Ever use one?

[Nugget Shooter]

Just curious about this gizmo, anyone ever use one? It is on craigslist here in the valley and I have never seen one like this....

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/for/3480337766.html

[lotsa luck]

Yes, they are garbage for most work IMHO. Sit it low and tailing build up is big trouble, sit it up on something and its hard to feed and unstable. That little 2 smoker pump is likely to small for it to run well, but what do I know anyway.

[GlennM]

Yeah, the club has one, too.

I tried it out in my yard when I had about 10 or so buckets to go through.

I panned the tailings and found nary a fly poop.

In the cons was a gram or three of fines.

I had screened everything to 1/2 and it did a fine job.

I like that it ejects oversized off the side, closer to the tailings. Worked well for me off my commercial-pressure hose bib out front - the builder screwed up in the neighborhood and didn't regulate the pressure coming in. All the houses had 110 psi water feed. They came back and put regulators to get~70 psi on every house, but I cranked mine back up to 100 and use a regulator at the water softener. Will fill a 5 gal bucket in less than 45 secs.

I wouldn't mind owning one, but no real need for much wet recovery gear like that for me.

Just saw LL's reply... I guess I'd have to agree that the tailings can pile up fast if you don't keep it cleared, but that's what I've seen as common from land-based higher volume solutions. This one is just a bit lower to the ground than most.

Edited January 27, 2013 by GlennM

[Au Seeker]

Second generation Gold Grabber, the first ones were made of galvanized metal, I have never used one but everything I've read about them was that they worked well for catching gold, that model is not made any longer, now the "Gold Grabber II" which is smaller is made by Alan Trees up in Riggins Idaho, which I guess is the third generation of the Gold Grabber.

http://www.golddredgebuilders.com/gg2.html

I believe that Gilaoro (Max) used to own one like that or one of the originals, maybe he'll chime in on his opinion of them.

[Gilaoro]

Yep, I had an Original invented by Alan Trees. it worked fair for cleaning cons but not bank run material. Alan Tree's offered me a new plastic model in trade, the Gold Grabber 2, It was junk,( I destroyed it rather than let some one else get screwed.) all of his stuff for the past few years has been poor quality and I would personaly discourage anyone from buying anything from him. If you do deal with him get it in writing and put the money in escrow until you are sure you get what you paid for. I didn't and it cost me over $400 and 10 days out of my dredging season. And yes I have independant eye whitneses.

Max

Second generation Gold Grabber, the first ones were made of galvanized metal, I have never used one but I've everything I've read about them was that they worked well for catching gold, that model is not made any longer, now the "Gold Grabber II" which is smaller is made by Alan Trees up in Riggins Idaho, which I guess is the third generation of the Gold Grabber.

http://www.golddredgebuilders.com/gg2.html

I believe that Gilaoro (Max) used to own one like that or one of the originals, maybe he'll chime in on his opinion of them.

[Nugget Shooter]

Well then there ya have it....