I've been hunting an area where many years ago homes sat (1800's). There is several areas where there was once gravel and shell drives, now covered with about 2-3 inches of soil. We are finding several targets and coins in the gravel/shell mix. Digging is tough and slow. Can any one offer any magic or trick to make the digging easier? Just thought I would ask.
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Does any one have any magic....................
- Thread starter Bill M
- Start date
TURNMASTER
Active member
Anybody?
I just had a thought, but I'm gonna try it before I shoot my mouth off and look the fool. I'll let ya know.
HH
Jeff
I just had a thought, but I'm gonna try it before I shoot my mouth off and look the fool. I'll let ya know.
HH
Jeff
BarnacleBill
New member
I use a small planting shovel from the big box stores for digging in gravel/rock stream beds. You might also consider one of the Lesche sharp nosed digging shovels. I've never used one, but someone that has may be able to help you on that.
HH
BarnacleBill
HH
BarnacleBill
I make my initial probe through the hardpack with a flat blade scewdriver, pull out a few rocks/stones and then use the Lesche to work down to depth. Removing a few stones from the pack seems to help loosen the surrounding area. I agree, it is a lot of work, and und unless I have good reason to believe there might be something good, I pass.
OK --- maybe I will look the fool first.
I have used a narrow shovel that most people around here call a "sharpshooter" but even the narrow blade on it has a hard time getting started in a packed gravel driveway or parking lot. These are more properly called a drain spade or trenching spade. It is usually what I used at old farm sites or fields where people are not particular about the digging I do as long as I fill in the holes. In yards I use a Lesche tool to cut a small plug.
Now for my crazy idea which I have been tempted to try, but have not yet: maybe if you are sure about the accuracy of your pinpointing, you could move over several inches and hit the surface with a small pickaxe and loosen the area enough to make additional digging with a small spade or digging knife easier? Kind of like what drdetecto does with his big screwdriver --that is, loosen the pack first by knocking several rocks out of the matrix, then using the created space to work other rocks into. Of course you risk hitting a valuable target and damaging it. Also, if this is a driveway or parking lot that is still occasionally used then you would need to be diligent to repack everything after you filled in your hole or you might leave a loose site that vehicle traffic might develop into a pothole and leave the property owner unhappy?
Just a thought --- Turnmaster --- what is yours?
I have used a narrow shovel that most people around here call a "sharpshooter" but even the narrow blade on it has a hard time getting started in a packed gravel driveway or parking lot. These are more properly called a drain spade or trenching spade. It is usually what I used at old farm sites or fields where people are not particular about the digging I do as long as I fill in the holes. In yards I use a Lesche tool to cut a small plug.
Now for my crazy idea which I have been tempted to try, but have not yet: maybe if you are sure about the accuracy of your pinpointing, you could move over several inches and hit the surface with a small pickaxe and loosen the area enough to make additional digging with a small spade or digging knife easier? Kind of like what drdetecto does with his big screwdriver --that is, loosen the pack first by knocking several rocks out of the matrix, then using the created space to work other rocks into. Of course you risk hitting a valuable target and damaging it. Also, if this is a driveway or parking lot that is still occasionally used then you would need to be diligent to repack everything after you filled in your hole or you might leave a loose site that vehicle traffic might develop into a pothole and leave the property owner unhappy?
Just a thought --- Turnmaster --- what is yours?
something like a tent peg or an old screwdriver can be used o loosen the small stones in the gravel. it is hard and tedious work. if you are going to chip away at the gravel with any sort of tool, make sure you are wearing sturdy sunglasses or goggles of some kind. packed gravel is hard to get through, but it can be rewarding. hh
TURNMASTER
Active member
Actually what I was thinking was using a small auger type of wood drill and dirll a series of holes around the outside of your target with your cordless drill then dig it out. Not entirely without hazzards.
Just a thought
Jeff
Just a thought
Jeff
TURNMASTER
Active member
actually I thought about that also
TURNMASTER
Active member
Cliff KS said:I like that idea, Cosmic. Sounds like it should work.
which one? Slide Hammer, Dynamite or Power Drill? The Slide Hammer or the Power Drill and Auger could work.
Jeff
Ha! Ha! .... Well, I think my own pickaxe idea is probably overkill, so dynamite is definitely out!
But, I really kind of like that slide hammer idea, and who knows? --- the drill/auger might work, but I think you might break a few auger bits and I think it would be hard to get the thing to go straight in the rocks. I would guess that it would try to jump/skip around on you until you got the tip into the matrix a ways, but you could probably reduce the tendency for it to do that by slowing the speed of the drill. Those portable, battery operated drills offer a lot of different settings to control the speed/torque of the drill. It would be worth a try. If you try it, let us know how it works.
But, I really kind of like that slide hammer idea, and who knows? --- the drill/auger might work, but I think you might break a few auger bits and I think it would be hard to get the thing to go straight in the rocks. I would guess that it would try to jump/skip around on you until you got the tip into the matrix a ways, but you could probably reduce the tendency for it to do that by slowing the speed of the drill. Those portable, battery operated drills offer a lot of different settings to control the speed/torque of the drill. It would be worth a try. If you try it, let us know how it works.
stewartlittle
New member
TURNMASTER said:Actually what I was thinking was using a small auger type of wood drill and dirll a series of holes around the outside of your target with your cordless drill then dig it out. Not entirely without hazzards.
Just a thought
Jeff
As I was reading before this post of yours,I was thinking the same thing,just something to loosen it up.