Gold Rocker Box Sluice DIY Plans - Make A Gold Sluice Prospecting Mining Equipment

Make A Gold Sluice - Gold Rocker Box Sluice Plans DIY Prospecting Mining Equipment

This is a great Rocker Box design. You will Make A Gold Sluice using my plans. It will be 42" high and 18" wide when you're done.

What is a Rocker Box for Prospecting?
The question that arises, "What is a Rocker Box for Prospecting?" is a common one among gold prospectors. While they are effective traps for flour or fine gold, they require two men to operate and are labor-intensive. Let's look at these two different methods of prospecting. One of the first things was to Make A Gold Sluice or a traditional rocker box. These were used in the early days of the gold rush.

Rocker boxes were a common sight in the early gold rushes
These boxes were popular during the early gold rushes, and they are still used today. To use these, the miner simply shovels gravel into the box, pours water on top, and rocks the rocker box. A homemade ladle, made from a tin can, is also used for washing. As the water flows through the box, rocker boxes operate more efficiently.

They are efficient in trapping fine or flour gold
Rocker boxes are a type of sluice that traps fine gold by using a vibrating, carpet-like base. A wooden arm vibrates the box, moving heavier material through the screens and onto the base, just like a regular sluice. A gold nugget or a few pieces of gold are then picked out of the pile of rocks. Prospectors can use metal detectors to detect the gold.

They require two men to operate
A Rocker Box requires two men to operate. The cradler has a small opening in the center for feeding the material. One end has wooden riffles. The hopper contains lighter material. The water on top screens through the lighter material. The riffles catch gold and magnetic sand. The residue is panned after the rocker is filled. Using a Rocker Box is a simple, convenient method for gold recovery.

They are labor-intensive
Rocker Boxes are a common piece of gold mining equipment. Not to be confused with rocker covers, they were used for separating placer gold from sand or gravel. These boxes were built high-sided with an open end and were placed on rockers. The gravel was shoveled into the upper end and washed down by the stream of water. Then, it was poured back into the lower box and the process was repeated.

They are large
While sluice boxes are commonly used for gold prospecting, the traditional gold mining tool known as the Rocker Box is the preferred method of collecting this valuable metal. They were used to separate gold from gravel and sand in alluvial deposits. They are constructed from rough sawn lumber and were built to be used by one man. They have two parts, the upper one serving as a grizzly while the lower part is used to process smaller stones.

They are cumbersome
While Rocker Boxes are cumbersome and inefficient for prospecting, they can still be used in dry areas where there is no access to water. They are efficient at trapping flour and fine gold, but their popularity has waned over the past century. There are better methods for recovering gold that don't require such clunky gear. Here are a few of these methods:

All DIY plans are designed by Ben Stone. Ben is a retired Engineer in Canada. Ben also drafts these himself using the latest AutoCAD software to ensure accuracy. He studied Engineering back in the early 1980's. After over 30 years in the Construction industry he developed a passion for building cool items around his farm and cabin.  These are great DIY projects. With a little skill anybody can Do It Yourself. Ben is always a email away if you have any questions while building one of his projects. He is adding new plans all the time.