New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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creamer		Posted : Sunday, 19 June 2011 8:11:29 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		is anytime of the year ok to fossick down south. maybe its too cold in them hills?
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1864hatter		Posted : Sunday, 19 June 2011 10:08:47 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 4/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,007 Location: Auckland.... Thanks: 49 times Was thanked: 566 time(s) in 269 post(s)		Depends on how tough you are. I was out over friday and sat and slept in a tent. When i woke up in the morning my boots which were wet from the day befor were frozen solid. And they had been in the boot of my car! I had to wear my gumboots that day because it was impossible to get my feet into the frozen boots.
		And now....On sandy beaches and muddy soil, rings and coins await my coil!

cavey		Posted : Sunday, 19 June 2011 2:47:46 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 145 Location: Ashburton Thanks: 42 times Was thanked: 22 time(s) in 18 post(s)		I find winter not to bad a time to go gold panning seems to be less people and you get some good floods which wash more gold down winter hasent realy hit so far this year been a few frosts but bugger all snow on the hills guess that will change tho good luck if you decided to go out its a great thing this gold. Rock on Cavey

kiwijw		Posted : Sunday, 19 June 2011 6:05:41 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hatter, you took the words out of my mouth. "Depends on how tough you are" I like winter for detecing as you can dress for the cold. Not too sure on dredging in winter although it isnt so bad up here in the Coromandel. Wasnt today anyway. Down south is a different story. I generaly just stick to my suction nozzle & a good pair of neoprene waders. Just got to watch out for the ice build up on the rivers edge & rocks. Winter tames the sand flies as well. Maybe not on the coast though. Bloody things. LOL :) Happy hunting JW :)

madsonicboating		Posted : Sunday, 19 June 2011 7:56:02 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 21/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 674 Thanks: 187 times Was thanked: 157 time(s) in 127 post(s)		I can vouch that the rivers in south canterbury are very cold at the moment and theres no real snow like further south gets!!! Had to wade out the door of my hilux chest deep today after a "golden" minties moment! I hate wet trucks and frost on the INSIDE of the window!
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overdog		Posted : Sunday, 19 June 2011 8:17:46 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 2/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 418 Location: nelson Thanks: 69 times Was thanked: 82 time(s) in 68 post(s)		Been warm as so far this "winter"... Havent had to put my winter singlet on once! Bloody typical tho-booked a week off to go bush and its rained solid for the past 2 days and more forecast-GRRRRRRRR!

creamer		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 4:18:34 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		thanks 4 your replys. wo, frozen boots... my brother and i are planning our fossicking trip to the west coast. saving the dollars first. building a sluice box. cant wait. Sure sounds like its cold down there. we live in northland. we thought that the howard area might be a good start. seems to be a place thats maybe off the beeten track so to speak. our biggest concern was leaving our camp unattended whilst we were out fossicking. maybe we will take someone to look after the camp.
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creamer		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 11:44:38 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		some shots of my sluice box project. cut up from tin guttering and some galvanised railing. all pop riveted. hopefuly it will work well.... i have used some differant angles on some of the riffles with a larger one 2nd from the end. looks rough but im tapping it slowly into shape. i plan to make an inspection box to add on to the front. yet to find some of that expanded metal and moss. (disregard the bit that says puketi..) Edited by user Wednesday, 22 June 2011 4:11:16 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified File Attachment(s): puketi and sluice box 020.jpg puketi and sluice box 027.jpg puketi and sluice box 031.jpg
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Eagle		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 11:55:56 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 3/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 71 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 3 times Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 12 post(s)		Gidday Creamer She is as save as houses to camp down south here,it aint like the wild upper North Island. With the right gear you can chase the yellow all winter long if you want,you just have to be a bit more cautious in higher elevation areas. When are u & your bro planning a trip?? We haven't even had a winter yet 1 degress tonight it should be around -4-6 very balmy. Go hard Eagle

creamer		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 12:15:42 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		(just downloaded pics of my sluice box. not sure if ive done it right. can someone let me kmow..) hey there eagle. im a ch ch lad actually and i do guess its safer down there than up here. minus 6 overnite sounds great!!! not sure when we coming, hard to say cos its winter.. a month or so. sooner the better i say.
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kiwijw		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 12:34:50 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Hi Creamer, What size is your sluice box? The riffles look to be too light a gauge. They will take a real hammering with rocks & stones going down the box & over them. Roofing iron isnt the go you need something with a lot more guts that will take the pounding. JW :)

