Sifting a dirt floor basement

[flash]

1880 or so house with a dirt basement.Thought about a couple cases of beer,some shovels and a piece of wire mesh over the top of a wheel barrel.

Any one ever done this? Whats the best way?How deep should we dig?Could build a stand in the middle holding the wire(no wheel barrel),then after the pile of sifted dirt gets big,throw it back where it came from.

Any ideas?

 

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[Lowbatts]

The wooden frame I made with regular framing wood and hardware cloth. It has hooks so I can actually wear it in front of me while I sift, but that gets dirty.

Still looking for an occasion to use the kitty litter box sifter, available with pan in the pet section at Wal-Mart, very reasonably priced but the cuts might let small coins fall through.


hey good luck and happy hunting!

 

[Rich in Texas]

Hey Lowbatts, I would be careful saying you are looking for an occasion to use a kitty litter box. Someone might take that the wrong way

LOL
Rich

 

[MDnoob]

For the sifting that I do, I built a frame almost exaclty like the one that lowbatts has. The trick is to build it about the same size as your wheel barrow, so that when the dirt has gone thru, you can wheel it to wherever you want... I guess you have already thought of that. Use u-shaped fence staples to fasten down the wire mesh. On some digs I have been on, they have a stand about 6' high which the sifter hangs from, so that you can move it even when it is really heavy. You could suspend yours from the rafters over the wheel barrow.

My parents house is over 200 years old, but at some point some clown poured a bunch of concrete in the basement!! :? So please post pics...cause I can't...

 

[flash]

Well I was thinking of a frame something like that,maybe not as nice.But how do you get the dirt to go through the screen?By shaking it?Its not sand,actually I don't know what kind of dirt it is.Might have to break it apart with something.

This is alot of work ,do you think we will find something?Or is my friend that owns the house going to laugh at me ,like he does when I detect his yard and pull up trash.Its all good though.He laughs but now he wants to buy a detector.

Hanging it from he floor joices is a good idea.We will try.

 

[MDnoob]

Well, as long as the dirt is reasonably dry, it will go thru the mesh. The holes on the mesh that I use are about 1/4" square. Shaking the strainer will only get you so far, you will have to move the dirt around to get it through. I use a metal garden rake to stir it around with. I think you will find a good bit of stuff. Maybe not handfulls of coins, but a few coins and several other intersting items... who knows You have to look!!

 

[Lowbatts]

Sometimes you just gotta push it through! The dirt, that is! (Didn't want to leave Rich another opening)

Hey Rich, you could use one of these south of downtown in the river there! Just have your kids using plastic shovels and pretending it's all kid's play!

 

[maggiemacpoe]

Portable Sifter

Hi Flash,

Several years ago Western & Eastern Treasure Magazine had a story and the directions for making a portable sifter. I made one myself, it was pretty easy to do. You could make it to whatever size you need. My brother Jack, down in Boston, is borrowing it or I would go check, But if I remember correctly, you make 2 wooden frames, one a little smaller so it fits inside the bigger one. Attach 1/4" hardware cloth to the bottom and sides of the smaller one. Hinge the smaller one to the top of the bigger one across the back. Put a handle on the front top of the smaller one. Add 4 legs. I think I used carriage bolts and wing nuts to attach the legs so I could fold them down for storage and transportation. I drilled two holes through the upper side of each leg and partially through the frame, just above where they are joined with the carriage bolts. I put cotter pins through the holes for more stability while I am using the sifter.

You put the dirt in on top of the mesh, then lift the handle + mesh frame up and down to shake the dirt through the mesh. For any JUNK that doesn't go through you just lift the smaller frame back on it's hinges to dump it out.

I know this probably sounds pretty confusing so I will look and see if I can
find the Magazine it was in and give you some better instructions.

MaggieMacpoe