5" keene dredge possible problem

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 7:07 pm

Hello I have a 5" keene 3 stage sluice dredge and I think the 3rd stage riffles are welded up completely wrong. They are completely opposite of the angles of the 1st and second stage. Its almost like they welded the support bars on the bottom of the riffles instead of the top. I am wondering if anyone on here has a 3 stage sluice box and wouldnt mind taking a picture of the 3rd stage riffle for me. Thanks for the help

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:28 pm

wow no one on this forum has a 3 stage sluice or a camera

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:39 pm

Yes, I have one but it is in the storage shed and sorta hard to get too to take a picture of, not to mention it's been raining HARD nonstop most all day here, I would be soaked and my camera would be waterlogged before I got halfway to the shed.

My dredge is a 4" but should be the same as far as the riffles go.

If you can post a picture of your riffles there are many here that know what they should look like?

Maybe this will help, it's link to a PDF file, Instructions and setup of the Keene 5" and 6" dredges that has a cross section of the 3 stage sluicebox, it is not a picture but instead a good illustration of the sluicebox in cross section, it's on the 9th page and says "General Operating Instructions" in red lettering at the top of the page.

It also has some other good info you maybe able to use for your dredge.

http://www.keeneeng.com/pdfFiles/5Dredge5110.pdf

Skip

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 10:09 pm

I have a 3 stage sluice but it is 3000 miles away from where I am!
Like Skip said post a picture of yours and maybe we could help.

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:23 am

It sounds like you may have them in upside down. Wes

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:23 am

Post a pic so I can see what youre talkin about.

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:13 pm

Taken in btween rain showers.

John

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:50 pm

looks correct to me. The bottom box has a loose riffle you can take out but the way that is setup in the pic is exactly how it should be run. It should have a slick metal plate that covers it and sort of sandwiches in between the bottom and top section. Should be 3 sections total, the sample area at the front and the double decker section at the end. Only thing I dont see is the punch plate that covers the entrance to the bottom box. That is key for fine gold.

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:37 pm

I do have a slick plate below the top level with green carpet on it and at the entrance to the lower box I do have a punch plate. I just removed the punch plate and slick plate since he was just askling about the lower riffles.

This is also a 5" Keene 3 stage dredge.

John

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:49 pm

My bad I thought that was his 3 stage box for a second there. Embarassed

Well for future reference thats what it should look like. lol

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:15 am

Thanks for all the help and pictures guys. I just got confused because I talked to pat Keene One day and he said the 3rd stage riffle should lay in there and look like the second stage riffles. I guess the 3rd stage isn't a Hungarian riffle but instead it's upside down. How do these riffles work since they look like a little ramp the way it lays in there. I'm sure there is a reason they made the 3rd stage riffles like that but it is just confusing. Thanks for all the help again.

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:47 am

Jaync wrote:

Thanks for all the help and pictures guys. I just got confused because I talked to pat Keene One day and he said the 3rd stage riffle should lay in there and look like the second stage riffles. I guess the 3rd stage isn't a Hungarian riffle but instead it's upside down. How do these riffles work since they look like a little ramp the way it lays in there. I'm sure there is a reason they made the 3rd stage riffles like that but it is just confusing. Thanks for all the help again.

They are all Hungarian Drop Riffles. All it is nothing more is a gradual incline and a steep drop off with a pocket under the top for the material to collect. The bottom stage just looks different because of the way it had to be welded and designed to fit and work as the bottom box of a 3 stage sluice. The slick plate on top is there so you can open and close it to your liking depending on how dense the material is and how fast you are running suction. Once youve used it a few times you will see what Im talkin about. You cant really hog material with these dredges or they will cake up with material in the bottom box, however it will still catch excess material in the top end box in a perfect world you want all 3 stages working for you not against you.