Anybody have experience with Keenes 2 inch dredge?

[tvanwho]

I never could get homemade dredge floats to work on anything but a 1.5 inch dredge, so I got $600 of parts at a recent gold show to make up a Keene 2 inch floating dredge with the inflatable black pontoons. Is it possible to add a small toolbox to this rig for spare parts, hose clamps, a few tools, etc, without upsettng the balance? I've only seen 1 YouTube video of this dredge in action and it only lasted a few seconds.Does anybody have a video of the unit actually sucking up gravels, etc? And how do I get it down to the river easily? Can the mouth inflated air valves be replaced with ones I can use with an air pump?

-Tom V.

 

[machineman]

I have run one a few times. It seemed to have plenty of flotation. The problem was the pontoons leaking. On mine it was usually the valves. I dont think you will have a problem with the small tool box.

 

[Flintstone]

Hi Tom, If you need a little more float to your dredge, put a wire from one end to the other and take a " swimming pool float " can,t think what they are called the long ones with the hole in the middle, and cut it into and put it on the wires. Make them about a foot short so you can slide them from front to back, that way if you need more front lift you can slid them. I put these on my 2" dredge and they work grate. Hope this helps. Flintstone

 

[tvanwho]

Got a photo of your invention? My Keene black rubber pontoons don't have any threaded caps on the air valves, what to do ? And my lungs don't seem to be strong enogh to inflate them, where can I get a pump and valve adapter to help out?
Thanks.

-T

 

[Flintstone]

You can get the valve cover at a tire store or Walmart, And you can get a 12v pump at walmart also. That is where i got mine. Flintstone