker.

[russau]

that 1/2 inch black pipe needs tobe welded at 11 degrees with the flow of water/material for the best linier flow of water.

[n.h.gold]

Well the power jet works! Can't believe the suction that develops.. Compared to the sap pump and no reduction into the jet with my first attempt. I had the jet just proped up on the bank and it was shooting the water 10 to 15 feet.. ..time to get some 3 inch stuff and build a jet and start messing around building a suction nozzle..I want to try to make one like the hydraforce but that will be down the road..looking forward to the adventure ahead!

[n.h.gold]

Had some time to try out the sluice..the sluice is 14 inches wide and 4 feet long..there is a traffic cone jet flare feeding onto the upper sluice floor which for 16 inches is 3/16 punch plate. following the punch plate there is conveyor belt covered with 3/4 inch raised expanded.. The end of the upperdeck has 3 one half inch riffles. The lower deck is conveyor belt-vortex like-covered with raised 3/4 expanded. The bottom deck has 3 riffles 1/2 inch tall at the end.
At the moment I am feeding the sluice with a Keene p-180 running a 2.5 inch jet.. With 10 feet of suction hose...and what seems like amazing suck to a newbie like me..

I can see the punch plate is much too long letting the majority of the water down to the lower level...I would assume that using 3 or 4 inch jet with the same pump would greatly increase the amount of water thru the sluice?
I am planning on making bigger jets and nozzles as time permits,,parts are acquired...
I am going to make a solid piece I can lay over the punch plate to regulate the water-material going to the lower deck running different diameter dredge hoses..
My initial thoughts and observations are that I have one hell of a black sand-garnet catcher.. I am going to make some lead peices and suck them up today..I was catching a lot of bird shot and what looks to be a .30cal bullet...would like to suck up ten pieces of lead and see what I get out of the sluice and where they settle...how long is the punch plate on a 4 inch Keene and how wide is the sluice? Thanks...having a blast in n.h.! Parker

[Gold Seeker]

The punch plate for the first stage on my 4" Keene 3 stage is 16" long with 1/4" holes, the sluice is 16" wide.

That being said there is a solid sliding plate (aluminum separator plate) that control the amount of water that goes into the lower section (3rd stage), this plate is also the "floor/bottom" of the 2st stage here's a link to a PDF 4" dredge guide from Keene's website, look on page # 3 for a cross section of the sluice box and instructions on how to initially setup the sluice.

http://www.keeneeng.com/pdfFiles/4_Dredge.pdf

[n.h.gold]

Thanks! That is great info..will put it to use...now we are cooking with gas! Parker

[n.h.gold]

I have been scrounging up different material for riffles and nozzel-jet configurations,,,also been reading the Poling and Carlson studies..interesting stuff!

[getterdone]

If you use the Le-Trap sluice box it will catch everything. Here is what I built, it all folds up for packing
and I used the Harbor Freight $100 pump.

[russau]

Nice looking setup! now show us how good it works!