Thx for the idea. I find making a gold catcher is more fun than just writing a check or swiping a card and relying on someone else thousands of miles away to know it all. This year will be the best one yet and I have plenty of this type mat to play with. :D
Excellent job ! I really like the carpet/floor joiner and the three rib connection . I'm going to build one and make a mold for a silicone mat . Because , in Alberta we only have superfine float/flour gold . Like it's 1/4 gram a ton . I think a ton equals 70 screened pails ? Keep on doing great videos Colorado Gold Bug .
Most amazing 'homemade matting' I ever saw, was a guy got tired of paying outrageous prices for mats all the time, so in his garage-woodshop, he took some hardwood, made basically a 7-inch wide 'shelf board' 5-feet long with a few planks, milled it flat, then with his router and a straight-edge, made a 'negative' of the mat he wanted to make. Then, took his time with some paraffin wax and rubbed it down good (to make the mold release later), and then used hardware store 'silicone caulk' to fill the mold grooves. He covered the whole board with it, then laid a flat rubber car floormat over it (my guess is, you could use any black rubber, even a heavy duty truck tube), and left it on his work table to cure for a week. It was as good as any 'storebought' sluice mat - and he could make any shape he wanted now, a lot cheaper than buying them (about $15 a sluice lay).
Where did you get the blank shell (the aluminum box with flare ) ? We just had a once in a century flash flood , leaving gravel bars in mid creek and bordering the creek. It was somewhat successful setting a regular sluice box in the creek and shoveling creek material unclassified directly into the box. So , what mat configuration would work best with unclassified material? Thanks.
I disagree with placing the riffles that close together. Reason: Because it does not create a proper vortex for the smaller pieces of gold to have the proper ample amount of time to drop down into the mat (especially the real fine flakes), as the force of the water intends to keep them traveling over the top of the riffles due to the adhesion principles of the water molecules which creates what is known as "floating gold". Otherwise not a bad instructional video.
I notice a lot of water bead up on your blue gold pan, which tells me you didn't properly season it before you use it like a cook does for a cast iron skillet....Which gets rid off all the release wax and oils embedded in the plastic from the casting mold. So you're going to end up losing a lot of color.
Had to make box Myself had the binder - then you can get aluminum online - sometimes I will or others will make extra boxes and sell on ebay ! you have to keep a look out for them they can go fast! The online stores want anywhere between $70 to $100 for blank box
Since,.. your in Colorado,..there was a guy that was missing for a while,.. they found him between Rainbow trout farm and black mountain,..... I'd bet you there's gold there,... and their trying to make it sound mysterious like bigfoot done it. I'd bet in the hills just above there their mining gold and he stumbled on to them. Rio Grande National forest around conejos canyon.
I love it. I made my own mats out of a mix of low V and deep V mats and cut them up and used deep V as riffles. Glad to see someone else making mats.
Thanks !
Thx for the idea. I find making a gold catcher is more fun than just writing a check or swiping a card and relying on someone else thousands of miles away to know it all. This year will be the best one yet and I have plenty of this type mat to play with. :D
Awesome job! Never thot of doing it that way. I’m using homemade silicone mats but could see using this in conjunction.
Steve Fuller
Dig Dug Gold
Excellent job ! I really like the carpet/floor joiner and the three rib connection . I'm going to build one and make a mold for a silicone mat . Because , in Alberta we only have superfine float/flour gold . Like it's 1/4 gram a ton . I think a ton equals 70 screened pails ? Keep on doing great videos Colorado Gold Bug .
Nice homemade mat set up! i will have to try it sometime!
Thanks ! It works and it is budget friendly. Looked at some of your video's GREAT JOB !!!
Thanks!
Very nice idea. I did like this my first sluice
Nice presentation. Great idea.
use Flex rubber works better than silicone
Most amazing 'homemade matting' I ever saw, was a guy got tired of paying outrageous prices for mats all the time, so in his garage-woodshop, he took some hardwood, made basically a 7-inch wide 'shelf board' 5-feet long with a few planks, milled it flat, then with his router and a straight-edge, made a 'negative' of the mat he wanted to make. Then, took his time with some paraffin wax and rubbed it down good (to make the mold release later), and then used hardware store 'silicone caulk' to fill the mold grooves. He covered the whole board with it, then laid a flat rubber car floormat over it (my guess is, you could use any black rubber, even a heavy duty truck tube), and left it on his work table to cure for a week. It was as good as any 'storebought' sluice mat - and he could make any shape he wanted now, a lot cheaper than buying them (about $15 a sluice lay).
can do a similar thing using TPR (melt down some of those large soft rubber worm toys, or any other of the hundreds of cheap toys made from 100% tpr)
Good where do you bye the roll carpet
Where did you get the blank shell (the aluminum box with flare ) ?
We just had a once in a century flash flood , leaving gravel bars in mid creek and bordering the creek. It was somewhat successful setting a regular sluice box in the creek and shoveling creek
material unclassified directly into the box. So , what mat configuration would work best with unclassified material? Thanks.
one the cheapest and best ideas i guess👍👍
Hi Roger:
Just found your channel.
Thanks for the info.
Got yourself a new subscriber too...!
Have a great day...!
Thanks !
great video buddy
I disagree with placing the riffles that close together. Reason: Because it does not create a proper vortex for the smaller pieces of gold to have the proper ample amount of time to drop down into the mat (especially the real fine flakes), as the force of the water intends to keep them traveling over the top of the riffles due to the adhesion principles of the water molecules which creates what is known as "floating gold". Otherwise not a bad instructional video.
Thanks for the comment you do what works for you in the area you work. Less than 5% loss with sample testing
i have to agree with you, the riffles are to close together
I doubt it. Seldom does anyone get better than 80% recovery.
I CAN SEE THIS WILL WORK_____NOT BAD___I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF THE STRIPS____
I notice a lot of water bead up on your blue gold pan, which tells me you didn't properly season it before you use it like a cook does for a cast iron skillet....Which gets rid off all the release wax and oils embedded in the plastic from the casting mold. So you're going to end up losing a lot of color.
woot woot - glad I found you! I subed
What shape are the ribs?
where did the mat come from?
Bought on ebay
where do I find the mat
You can find matting on eBay or Amazon
I would of scratched up the grooves where you glued the pieces in and used a special epoxy but great idea of ypurs
Nice video I’m new to this, where did you get your box ?
Had to make box Myself had the binder - then you can get aluminum online - sometimes I will or others will make extra boxes and sell on ebay ! you have to keep a look out for them they can go fast! The online stores want anywhere between $70 to $100 for blank box
It's called "z bar" it's for carpet .
There's a quicker way to make duplicate lengths. Do one and measure the rest against them!
Thank you kindly...
Nothing like watching glue dry.
Since,.. your in Colorado,..there was a guy that was missing for a while,.. they found him between Rainbow trout farm and black mountain,..... I'd bet you there's gold there,... and their trying to make it sound mysterious like bigfoot done it.
I'd bet in the hills just above there their mining gold and he stumbled on to them.
Rio Grande National forest around conejos canyon.
cool
Oh yeah....what?
Amazing
No need for the tape just cut it the exact width of the box.
silicone mat
diy mat = buy mat on ebay ;)