A $3 Sand Scoop From Harbor Tool & Freight

[Critterhunter]

Kellyco has a plastic sand scoop for $20 plus shipping. I noticed the exact same scoop sold as a "feed scoop" up at Harbor Tool & Freight yesterday for less than $3. It just doesn't have any of the 5/8" drilled holes that the Kellyco one has. So, five minutes of work with a 5/8" wood drill bit and I just saved myself around $27 dollars.

It's pretty durable and strong plastic that isn't the brittle type that likes to crack. More like a rubbermade material but still pretty stiff. I realize these kinds of things don't hold up as well as a good aluminum or steel scoop but it's a good tool in dry sand when you don't feel like lugging your heavier scoop around. This thing is also something you can always keep in the trunk in case you run across some sand to hunt when you weren't expecting to do anything but hunt on dirt.

Kellyco's is in the first picture. My homemade job is the other ones. I could have took the time to drill the holes straight but what's it matter anyway. I'm not going to impress anybody with this cheap job so why bother. If you wanted to be real picky about it you could heat up a socket held with pliers using a propane torch and melt the holes out. That should give it a little more strength as melting plastic keeps the bond around the holes stronger than drilling.

 

[JOHNMARKHAM]

yep that will work just fine..only thing is your going to get tired of bending down allot....jmo..
well done
have fun
hh
john

 

[Micheal_R]

n/t

 

[Critterhunter]

Yea, but I bend down to dig targets on land, so what's the difference? This is just something I'll always have in the car in case I hit a beach on a whim when I wasn't planning to. I'm going to have my neighbor help me build an aluminum scoop with a handle for the times I want to wade or not bend over. If everybody is telling me that the only good scoop is well over $100 then I refuse to pay that. I'd rather give my neighbor $40 or $50 for letting me use his scrap metal and welder. I'm sure he'll refuse the money, though, but I'll make him take something.

 

[Roscue2]

I made one of those last year,but since I don't live near a beach, its up in MA.

HH!!!

 

[bcoop]

Good job, and saved money to boot. That will work well chasing down those targets in the dry sand.

 

[Magyar]

n/t

 

[Critterhunter]

That's an idea. I've also dug up some PVC scoop plans off the net that you can use to make a very light weight yet pretty durable scoop with a handle. They're using that strong PVC used for elbows on piping. Should at least work fine in dry sand and for some water hunting, and I've got a better idea to join the handle to it to make sure it won't break. The fresh water beach I plan to hunt has good sand in the entire swimming area. No rocks or bedrock that you'd need something built like a jack hammer for. When conditions call for it I'll use my homemade metal scoop.

This little plastic guy is just something I plan to always have in the trunk for those times I wasn't expecting to hunt any sand areas.