Winged Keel - Self Classifying - River Sluice MKI

Well my projects are nearly complete. the aim was to have a versatile set of gear for crevicing and where possible pump directly into the self classifying sluice.

This involved:
- Building a sucker pump with one way valves, ensuring the shortest path from intake to outlet for the materials.
- Modifying my river sluice to make it self classifying (we'll see)
- Design a variable width flare that can be removed or when fitted adjusted between 700mm - 360mm intake.

Now I will have a fare bit of testing to do and think I will need to modify the riffles at the rear(any suggestion appreciated if anyone has similar system or ideas), as the material dropping through the last holes will only have a short catch area, yet I need to ensure the material is flushed out. the top tray has 100mm overhang to help clear material.

Problem, it is a bit heavy, but, I have my girlfriend on the weights and with the right encouragement she should be ready for summer.

Hope you enjoy a few pictures of my new toys.

Regards,
Phantom

thats a really cool setup mate nice work!maybe a nice fine expanded metal for the underneath might clear out easier but see how things go first mate shes a ripper

Thanks GoldDigg,

What type of fine expanded metal do you suggest, I have not used this before. Where do you get it?
Would you keep the woven rubber matt as per the WalBanker? I currently use the small weave as I could not find the large weave with backing.

Regards,

Phantom

Phantom said:

Well my projects are nearly complete. the aim was to have a versatile set of gear for crevicing and where possible pump directly into the self classifying sluice.

This involved:
- Building a sucker pump with one way valves, ensuring the shortest path from intake to outlet for the materials.
- Modifying my river sluice to make it self classifying (we'll see)
- Design a variable width flare that can be removed or when fitted adjusted between 700mm - 360mm intake.

Now I will have a fare bit of testing to do and think I will need to modify the riffles at the rear(any suggestion appreciated if anyone has similar system or ideas), as the material dropping through the last holes will only have a short catch area, yet I need to ensure the material is flushed out. the top tray has 100mm overhang to help clear material.

Problem, it is a bit heavy, but, I have my girlfriend on the weights and with the right encouragement she should be ready for summer.

Hope you enjoy a few pictures of my new toys.

Regards,
Phantom

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1400819902_01.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1400819902_02.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1400819902_03.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1400819902_04.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2603/1400819902_05.jpg

Click to expand...

hmmmm! - one fertile mind at work there!

well done

Phantom said:

Thanks GoldDigg,

What type of fine expanded metal do you suggest, I have not used this before. Where do you get it?
Would you keep the woven rubber matt as per the WalBanker? I currently use the small weave as I could not find the large weave with backing.

Regards,

Phantom

Click to expand...

The expanded can be a 3 inch steel or if you have a alluminuim fabricators handy get some smaller 200 mm wide gap expanded alluminum. Its really light and I think in your undercurrent setup will work the best.

Looks good. I like your ideas, the variable width flare is a great innovation. Your feed point looks good also.

Hope you find a sweet spot when testing.

Cheers Tone

Thats great work Phantom.Nice looking unit.
Good luck with it. Looking forward to seeing some pics with it on the "job"
Cheers
ChrisM

That is a brillant idea mate. Well Done.
Can I make just one little sugestion?
Where your "Bread Crate" riffles and matting start may it be an idea to put a "Z" clamp there.
IE. A peice of aluminium that sits flat on the bottom of the sluice, Comes up and then goes forwards over the riffles.
It would add a stop for the heavies and the lights would be forced to travel over it then onwards.
Further more the heavies could not work their way under the matting.
Don't get me wrong but what you have come up with there is a bloody brillant design, One that we all would be kicking our selves over.

bloody nice when are you going to sell them

This involved:
- Building a sucker pump with one way valves, ensuring the shortest path from intake to outlet for the materials.
- Modifying my river sluice to make it self classifying (we'll see)
- Design a variable width flare that can be removed or when fitted adjusted between 700mm - 360mm intake.

Phantom: your first point is the key to a successful sucker pump, the solids being sucked up need to be stopped from returning back down the sucker inlet and at the same time induced to fall into the outlet valve and outlet delivery hose. I like your design of having the outlet angled down from the pump cylinder.
I am interested to see how the final unit works with sucking and delivering weighty gravel including some largish stones.

Cheers Max

Perforated Metal Drill Hole Templates. 3,5,6,8 & 10 mm Staggered 60 degree pattern The templates are 350mm x 150mm
Now for some crazy reason I was going to drill the holes for my self classifying sluice, Lucky the kind fabricator I use had a few off-cut and I was spared. However if any one need to drill some punch plate pattern, here they are, as I have gone to the trouble to make them, someone may need them.

My document is in Microsoft format and PDF, but not sure how to externally host them. So PM me so I can send copy.
You can print them stick on metal and drill.



A good link to staggered patterns are:
http://www.perfolinea.eu/perforated-sheets/perforation-patterns.html
and
http://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/geometry-plane/triangles-equilateral.php

Kind Regards,
Phantom

Great engineering! Would love to see a video of her "in action"

CRiiiiiiKEY!! thats some impressive work mate, looking forward to some action shots.

Video of first system test: Sucker Pump combined with Self Classifying River sluice.

See link YouTube http://youtu.be/POYyD2ABbbQ

Sadly test was done at Oxford Falls Sydney, If gold was found it would be the first time.

Little running water, so could not see self clearing classifier working, but, material was moving nicely just with the water from the pump.

One valve failed pop rivet pulled through hole in rubber. will make a stronger washer to spread load.

Some large rocks jammed in the intake and outlet of the hose. Will shape the nozzle or add metal pin to stop this. Good news was that large material was going through the system.

I will redesign the bracket for the material discharge mount. It will be a simple bar with hose clip. I will also add a rubber cover on the outlet to act as a diffuser and spread the material down into the sluice.

That flare is genius., agree about the Z channel.

CrashBox - Feeder Box - Slurry Feeder -- Help Wanted

My pump and sluice are working well, but, I just can't control the feed of the slurry into the sluice.

It pumps out with such forces (see pictures below) the material is pushed over the classifers too fast. I need to control the initial energy of the pump slurry feed and dispurse it evenly and smoothly into the sluice. Of course I need the unit to be small and light (as my girl friend already has so gear to carry).

The last picture is after some bush modification with hacksaw and hammer, but, still no good.

Any suggestions appreciated.







Regards,
Phantom

Add some riffles on top mate

Its kind of hard to tell (or maybe Im an idiot and can't figure it out) but I'd suggest pumping into a box with a partial mesh floor, the hole it comes out of will regulate the flow and the mesh screen will help classify, if it clogs just man handle the rocks and such. Like a highbanker header box. Obv it needs some sides, and should tackle the input ratio problem. GD is onto it once it enters the system.

Video - Testing system at Turon Gates, NSW Australia.

http://youtu.be/Th7_yw4Omz4

This test shows the self classifier and winged Keel Flare work well, when feed with clean river gravels(little or no clay). I will need to improve the riffle(Breadboard) section underneath to prevent clogging. It does not work at all well with clay soils as they do not breakup or move down the sluice and the heavy clay that falls through the classifier holes can clog the breadboard riffles. I will publish another video with the pump feeding the sluice, but here again, I have an issue with material been blown too quickly down the sluice. I will need some form of crashfeed control box to more evenly and smoothly feed the sluice.

Regards,

Eric

Cool design, classic testing at Oxford Falls, I'm not far from there. There were a few Volcanic Dykes just nearby, often wonderered if there is anything at all there, gems or a speck or 2 of Gold.

Good luck with the design.