quill THE

PROSPECTOR’S

www.gpoc.com WOW!

official publication of The Gold Prospectors of Colorado volume 38 no.1

PO Box 1593, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80901

Letter From Your President   

Fellow prospectors;
  Prospectors be aware of what's going
on out there;
 
        We are experiencing public roads
being shut down and closed all over
the country, and unless we unify and
become one voice by uniting our fronts
now we will not be heard. These
properties and roads are our Public
Lands that we pay taxes on and
although some groups out there
believe that we should preserve these
areas for future generations to come, if
we allow these closures then we might
never get them open again, ever!  inside
President’s Letter! 2
     I have been slowly visiting different Contacts! 2
clubs and organizations up and down January Calendar! 3
the front range at a rate too slow for Events! 3
my liking. So far I have spoken  at Baby It’s Cold Outside! 4
five other meetings besides our own to Baby It’s Cold Outside! 5
bring to light the changes abroad and
Baby It’s Cold Outside! 6
right here in our very own State. With
Membership Application! 6
the different responses I've received,
everyone seems very receptive and Making A Hand Dredge! 7
Request for Mailed Quill! 8
willing to get involved.
continued on page 2

january G LD NUGGETS is a new blog for and by GPOC members. Our intent is for Gold
Nuggets to become an informational hub for members to keep up to date with GPOC news

2011
and events. We encourage you to email your news items and information to the webmaster at
www.gpoc.com. The webmaster, Stacey Smith, will ensure they get onto the blog.

Join GPOC on FACEBOOK! You need your own Facebook account

Access GPOC on FACEBOOK through a link on the GPOC website
 President Treasurer Contact Info Trustees
Ben Higley Bill Smith for all club activities One Year
Bob Hale Gary Beaderstadt
GPOC president@gpoc.com treasure@gpoc.com
(719)213-3383 Two Year
contacts Vice President Webmaster Diane Anderson
Wayne Wittkopp Stacey Smith School Events Three Year
vicepresident@gpoc. webmaster@gpoc.com Phil Vigil Jim Blakenship
com (719) 391-9975
Editor Claims
Secretary Lin Smith Membership Marty Witcher
Elise Pearce quill@gpoc.com membership@gpoc.com
claims@gpoc.com
secretary@gpoc.com

President’s letter, continued Winners of the 2010 Mary and Hugh Hokenstad
 
    Aside from the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Award
Management no longer selling permits and only having
Plans of Operations for the actual claim owners, it is also
the claim owners responsibility to ensure compliance with
Ben Higley
the Department of Mining and Reclamation and Safety rule
and to fill out and submit  a letter of intent so they can and
determine if that claim owner(s) would need to file a Plan of
Cooperation through them and to determine the bondable Stacey Smith
amount.
 
        I traveled to Denver last week to attend two days of
hearings by the  Mine Land and Reclamation Board  for
mining corporations that either submitted plans for
reclamation or were there to appeal closures, fines and
bond increases due to not following stringent time-line
Quill Advertising Rates
CONTACT OVER 1,000 GPOC MEMBERS
allocations for rebuttals or not staying within guidelines for quill@gpoc.com
containment of biohazards that could affect the Allow for a 3/8” margin on all sides of your advertisement. Payment must
environment, wildlife or the public waterways. be received before placement. Send advertisement with check to: GPOC
  Quill Editor, PO Box 1593, CS, CO 80901
        One of the groups out there is HCCA (High Country Deadline for placement 20th of the month
Citizens Alliance), a non-profit group of attorneys that are Sizes are approximate
there to represent the townships that could prospectively be Prices Per Issue
affected by the impacts of mining corporations that are not Business Card Size $ 6.00 4” x 5” (1/4 page) $12.00 5” x 8” (half page)
adhering to the new rules and regulations set forth in a 190 $24.00
page  bill that was revised and enacted by Congress on
September 30th 2010. To view this document go to the
website, Department of Mining, Reclamation and Safety, on
The Prospector’s Quill is the official newsletter of the Gold
the left column Rules and Regulations, scroll on down to
Prospectors of Colorado. The opinions are those of the
Hard Rock/Metal Mines for the amended version
authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the club or its
September 30th, 2010.
members. The editor, club, officers, and contributors do not
 
