FISSUREMAN TECHNICAL INFO BLOG

Negative comments from prospectors anywhere in the world (no matter how trivial or individual) will always provide “food for thought” to improve current FissureMan product design. While FissureMan products are the best on the market for the money – there is always room for improvement.
 
 
ACCELERATED STRESS TESTING
 
Stress testing is a method of reliability testing used by consumer industry and Military DOD entities to verify a product’s reliability with regard to construction, material, operation and longevity. It can also be referred to as a “Life” test.
The testing and results described below are considered to be more of a stress test than a life test although both identified methods are somewhat interchangeable.
 
Accelerated stress tests can be up to or as long as six months or more and are validated empirical test methods to simulate usable life expectancy of a given item or construction within a compressed window of time. Actual life expectancy limits are applied to various products or components according to the expected use and/or operation they will encounter based on this type of test.
 
The testing written about here addresses FissureMan swing check valve design and is a test performed to generate a valve flapper cycle life expectancy.
 
One cycle is the opening and subsequent closing of the valve flap from closed to full open condition. This action verifies the component construction regarding the physical operation, materials, design, and the adhesion mechanism and/or adhesive materials used to join the *subcomponents of the device together.
(* flap material and construction design along with the flap hinge connection to the valve throat)
 
An initial stress test performed on the FissureMan SANDMAN check valve was conducted for a total duration of 72 hours yielding a calculated 1,296,000 full cycles of the check valve flap.
 
The stated cycle count is based on 5 cycles per second of the valve flap. It should be known the cycle count could have been as high as 10 per second during testing as there was not a stroboscopic timing device available to gain an accurate count of the cycle rate. As a result of this, the cps established is based on the lowest visual estimate of the number of cycles generated per second.
 
To generate a visual cycle count using the valve flap movement as seen in the upcoming video documentation is near impossible to obtain accurately. However, if one rapidly counts from 1 to 5, it takes one second. Doing this while watching the actuator arm during rotation of the main drive gear on the test fixture one can obtain a close estimate of 5 to 8 cycles per second.
 
The test described was applied to the current valve design that is now well over one year old.  (last design update - 12/15/09)
Change made - The backing screen was physically and permanently fused to the valve throat and is no longer attached using an adhesive material.
 
So what does this all mean? It’s pretty simple really - the swing check valve flapper material and hinge connection has been verified to be very robust, durable and will far exceed the cycle duration requirements of standard commercial design specifications.
 
SANDMAN and RINGKING valves will not fail or show signs of wear on the flapper or hinge connection point for well over 1 million full cycles under test conditions that operationally exceed industrial swing check valve reliability requirements.
 
This is significant if you figure the average cycle time for one pump on a SANDMAN or RINGKING to be around 3 to 5 seconds!  Doing some quick math will show that FissureMan swing check valves can be expected to last a very long time.  
 
The above testing is being continued from the initial test point to achieve the total number of cycles needed to obtain catastrophic failure of the flapper components.
 
Periodic updates to this post will be added until catastrophic failure does finally occur. Once completed a short video for review of the test in progress along the various points in time on this thread and the end results of this testing will be made available for review.
 
So stay tuned and check back often!
 
 

7/22/10 - Progress update: 

Testing has made it to 2,592,000 valve cycles - there is no sign of failure in any of the valve components.
 

7/25/10 - Progress update:

Testing for the latest period has completed with 3,888,000 valve cycles - no sign of failure in the valve components.

                                                                         TO SLIP OR NOT TO SLIP CONNECT
                                                                   That is the question!
 
There is one particularly vociferous competitor out there that likes to ping on all the other manufacturers of hand dredges (oh yes! – it’s the same one that has been after FissureMan products since day one). He always seems to have some sort of negative comment or attitude to convey on his listings and/or e-store “blog” about other hand dredge manufacturers.
One of these (many) comments is that “friction fit” or slip connectors on hand dredges are real bad for some reason. To paraphrase his statement:
 

“The PSP uses a friction fit nozzle. This type of nozzle is used to keep cost down, as using threaded fittings more than double the cost of the nozzles. Nozzles that rely on friction alone to hold them on can and do come off at the most inconvenient time. Plus if sand or grit gets trapped between the mating surfaces, then friction fit type of nozzles can be a bear to take off.”
 

This is directed at the nozzle connections used on the FissureMan PickerStick Plus hand dredge.
 

Firstly – to be clear – the slip fittings used on the PickerStick nozzles cost (with tax) - $.95 each. The larger 1” male threaded fitting that could be used will cost (with tax) $.75 each.  I really don’t see how the cost could be “double” for a threaded nozzle fitting in this case – do you?                       You will always get more product for less cost with FissureMan products!

