Au Trap working in stream

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:16 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi3bSIp7YwU

Was I set up right?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:23 pm

seems to be set up right but need more water speed.

you shouldnt really have to put your hand on the slick plate to move material.

at ideal conditions for that sluice, you want it like you had it basically but with more velocity in water flow. so when you scoop in or hand feed the sluice the water takes and moves all the material. Ideal would be feed it and when you come back with another scoop the plate has cleared etc.

and remember you always want that even flowing V formation as water enters the plate with just around a half" or so of water going through.(this has always worked best for me and my explorer and I have used an autrap several times as well and find it to be about the same just faster water speed for the autrap). also it is best not to have to put your fingers and move material around or let your fingers/hand stay in the flow(it can blow material out). I would think most would agree?

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:58 pm

looks good I have an AUtrap as my main sluice. used it in less water... the key with less flow is more screening try an 8 or 12 screen and then pan what won't make it through the screen. works for me. imho

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:34 pm

bobbyt,

the au trap flair floor has a 6 degree negative slope. raise the floor until it is level, then with any flow at all, the water will carry the gravel right on through and keep the flair clear. when set up like this, i have no problem with gravel classified to 1/2". from what i can make out from the video, the height of the water going over the first riffle is less than at the front of the sluice. raise the front. the bottom of the "V" formed by the water appears to be about half way down the flair. it should be further down. raising the front of the flair will also tend to correct the length of the "V". basically, when the water flow clears the flair by itself without any outside help, then the sluice is set up with the proper slope.

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:08 pm

deerman wrote:

bobbyt,

the au trap flair floor has a 6 degree negative slope. raise the floor until it is level, then with any flow at all, the water will carry the gravel right on through and keep the flair clear. when set up like this, i have no problem with gravel classified to 1/2". from what i can make out from the video, the height of the water going over the first riffle is less than at the front of the sluice. raise the front. the bottom of the "V" formed by the water appears to be about half way down the flair. it should be further down. raising the front of the flair will also tend to correct the length of the "V". basically, when the water flow clears the flair by itself without any outside help, then the sluice is set up with the proper slope.

well said

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:20 pm

madhatt3r wrote:

deerman wrote:

bobbyt,

the au trap flair floor has a 6 degree negative slope. raise the floor until it is level, then with any flow at all, the water will carry the gravel right on through and keep the flair clear. when set up like this, i have no problem with gravel classified to 1/2". from what i can make out from the video, the height of the water going over the first riffle is less than at the front of the sluice. raise the front. the bottom of the "V" formed by the water appears to be about half way down the flair. it should be further down. raising the front of the flair will also tend to correct the length of the "V". basically, when the water flow clears the flair by itself without any outside help, then the sluice is set up with the proper slope.

well said

Thats all well and good in theory. But I'm not sure about that... I always level my flair and in fast and slow water flow is a big difference in the size of the material... the smaller the material in the slower flow seems to clean out quicker and more efficient. my 2 cents... Wink

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:59 pm

and now for the rest of the story --

to get the proper slope to my au trap sluice and proper water height at the same time sometimes requires that i spend a good deal of time at this time of year to build a dam to a height that will give me the water required to operate the sluice efficiently.

setting up the sluice so that the flair is level may mean that the water behind my dam has to rise 1,2,or even 3 inches which means that the front of the sluice is 1,2,or 3 inches above the water when i start and i have to wait on the water to rise before i can start feeding the sluice. i use this time filling my 5 gallon bucket.

this is actually the situation i had to deal with last week when i went to the creek. but, like my old grandmother used to say: "when you find yourself in the middle of the river and you finally realize that you are up to your ass in alligators, it's a little late to start worrying about the problem that got you into this situation to start with".

nobody said that finding gold was easy.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:51 am

luckely I havnt had to do to many wing dams but I use the Explorer which uses less water than the autrap.

but one thing they all seem to require(AM sluices that is) is a good steady flow of water. no turbulence(works best that way...they can be setup in turbulent water but will not perform as welll).

over all I like all angus sluices I have used and I love my explorer. I can feed mine as fast as I can reach to re feed the sluice.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:26 am