assume any liability for damages resulting from use of
        Yes folks, your reading it right, we are classified under
information in the Prospector’s Quill. Articles of interest are
hard rock miners. There is no other classification that we fit
welcomed. All articles submitted for publication are subject to
under so, as we have been classified, so shall we
editing.
classify for the recovery of our precious noble metals.
Submission of articles must be received before the 20th of
 
the month. Unless noted, non-profits may reprint or quote
        Happy New Year and remember that progress is what
from articles, provided credit is given to the author’s and
we make of it, things are changing and we must adapt to it
publication and a copy of the newsletter the article appears
or be left behind.
in is sent to the editor of The Prospectorʼs Quill at PO Box
1593, CS CO 80913.
 Sincerely, Your President,   
quill@gpoc.com
 Big Ben 
I know, I know no two snowflakes are the same, but in this
      
issue they are “gold flakes!” Lin
 

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 2

 meetings events events events
January
calendar 6th 8th & 29th 13th 15th
Board Meeting NRA Basic Pistol Winter Camping Claims Committee
Gold Hill Police Station Class REI
$110.00. 6:30 PM-8:00 PM 10 AM
For further
information contact: 7:00 PM
(303) 877-0525 (719) 260-1455 Western Museum of
Bob Hale 955 Moreno Avenue, Mining & Industry
(719) 213-3383 CS, CO 1376 E Woodmen Rd
CS 225 Northgate Blvd
president@gpoc.com see info below CS, CO
www.gpoc.com

12th 9th &31st 14th 30th

General Member Denver Museum GPS Map & 21st Snow
Meeting of Nature & Compass Sculpture Contest
7:00 PM Science Classes
Hand Dredges or River Walk Area
9-11 AM & 12-4 PM Breckenridge, CO
Poop Tubes Free Day Denver Federal Center
bring your own for Building 810
2001 Colorado
Show & Tell Lakewood, CO
Blvd. Denver
(303) 202-4689 see info below
3400 N.Nevada see info below see info below
CS, CO

USGS Free GPS Map, and Compass Classes
The second Friday of each month. The sessions are held in Building
810 at the Denver Federal Center, Lakewood; Map and Compass
sessions are in the morning, 9-11 a.m., and "Using GPS with Topo
Maps" in the afternoon, 12-4 p.m. You may sign up for either or both
classes. Call for reservations: (303) 202-4689 or send an e-mail to
gpsworkshops@usgs.gov.
DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE
2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80205 (303)-370-6000. Museum open
daily 9 am - 5 pm. Explore the wonders of the natural world at no
charge during our next SCFD Free Day on Sunday, January 9 &
Monday January 31
presentations, coffee and doughnuts, lunch, and hands on experience
with firearms, including live firing at an indoor range.  This class is
valued at $150.00, but is on sale through April 2011 for only
$110.00. (303)-877-0525
SNOW SCULPTURE IN BRECKENRIDGE
http://www.gobreck.com/events/town-events/budweiser-
international-snow-sculpture-championships/
2011 will be the 21st year of International Snow Sculpture
Championships. The Sculptures "live" in the area around the Riverwalk
Center grounds at 150 West Adams Avenue, Breckenridge. free event
(January 25 - February 6, 2011). Artists sculpt from Tuesday, January
25 at 11:00 a.m. until Saturday, January 29 at 10:00 a.m., January 30
to February 6, 2011 Viewing Week

COLORADO STATE MUZZLE LOADING ASSOCIATION

LEARN GUN SAFETY COLORADO WEAPONS
TRAINING http://www.coloradoweaponstraining.com/
NRA Basic Pistol Class. JANUARY 8TH AND 29TH
The NRA Basic Pistol course exceeds Colorado State training
requirements for a concealed carry permit.  The class includes live
instruction from NRA certified instructors, video and power point
Doubletree Hotel Denver North, 8773 Yates Drive, Westminster.
Annual Trade Show & Concention Feb. 5-6, Vendors with goods, arts,
craft and supplies from the 1800’s through the 1840’s as well as books
relating to history and the American Fur Trade, gun maker’s fair, art
show, silent auction, demonstrations & classes related to fur trade skills
& history & general information about all aspects of muzzle loading.

