THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7

WHADIFIND

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Apr 9, 2012
12,061
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South of the Mason-Dixon Line
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4
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Garrett AT-MAX
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Garrett Groundhog,
Pro-Pointer,

Jack Hammer!
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All Treasure Hunting

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,569
139,295
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Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
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Bout time someone designed it correctly.

View attachment 2005926
View attachment 2005927

There was 2 things (actually 3) when I viewed this. Then the same thing was addressed in the comment section.
The 3rd was the length of the tool, I guess if one was a tad shorter it wouldn't be.


  • Cons: Only one for me. The foot pedal you step on is small, and it's located behind the shaft. I'm a large guy with a big foot. This design makes it somewhat difficult for me to get my weight over the blade to maximize leverage when I'm trying to dig in hard ground. To compensate, I have to turn my foot sideways which is a little different and awkward. With a traditional shovel you step on the side and can really get your weight behind it and stand over the blade. Of course, to have the compact design, there probably isn't any other option... but for me that's just a little bit of a negative. That's the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5.

    Note: The curvature of the blade is really well rounded. When you dig, if you follow the curve of the blade exactly, it makes a whole about the size you'd find on a golf course putting green... I haven't found that to be a problem, but I mention it because In most of the videos I see people cut larger plugs than that. No big deal to me and worth it for the compact design, however some people might prefer a wider blade with less of a curve. I don't see this as a positive or negative... Just something to be aware of.
 

OP
OP
ARC

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,294
131,839
Tarpon Springs
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JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
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There was 2 things (actually 3) when I viewed this. Then the same thing was addressed in the comment section.
The 3rd was the length of the tool, I guess if one was a tad shorter it wouldn't be.


  • Cons: Only one for me. The foot pedal you step on is small, and it's located behind the shaft. I'm a large guy with a big foot. This design makes it somewhat difficult for me to get my weight over the blade to maximize leverage when I'm trying to dig in hard ground. To compensate, I have to turn my foot sideways which is a little different and awkward. With a traditional shovel you step on the side and can really get your weight behind it and stand over the blade. Of course, to have the compact design, there probably isn't any other option... but for me that's just a little bit of a negative. That's the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5.

    Note: The curvature of the blade is really well rounded. When you dig, if you follow the curve of the blade exactly, it makes a whole about the size you'd find on a golf course putting green... I haven't found that to be a problem, but I mention it because In most of the videos I see people cut larger plugs than that. No big deal to me and worth it for the compact design, however some people might prefer a wider blade with less of a curve. I don't see this as a positive or negative... Just something to be aware of.
The foot can be expanded easily.

Pressure from behind shaft is 10 times greater than the side... physics... never could understand why no one figured this out until now...

I have designs for this laying around that are at least 15 years old.

In other words... the BEST... and i mean ABSOLUTE BEST place for the foot to apply pressure to a digging implement is directly behind the shaft.

The "standard" shovel is primitive and WAYYYYYY outdated and old stoneage tech
 

OP
OP
ARC

ARC

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Aug 19, 2014
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Tarpon Springs
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I dont even know why they even make the old style shovels anymore.

People are slow to learn on some simple everyday items like... a SHOVEL.

Well the shovel is the least of human slowness... its simple.... lets talk about all the slowness on items NEEDED in this world.

LIKE................ Desalination of seawater.

They can build a car that drives itself... WHICH IS NOT IMPORTANT IN ANY WAY.

but they cannot simply remove salt from water efficiently. heh

Go figure right.
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
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Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
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The foot can be expanded easily.

Pressure from behind shaft is 10 times greater than the side... physics... never could understand why no one figured this out until now...

I have designs for this laying around that are at least 15 years old.

In other words... the BEST... and i mean ABSOLUTE BEST place for the foot to apply pressure to a digging implement is directly behind the shaft.

The "standard" shovel is primitive and WAYYYYYY outdated and old stoneage tech
I took a Garret shovel had the blade trimmed down slimmer to a sharper angle.
Had 2 foot petals welded on, I can really get a good stomp on to sink the blade.
Shovel designs are so neanderthal when it comes to digging tools.
 

alloy_II

Hero Member
Dec 24, 2021
629
1,028
Back in the day when people were responsible for their own safety.

I cut the bottom out of a pair of five gallon plastic pails then placed a round piece of glass sealed with silicon.

Took my two kids to the golf course, using the glass bottomed pails they could easily see lost golf balls under water.

The golf course's now either tender or hire divers to retrieve the lost balls.

For the prospector that don't snorkel or dive the pail might be a handy bit of kit.
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
ARC

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,294
131,839
Tarpon Springs
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JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
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Back in the day when people were responsible for their own safety.

I cut the bottom out of a pair of five gallon plastic pails then placed a round piece of glass sealed with silicon.

Took my two kids to the golf course, using the glass bottomed pails they could easily see lost golf balls under water.

The golf course's now either tender or hire divers to retrieve the lost balls.

For the prospector that doesn't snorkel or dive the pail might be a handy bit of kit.
 

Blak bart

Gold Member
Jun 6, 2016
18,649
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I have used a glass bottom bucket, or what us islanders call a looking glass, almost all my life. We keep one on every boat I work on. I have had tremendous success diving up shells and bottles with them. And once in awhile I've got on ballast, shipwrecks, and even treasure. I use the looking glass all the time.
 

WannaDig3687

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Jun 5, 2017
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I had one of these. The air leaked out of the raft part, so I left it in Belize. Now I am thinking I should have kept it.

1643291398102.jpeg



These are fairly cheap. $17.95

1643291469827.jpeg
 

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