Well, it took an hour to clean out the leftover sand in the sluice and there was a pile at the bottom that spilled out. I panned that pile and the leftover sand and found a flake right off the bat. Even though I've played with the same couple of flakes in my pan, over and over again, to make sure it was gold, I have been trying to get them out of the pan immediately so I don't lose them.
When I got the sluice back to the house and set up for cleaning with the power washer, I stopped keeping track of time. I washed it into a Rubbermaid bin, and no matter how much I washed that carpet I used as a mat, it still had sand in it. So I took too long right there, then I panned it from the water in the bin and produced another 4 or 5 flakes. There could be more but eyestrain had me quit for the day. I used an eyedropper to pick up the flakes and place them in a small pan and then into the glass vial. I think I may have lost a couple that way.
I think I also lost a lot when I put the whole bucket of material through the sluice. Plus I should have adjusted the angle to have a slower and more even flow over the bed of the sluice. Leaving it go overnight might have been a bad idea as well, as that obviously flushed it out pretty well.
I'll make some more improvements to the sluice and my next run will be only a half bucket of material at a time. I will adjust the sluice for optimal flow so the light material flows slowly and evenly across the bed while allowing the heavier material to stay behind. I will let it run through for no more than an hour. If this half-bucket method can produce six or more flakes a run, that will put me on track for my goal and might actually save time in the end.
When I got the sluice back to the house and set up for cleaning with the power washer, I stopped keeping track of time. I washed it into a Rubbermaid bin, and no matter how much I washed that carpet I used as a mat, it still had sand in it. So I took too long right there, then I panned it from the water in the bin and produced another 4 or 5 flakes. There could be more but eyestrain had me quit for the day. I used an eyedropper to pick up the flakes and place them in a small pan and then into the glass vial. I think I may have lost a couple that way.
I think I also lost a lot when I put the whole bucket of material through the sluice. Plus I should have adjusted the angle to have a slower and more even flow over the bed of the sluice. Leaving it go overnight might have been a bad idea as well, as that obviously flushed it out pretty well.
I'll make some more improvements to the sluice and my next run will be only a half bucket of material at a time. I will adjust the sluice for optimal flow so the light material flows slowly and evenly across the bed while allowing the heavier material to stay behind. I will let it run through for no more than an hour. If this half-bucket method can produce six or more flakes a run, that will put me on track for my goal and might actually save time in the end.
A trail goes two ways and looks different in each direction - There is no such thing as a timid woodland creature - Whatever does not kill you leaves you a survivor - Jesus is NOT a bad word - MSB