SPECIAL NOTICE: THE PROSPECTOR’S QUILL IS GOING ELECTRONIC

On the first of March, the Quill will be going electronic. It will be published on our GPOC website. The GPOC spends $8,000 to
$10,000 annually publishing and mailing The Prospector’s Quill. With the rising cost of club expenses, the Board determined it
would be better to cut publishing costs rather than raise membership dues. If you wish to continue receiving a paper copy of
The Prospector’s Quill, please complete the form on page 8 and return it with a check to cover publishing and mailing costs. If
you don’t have a computer, you can access the GPOC website at any public library location, and the first 10 printed pages are
free at CS libraries.

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 3

Baby it’s Cold Outside!
by Lin
Itʼs winter in Colorado, and you have gold fever. Here are some
activities that will help to quench your fever. Research is an
essential tool for all prospecting. It will help you plan for your
next adventure once the weather warms up. We are fortunate
in Colorado to have several resources right at our doorstep.
Part of your membership in GPOC gives you free admission to
the WESTERN MUSEUM OF MINING AND INDUSTRY IN
COLORADO SPRINGS
Museum Library http://www.wmmi.org/library
Featuring over 5,000 volumes of early mining practices to
contemporary fiction. All volumes are cataloged and available
for searching online! The library catalog data can be searched
via a standard web browser 24 hours per day. Borrowing
privileges are only available to volunteers, members, and staff.
Visit our Online Catalogue.
HEAD FOR WARMER CLIMATES
Placer Gold in New Mexico by Edgar B. Heylmun, PhD
h t t p : / / w w w. i c m j 2 . c o m / 0 2 F e b /
02FebFeature.htm
This site provides access to a wonderful
article on placer gold locations in New
Mexico. For prospecting in New Mexico,
a visit to Bureau of Land Management
offices in Santa Fe is a must.
Information on placer gold is available in
U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1348,
and in the May 1994 issue of New
Mexico Geology, published by the New
Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral
Resources in Socorro.
STUDY GOVERNMENT REPORTS AND BULLETINS
Some of the best sources of information are old government
reports and bulletins issued by state mineralogists, the USGS,
and the no longer functioning US Bureau of Mines. Since these
documents have no copyright protection, you can find many of
them on the Internet. These reports and bulletins contain
information on many gold districts, often including what the old
timers were finding, the types of rocks present and specific
locations where gold and other precious metals were found.
You can combine this with information contained in more recent
books and magazines to obtain information about a particular
district.
BLM PUBLIC ROOM (303) 239-3600
Date: Monday-Friday Time: 9am-4pm
2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado
BLM LAWS, REGULATIONS, POLICIES, COURT DECISIONS
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations.html
GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC
4
BEYOND OUR COSMIC HORIZONS
http://www.dmns.org/learn/adults/lectures/beyond-our-
cosmic-horizons
Date: Tuesday, January 18 Time: 7 p.m. Denver Museum of
Nature & Science Gates Planetarium $8 member, $10
nonmember
Reservations at (303)-370-6000, M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Professor John
Bally, PhD, of the University of Colorado, will discuss speculations about
the nature of the big bang and its relation to the properties of matter and
energy.
MAPS
Don’t ignore geologic maps in your research. If you can find
geologic maps on an area of interest you may be able to locate
a relationship between where mines and workings are located
and where certain geologic features are found.
Denver Public Library http://denverlibrary.org/
GPOC web site for article on Map Research
MINING CLAIMS
http://www.icmj.com/more_page.php?
id=7&keywords=BLM_Resource_Document_
(Covers_discovery,_staking,_recovery,_fees,_maintenance_r
equirements,_assessment_work)
This site is an archive copy of the document. BLM took down
the page sometime in 2006. Most of this information is still
accurate, though the fees mentioned have increased since
publication.
TAKE A CPR OR FIRST AID COURSE AMERICAN RED
CROSS
(719) 785-2718 or (719) 785-2713
http://www.pparc.org/trained/classes.php
The Pikes Peak Chapter provides life-saving training in these
areas: First Aid, Adult, Infant and Child CPR, Automated
External Defibrillator (AED), Wilderness First Aid, Lifeguarding,
Water Safety and Learn to Swim, Babysitter's Training, Pet First
Aid.
CS REI — SNOWSHOEING BASICS
Colorado Springs REI (719) 260-1455
Date: 1/3/2011 Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m
Latest technology in snowshoes, the best accessories in
clothing and gear, the skills needed to get you on the
trail. FREE
TOUR GHOST TOWNS & TREASURE FROM THE WARMTH
OF YOUR HOME
http://www.ghosttowns.com/
http://dzrtgrls.com/
http://www.ghosttownsusa.com/
http://www.desertusa.com/index.html
http://www.vivanewmexico.com/ghosts/index.html
http://www.azghosttowns.com/index.html
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/co.html
http://www.rockymountainprofiles.com/
http://www.treasurecenter.com/ (will keep you busy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
List_of_ghost_towns_in_Colorado
http://www.ghosttowngallery.com/htme/map.htm
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
