Fossicking Tool Kit

[calxoddity]

Hi, Y'all!

Whilst my day job's keeping me occupied, I've been asked about some of the tools I use to fossick with.  Rather than rattle of a boring list, here are some of the surprisingly useful items I've stumbled across:

1.  Custom made 17" sieve shaker - reo rod, sharpened at one end, sieve bracket sits on top, shakes the crap out of soil and sand - a must-have for getting jellybeans at Stannifer and working any loose soil or sand.  Made by Dave Innes at Innes Engineering, Inverell - he charged me $80, but that was a few years ago.

2.  Soil scoop - like a flour or sugar scoop only bugger and stronger.  great when you're down a hole and you can't swing a shovel but still want to move small to medium amounts of material.

3.  Yabbie pump - John P from Glen Innes put me onto this, when I saw how easy it was to exploit the crevices of Yarrow creek compared to me trying to do the same by hand and feel.  Works great in deeper crevices where you don't really want to be snorkeling.... 

4.  Toilet brush - stiff bristles and strong handle is good for when you're trying to see into a vugh or crevice without damaging the crystals.  Moves the grunge out of the way for you to see the shiny bits so you can decide whether to damage it for real by attempting removal....

Anyhow, work beckons - they pay the bills *sigh*

Regards,
Shane

[mehoose]

Thanks Shane,
Now back to it.

[lanchie76]

 haha you forgot the most important one Shane. a must is an ignorant friend that thinks hes strong and doesn't know how sore you get from swinging a shovel and pick all day   and when you run out of friends invite 2 and get the competition between them happening.


Ben

[Barrett]

so that is the sapphire tool kit for down there..pretty cool..got two uses for the toilet brush..love it

[mehoose]

Heh, he's probably got a third use when camping.

[calxoddity]

yeah - scrubbing the scrambled egg remnants out of the frying pan!!!

[mehoose]

haha, make it 4.

[geriatricgipsy]

Shane,   I use your drieve sieve shaker stand method, but found that in sandy soil it has a tendency to dig itself into the ground.  I made a 15cm square steel plate and welded a bit of water pipe to the centre.  I then drilled a hole in one corner of the plate and tied two metres of rope to it.  You dig a hole, place the plate in the bottom, put your shaker rod into the water pipe and then bury it so that your pole remains upright, leaving the rope laid out along the ground.  The shaker will remain stable all day, and when you are finished, follow the rope back to your now well-buried bracket.  luv & kisses, Patrick

[calxoddity]

Patrick,
   Yes - the sandy soil can be problematic. I found that if I stamp the sand a couple of times the rod will disappear slow enough that I can give it a little tug at the end of each shake and keep it at the right level.  Saves me having to dig anything out at the end.

Regards,
Shane

[soccermum]

calxoddity I can't believe that you left out a bottle of Chardonnay for at the end of the day in your tool kit...priorities man!

[calxoddity]

Chardonnay?  Real fossickers drink red.   Pass the shiraz please. 

[soccermum]

HA! Shiraz...merlot thank you very much...Shiraz is too full of preservatives!

[fossickeract]

Naw snob fossickers Whats wrong with a cold beer, like a Pure Blonde  myself not that yu would have noticed

[mehoose]

Hehehe 

[calxoddity]

oooh!  I spot an urban legend in the making - shiraz has preservative and merlot not?  Please explain....