creamer		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 12:49:07 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		hi kiwi. great shots .i ve been thinking the same thing that they are not strong enough. gonna cop a hamerring. mite have to replace a few with something stronger. aluminium is so dear. box size is 330mm by 1200. riffle tray is 330 by 1m. Edited by user Monday, 20 June 2011 1:16:17 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified
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crisyboy		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 12:49:20 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 20/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 233 Location: whangarei Thanks: 39 times Was thanked: 76 time(s) in 69 post(s)		hi creamer i will go fossicking with you at corramandel if you like.
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creamer		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 1:22:07 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		lets go a.s.a.p
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gjj109		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 2:18:07 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 14/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 464 Location: Thames Thanks: 217 times Was thanked: 194 time(s) in 115 post(s)		Hi creamer, For some cheap ali, go to your recycling centre or seagull centre. Oven trays will do for the outside of the sluice, you can bolt them together. Grab an aluminium window frame that you can cut down for riffles and pip rivet them to a frame to give the thing rigidity. My last sluice cost $3, weighs a couple of kilos, packs down to 400mm length and fits in an 8 litre bucket. Works well too.

cavey		Posted : Monday, 20 June 2011 2:24:03 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 145 Location: Ashburton Thanks: 42 times Was thanked: 22 time(s) in 18 post(s)		I built my own sluice box and just used wooden riffles sounds cheap but am getting gold with it and when they wear out cheap to replace hope that helps. Cavey

creamer		Posted : Tuesday, 21 June 2011 2:13:16 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 2,022 Location: Bay of Islands Thanks: 2289 times Was thanked: 525 time(s) in 391 post(s)		Hi guys. Some great ideas there. ive decided to reinforce the riffle tray i have (more tin and pop rivets) and all will be g...(spending too much more is not an option.) been asking around 4 bits and pieces. goin to 2nd hand dealer tmoro 2 c wot i can c. Keen maybe to say hello to someone when we head down south on our trip. Bro and i are in our early forties, (smokers and drinkers) great story tellers and all round mister nice guys. Edited by user Tuesday, 21 June 2011 4:33:44 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified
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kiwijw		Posted : Tuesday, 21 June 2011 5:33:54 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Here is a pic of my first ever sluice box that I made. I just used wooden riffles. Worked good too. Riffles are 25mm X 25mm & spaced 35mm apart. Box was 1200 long by 250mm wide. My next box was two bits of stainless steel 'U' channel 600 mm long each & one piece sleeved inside the other so I could bolt them together & have a box 1150mm long. I could brake it down to 600mm for back packing to remote spots. I made the riffles out of the outside edge of aluminium window flashing & sloped the riffles 28 degrees. The window flashing gave the top lip a little kick of 45 degrees, like a hungerian riffle. I then made a wooden header box with fridge tray for a classifier to fit rhe box. The classifier only allowed material of 20mm & less to go through the box. This helped with fine gold recovery as I didnt need such a strong flow of water going down the box like I would have if I was putting stuff of 2" size down it. This I could use with my 2" dredge set up Or my gravity dredge set up. No Noisey motor/pump. Nice & quiet. :) Left pic has two pieces of gold. One either side of the tip of the pliers. Gravity dredge looking down stream in left pic & right pic is the hole I am working on. Notice the chain & winch on ther boulder. Grey pipe is my under water view finder. Total gold I got from this hole in pan on the left. Happy hunting JW :)

madsonicboating		Posted : Wednesday, 22 June 2011 1:17:42 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 21/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 674 Thanks: 187 times Was thanked: 157 time(s) in 127 post(s)		Hi Creamer Heres my sluice I made in about 2 hours max...I went to mates engineering shop (you could go to probably ANY engineering shop with a 24 pack beer and get all the bits you need) It's not set up quite right I need more free flow at the entrance and the carpet is not quite right but it was all stuff I had at home or at mates scrap bin. Alloy is the go, it's tuff and light. I got gold in mine at arrowtown and some very very fine dust gold at that, so it must work! I just need to learn how to read a river now. You should be right down south, we're all good bastards down here lol hmmm maybe with exception to lammerlaw he sounds slightly mad and a dead eye shot with a gun hahaa Last photo is something I may start working on...riffles in the back of the hilux maybe??? Lammerlaw I know I said Hilux's are the bee's knees hehee...well I'm picking the last photo....IS KARMA catching up to me!!! :) cheers MSB
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overdog		Posted : Wednesday, 22 June 2011 2:12:54 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 2/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 418 Location: nelson Thanks: 69 times Was thanked: 82 time(s) in 68 post(s)		Good on ya MSB! If it aint worth adjusting with a 4 pound lump hammer it aint worth adjusting! As for the mighty Hilux-shell be right! Just a bit damp is all... :)

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