EVENTS
http://parks.state.co.us/Apps/CalendarofEvents/index.asp?
nextMonth=1/22/2011
Roxborough Patio Geology
Date: 1/8/2011 Time: 1:00PM
Join Volunteer Naturalist Mary-Margaret Coates for a look at
the sandstone patio and learn about the fascinating origins of
the Lyons Formation at Roxborough and along the Front
Range. Reservations required - (303) 973-3959
State Forest State Park Full Moon Open House
Ski, Snowshoe and Potluck Event
Date:1/15/2011 Time: Dusk around 5:00 pm
Location: Moose Visitor Center, 56750 Highway 14, 1 mile east
of Gould
The snow covered winter woods beckon at the State Forest
State Park. At dusk everyone gets their "glow on", glow in the
dark jewelry provided by State Forest State Park and Rocky
Mountain Nature Assn. Snowshoe or cross country ski the 6.5
mile groomed Gould Loop right from the Moose Visitor Center.
The route is studded with glow sticks to guide skiers and
snowshoers. Hot chocolate and cookies will
be provided along the trail at the Chocolate
Cabin, and food brought in by all for the
potluck will be available in the Moose Visitor
Center.
Mueller State Park The Rocks Around
You
Date: 1/15/2011 Time: 10:00 AM (719)
687-2366
Location: Mueller State Park / Visitor Center
Auditorium
What is the rock that lines the trails and how
did it get there? Have you ever wondered
how the Rocky Mountains formed?
Bald Eagle Hike
http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/
BarrLake/Pages/BarrLakeHome.aspx
Date: 1/16/2011 Time: 11:00 am Location:
Barr Lake Nature Center (303) 659-6005.
Join us for a unique opportunity to view our bald eagle
population at its peak on a fun hike to the gazebo.
Wildlife Viewing Tours
11 miles northeast of downtown Denver this tour is available
each Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday except for holidays.
Wildlife you may see on the tour include bison, coyotes,
raptors, mule and white-tailed deer, and many song birds.
Cameras, binoculars, and video cameras are welcome. The
sanctuary contains more than 330 species of animals. Contact
the visitor center at
(303)-289-0930 -- reservations are required.
Mueller State Park Stoner Mill Hike
Date: 1/30/2011 Time: 10:00 AM
Mueller State Park / Visitor Center Parking Lot (719) 687-2366
GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC
Savor the immense variety of wildlife as you hike Stoner Mill.
Relish the changes of ecosystems on this 2-mile loop trail rated
moderate.
FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT
"SATURDAYS WITH A SCIENTIST"
Date: Saturdays Time: 1-3 p.m. (719) 748-3253
Learn about fossils and how scientists find them, identify them
and more. Held most Saturdays, call ahead for program details
and dates. $3 Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
15807 Teller County Road 1
Winter Recreation Map Colorado State Parks
http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/StateForest/MapsandDirections/
Pages/StateForestStateParkMapsandDirections.aspx
TAKE A DRIVING COURSE
AARP MATURE SAFE DRIVING PROGRAM
Date: 1/8/2011 Time: 10:00 AM-2:00 PM
For motorists age 50+. Graduates may present their course
completion certificate to their insurance agents for a discount.
Charge for the eight-hour course is $10. Registration is
required. Sand Creek Branch - 1821 South
Academy Blvd.,Sand Creek Meeting Room.
For questions about the course please call
1-888-227-7669. To register, please call Bill
at (719) 638-1618
GET IN SHAPE
Penrose Health Learning Center Classes
Penrose Health Learning Center, 1644
Medical Center Point, CS, CO
h t t p : / / w w w. h e a l t h l e a r n i n g c e n t e r. o rg /
body.cfm?id=273
(719)776-3600 Offering courses for all
ages on strength building, basic weight
training, aquatic exercise, stretching and
more. Registration required.
WATCH U-TUBE VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/
Search different methods of gold recovery,
prospecting, & equipment videos.
WATCH GOLD FEVER PROSPECTING
http://www.outdoorchannel.com/Adventure.aspx
http:www.goldfeverprospecting.com/
goprontv.html
Now you can watch and learn about Gold
Prospecting right from the comfort of your
couch on TV! Catch several weekly gold
prospecting shows on The Outdoor Channel.
CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT AND MAKE
REPAIRS
HAUL OUT THE PAINT CAN. Paint the
handles of your prospecting tools a bright
color so that you can easily spot them when prospecting next
season.
5
PIKES PEAK LIBRARY DISTRICT EVENTS  GNIS - Geographic Names Information System allows you to
(719) 531-6333 www.ppld.org look up data online about any named place or feature appearing
on USGS topo maps, at http://geonames.usgs.gov/index.html.
LEARN COMPUTERS 55+ Includes links to online display of topo maps, satellite images
Beginning Computer class series ☏ (719) 389-8968 and aerial photo images.
Date: 1/6/2011, 1/13/2011, 1/20/2011, 1/27/2011, 2/3/2011
Time: 8:30 AM -10:00 AM 5 class sessions, BLM MINING CLAIMS IN COLORADO
Penrose Library - 20 North Cascade Penrose http://www.blm.gov/search/?query=mine
+claims&adv=1&narrow=pr%3Aco&pr=&dropXSL=yes
LAPTOP Word Processing II Contact: Libby Theune Contact
Number: (719) 488-2370 SMALL PARTS
Date: 2/16/2011 Time: 8:30 AM-10:00 AM http://www.smallparts.com
For adults who have basic computer and typing skills and are interested The hardware store for researchers and developers
in learning how to use Word 2000 to write letters, invitations, or
resumes. Monument Branch - 1706 Lake Woodmoor PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS

