New sand scoop design. Your input please.

[khouse]

I'm going to start building my new sand scoop soon. I'm not happy with my existing scoop. I have a good idea on what I want but I will sure accept any and all input from everyone. So don't leave out anything. Most places I have been hunting has small river rock from sand to 1.5 inch size. Here's some things to "ponder"
Thanks!

Materials for the handle and scoop.
Shape.
Hole size or combination of holes sizes.
Size of the handle and scoop.
Length.
Angle of handle.
Accessories to the scoop.

 

[Chuck in KY]

I put a small strong magnet in mine. It traps small iron so it won't fall through the holes & the detector keeps hitting it over & over. Chuck

 

[Harold in NC]

You can make the holes 1/2" or a little smaller, and put some plastic screening in the bottom , they sell at homedepot where the rain downspouts are they use this stuff to cover any leaves from getting in the drains, and i put that in the bottom of the scoop helps from alot of small stuff from falling through, handle you want it aleast 40" or a little taller if your a tall person, about a 35 or degree angle on it, and go from there.

 

[DavHut]

Materials for the handle and scoop.
Handle - wood, like a shovel handle. Then it floats upright and can be replaced when needed. Tubular metal as second choice, Fill it with expanding foam once complete.
Scoop- SS or aluminum. 1/16" thick. Heavy is NOT bad, if you build and design for ruggedness. If you build shoddily, it wont matter what you use.

DO NOT attempt to make a scoop from PVC - you will be let down eventually.

Shape
Round bucket with a prow point - NOT squared off - or rectangular with the same.

Hole size or combination of holes sizes.
NOT holes, mesh. You will have to design a rigid framework to support the mesh, which should be on the INSIDE. The advantage is that sand filters through mesh MUCH better than holes.
Holes, on the other hand, make a more rigid scoop and dont require designing a framework, which can be complicated and tends to weaken the structure. Therefore using perforated metal simplifies construction. Regardless, whether you use holes or mesh, size so a dime cannot fall through.

Size of the handle and scoop.
1.5-2" diameter handle
Scoop... 6" approximate
Bigger is better, too big is ponderous. 6" is a good median.

Length.
Chest high
Angle of handle.
Straight since wood is preferred and thats how you get them at the hardware store.
Angled back TOWARDS you if using metal handle; 20-25 degrees.

Accessories
Magnet in bottom to catch hooks and other sharpies.
Lanyard attached to your body
Handhold mid way down the shaft

This may come as a shock to you, but you dont have to DIY everything. Since you have saved a ton on the Aqua Ace mods, maybe a proven scoop design is in order, eh? I mean, would you try to design your own scuba regulator, just cause you fancy a dive?
All the mistakes you can make on a design have been made by others already - the water is a tough environment and those who have gone before have broken all the bad designs already. What's left is PROVEN to work.

But knowing that stubborn streak of yours and since you are adamant about making everything yourself, have a look at the Sun Spot or ProScoop lines and duplicate. Why reinvent the wheel? Here's a few links:

http://www.sunspotedm.com/beachscoops/thescoop.html
http://www.proscoops.com/

 

[kaptainkosmic]

I have hunted with a scoop that has a 30 deg from perpendiculiar angle and a scoop that the handle is perpendiculiar and I prefer the perpendiculiar handle. The angle handle is easier to dig with but once it is full of bottom media which is heavy you have to hold the basket up 30 deg to keep media from falling out, this takes more wrist than I have. With the perpendiculiar handle all you have to do is pull it straight up, it has no tendency to dump out.

I like wooden handles, they float and are easily replaced in the event of a failure. I've been hunting with mine for over 3 yrs and its still going strong.

Use stainless steel, 14 ga. it will stand up to use. There are some new alloys 201 which aren't as pricy and should work in this application just as well as the 300 series metals.

Makes holes small or use mesh as suggested. I would however suggest using a sifter. It completely eliminates time spent looking for targets in your scoop which increases time spent looking for targets in the lake bottom. I use a vibra probe to help locate targets (small roung fishing sinkers) that I would NEVER find in my scoop. It also makes the scoop much lighter to carry since you don't have to.

HH Steve

 

[khouse]

Thanks Harold. You had mentioned that a couple of weeks ago to me so I went and bought some sceening. Then I left it home when I left on the trip.

 

[khouse]

Why the round scoop? Wouldn't a flat bottom scoop cover more ground per scoopful? I agree on the handle material being wood. But the handle on my scoop now is at an angle and I have to tilt the scoop back a lot to keep the material from falling out (Tiring). I'm leaning toward a 90 degree handle angle. Like I said I have a good idea of what it will look like but opened my mind to all ideas. Some have mailed me and said use a floating sifter and a scoop with small holes. This is probably the ultimate "leave no treasure behind" method. I'm still thinking about this idea. I have looked at the Sunspot, Nuttall, Proscoop and many others. They are all nice in many ways. But all are about $175 or more to my door. I think I can build one for $100.00 My wife said to me several times in the 3 month search for all the components to make my Lake Looter 250 "why don't you just buy a water detector?". I said that it would be more fun to pull some gold from the lakes with a $200.00 detector! I have did just that. While everyone was playing with their Christmas toys I was taking mine apart to see how they worked. Sometimes when I was young I couldn't get them back together. My Dad used to tell me that if it ain't broke don't fix it. It's in my blood.