I posted a few pictures a while back about the sand scoops I built.
Since then I have really given the scoop lots of hard digging in dry as well as wet sand mixed with sometimes golf ball sized gravel at the waters edge..
Knowing the limits of such a tool has kept me from abusing it, but I have not babied it either.
This photo shows the digger before I started using it and you can compare the photos to see where changes have occurred.
[attachment 141071 100_0012.JPG]
In these pictures you can see that the bottom is only slightly concave from my pushing the scoop down into the sand with my foot.
[attachment 141072 Todaysringfinds9-14-9028.jpg]
The basket is somewhat malformed (bent) by the digging pressures and yet still able to dig anything I find above the water's edge.
[attachment 141073 Todaysringfinds9-14-9030.jpg]
The welded stainless screen has been the key to its strength and had I built the scoop with a cross bar to push against with my foot the scoop would likely not have bent at all making it a possible wading digger where there is only sand to deal with.
The wire has settled into its strongest shape with use and has become stronger by this.
The basket has been pushed into the sheet metal cylinder as far as it can go and the top has bent as a result near where the handle curves.
I plan to continue using the scoop as is to see how long it will last to failure, however it looks as if that will take many years.
I am going to cut down the larger of the three scoops I built and that one will have a cross bar for my big foot to determine how it will withstand the same kinds of digging forces this scoop has been experiencing.
Stay tuned,
CJ
Since then I have really given the scoop lots of hard digging in dry as well as wet sand mixed with sometimes golf ball sized gravel at the waters edge..
Knowing the limits of such a tool has kept me from abusing it, but I have not babied it either.
This photo shows the digger before I started using it and you can compare the photos to see where changes have occurred.
[attachment 141071 100_0012.JPG]
In these pictures you can see that the bottom is only slightly concave from my pushing the scoop down into the sand with my foot.
[attachment 141072 Todaysringfinds9-14-9028.jpg]
The basket is somewhat malformed (bent) by the digging pressures and yet still able to dig anything I find above the water's edge.
[attachment 141073 Todaysringfinds9-14-9030.jpg]
The welded stainless screen has been the key to its strength and had I built the scoop with a cross bar to push against with my foot the scoop would likely not have bent at all making it a possible wading digger where there is only sand to deal with.
The wire has settled into its strongest shape with use and has become stronger by this.
The basket has been pushed into the sheet metal cylinder as far as it can go and the top has bent as a result near where the handle curves.
I plan to continue using the scoop as is to see how long it will last to failure, however it looks as if that will take many years.
I am going to cut down the larger of the three scoops I built and that one will have a cross bar for my big foot to determine how it will withstand the same kinds of digging forces this scoop has been experiencing.
Stay tuned,
CJ