I think deerman is right on the money on this one, rule of thumb the sluice has to retain heavies and clear out the lights. If its doing that all thats left is to keep it level side to side. In the video it doesnt look like its clearing out that well. Once its cleared out, in a perfect setup, it should only have really heavy stuff like lead, gold, copper, etc. trapped in the riffles and alot of black sand. If you let it clear out for a while and its still loaded with black sand go ahead and do a cleanout, its easy on the angus's.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:08 am

Thanks for all of the great input. I'll get that flare/skidplate level next time and perhaps increase the water flow a bit.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:21 am

anyone contemplating using a sluice in a stream should be required to take the course offered at most colleges -- #2 shovel, the proper grip and usage of same -- before being allowed to disturb the babbling waters of a creek.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 11:19 am

I did my best based on anecdotal videos and how-tos I've found here and elsewhere online to educate myself.

Sluices are all designed to work under differing specific, optimal conditions: flow rate, water depth, angle, and material size/classification.

My AU Trap came arrived with zero documentation and there is also none available on the MacKirk website.

Glad I have y'all to help educate me.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:21 pm

BobbyT wrote:

I did my best based on anecdotal videos and how-tos I've found here and elsewhere online to educate myself.

Sluices are all designed to work under differing specific, optimal conditions: flow rate, water depth, angle, and material size/classification.

My AU Trap came arrived with zero documentation and there is also none available on the MacKirk website.

Glad I have y'all to help educate me.

You're doing it the same way most of us have done it. I watched a lot of videos on youtube before buying my 1st sluice. I set it up the best I could, and ran it.Now I have 4 sluices, and still play around with the angle and water flow until it's "just right" for me.

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:07 pm

you will learn tricks too. just little tricks and what not that help out flow or speed or w/e. like stick a large rock in the flow to slow speed down..sluicing is good fun. Still able to move alittle material too.

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:47 am

BobbyT wrote:

I did my best based on anecdotal videos and how-tos I've found here and elsewhere online to educate myself.

Sluices are all designed to work under differing specific, optimal conditions: flow rate, water depth, angle, and material size/classification.

My AU Trap came arrived with zero documentation and there is also none available on the MacKirk website.

Glad I have y'all to help educate me.

you retired because you were too old to work. then you take up a "HOBBY" that requires more work that than you ever did before you retired. you buy equipment which you have no idea how to make it work and then spend hours/days/months trying to figure out how to make it work. and you do it in the worst months of the year, august and february. on top of that, you do it in the middle of a creek in the middle of nowhere. it would be easier on you if you gave up your "HOBBY" and went back to work. and you wonder why your wife ends up putting you in a nursing home because she thinks you are crazy and needs someone to look after you because the last time you disappeared, she found you standing in the middle of a creek hollering and cusing and wavying your arms(those rocks were slippery and you were trying to regain your balance, but she didn't know that) and digging a hole that immediately filled with water. and the last thing she hears you say as they carry you away is "but, theres gold in this creek, there's gold in this ....."

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:21 am

deerman wrote:

BobbyT wrote:

I did my best based on anecdotal videos and how-tos I've found here and elsewhere online to educate myself.

Sluices are all designed to work under differing specific, optimal conditions: flow rate, water depth, angle, and material size/classification.

My AU Trap came arrived with zero documentation and there is also none available on the MacKirk website.

Glad I have y'all to help educate me.

you retired because you were too old to work. then you take up a "HOBBY" that requires more work that than you ever did before you retired. you buy equipment which you have no idea how to make it work and then spend hours/days/months trying to figure out how to make it work. and you do it in the worst months of the year, august and february. on top of that, you do it in the middle of a creek in the middle of nowhere. it would be easier on you if you gave up your "HOBBY" and went back to work. and you wonder why your wife ends up putting you in a nursing home because she thinks you are crazy and needs someone to look after you because the last time you disappeared, she found you standing in the middle of a creek hollering and cusing and waving your arms(those rocks were slippery and you were trying to regain your balance, but she didn't know that) and digging a hole that immediately filled with water. and the last thing she hears you say as they carry you away is "but, theres gold in this creek, there's gold in this ....."

ummm.... thats kinda harsh. but true. Shocked

lol