Do you really need a 150 dollar scoop?

[Sd2369]

I built my own scoop. Went to a flea market bought a stainless steel 3 qt pan for 10 then found a shovel on clearence for 6. Cut the head off the shovel used u bolts to connect the two with a lot of holes = a scoop that works. I have used it in water and on beach lots of digging so far.

 

[Weezbad]

I built my own scoop. Went to a flea market bought a stainless steel 3 qt pan for 10 then found a shovel on clearence for 6. Cut the head off the shovel used u bolts to connect the two with a lot of holes = a scoop that works. I have used it in water and on beach lots of digging so far.

how about a pict or twelve.. i love to make stuff.

 

[Grace O'Malley]

Yes.

My homemade aluminum flour sifter on a pole attempt disintegrated on my first trip to the beach. At least 14 gauge welded steel is the only way to go. I got mine on amazon for $79 and it even has a longer handle attachment.

 

[Crumble]

I just dig with my hands...

Works for me!

 

[Weezbad]

I just dig with my hands...

Works for me!

wow, RA?

 

[Dirtfishin]

No to the Home depot Question. And yes to needing a factory sand scoop, you might be able to one a little cheaper. Don't waste the time and money trying to make one unless you can weld.

 

[pryan67]

well, if I could get a drawing of one (mechanical drawing that is...) I could have a friend make one...but again, it may not be worth the trouble....although it would be free to me...it would be a lot of work for someone

 

[digitall]

Easy to make your own

Build your own Stainless Steel sand scoop and save some $

First make your pattern out of tag board and tape it together so you can see the
actual size and shape you want. Easy to cut and trim this paper for a good fit, you
only get one shot when you cut SS and no trimming.

Material used:
1. 1ft x 2ft -14 gauge low quality SS plate (most sand scoops on internet are made with 14 gauge)
2. 1 ½ inch diameter, 8 inch long SS tube (70 degree cut for angle)
3. Post hole digger wood handle from Home Depot

Tools used:
1. Sawzall with metal blade
2. Drill press.
3. Clamp on (angle-iron) for cutting guide
4. Iron file for smoothing edges
5. Center punch
6. Belt sander for sizing handle to fit.

Drill your holes on the flat SS plate before bending it. Used a smaller bit for a pilot hole and then your final bit size for final cut. Ream holes on each side to remove burrs. Use oil to save your bit. Draw your hole patterns on your tag board pattern and then center punch these holes on your SS plate.
Back plate: Do your bends in the SS plate before cutting the back plate to get a good fit. Welders like even seams and no gaps.
Handle tube: Make a cut lengthwise so it will expand to receive the wood handle and clamp down when the bolts are tightened. Used a belt sander clamped in a vise to size the wood handle to fit the SS tube.

Welding shop will do the bends for you with a metal brake. Do not try to bend without a metal brake!!!!!!!! This is tough stuff.

Cost:
Metal $18.00
Wood handle from Home Depot 9.50
2 SS bolts for handle 4.50
Welding shop 25.00 (cheapest I could find, most wanted $60 or $70) good clean fit with no gaps makes a difference
TOTAL $57.00

Top piece: 7 in. wide x 6 inches(fits inside bottom piece) easier to weld that way
Bottom piece: 11 in. long at peak-10 in. at first angle cut-14 in. wide with bends at every 3.5 in. Increase side pieces to 4 or 4.5 inches for bigger sand bite-for strong men.
Back piece: 7 1/8 in. wide- 3 7/8 in. at deepest( kept small to reduce wt) Total wt is 5 lbs including the handle.

PS: If I was doing it again I might use two braces, one from each back corner and angle up to the SS tube-just a thought. But it adds weight.

 

[digitall]

Picture of complete scoop

Scoop with the handle.

 

[CanSlaw]

Build your own Stainless Steel sand scoop and save some $

First make your pattern out of tag board and tape it together so you can see the
actual size and shape you want. Easy to cut and trim this paper for a good fit, you
only get one shot when you cut SS and no trimming.

Material used:
1. 1ft x 2ft -14 gauge low quality SS plate (most sand scoops on internet are made with 14 gauge)
2. 1 ½ inch diameter, 8 inch long SS tube (70 degree cut for angle)
3. Post hole digger wood handle from Home Depot

Tools used:
1. Sawzall with metal blade
2. Drill press.
3. Clamp on (angle-iron) for cutting guide
4. Iron file for smoothing edges
5. Center punch
6. Belt sander for sizing handle to fit.

