Questions on sand scoops

[robbor]

What are your thoughts on Hole sizes of sand scoops, 1/2 vs 5/8
Has anyone added screen to the inside of of a scoop to classify down and catch smaller stuff like jewelry or sinkers?
Any tutorials or pic threads on adding stainless lips to aluminum scoops? thanks all.

 

[maipenrai]

My scoop has 12mm holes, (about half an inch) and our smallest coins are 16mm, so Im good for the coins. Of course smaller things will go through, but as Tom said, you will know when something goes through, so you can still find it, its not lost. I dont use my scoop for sifting, except in the water, our wet sand is almost like mud, so you can sift all day, and it wont leave the scoop, a screen would never work. In the dry or wet sand, I just dump the contents of the scoop next to the hole and check if there is anything there. In the water, its easy to sift out. I tried pulling a float, but it didnt work any better, and in the surf,
always afraid that it would turn over, and dump out something good.

Sometimes I see people looking for the perfect scoop and one that will last forever, but there is no such thing. Just like all tools, some work good in some places, and others work better in other. You just need to start somewhere, and go from there, its good to ask questions and get opinions, but through your own experience, will learn what is best. My scoop works good, but it sure is heavy!! On my next one, I will keep that in mind. Just like detectors, the best today, will be nothing in 20 years.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

It's a trade off depending on how fast you want/need the scoop to drain/sift and the smallest size object that you want/need to retrieve.

I have noticed that you need a wider hole size in aluminum, which mud loves to cling to than stainless steel which is slicker.
I have had small studs fall through all of my scoops, in order of most likely 5/8 inch aluminum, 1/2 inch stainless steel (I prefer), and 1/4 inch grid (when looking for fine and expensive jewelry.

I have found mud where a stream goes into the ocean to be my worst case condition as the muck clings to the scoop making it difficult to dump the contents of the scoop out and re dig before a target in the hole sinks to deep to be recovered.