Genealogy Level I Workshop
Contact: Dennis Daily (719) 531-6333 x2250
Date: 1/30/2011 Time:1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Covers genealogy standards, terminology and forms; workbooks and
filing systems; vital records and census records. (If you learn to
research genealogy you should be able to gain some knowledge about
researching mining history, too!)
Penrose Library - 20 North Cascade Penrose Adult Room
Genealogy Level II Workshop
Contact: Dennis Daily (719) 531-6333 x2250
Date: 2/27/2011 Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The use of documents such as church records, newspapers and other
periodicals, and immigration and naturalization records. Pre-requisite:
Genealogy Level I Workshop or permission of instructor.
Penrose Library - 20 North Cascade Penrose Adult Room
USGS
The USGS home page on the World Wide Web provides a
wealth of information on all kinds of earth science topics. Go to
http://www.usgs.gov or http://ask.usgs.gov. This will give you
cross-links to other USGS websites.The USGS Science
Education web pages are at: http://www.usgs.gov/education.
Your vehicle is used to being out in the wilderness so move it
out of the garage and set-up your equipment in your garage.
You can work on your skills so that you are ready for the coming
season.
AMERICAN SCIENCE AND SURPLUS
(or , “Honey, I shrunk the kids!)
http://www.sciplus.com/index.cfm
Incredible STUFF at great prices. See what you might be able to adapt
to your prospecting needs. Example: 6 stainless tweezers $6.95!
Safety goggles $1.95. 12” wide Duct tape for those BIG fixes $4.95.
Self stick tarp tape $2.75. 2 lb. bag of leather pieces $8.95. Big
Strapping Fella But he's yellow, I tell you. You get (10) feet of 2" wide
x 1/8" thick yellow polyester tow strap with 9" loops at each end.
$9.95! From whence we know not, but no doubt with myriad potential
uses. $2.50/10. Lashings Perfect for lashing yourself to the mast while
you pass the Sirens, but good for lashing anything together, really.
$4.95 each. And make your mother happy. (Mothers like everything
hung up.) (Your wife will love you when you clean up the garage and
hang up your prospecting tools!) Steel bike hook. $3.75. Tube-O-
Slipperiness, with this 6g/0.21 oz tube of graphite powder. $2.95/4.
You get a quartet of plated steel trunk handles, the kind that fold down
and out of the way. $3.95/4. Create a grommet without cutting a hole
in the tarp, and remove it when you're done. $2.75/4. Hopefully you
have gotten the idea by now. Shop until you drop for all that Santa
didn’t bring! I hope you have fun, and that your gold fever has been
quenched! Lin