UPDATE 6/30/10: - The fittings for the PickerStick plus are 1 1/4″ diameter slip to 1/2″ / 3/4″ & 1″ slip. These fittings cost more than any narrow 1″ threaded connections as used on the  (sic) “original” gold sucker. If the infamous Ddog had any idea at all about what he writes, he might just have a case and be semi-dangerous but instead he gets defensive and likes to claim I am “shoveling bull”….   
 I may not get the best price on all my raw products but I do have all the facts correct before I write anything!

What this writer finds most riduculous in his statement is not whether a threaded connection is better or less costly but rather the audacity of this individual to state such misdirecting information about “friction fit” nozzles and all the while he sells the following with his “prize” hand dredge package deal:
 

                                             2”  “Super Sucker” “friction fit” nozzle adapter….   

It seems that product construction that’s good for the goose should not be  good for the gander…this does seem a little one sided doesn’t it?

As to a product that will get sand stuck inside and cause mechanical binding –
 The following exerpt is not this writers words but rather paraphrased from another prospecting site relating to first hand knowledge and experience of a prospector who actually owns and commented on an “original” gold sucker  as provided by this same competitor:
 

“The smaller 1 ¼-inch model is not for large volume use….  It can tend to get some fine sand between the housing and the pump shaft, causing binding/scraping. “ 
 
 To sum up this blog entry with some technical information - if you don’t want something to bind with sand  - wipe or rinse both mating surfaces off before you put them back together. Using just this simple common sense approach you will get away from 99% of all the concern.
      

 

Maybe not - but FissureMan does!

FissureMan Online products are consistantly produced with the highest attention to detail - no matter how small.  One of the biggest concerns is to never provide any schlok products for sale as can be found elswhere on the Internet, EBay or even with some home brewed equipment. While not naming names or singling out any one manufacturer, the following are but three catagories of “quality” that lacks detail orientation:

- Barcodes and price tags left on the product

- Rough cut “so called quality” workmanship

- Ink pipe markings left on constructed product

The following are example images of these, less than quality oriented, attributes. You will have to pardon the somewhat blurry look of the images as they are expanded crops of the original picture. However, even being slightly blurry they will convey the concern effectively.

Many of these examples are readily seen without any alteration of the picture, however, if you need to, take any of the original posted pictures and zoom in for a close review - they are readily seen. Some may be harder to distinguish than others as the position of the product is set up such that the marking or tags are placed either almost out of site or completely hidden from view with only a clean side showing.

These picture “oversights” may be explained away by a manufacturer as something found only on the picture descriptions but never sent to a customer. However, it seems quite apparent to this writer that if the manufacturer can’t or won’t remove tags and markings for even the a simple picture used to advertise then what would make one think that they would be removed from the final product that is purchased.

These few examples may seem trivial and completely acceptable by some purchasers but they still shown a lack of true concern to provide the absolute best quality workmanship for the buck spent by you.

IDEAS WANTED, NEEDED AND APPRECIATED

FissureMan Online currently has some of the most advanced hand dredges and products on the market for gold prospecting and metal detecting enthusiasts around the world. 

However, I really don’t consider myself or all my ideas as the “be all - end all” for this line of products.
 
FissureMan Online strives to provide only the best quality and innovative products for fair and reasonable cost.
 
It will be very much appreciated having you share your ideas and suggestions concerning any part of the form, fit, feel, construction, function, advertising, shipping or anything else you as the reader can come up with that will help improve FissureMan Online products.
 
“Appreciated”? You bet! I am not going to just take and use your suggestions and ideas - say “thank you” and then walk away. Oh no! – that would not help you in the slightest would it?
 
Here is what I will do if you provide a suggestion or idea that is found acceptable and ultimately used.
 
Any suggestion or idea that helps to improve current products or provide an additional usable and saleable product suitable for listing on FissureMan Online will be:
 
1 – Recognized with the usual “Thank you”.

2 - Accepted product improvement suggestions used to improve a FissureMan product will be identified on the FissureMan Online website as your idea right on the page it is listed.

3 – For your accepted and incorporated suggestion you will be given a 10% discount on the product cost for your next FissureMan Online purchase.
 

4 – If your suggestion provides a new product that is found to be accepted, viable and listed on the FissureMan Online website you will be sent a completed unit absolutely free once production begins.
 
There are a couple of ways to submit your suggestions or ideas:
 
1 – Post them here, I monitor this blog and will see your post and respond.
2 – Send an email of your idea or suggestion for improvement to fissureman@goldsucker.com .
 
