Sand Scoop Help please,,

Steptoe's Mate · Nov 9, 2008

Hi Folks,,, Ok just tried a morning on the beaches here in the UK,, and realised i need a sand scoop,, a buddy was using a one with "safe T" written on it,, seemingly from the States,, any ideas??? i am after one without a basket on the back,,, thanks in advance,,, Steptoe,,

pennysaver · Nov 9, 2008

I have been eyeing an old plastic 1 gallon gas can. I think I can cut one end out and drill a lot of 3/8 or 1/2 in holes in the other end. The plastic looks durable enough and a new one at wal-mart is less than three dollars US. It already has a handle. If it doesn't work you are not out much.

floridabill · Nov 9, 2008

This is the one I use you buy this you will never need another

http://www.nuttallenterprises.com/servlet/Detail?no=1

RickO · Nov 10, 2008

Bill.. thanks so much for posting that scoop... I remember someone posted it before, but I could not find it... will be a great gift from Santa

RickO

floridabill · Nov 10, 2008

RickO said:
Bill.. thanks so much for posting that scoop... I remember someone posted it before, but I could not find it... will be a great gift from Santa RickO

No problem there are also a lot of other nice ones out there you could do a search on them but Travis is a great guy and stands behind his stuff good luck

Steptoe's Mate · Nov 16, 2008

Thanks Bill

Thanks for that Bill, havnt really done much beach detecting, too busy collecting old Roman and Hammered English coins,, but ready to give it a go,, thanks again.

danbax · Jul 4, 2011

floridalbill links to a beautiful piece of art work at 5.5 pounds? If you want an idea as to how heavy that is go to you local grocery store and pick up a 5# bag of sugar and walk around with it while doing your shopping you will soon discover a scoop as beefy as this one will wear you out and down. It is certainly made to last, chop wood, break rocks, assault sand and I think you could even use it to lift you car to change a tire, but wait, we are scooping sand, right? Add another 3-4# for wet sand or rocks and sand and you have nearly a 10# pay load -- for $159 plus the $12 shipping you can see why diggers are looking to make their own. It is certainly a beauty but I can't bare to think about carrying it from the house to the car let alone lugging it around the beach.

Crumble · Jul 4, 2011

Seriously, water scoop prices are ridiculous. Its maybe $20 in material, and 30 minutes of work (if you have the tools/cnc/welder) to make one just like the top of the line ones, and they charge $150?!

If you are going to make one yourself it will take a lot longer, but the companies that make them, have cnc machines, templates, and everything... they can push them out in no time.

Hell, I'm sure most of these companies get their stainless/aluminum pre-drilled, so they just have to bend and weld.

/rant off

With that said, the top of the line scoops are nice, and perfect for what we need them for. The price is just crazy. Oligopoly is fun!

goodmore · Jul 4, 2011

realised i need a sand scoop,,

There is a big difference between sand and water scoops. Neither one does the the job of the other very well. For a sand scoop something with a wire mesh woks really well. RTG makes one with the mesh reinforced for pushing on with your foot. And the handle also has a reinforced bar. Mesh works well with sifting the sand. Shaking a big 6 inch or steel scoop is just tiring as hell. I had my 5 inch Aluminum RTG scoop w/ 5/8 inch holes for a night hunt. Once you get into the wet sand everything starts sticking. Shaking the crap out of it I ended up w/ a big blister.

For the water RTG also sells the 6 inch aluminum with stainless tip. Make sure you get the grab handle. The water flushes the sand. No need to shake.

wildman4910 · Jul 5, 2011

Aka Nameless said:
Seriously, water scoop prices are ridiculous. Its maybe $20 in material, and 30 minutes of work (if you have the tools/cnc/welder) to make one just like the top of the line ones, and they charge $150?!

If you are going to make one yourself it will take a lot longer, but the companies that make them, have cnc machines, templates, and everything... they can push them out in no time.

I would not want to see a 30 min start w/straight sheet to finish welded scoop, that would be bad!

And the cost of the above machine and the cost of running them + metal + consumables add up real quick.

Not trying to start an argument here but cost add's up fast the more that's done to it and you got to make a buck to stay in business.

Most fab shops charge $60~$90hr in labor + materials.

dogpound · Jul 5, 2011

goodmore said:
There is a big difference between sand and water scoops. Neither one does the the job of the other very well. For a sand scoop something with a wire mesh woks really well. RTG makes one with the mesh reinforced for pushing on with your foot. And the handle also has a reinforced bar. Mesh works well with sifting the sand. Shaking a big 6 inch or steel scoop is just tiring as hell. I had my 5 inch Aluminum RTG scoop w/ 5/8 inch holes for a night hunt. Once you get into the wet sand everything starts sticking. Shaking the crap out of it I ended up w/ a big blister.

For the water RTG also sells the 6 inch aluminum with stainless tip. Make sure you get the grab handle. The water flushes the sand. No need to shake.

i have the 6 inch aluminum RTG with SS tip and wish i got the grab handle with it, that would make life much easier.

i wonder if spraying the bucket with pam or some other non stick spray would keep the sand from sticking........just a thought

HEM · Jul 5, 2011

floridabill said:
This is the one I use you buy this you will never need another

http://www.nuttallenterprises.com/servlet/Detail?no=1

I made a scoop similar to this one, they call them a stealth scoop because of its shape and my personal opinion this is the worst design for a sand scoop, When I hit a target and pull out a coin I get a lovely scratch on them... because of its protuberant opening and yes I'm willing to give it away to any visiting my country

Crumble · Jul 5, 2011

wildman4910 said:
I would not want to see a 30 min start w/straight sheet to finish welded scoop, that would be bad!

