Buying A Dredge - 10 Things You Need To Consider

By Ryan Horton

SANYEFLEX Product Page

Investing / buying a dredge can be a scary process.  In the past 5 years alone I have seen a dozen different dredge builders surface around the world and throw up web pages that make them look bigger than they actually are.  It is important that you do your due diligence before selecting a dredge builder.  After you determine what size dredge you require and what basic features you want then you need to determine which dredge supplier or broker to work with.  Here is some general advice I give to potential buyers:

1. 1. FACTORY: Ask the sales person for photos of their factory (inside and out), parking lot, inventory lot, and offices.  If they can&#;t provide them or the photos don&#;t meet your expectations then move on to another builder.
   2. USED DREDGES: When dealing with a dredge broker who deals in used dredges only, make sure they provide at least 5 written references that are from the last 5 years.  Ask if they provide any sort of warranty or if the sale is &#;as is, where is&#; as we often hear about used dredge buyers having to spend $50,000+ on repairing a dredge before they even get started operating it.  Most used brokers won&#;t provide any sort of guarantee so make sure you can live with that.  Make sure that the slurry pump is not worn out.  Impellers and suction liners can cost a minimum of $6,000 each.  If you are dead set on buying a used dredge then only buy a dredge that is build by a manufacturer that is still in business and one that has a good global reputation and the ability to service its clients globally.  Another important item to discuss with the broker is if spare parts are available.  If they say &#;yes&#; then make sure they give you a name, , and direct number for the parts person and make sure and call the person to see if your used dredge still has parts support.   Ask the parts person what sort of items they would recommend to update the used dredger.   This may also help you determine if buying used is really a &#;good deal&#;.   Also, make sure that the broker answers the during normal business hours in their time zone.  Stay away from brokers that work on mobile phones and don&#;t have a physical location.   Ask the broker for photos of the hour meter on the engine that are dated or do the simple &#;proof of life&#; photo with a major newspaper in the background.  Stay away from shop built dredges and from used dredges built by companies that are no longer in business.
   3. COMPANY OWNERSHIP & STABILITY:  Find out who owns the company.  Is it financially secure?  For example, some smaller dredge builders are privately held.  Make sure you feel comfortable giving your money to a privately held company.  It is always a safer bet to deal with a larger manufacturer that is backed by a financially stable firm.  IMS for example is owned by Markel Corp. (NYSE: MKL), a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.  Look up the company&#;s D&B report before you spend $500,000-$1,000,000+.  If the annual revenue is below $5,000,000 a year then walk away.

Let&#;s kick off a discussion about everyone&#;s experiences with dredging equipment, ranging from the Keene Supermax to the Proline 2-inch. I&#;m also curious to know about your encounters with the public while dredging&#;both the good and the not-so-good moments. Lastly, what&#;s something you&#;ve done that sets you apart from the rest on your claim?

By the way, I&#;m having this frustrating issue with the valves on my KAC 1 compressor. They keep breaking. Has anyone else faced this problem?

Keene hoses don&#;t even last a few months now,were as the older hoses back when I started dredging in would last year&#;s, kac also quality has gone down hill quickly, get a gast compressor and save time money and energy.

6" dredge and bigger is my pick.

We have had mostly good experiences around the country for land based and dredging with locals and landowners and general public coming down and checking out the operations. as long as you are always nice and understanding. I have had a few experiences with locals who were not happy with a screen or diggers/drill rigs next door but after a bit of chatting they are end up been ok with things. Going for resource consents brings out greenys etc and starts making things very difficult tho

KAC compressor are no good. Had nothing but problems with bearings and reed valves. Ghast compressor are like Toyotas of compressors they just keep on going

Had Keene dredges in the past, 4inch and 6 inch. Went to proline., havnt looked back
Proline = better build quality, better suction, better fuel efficiency as your not having to rev the shit out of the motor to get any suck.
Less blockages with Proline. They are guarantied not to block in the jet. Can attest to that
I like the recovery in the proline vs the Keene.
Proline dont handle the fast water as much as the Keene
Buuild quality way better on the Proline .
Proline are heavier

To give you an idea my Proline 5 moves more material than my Keene 6 . Ive had them side by side in various ground and il burn 30% less fuel than the Keene but move 15% more material.

For my Proline 6 it will easy move almost doable what a Keene 6 can move and burn less fuel . The Proline is a true 6 inch dredge . To give you an idea the Keene 6 powerjet will fit inside a Proline 6 powerjet with room left over.

Only thing with the prolines are they are alot heavier than the Keene and the hose is alot more stiffer but last longer than the Keene Tigerflex .
Proline hoses stand up to NZ harsh UV alot better than Keene hoses.

Had a 6 inch Keene Supermax- Big dredge . But it moves less material than the comparable 6 Proline. As for the recovery the supermax definatley catches the fine gold but for the amount of fine gold recovered vs the Proline the Proline had more gold as it moved more material over the same ammount of time. I sort of felt the Supermax is a bit of a gimmicj but can see its benefit on a river with alot of fine powder gold

Other thing with Proline is the wait to get one is alot longer compared to the Keene. I think they are the victim of their own sucess. If you go onto any of the US forums Proline is always more highly regarded but you do pay a premium

I have a Keene Ultra 4inch I am pretty happy with. A lot depends on what the river is you are working, and where the golden stuff is I would say, as to what size works. Four inch is better for keeping all your fingers I would say

But Pros super portable and has taken a beating and keeps going. Frame is pretty bent (due to 5 meter accidental drop off cliff (that was a bad day) Has been upside down once in water (same bad day), honda motor is amazingly reliable and fixable!