 

What guarantee is there that I will do as I say?
 

Well the first guarantee is: “my word is my bond”.
The second and foremost guarantee is - Without customers I would have no business. To treat you wrong is to treat me wrong – I never treat myself wrong!
 
So at the very least you will be thanked for your submission and at the opposite end of this scale you might have your idea professionally constructed and sent to you for free. 
 
 
FissureMan

Prospector and Engineer
 

Prospector - someone who explores an area for mineral deposits
 
Engineer - a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
 
 

I have done my fair share of prospecting – at least what I consider to be enough time spent to know, understand and perform the needed functions in the quest to find gold and other valuables both in the water and on dry land.

I was also an Engineer for the majority of my working life (23 years) when I was holding down what would be considered a regular job to produce an income for my family.  No - I was not driving a train but rather designing, developing, testing and verifying product quality in coordination with a whole host of other individuals in various manufacturing disciplines. I had to have a deep familiarity with all engineering disciplines to perform my working duties successfully both on paper, while using my hands and coordinating the efforts of other individuals.

These various disciplines include Hydraulics, Mechanics, Electronics, Pneumatics. Machining, Quality & Metrology.
 
This background experience provides the basis for what I do now to provide some additional income for my current family and myself. I design, manufacture, distribute for sale a line of superior hand dredges and assorted prospecting equipment for individuals and concerns around the world.
 
Here are a couple of questions to ponder and reply on if you care to:
 
When buying prospecting related equipment:
 

Is it important that the person or outfit one buys equipment from actually be actively prospecting?  Why?

Is it important that an individual or outfit actually be able to design and build prospecting equipment using sound background knowledge of the subject along with demonstrated mechanical ability while not actively prospecting?  Why?

Perhaps you have read this statement on another blog site:
 
“Anyone interested in a hand dredge challenge? If you are, let me know.  You bring your hand dredge, be it a  Gold-n-Sand, or one of the copy cats like SMB_PROSPECTING HAND DREDGE or  SM_PROSPECTING HAND DREDGE; or a Keene; or one from Jobe or any other hand dredge; and I will bring mine. The point of the challenge will be to determine which hand dredge can move the most material.”
 
While one can say what they want on their own blog site, the operator who posted such a statement is obviously misled and attempting to mislead others. He has been very unhappy with the popularity of both FissureMan SANDMAN (SM & SMB) and Gold-N-Sand hose and bucket collection systems since they hit the market.
In particular he attacks FissureMan products like a lizard trying to eat a bug too big to fit in its mouth – in that analogy the lizard chokes on his intended victim and still doesn’t get a meal while the bug gets back up and continues about its business. Lizards aren’t too smart in this respect.
 
This is not the first time he has tried and failed to eat this bug - he has been after FissureMan products ever since day one when FissureMan Online got started and gave him his first real taste of competition with a superior hand dredge. Before that he had the majority of the hand dredge market happily to himself.
 
Neither the SANDMAN nor Gold-N-Sand bucket and hose systems are copycats of one-another. Both designs came onto the market at the same time - within the same actual week. This is a case of two smart people coming up with the same idea and releasing a product at the same time – “serendipity” is a word that comes to mind for me.
Both work on the same principle and may even appear on the surface to be the same but they are physically much different when it comes to many of the operating and mechanical attributes.
In actual fact they are both good machines for the intended purpose. That purpose is to collect material as efficiently as possible and with less operator fatigue – this is as close to “copycat” as they actually get.
 
Both the valve and piston technologies used are the first two greatest departures. The pump body is also different in that the SMS is physically bigger in length and diameter – if either were a copy of the other they would be the same in all respects  - not just that they are both black in color and use a 2 gallon bucket with a hose.
 
Ask yourself this question  - How could a copy have been accomplished of such an advanced hand dredge design show up on the market within the same 7-day period?  Neither myself nor Red (owner of GOLD-N-SAND) had any idea of the others work until we both placed our concepts on the open marketplace. Nobody (not even me) can design and build a machine from scratch such as these that quickly and have it work as well as the other within the same week unless both were already in design and near completion at the same time. 
 
What you have here are two smart people coming up with similar concepts for a manual suction dredge that will far outpace any swizzle stick like the so called “original goldsucker” or any of its oversized redesigns intended to compete with an advanced bucket and hose collection system.
 
Any “competition” suggested to try and see who can move the most dirt would hold no true value. Each operator’s physical ability using their respective hand dredge and the material available to collect will vary wildly. This is just another competitor attempt to bolster an overinflated product ego and hopefully show some sort of continued usefulness for such an overrated and obviously dying breed of outdated single action hand dredge equipment.