Drill your holes on the flat SS plate before bending it. Used a smaller bit for a pilot hole and then your final bit size for final cut. Ream holes on each side to remove burrs. Use oil to save your bit. Draw your hole patterns on your tag board pattern and then center punch these holes on your SS plate.
Back plate: Do your bends in the SS plate before cutting the back plate to get a good fit. Welders like even seams and no gaps.
Handle tube: Make a cut lengthwise so it will expand to receive the wood handle and clamp down when the bolts are tightened. Used a belt sander clamped in a vise to size the wood handle to fit the SS tube.

Welding shop will do the bends for you with a metal brake. Do not try to bend without a metal brake!!!!!!!! This is tough stuff.

Cost:
Metal $18.00
Wood handle from Home Depot 9.50
2 SS bolts for handle 4.50
Welding shop 25.00 (cheapest I could find, most wanted $60 or $70) good clean fit with no gaps makes a difference
TOTAL $57.00

Top piece: 7 in. wide x 6 inches(fits inside bottom piece) easier to weld that way
Bottom piece: 11 in. long at peak-10 in. at first angle cut-14 in. wide with bends at every 3.5 in. Increase side pieces to 4 or 4.5 inches for bigger sand bite-for strong men.
Back piece: 7 1/8 in. wide- 3 7/8 in. at deepest( kept small to reduce wt) Total wt is 5 lbs including the handle.

PS: If I was doing it again I might use two braces, one from each back corner and angle up to the SS tube-just a thought. But it adds weight.

Very nice job, but the time involved in making it and running around shopping for material and best price for welding......was it worth a $100.?

 

[Weezbad]

Scoop with the handle.

great scoop.

drilling- what did you use to drill the holes? Unibit? how many did it take?

cutting- i have a plasma cutter but the finished product is very rough. I could likely get the local tech school to weld it for free.Any time i have cut stainless it has killed my blade. (Low speed)

 

[icurabeachguy]

I use a RTG stainless hand scoop and it has been worth every penny I paid. granted, I snorkel detect one hundred percent of the time. btw, nice scoop digitall!

 

[digitall]

When you are retired and snowed in, making this scoop sure beats sitting on your butt or watching TV.
Used a regular metal bit for drilling, 1/4 inch for pilot hole and 1/2 inch for the final hole. Drilling a pilot hole makes for a clean round hole and keeps the heat generated down. Use oil and a slow speed and these two drill bits will do the job.
May add a foot plate to the rear. Any more ideas on how to improve this thing?
Weak point on this scoop is the brace and handle design, it will not lift a car-will have to use and see how it stands up.

 

[Jason in Enid]

That looks like a heavy dry sand scoop. That handle will snap if you use it in the surf. Scoop looks nice, just need to lose the wood.

 

[ohiochris]

I dont have experience with scoops , but I have metal fabrication and welding experience. Looks to me like if you already have the materials or can get them super cheap , you could design and build one yourself for less than $150 and it could be as good or better than buying one , IF you know what you are doing that is. But for most people , trying to save money and frankenstein one together out of odds and ends on the cheap will probably just result in it falling apart. People usually dont factor in just how much stress and abuse one of those could take going through the sand multiple times.

 

[Michaeltime]

From the way I get it the long handled scoops are expensive, unless your going to modify a short one.
M6 Mike
Does seem kind of crazy $30 for a hand one and $150 for a long handled one.

 

[Jason in Enid]

From the way I get it the long handled scoops are expensive, unless your going to modify a short one.
M6 Mike
Does seem kind of crazy $30 for a hand one and $150 for a long handled one.

There is a whole world of difference in materials and construction between those two levels of beach digger.

 

[Weezbad]

When you are retired and snowed in, making this scoop sure beats sitting on your butt or watching TV.
Used a regular metal bit for drilling, 1/4 inch for pilot hole and 1/2 inch for the final hole. Drilling a pilot hole makes for a clean round hole and keeps the heat generated down. Use oil and a slow speed and these two drill bits will do the job.
May add a foot plate to the rear. Any more ideas on how to improve this thing?
Weak point on this scoop is the brace and handle design, it will not lift a car-will have to use and see how it stands up.

i dont know other than the foot plate and bracing you mentioned.. i like an assortment of scoops. In hard sand clay the smaller the scoop will be easier to dig with. BUT if you are gonna make another one i would put a longer and more pointed tip for that hard dirt/clay. You may even want to make the same scoop but larger for the average beach sand... Quite frankly the one you made looks as good as any and if used properly should last a lifetime IMHO. aluminum scoops will not stand up to what i do to them.

I simply like to make stuff. the only reason I have not made stainless scoops because stainless is hard to work with and I don't have a tig rig. But you make it look and sound easy.;-)