![]() The 1/2 inch steel tube is plenty strong for a 2 inch setup. After this next season you will be thinking " the best money I ever spent". I also raised the header 3/4 inch above the sluice box floor to try to get less turbulence,added some raised 1/4 inch hole punch plate and foot long section of Keene Miracle mat in the 1st 12 inches of the sluice as well, another experiment. I am experimenting with no riffles this time, in favor of heavy duty raised expanded steel about 3/8 inch thick x 2 feet long with backed miners mosss underneath. I'd like to have some carry handles or rails, any suggestions? I bought some 2 x 2 inch steel gusset triangles off Ebay to add support to the engine platform legs via welding. Now I can easily attach a quick coupler Keene custom made for me and just quick clip the hose to the dredge. I shortened the Keene Jet Tube as it was too long for the space available in my Subaru Forester. I was also told to make the sluice adjustable to get more pitch by sliding it forward if needed? So, I used 1 x 2 inch slotted aluminum angle to make this happen,welded to 2 subframe U shaped pieces and have a permanent 2.5 inch angle on the sluice for starters. I will be using a Keene P90, 2.5 horse pump, 2 inch nozzle, and will point all the hoses out the back to avoid side to side weight issues when running my suction nozzle. So, I need to know where to mount the engine/pump support platform? It is currently over top of the sluice header but still allows reasonable access to see whats on /under my punch plate. Now, I can remove the frame with just 4 pins and still have good frame support. ![]() I really wanted a quick frame on/off setup so as not to have to mess with 36 sheet metal screws with the factory setup !! I got a 12 inch long drill bit from Menards and carefully drilled 1/4 inch holes thru the pontoon frame support ribs and made up some 1/4 inch diameter aluminum rods and pins. I seem to have misplaced the aluminum caps I was sposed to use to hold the frame to the 6 mounting pads but had a sudden brainstorm. I had to use 1/2 inch as nothing larger would fit where the frame attaches to the slots in the top of the pontoons. ![]() I got tired of my almost completely homemade small dredge, constant floatation issues, got rid of my floation setup and sprang for 48 x 9 x9 factory dredge floats from DNK Prospecting in Oregon, but after they got here, I realized I needed a frame to make all the parts go together, as in engine,floats, sluice, etc.DNK had no frame unless custom built so I elected to try to build my own with 1/2 inch square steel tubing and rivets for now. ![]()
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