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Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 12:29 am
by Big T
Well is there any new News on our situation in California ?

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 12:47 am
by OregonJim
Nothing has changed as of a few days ago. I received a letter from a club member stating it did not look like we'd see any change this summer, so the safe bet is to assume we will be under the same "no motorized equipment" rule. I hate it just like everyone else, but I am trying to look at the bright side; not having to carry a pump, compressor, hoses, and all that other gear. The older I get, the better that sounds. My floating sluice is almost ready and I hope to test it about the first week of June, hopefully at the Sluice Box claim (if there is a spot for me to camp there).

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:06 pm
by Wiggler
Hi Big T ! I also was looking forward to dredging . Got 2 claims and polished the 4" dredge . Then someone reminded me that I was in Kalifornia : /


Hey JIM,
how are you configuring your floating sluice ? Will you bucket/shovel the material into it OR ?? I am thinking of using my flare jet into my sluice that will be set up underwater or right near the surface. I hope to gain enough pressure with 100 ft of 4 inch supply line necked down to 1 inch at the jet. I have yet to measure the elevation drop from 100 feet up stream , its reasonably steep for a creek.

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 6:25 pm
by Big T
Yes I was looking forward to trying my power sluice but guess I will have to put the flair on it and use it that way I also was looking at being in the area in June July and August

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 2:49 am
by OregonJim
My plan was to shovel and bucket material into the sluice like they have been doing in the group outings. It seems to be the most efficient system to process material we have right now. I'll classify material down to 1/2 inch and feed the sluice as fast as it can take it. Unfortunately, I have no idea how fast that feed rate will be.

If my sluice works as it does in my imagination... and that is a very big "IF", I should be able to feed classified material into my sluice as fast as Dave is feeding his sluice in in the group outings. There is a high probability that won't happen, but it is my goal. I am hoping that my sluice will be perfect for group events like this, or for sampling along the river where working more than a few pans might be helpful.

I have enjoyed helping out Dave and the folks at the outings in past years and I'd be thrilled to the bone if my recovery system was efficient enough to be used in the outings when they need another sluice or two. I love seeing people find gold. If I can help it happen, that's even better. Once a long time ago I used my highbanker in a group outing when a club unit broke down and recovered more gold in my unit than the other guys did in their better units. I was as proud as a peacock that day. It would be fun to see the group recover a bunch of gold from my sluice.

The old bucket and shovel is what we have to work with. I am going to make the best of it.

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2019 2:07 am
by Wiggler
That sounds like a great plan . I love your enthusiasm and the love for helpin folks out .
I went out to the claim yesterday with my young co-owner. That kid is a work horse and very excited about this. We have a great camp spot and hope to do several weekends there this summer. ( Its only 5-6 miles from my cabin so that makes it nice, warm shower, tools and vittles near by )
We did some sluicing with buckets and shovel. Probably ran 10 buckets . Found some heavy flakes and flour is all but I explained to him that we mostly ran overburden. The material was behind a big boulder in the middle of the creek. He was still jazzed about what we found.
We were going to physically measure the elevation drop in the creek but we wanted to prospect . I spent enough time eye ballin the elevation drop and I think we have a solid 15 ft maybe closer to 20 in a 150-200 section of creek. I think want to buy 160 foot ..... maybe up to 200 ft. of 3- 4 inch PVC and neck it down to our jet . Just trying to decide if I want to pay the $ for it . Im leaning hard towards doing it in the next 2 weeks .
This dang gold fever is gonna ruin me ; ) Not a bad way to get ruined though .

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:22 am
by OregonJim
In an attempt to calculate the water pressure you'd get with 15-20 feet of drop, I found this; "In simple terms, the mathematical constant 2.31 converts a unit of energy against gravity into a unit of force against any other area. This constant converts a foot of head of water into pressure: Head in feet of water divided by 2.31 equals pressure in psi, and pressure in psi times 2.31 equals head in feet."

The way I read that, a 20' drop would only provide about 8.6 psi., and then you'd have some pressure loss from the resistance in the pipe. That doesn't sound very promising for a great deal of power at your nozzle. I really hate posting that and I hope someone will jump in and say I got it wrong, but I'd strongly suggest speaking to someone a lot smarter than me before spending a bunch of money on pipe. As an example, a 2" Honda water pump has a max. pressure of 64 psi. (148 ft. head).

The days are dragging by for me, but I am still tinkering and hoping my work will be adequate. I have done better work before, but I have close to a month to see if I can make it better. I can't express how anxious I am to see it work.

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2019 4:17 am
by Wiggler
Yes , you get roughly just under .5 psi per foot of head so your numbers make sense . But .... that is static head , not "moving" water pressure. It does not really account for velocity, momentum of the water. The larger the diameter of the pipe , the less resistance , or "friction loss" that you have while flowing through the pipe.
When water is not static but moving , it can be almost like a freight train . With all of that weight behind it , its hard to stop it . Pressure is my friend but velocity is an even better friend . I know that there are ways to calculate how to measure these things and have a little knowledge of it but its pretty complex mathematically, at least for me.
I will try to get more info before I drop the money on pipe . It may not be worth it. but then again , it might ? ; )

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:12 am
by OregonJim
I think you could do this easily, but I do not think you will have enough pressure to operate a suction nozzle on the downstream end of your hose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKbVM_JW3Qs

Re: Hello all from the Great State Of Texas

Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:52 pm
by Wiggler
OregonJim wrote:
Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:12 am
I think you could do this easily, but I do not think you will have enough pressure to operate a suction nozzle on the downstream end of your hose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKbVM_JW3Qs
You are very possibly right on the pressure. I love the video you sent , I found others also on youtube . Good Stuff ! Thanks!