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE GOLD PROSPECTORS OF COLORADO

MEMBERSHIP ( ) INDIVIDUAL $25 (18 years and over) ( ) FAMILY $30 (Includes members under age 18)

FAMILY A family membership covers a parent or parents with children under the age of 18 in one household in a domestic situation.

Please look at your Prospector’s Quill mailing label. The month and year on it tells you when you need to renew
REMINDER
your membership dues
PAYMENT ( ) Cash ( ) Check CHECK # TODAY’S DATE
NAME
SPOUSES NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE, ZIP
EMAIL PHONE NUMBER
NAME OF CHILD BIRTH DATE
NAME OF CHILD BIRTH DATE
NAME OF CHILD BIRTH DATE
NAME OF CHILD BIRTH DATE
EQUIPMENT OWNED ( ) SLUICE ( ) HIGH BANKER ( ) DREDGE ( ) DRY WASHER

INTERESTS

The Prospector’s Quill ( ) Yes ( ) No In order to save postage I will access the monthly Quill from www.gpoc.com,
Mail Application to: GPOC Membership, PO Box 1593, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80901

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 6

MAKING YOUR OWN HAND DREDGE By Bill Smith

There are three components to a hand dredge – the

vacuum tube, the plunger, and the nozzle. I made
mine using parts I bought at Lowes or Home Depot.
I only had to modify a couple of pieces.

Vacuum Tube

Plunger

Nozzle

The Vacuum Tube is composed of three parts – the 2” PVC tube, an end cap on one end, and an adapter with a female fitting on the other.

1. Cut a 24 – 30 inch piece of 2” PVC. (For those not familiar with measuring the diameter of PVC, the standard is to specify the inside diameter
pipe.)
2. Epoxy the 2” diameter adapter with the female threads to one end of the pipe
3. Drill a 7/8” hole in the center of the 2” end cap. This will support the plunger, so make sure the ¾” plunger shaft will slide through the hole easily.
4. Push the end cap in lace, but donʼt epoxy it in place. About an inch below the end cap, drill a 3/16” – ¼” hole in the pipe. This will allow air to
escape when you pull the plunger up the pipe.
5. Remove the end cap and set the vacuum tube aside.

