Metal Detecting
Metal detecting is always a good time. Sometimes you find garbage and other times you find the treasure you’ve always been looking for. This summer I got over to the beach a few times to go metal detecting after people leave the beach. It’s only turned about $3.50 in a few hours but its better then doing nothing.
Recently, on Ebay we stumbled across a sand sifter selling for about $23 after shipping. My dad figured he could build one for less with some stuff laying around. Here is the design and pictures to go along with it:
Approx. Time: 2 hours
Approx. Cost: $8
1. Find PVC pipe at least 4 inches in diameter.
2. Find a cap to fit over the pipe to be used as the bottom of the sifter (Preferably with a hole already cut in the pipe).
3. Attach the cap to the bottom and glue into place.
4. Purchase or find galvanized 1/2 inch mesh wire to be used to help filter out the sand. Any smaller then 1/2 inch and it will take too long to filter the sand and any larger and a dime would fit through
5. Using a dremel or a small reciprocating saw cut the PVC piping to about 9-10 inches. It’s better to have a little extra length to help with scooping up the sand.
6. As in the picture above cut the PVC pipe so that there is a scoop on one side. Mark off the cut you are going to make first with a permanent marker to help you figure out what you like best.
7. Proceed to cut out a window about 6 x 4.5 inches on the side with the scoop (like the image above). This will be the main filtering side and should be big enough to let a lot of sand through.
8. Exactly opposite from the window made above, cut a smaller window about 4 x 3.5 in order to attach a handle. By sketching out this window on the PVP first it will ensure your hand will fit comfortably. The picture above shows how the handle window should be cut.
9. Now that you have the windows cut go ahead and cut the mesh grid of wire to fit in these windows on the front and the bottom. Leave the handle window open so you can hold on to the sifter. Cut them a little oversize to help with attaching the mesh but not so big it sticks out of the tube.
10. Pre-drill the holes to prevent the screws from cracking the plastic and secure the inside with a washer to the metal grid. Choose screws that don’t stick too far in or cut them down after.
11. Lastly, attach the handle this can be done a few ways. The safest way is to cut slits on two sides of a piece of plastic and slide the handle into the window. From there you can secure the handle down with screws. Otherwise you may be able to drill directly through both the handle and the sifter in order to attach it.
12. Find something good.
Let me know how it works and offer some suggestions.
email me at reservedparking(at)gmail.com replace the at with an @ symbol
Saturday, August 12, 2006
