Well now, if you ever been out there in the gold mines or maybe just foolin’ around in the backyard tryin’ to pan some gold, you mighta heard about somethin’ called a gold shaker table. You know, them tables that help you separate that precious gold from all the dirt and rocks, like the pros do. It’s real handy, and guess what? You can build your own DIY shaker table right at home! Yup, that’s right, you don’t need to go buy some fancy contraption. Just get yourself a few materials, and you’re good to go.
Now, don’t go thinkin’ this is some complicated thing. It ain’t. Just need a steady hand and some time. First thing you gotta know is, this here shaker table works by movin’ back and forth. Like a big ol’ shake, y’know? It uses gravity, water, and a bit of shaking motion to help you separate gold from the other bits and pieces in the dirt. What it does is, it makes them heavier gold bits slide and settle down one way, while the lighter dirt and rocks get washed away by the water. Simple enough, right?
To start off with, you’ll need a flat, long surface to build your table on. Ain’t gotta be fancy—just something sturdy. Most people use wood for this part, but you could use metal or even plastic if you got it. Make sure it’s strong enough to handle the shaking, though. You don’t want it fallin’ apart while you workin’ on it!
Gatherin’ the materials:
- Some plywood for the main base.
- A sheet of metal for the surface. It’ll help the gold particles slide down smoother.
- A water source. You’ll need this to wash away the dirt while you’re workin’.
- Some screws and nails to put everything together.
- A motor or a hand crank, dependin’ on how fancy you wanna get.
Once you’ve got the materials, you need to cut the wood to make a frame. Ain’t gotta be perfect, but make sure it’s big enough to give you space to work. Then, take that sheet of metal and put it on top, where you’ll actually be puttin’ the dirt and water mix. The metal’s gotta be smooth but rough enough so the gold don’t slip off too easy. It’s all about gettin’ that balance right, just like when you’re boilin’ jam, too much sugar and it’s no good, too little and it don’t set!
Next, you’ll need to set up your shaker mechanism. Now, if you’re not too handy with motors, you can make a simple hand crank, which is a lot cheaper. The motor’s just there to make sure the table shakes back and forth. It don’t need to be some fancy electric motor, just something strong enough to give a good shake. You attach that motor under the table, and hook up a crank or belt system that can move the table up and down.
Don’t forget about the water! You need a steady flow to wash the dirt away from your gold as it moves down the table. You can rig up a little pump, or if you’re real simple, just let the water run off the side of the table like a waterfall. The key here is steady, not too much and not too little. You don’t want that gold runnin’ off with the water!
Put it all together:
- Once you’ve got your table built, set it up somewhere that has good drainage, ‘cause you’ll need that water flowin’ off the table and not makin’ a mess.
- Make sure the surface is slanted just right. Too steep and your gold will slide right off, too flat and it won’t separate proper.
- After all that, just add your dirt mix, start the shaker, and let the table do its magic!
Now, you might not be findin’ a ton of gold right off the bat, but with a little patience and practice, you’ll get the hang of it. The idea is to let the gold sink down while the lighter stuff gets washed away. You’ll start seein’ those little gold nuggets after a while, and it’s a real thrill when you do! It ain’t easy work, but it sure is fun, and a DIY shaker table like this can save you a lotta money. Might not be as fancy as the ones the pros use, but it gets the job done just fine.
So, there ya go, now you know how to make yourself a DIY gold shaker table. Ain’t no need to go buyin’ one when you can just make it yourself, right? Just keep at it, and you might find yourself some gold one of these days!
Tags:[DIY Gold Shaker Table, Gold Prospecting, Shaker Table, Gold Separation, Gold Mining, DIY Gold Mining Equipment]