Sluice Box
 

Anyone know of a good website on how to build a sluice box, or know where I can get a used one for cheap in southern CA?

Re: Sluice Box
 

Do a google search "EZ-Sluice" &/or "River Robber". Both are cost effficient & effective hand sluices. As with every sluice box just make sure that you classify your materials down to minus 4-mesh (1/4 inch screen...four holes per linear inch). Pan out the oversize stuff but don't wash anything larger than minus-4 through the box. Larger stones will create their own riffles and dislodge colors. And when this happens they will blow out the end of the box back into the waterway = not good!

Re: Sluice Box
 

Yes, here is one from my website:

Build Your own Sluice Box

Building your own sluice is pretty easy, if you have any tools. It was the first thing I did when I took up prospecting.

If you are in Southern California, you might want to check out the East Fork of the San Gabriel River - see my web page on that:

Prospecting the East Fork of the San Gabriel River

Best of Luck to you - thats where I got started prospecting!

Chris

Re: Sluice Box
 

Making your own equipment is a great idea...just be sure to do your homework so that you build it right, or else what you'll have is half-axxed = dissapointment and waste of time, effort, & money = bad news.

One thing I can tell you for sure is DO NOT PUT ANY RIBBED MATTING OR OTHER MATERIAL IN MINIMUALLY THE FIRST FOOT FROM THE HEAD OF THE BOX.

Thin and fine colors have to move to the bottom of a box VERY early or they get blown out the foot with all the lights. The only way they'll move to the bottom so they can settle into a trap is if there is no turbulance where they're fed into the sluice. This requires that there's at least 12"...(18"-24" is better) of very smooth surface bottom from the front edge of the box. If you want some black ribbed rubber matting near the front so you can readily see if there's gold in the gravels you're washing, fine - just make sure you place it so it begins no less then 12" from the front edge of the box.

"Big rocks, big gold!
"Boulder"