How to Build Your Own Gold Sluice
Gold sluices have been used for more than a century for small-scale prospecting in gold-bearing rivers and streams. Sluices operate based on the fact that gold is heavier than river sand, mud or gravel. The sluice is held at an angle, filled with a scoop of the river bed, and water is poured through to wash the material down over a series of riffles or obstructions, which trap the heavier gold while allowing the other materials to wash over.
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Things You'll Need
- 1 1-by-12-inch board, 30 inches in length
- 2 1-by-4-inch boards, 30 inches in length
- 1 1-by-2-inch board, 12 inches in length
- Circular saw
- Screwdriver
- 8 1.5-inch wood screws
- Waterproof paint or seal
- Caulk
Instructions
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1
Pre-drill holes slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft of the wood screws into both of the long 1-inch edges of the 1-by-12-inch board, at 8-inch intervals.
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2
Line up the 1-by-4-inch boards against the edges of the 1-by-12-inch piece. Do this on a flat surface so the 1-by-12 forms the bottom and the 1-by-4s form the sides of the sluice trough. Mark where the holes on the 1-by-12 line up on the 1-by-4s, then pre-drill through the 1x4s in those spots.
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3
Saw four shallow grooves right next to each other so that they form a single larger groove, at 1-inch intervals along the length of the 1-by-12. The grooves should be about 1/3 of an inch deep. Cut one larger groove at one end of the board to act as a "nugget catcher" for larger chunks of gold. This will mark the bottom or downward end of your sluice.
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4
Paint or stain all of the wood pieces for your sluice, then allow it to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions on the paint or sealer can.
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5
Screw the bottom and sides together through the pre-drilled holes. You can also use waterproof glue along the edges to provide additional rigidity.
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6
Pre-drill and screw the 1-by-2 into the top corner of the trough to act as a carrying handle.
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7
Caulk along all corners and edges where the wood is joined together, and allow the caulk to set.
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