And the cost of the above machine and the cost of running them + metal + consumables add up real quick.

Not trying to start an argument here but cost add's up fast the more that's done to it and you got to make a buck to stay in business.

Most fab shops charge $60~$90hr in labor + materials.

Custom fab shop =/= small business pushing out the same item over and over.

Ya, if the scoop maker bought the cnc and does everything themselves, then that could justify the cost. I'm sure most of them send a cad drawing off to their stainless/aluminum supplier, pay a few dollars more, and have the metal cut/drilled before they even get it. Then they just have to bend and weld, easy 30 minute job. Would be much easier to make them that way, for the scoop maker, but now wouldn't justify the $150 cost...

They want us to believe that they are doing all the drilling/cutting/etc themselves, but I doubt that is the case. From a business standpoint, it makes more sense to pay a few dollars more, and get your steel supplier to cut/drill it for you, so you dont have to fork over $10,000 for a cnc machine/plasma cutter/etc. that can work stainless.

I would never consider paying $150 for a shovel head, rake head, etc.

Simple fact is the scoop makers hold an Oligopoly on this niche market, and they can charge whatever they want, so they charge the most that we are willing pay, the price has little to do with the ammount of work involved in making them.

But then again, there are only so many people who are going to buy a water scoop (small niche market), and the scoop makers have to eat also. I just think around $100 for the top of the line scoops would be a far more reasonable price.

goodmore · Jul 5, 2011

A good scoop is just as important as the detector. I bought a cheaper model scoop and went on a hunt with it. Bent the handle on the second dig of the day. Lucky for me I was able to finish the day with it before it went in the trash. Being that I drove 2 1/2 hrs for the hunt.

I also bought another scoop that is just too heavy to lug around a hot beach. It seriously cut down on my detecting time. Now it is in the corner of my garage until I die.

Stick with a known vendor on the scoops just like a detector. Read the reviews. Ask questions.

A bad scoop makes a miserable hunt!

And if you are going in the water put a lanyard on your scoop. You never know when mother nature might take a fancy to it.

I also put bed liner spray on the handle. It cuts down on the black aluminum wearing off on your hands.

I'll never own another cheaply made scoop. Good scoops are designed by trial and error.

Cfmct · Jul 5, 2011

Aka Nameless said:
Seriously, water scoop prices are ridiculous. Its maybe $20 in material, and 30 minutes of work (if you have the tools/cnc/welder) to make one just like the top of the line ones, and they charge $150?!

If you are going to make one yourself it will take a lot longer, but the companies that make them, have cnc machines, templates, and everything... they can push them out in no time.

Hell, I'm sure most of these companies get their stainless/aluminum pre-drilled, so they just have to bend and weld.

/rant off

With that said, the top of the line scoops are nice, and perfect for what we need them for. The price is just crazy. Oligopoly is fun!

Why stop at scoops? How much material goes into making one of our metal detectors? but the bottom line is 1 find can pay for your investment correct?

I have paid for my $600 DF over and over again same goes for the scoop...

Crumble · Jul 5, 2011

Cfmct-PI said:
Why stop at scoops? How much material goes into making one of our metal detectors? but the bottom line is 1 find can pay for your investment correct?

I have paid for my $600 DF over and over again same goes for the scoop...

Well, with that thinking, a $5 gold pan should sell for $100, easy! :lol:

I know the water scoop prices being high is how it has to be, a water scoop maker is only going to sell so many scoops, not many water detectorists in this world. So they charge more so the business is worth while.

$150 for something that should be $100 is just hard to swallow...

HEM · Jul 5, 2011

Well we all know how difficult it is these days to save some money, in fact I'm still saving to buy an excalibur II... and still Cfmct-PI is right.

I think that when I'll have some spare time I going to build a few scoop using only what I can gather around me ( I'll try to keep those project unplug) and I really think that it will be a very interesting experience to share we you all.

Cfmct · Jul 5, 2011

Aka Nameless said:
Well, with that thinking, a $5 gold pan should sell for $100, easy!

I know the water scoop prices being high is how it has to be, a water scoop maker is only going to sell so many scoops, not many water detectorists in this world. So they charge more so the business is worth while.

$150 for something that should be $100 is just hard to swallow...

As long as people are willing to pay these high prices for our hobby we will not see lower prices...

I know a dealer who is selling a ton of scoops... someone is buying them and I hope they aren't from connecticut

Shall we start a boycott? :lol:

dogpound · Jul 8, 2011

i just added a quik fix to my scoop, i didn't have the extra mid level grip on my scoop and found out very quickly it was a pain to shake out the sand so i ordered one of these http://www.backsavergrip.com/ this also has a lifetime warrenty

Crumble · Jul 8, 2011

Went to home depot and lowes today, trying to find one of those backsavergrips, didn't have any, I should have thought of walmart...

Sand Scoop Help please,,

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