Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Pre-drill holes slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft of the wood screws into both of the long 1-inch edges of the 1-by-12-inch board, at 8-inch intervals.
Line up the 1-by-4-inch boards against the edges of the 1-by-12-inch piece. Do this on a flat surface so the 1-by-12 forms the bottom and the 1-by-4s form the sides of the sluice trough. Mark where the holes on the 1-by-12 line up on the 1-by-4s, then pre-drill through the 1x4s in those spots.
Saw four shallow grooves right next to each other so that they form a single larger groove, at 1-inch intervals along the length of the 1-by-12. The grooves should be about 1/3 of an inch deep. Cut one larger groove at one end of the board to act as a "nugget catcher" for larger chunks of gold. This will mark the bottom or downward end of your sluice.
Paint or stain all of the wood pieces for your sluice, then allow it to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions on the paint or sealer can.
Screw the bottom and sides together through the pre-drilled holes. You can also use waterproof glue along the edges to provide additional rigidity.
Pre-drill and screw the 1-by-2 into the top corner of the trough to act as a carrying handle.
Caulk along all corners and edges where the wood is joined together, and allow the caulk to set.