FLUID BED SLUICE

This is one of several prototype sluices I have made to be able to understand just how the fluid bed sluices work. This has been a very good little portable unit that can be used with limited water sources such as desert prospecting. If you have a slow stream that doesn't run fast enough to run a regular sluice then this one can be set up on a 2 1/2 gallon bucket and you can put a pump in the stream to run it. The sluice and all the equipment to run it can be carried in a 2 1/2 gallon bucket and it can be cleaned out in a 1 gallon bucket or in the carrying bucket. I don't have access to areas where you can use a big sluice in a stream and shovel for several hours. I am only able to pick up 5 or 10 gallons of material at a time and this little sluice will process it in a short time. I can then process these cons on my miller table. It is slightly larger than a Bazooka Mini but has a much larger fluid bed so it can handle more material. The design is simple and easy to build. This unit has worked so well for me that I am building another one that can be used both in a stream or as a recirculating sluice. It will be easily modifiable to be able to change tubes and change tube sizes.