Cons its only 4 inch so there a lot of moving rocks by hand. I reckon blocks are 90% operator error. Occasionally a weird shaped rock will block it in one place, but mainly blocks are operator caused.

I have only had bad experiences when not hidden away - worst is I sub leased permit, great access, decent testing so it showed promise, handed over my hard earned cash for a year; but day one, I was pestered by the person who owned the only property nearby at least maybe a mile and half - two miles away complaining about the noise. I mean he would have to have tried hard to hear it! But I guess sound can echo a lot.

The company is the world’s best dredge hoses supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Honestly I am a reasonable guy I tried very hard to listen, move to a further location, but he just made it his mission in life to make me so miserable. He complained to everyone he could - including the police if I recall who talked to the permit holder but even though everyone said I was in right he wouldn&#;t stop. The permit holder even tried to visit him and placate him but nah.

As I do it partly for peace - I moved on defeated&#;

Its a trade off trying to find something with good gold, reasonable access but miles away from people.

I have been dredging on and off in California and Alaska for decades and consider myself a professional. Although I enjoy this form of mining, I do not dredge for the experience and fun. I am in it to make money.

Here is some of what I learned.

1. Anything less then a 4 inch dredge is a waste of your time and money. Don&#;t buy one. You cannot use the yardage listed in catalog as a guide, The yardage (volume per hour) capability listed are for pea sized lose gravel and can only be used as a comparison between dredge sizes. You will not be finding any worthwhile gold in pea sized gravel. It is found in &#;hard pack&#;. How much material you can put through your dredge depends on the hard pack and your physical abilities. Some hard pack is so tightly packed that each large rock must be dislodged with a crow bar, but most I have worked has not been as difficult as that.

2. While i would consider a 4 inch dredge to the smallest size to consider, a 5 inch dredge seems to be the sweet spot for many single operators. Small enough that you can feed rocks and gravel and a continuous rate. There is no point in using a larger dredge if you can&#;t keep it fed with material consistently.

3. Size of a dredge also effects how deep you can dredge in material and still be effective. Generally, I would consider a 5 inch dredge to be effective up to 5 ft of material. A 6 inch dredge to 6ft and 8 inch dredge up to 8 ft of material. Why is that? Because once you start going deeper than that, the rocks you have been throwing to the rear of your hole begin to slide in to your working area and so now you need to stop feeding material into the nozzle and go to the back of your hole and throw those rocks even further or move them out with winch driven net or rock sled. Can it be worthwhile? Sure&#; but the gravel you are working needs to be richer in order to work profitability and should be considered.

4. Don&#;t buy or make an under-powered dredge, At a minimum you need 8hp for a 4 inch. 10 hp for a 5 inch and 16 hp for a 6 inch dredge. Yes&#; Keene sells some models that are under-powered. I would not buy the 6 inch mini from Keene. I would buy the 5 inch with the same power instead. You will be much better off.

5. I am not sure what is permitted in NZ, but I would not have two divers on anything smaller than 8 inch dredge. You have to split the gold between two people and now you have to split your take in half! Also keep in mind that a 10 inch dredge has the added danger that your head can fit into the nozzle and therefore it is inherently more dangerous,

6. The last thing to consider is your hose length. Don&#;t get one that is too short. You need a good length for flexibility. The length of the hose has little to do with depth of the gravel your are dredging,

Bottom line? My general recommendation for a single operator would be to get yourself of 5 inch dredge.
If you are looking at keen motors and pumps, I would use two G200X/P180 engine pump assemblies

So what am I planning to run in NZ? A sub-surface dredge with a custom made sluice box. This type of dredge has its advantages and disadvantages over a surface dredge, but that is another story,

By the way, I am looking for good claims I can work in NZ this upcoming season. Please contact me if you or someone you know is interested in selling or leasing a claim in full or in part. I might also be interested in working a claim and paying a percentage. I am presently in California but will be in NZ for the entire dredging season.

My Best,
Dale

Iv been using an old school 6 inch suitcase dredge last season. 5.5hp honda. Im on nuggety ground with hardly any fines. My 4 inch keene replica just didnt move the material to make it worhwhile. The 6 moves at least twice the ground if not more. I see and collect the majority of the gold before it goes up the spout. It has its pros and cons, definitely a beast to try to maneuver in tighter sections, but also because of the setup can get it into trickier places the pontoon setup wont go, breaks down nicely and easy to transport. Dosnt require revving the crap out of the motor. Heaps of suction. Built tough, its been through the wars and is still structurally sound. Just thought Id throw this option into the mix. Im sure some would&#;nt go near one, but I actually like using the old beast. Cheers

Sorry for the slow reply mate havn&#;t checked in to the site for a bit been a busy year. The river was well bush covered, and the house the guy lived on was like a 10 acre block but a decent distance away. The river did have a public walkway next to it. Honestly I would talk to anyone living near the permit and feel them out. You&#;ll get a pretty good idea if they are going to make your life miserable pretty quickly. A lot of people are anti-mining greenies while they use their EVs and cellphones which they wouldn&#;t have without mining sigh. But there are still some good people around. So its hit or miss. But always wroth a talk to nearby people before you commit the $ on the permit.

Want more information on sae 100 r15? Feel free to contact us.