another (newbie), LOST Options

[Bear'sPa]

just signed up. I've never done forums before, so i hope you all bear with me. Guess i'm kinda a dinosaur computers Ain't my friends. I have panned several times on a buddy's place down by buena vista on a small stream on his property. Yes he got mineral rights with it. I've never had much color in my pan, but Man what a great time!!! I'm coming out again in July and going to try around Golden any advice? If I join the club by 26 June, would I be able to try some of your researched areas?
I love the Rockies and come out as often as I can. Try to go once a year when the company will let me get away.
Thanks

[Yoda]

Nice work! I really love that you got a hold of real good quality slate.

I have tried various methods of miller tables in the past, but never have been so lucky as to be able to get a hold of some prime, real slate that is flat like a chalk board. Which means all mine have performed sub-par at best.

All I can add for you is that you are right: the grooves will do more to hinder than help, in fact they will facilitate eddies which is supposed to be a no-no with miller tables as they can throw the 100 mesh and smaller gold. The slate should do the traction action, and otherwise you want to aim for a glassy water surface, no more. If the water flow was high enough to create a true riffle effect (giving the grooves a purpose other than attempting to act as a drop trap), you would simply wind up blowing the gold from too much force, cancelling any benefit.

One idea you might want to try is instead is to measure and cut a small "deposit" hole up top, with a funnel and jar or such suspended below it. This way you can just sweep up exposed gold into the hole for collection, and grab the container when finished.

I hope this helps in some way, I imagine if you are this far along you have done a great deal of research and there is little I can add. But I'd love an update if there is any since last year.