The Plunger has several more parts – the main rod with a handle on one end, and a compression seal on the other.

1. Cut a piece of ¾” PVC pipe about 6” longer than the vacuum tube. You can adjust length later.
2. Cut a ¾” coupling in half and sand the inside so it can be slid onto the 3/4” pipe. (Your friendly Home Depot plumbing specialist may have a better
idea for this piece.)
3. To create the suction fitting, push the coupling onto the pipe so that about an inch of the pipe extends past the coupling. Put one 1” metal washer
on the pipe, then a rubber or leather gasket (1” inside diameter, 2” outside diameter), a second 1” metal washer, and the end cap. Use epoxy to
secure the end cap.
4. After the epoxy has set, you can push the coupling against the seal to make a tight fit. Drill a hole through the coupling and the pipe and insert
either a small diameter bolt and nut or a cotter pin to keep the coupling from moving.

The Nozzle is made of three pieces: a mail adapter, a reducer, and the intake pipe. I made two nozzles – one using a 2” to ¾” reducer and ¾” intake
pipe and one with a 2” to ½” reducer and ½” intake pipe.

1. Epoxy the reducer and the male adapter together.

2. Cut an 8” piece of pipe to mate with the reducer. Epoxy the pipe into the reducer. I cut end that will go into the sand at an angle.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Screw the nozzle onto the vacuum tube.

2. Insert the plunger into the vacuum chamber.
3. Attach the 2” end cap with the 1” hole in it over the end of the plunger rod and onto the end of the vacuum tube.
4. Attach the tee to the end of the plunger to serve as the handle.
5. At this point, you may want to adjust the plunger length. I found that, if I pushed the plunger too far into the vacuum tube, the seal came out the far
end, and I couldnʼt pull it back into the tube. To solve the problem, you can use a bead of epoxy to fill the joint between the end of the tube and the
female adapter at the nozzle end; or you can cut the plunger rod so that the seal doesnʼt extend past the end of the tube when the handle comes to
rest against the end.

By the way, if you find a source for rubber gaskets that fit perfectly, let me know. I had to cut my own out of a piece of gasket pack. Oh, those rushing
currents? Tie a lanyard to your dredge! This is my own design. There are many different configurations avaiiable as well as commercial models.

Iʼll bring my model to the January GPOC meeting so you can see it and ask questions. Bill

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 7

Gold Panning & Prospecting For
THE Fun
PROSPECTOR’S QUILL
FREE Gold Panning Tips Informative!
After
GPOC February,
Meets2011 The Wednesday
the 2nd Quill will be available online only UNLESS
Read ouryou wish toreviews
equipment receiveand
it byProspectors
mail.. If you
Blog.
wishoftoevery
receive The Prospector’s Quill
Month at the Elk’s Club in print your yearly subscription fee will be $15.00 for a mailed copy.
Answers to your questions: Finding Gold,
Look at your mailing label and it will have when you need to renew your membership. Take the number of Metal Detecting,
3400
months left onN. Nevada
your membership and multiply it by $1.25. That will be your cost for the rest of your
Dredging.
Colorado Springs, Colorado CURRENT membership. Site changes weekly! Visit often!
DATE www.hookedongold.com
NAME
STREET ADDRESS
CITY, STATE, ZIP
EMAIL
MEMBERSHIP EXPIRES
AMOUNT BASED ON MEMBERSHIP MONTHS LEFT IN MEMBERSHIP YEAR X $1.25 =

PAYMENT CHECK AMOUNT CHECK NUMBER

MAIL YOUR PAYMENT AND THIS FORM TO: MEMBERSHIP GPOC PO BOX 1593 COLORADO SPINGS,
COLORADO 80901

GOLD PROSPECTORS OF COLORADO

PO BOX 1593
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO
80901
quill
The Prospector’s

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 1 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 8