QUOTE (Well Digger @ Jun 10 2015, 10:01 AM)
Hello Yoda,
Hey, thanks for the welcome. All I can tell you is that I love being outside. Digging in the dirt looking for hidden treasures really makes my day. The mine gold hog I bought appears to have only been used a little, everything looks almost untouched. It didn't come with a pump so I need to invest in that. I have been seriously considering, buying a creek sluice that requires no pump or use of fuel. Look forward to meeting. and again thanks.
Sounds like you are in the right hobby. I am much the same way, prospecting is very tough on me physically but I still do it because I love it.
As far as your idea for having a creek sluice, for sure. There are a few areas you might expand to in the future where running motorized equipment is a no-no. There are a bunch of inexpensive options that do "good 'nuff." Keene A52 is always a big crowd favorite, personally I love my Wolf Trap (and not too many others do.) But I do recommend a high-banker maintain a creek sluice... there are always days where something doesn't work right (be it from equipment or even just enough water to run), and with a sluice, it almost always works right.
The flip side to that is that creek sluices don't move a bunch of material. A sluice processes about 20 times more than straight up panning, but a highbanker is probably 20 times more capable of moving material than a sluice.
I'm pretty big on the build up system, rather than "jumping into the middle." I think getting a creek sluice is the right move before attempting to get the pump(s)/hoses/linkages gathered for the Mini-Hog lined up, it will be less expensive and provide capability of moving material sooner. Plus the hands on with the sluice can teach you a few things before tackling 3000 gph being fire-hosed into your box and then down over your riffles. From there, expand capability at will. (I've grown our kit out enough now that I even have everything needed to run the mini-hog on gas OR battery... because again, you never know what issue you might face after hours of driving to some tough places.)
But really, do what makes you happiest, you've got people here who will throw lots of info at you here if you hit a road block with what you want to do. So long as you are out there and do what you love.