THINKING ABOUT MAKING A SAND SCOOP

nomad 11 · Aug 23, 2017

thinking galvanized. would it still rust ? where to begin ? thoughts ! suggestions ? thanks

Terry Soloman · Aug 23, 2017

Just BUY a good scoop. You'll save time, and in the end, money. :skullflag:

Xraywolf · Aug 23, 2017

Are you a skilled metal worker with the tools necessary to bend/form/punch/shape/cut/weld metal ?

If you were, I assume you wouldn't be asking so I would also buy one too. Anything an amateur could make is bound to disappoint, and quickly.

Tom_in_CA · Aug 23, 2017

Terry and x-ray wolf are right. Any time and energy spent to make a home-made scoop will .... in the end ... not be worth it. Unless you just really groove on metal-fab working and want to tinker. Because what's commercially available on an industrial scale (mass production) has brought the price down to where it's not really worth making one's own.

If you want to customize something more beneficial, consider this setup:

Xraywolf · Aug 23, 2017

All that said, plenty an average guy can do to fabricate useful things.

Here is a floating sand sifter I made, works in conjunction with a scoop
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/beach-shallow-water/507615-floating-sand-sifter.html

And lots make their own PVC sand scoops

GA_Boy · Aug 23, 2017

nomad 11 said:
thinking galvanized. would it still rust ? where to begin ? thoughts ! suggestions ? thanks

As with digging tools, I think yo may need more than one. For instance, Underwater and wet sand I see most folks using a metal one that is sturdy.
Since my detectors are only good in dry sand, I use a plastic hand scoop that I got long ago from Kellyco to go with my detector. Since then, plus I got older, I added a Wooden handle to it with plastic ties and Kwik weld, hence, no metal parts to beep. When I get a signal that I want to did I load up a scoop of dry sand and run the detector over it.
That way I don't have to dump, scatter or search with my hand to tell if the FIND is in the scoop.
You can fab a metal or a non-metallic scoop from many containers. Just use your imagination and available stuff you have on hand. Plastic coffee jugs with holes or use a metal one gallon tomato can. Grain scoops are good but you have to drill holes in whatever you decide to build.

Marvin

ChampFerguson/TN · Aug 23, 2017

Last thing I'd want is to discourage someone from tinkering but everyone's right: it doesn't pay unless you are a pro and already have the tools/materials on hand. That said, there IS a certain satisfaction to having something you made yourself.

fwiw, I made my own and it worked great but didn't hold up as well as a good model.