Tools of the Trade

[bdahunter]

Shipping things onto Bermuda is always a problem expecially if it is an oversized item or overweight. A 6" monster scoop would cost me over $400 US landed in Bermuda so I had to improvise. Spoke with my plumbers on Friday afternoon and we worked out this scoop in an hour, it works great and weighs in at 6 lbs. with a floating wooden handle. The encrusted finds in the center of the pic are a problem. I destroyed the smaller find trying to chip away at it and don't want to ruin the larger find. It weighs about 10 lbs. + / -. Any ideas out there? It is soaking in vinegar and salt right now.

BDA

 

[NEBeachcomber]

The larger one above your scoop looks as though it might be a canon ball.

 

[Martin(Qc)]

I dont have a clue but was wonderring what you used for the bottom of your scoop. I dee duck tape, guess it's not what holds it on eh?

 

[bdahunter]

Six inch y connection cut off with 4" reducer and SS mesh attached with SS screws to the reducer. Add a few 1/2" holes and a broom handle, voila!

 

[MajaPalra]

This is a very interesting scoop. How well did it work?
How did you attach the broom handle?
I'd love to see a few more pics at differing angles
to see how it was put together -- details -- details!

 

[Jim Pa]

I made similar scoops with different size pipe.So they would be metal free I used a double piece of plexi glass for the bottom.They sell a plexi glass cement that is very good.I cemented the two pieces together and then to the bottom of the pipe.For the handle I connected a hardwood one with 3 heavy duty electrical tie ons.This way you can run your scoop over the coil and if the target is in the scoop it saves a lot of work.The metal screws or bolts for the handle will not permit that.

 

[bdahunter]

I wanted to avoid the SS mesh for the back screen but there wasn't any plastic mesh available when we banged this together. The scoop isn't that heavy once it's in the water, rather like the Excal. It works well in sand and gravel but not rocks or turtle grass as it isn't sharp enough at the scoop mouth to cut through these substrates.

BDA

Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[Sand Dollar]

Hey I made one similar to that 2 years ago of 4in PVC pipe and a PVC cap. The broomstick is held in place with a ss decking screw and the base of the broomstic is cut into a "D" which fits into a "D" cut out of the Pipe just where the cap covers it.
I have the same problem with penetrating between the rocks.
Here is a couple of pics.

 

[bdahunter]

Looks pretty good sand dollar. How did it work for you?

 

[Sand Dollar]

Works realy well in the dry sand. In the wet sand it clogs and I have to go to the waters edge and 'sluice 'it. I plan on some improvements for the MK2. The real beauty is that you can scan the scoop full and tell if the 'treasure' is captured.
My improvements would be :
1...to fit the stick at an angle.
2...fit a freer draingng screen at the back.
3... attach a ss tongue to improve digging in rocky/shells.

 

[bdahunter]

All good points Sanddollar. I'm working on getting an SS scoop made here though as I would like to work the rocks and turtle grass. In the mean time I'm having fun with my low budget scoop, so no worries.
It sure digs deep in the sand though, I've been pulling targets up from over 2 feet down and it pulls up a big chunk of sand each time I dig in. I'll have to see if the fancy and expensive SS scoop can perform as well as my McGyver unit.
Cheers, BDA

 

[Sand Dollar]

Just watch your Pop Eye muscles grow
Yep its definately fun to use your own invention.
Cheers