Building a dredge highbanker combo!

Hello fellow prospectors,

I am looking for some plans to try and build my own dredge and/or highbanker.  I have seen a few but am looking to build one that is relatively cheap(dang recession).  I am going to start small with maybe some type of wet vac for my suction and try and incorporate my sluice or try and attach a highbanker in the system.  Any plans and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Maybe one day I will have some pics to share with everyone.  Happy hunting to all!!

Hi Goldfever,

Last spring I finished building from plans my Honcoop Hibanker and it works great.  I built my riffle trays and legs out of aluminum.  I am already considering a modification (of my own design) to convert it into a dredge combo.  The addition of hose, a hose connection into the header box and a jet nozzle should be easy to adapt the Honcoop plans for the dredge option.

I think Don Honcoop is still selling plans for the highbanker.  You can contact him at Honcoopgold@earthlink.net

I have posted pix of my finished highbanker on our club website at this link:
http://alaskagolddiggers.org/highbanker_1.html

Hope this helps and good luck with your project.

Bill

my friend Geno bought the plans (wood highbanker plans)also from Honcoup and he also made it out of alum. instead of wood like the plans say. it turned out real nice!i bought the plans also and they are very well detailed and it should be ez for you to build one yourself

  Go to the proline website and take a gander at their highbanker-a honest to god 2 pieces for the price of 1 and NO INSIPID GRIZZLY BARS to kill the dredging 1/2-now there is the true deal--tons a au 2 u 2 -John   

Thanks for the heads up John, I'm gonna check that out right now. Thanks GF

I have some PDF's of plans to build some stuff if you want I can email them to you.

You might save money building your own, but the cost of a motor and pump is pretty high.. Watch e-bay and Craigslist.  I got a Proline 3" combo, with floats, last October for $ 1,200.00.  Got to approach E-bay and Craigslist like prospecting.  look where others don't.  A good deal is where you find it!!

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/...ehoule/highbanker/myhighbanker4.jpg

This is for sale. You will need a foot valve and pump/ motor set up. I bought a blank hopper from Keene and made the spray bar set up and grizzly. The spray bar is set up to allow you to remove each side. Just in case of a clog or broken pipe. If a pipe does break. It would cost about $5 to fix. I have 13 abs heavy duty quick connects. Each one cost $18 each. I have 2 lengths of lay flat hoses. One length is cut into 3 sections. That has helped me at a small brook that I go to. The other lay flat hose is blue and not shown. But it is a full length of 25' I believe. It has never been used. I have 2 or 3 riffles that use miners moss. The rest is carpet. I have used this unit about 8 times and what I am willing to sell. I have just over $600 invested. I have a lot more in the way of hoses as well. I would like to get $500 BO and you pay shipping from Massachusetts. I have a link to send you if you want to see pics of it in use and what it has found in gold. Mass has really fine gold. So I worked around that. If would be easy to make this a suction highbanker.

Hi Goldfever,

Last spring I finished building from plans my Honcoop Hibanker and it works great.  I built my riffle trays and legs out of aluminum.  I am already considering a modification (of my own design) to convert it into a dredge combo.  The addition of hose, a hose connection into the header box and a jet nozzle should be easy to adapt the Honcoop plans for the dredge option.

I think Don Honcoop is still selling plans for the highbanker.  You can contact him at Honcoopgold@earthlink.net

I have posted pix of my finished highbanker on our club website at this link:
http://alaskagolddiggers.org/highbanker_1.html

Hope this helps and good luck with your project.

Bill

Man, I love the legs on your home built! I just took six pairs to the goodwill box. figures eh.

Man, I love the legs on your home built! I just took six pairs to the goodwill box. figures eh.

Hi AZA,

At $5 or $6 a pair, they make excellent adjustable legs for most any prospecting project.  It is too bad these expensive devices (when new) cannot be recycled within the medical services industry.  Better take advantage of the opportunity now - when "real'' change takes place to reduce the costs of medical care, someone will get smart and realize that previously used crutches work just as well as new ones and cost nothing to be used again and again....... until they actually break!

Bill. 

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/...ehoule/highbanker/myhighbanker4.jpg
 I have 13 abs heavy duty quick connects. Each one cost $18 each.

What was the source for the abs quick disconnects for the hoses.? I have only been able to find aluminum versions.

Bill

any plumbing supply store or i get them at a farm and home store in Missouri.