How to build a better seive

[dugout]

I've decided it's time for me to make a better sieve. I spent a couple of days up a creek looking for sapphires and each night back at camp I was stiff and sore. There has got to be a smarter way of using a sieve than bent over swinging away.

I've done a few scrap paper plans ranging from stack-able rectangle sieves mounted on roller blade wheels to having it sit on a rocking horse like mechanism. But the other day when I was at the tip shop I found this.

Now I'm thinking of making something like this;

The whole thing then gets mounted/placed into a frame that is able to rock similar to a gold rocker box.

So what do you all think?

 

[Guest]

Hi Dugout,

I've never looked for sapphires, gold only. So not really sure on the process. Would you submerge that in the creek rocking it back and forth (using the water to help break the dirt up)? Do you let all the fine stuff washes out the bottom or do block that bottom hole.

I guess you would attach a long handle so you dont have to bend over as much. Anyway you've given me a few ideas about making my own classifier. If you get it up and running please post a few photos of it in action, it would be great to see.

Cheers Jin

 

[kawman]

these are very good.. https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/175/1422448133_buildingwilloughby.pdf

 

[cairnspom]

Dugout, many years ago I went 'soil sapling' on creek beds for a Geo-exploration co.
We just found a bucket of a suitable size for the sieve, sat the sieve in it and rocked the bucket! also this was done on the tray of the ute, making it a near perfect height.

 

[dugout]

Kawman, thats a good solution to the problem.

Jin, My idea was to do this, have screw cap on the bottom pipe. Shovel dirt and rocks onto the top screen and wash this with water so the smaller rocks go throuhg the mesh. repeat until its full of either water or rock. Then shake/rock it so it settles out all the heavies on the mesh and the fines are in the base. Unscrew the base cap and let all the fines drain out. Then sort through the leftover rocks for the blues.

Cairnspom, sounds good, but I can't take the ute to the dig, and I don't really like the idea of carrying a table/stand throuhg the scrub

 

[cairnspom]

No fully understand! Looks like your design for the back inlet gully should work though. If you wanted to go bigger I think you can get 350mm drain gullies, and they can be built up in sections. Check out a plumbers near you.

 

[Varts]

May be would be ok if you know where the Saphs live,
There is a common misperceptions,move more dirt ,get more gem

For me the smallest of seives,move the least amount of dirt ,and get the most gems .
This is my game!
And took a hell of a lot of dirt through various systems to realise this.

Good luck ,

 

[Marked]

Any body seen footage of archeological digs? I reckon a sieve suspended from a tripod at standing height would be the gas.

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Looks like it would work great as a separator. I posted a pic of a rocker box I made our of an old BBQ, a bilge pump and some pvc pipe. Go for it I say

Cheers, Tone

 

[aushunter]

Hey dugout,
That is perfect for my build, is there any markings or make name on it anywhere.
I would like to be able to track one of those down.
Cheers
Brad...

 

[dugout]

Brad there are no markings brand or brand names on it. I don't even know exactly what it is. There was some kind of water tipping mechanism inside it.

There were 5 others at the tip shop when I bought it. I could see if they are left there. But i think shipping would be a killer because of the size.

The project hasn't gotten much further. My trusty triton saw has broken and I baulked at the price of stainless mesh, (might source something form the tip shop again). So it looks like I'll be using the old sieves this easter.

 

[aushunter]

I am in the process of building a 150mm trammel and that looked as if it was made to fit the bill.
I have the trommel barrel made, up now I just gotta get the frame made and the hopper built, which that thing would be just right for.
Dugout, where do you hail from?
Cheers
Brad.

 

[dugout]

down in Hobart

 

[The Green Wanderer]

Heres a little prototype trommel I made one rainy weekend. Maybe it'll give someone ideas.
TGW