Wet Prospecting Shovels - information and questions

[20x]

Cheers fellas, I don't have the issue now but where I'm going next it will be..

 

[bumdags]

I have a trenching shovel with the gap at the back welded up for smaller crevices and a standard plumbing shovel(has a good point and a low a spot on it) for bigger areas

 

[limpalot]

I have an ordinary shovel and folded the sides up, like a trench shovel but wider. Works well.

 

[Mackka]

I use a pelican pick, nothing falls off and its a good amount of dirt.
Mackka

 

[SWright]

I use an ordinary shovel and lift slowly. works well. Any little bits that may fall off I get with a yabbie pump when finishing that spot.

 

[Edi]

I've often designed in my head a (preferably) two piece medium handle fiberglass shovel with ability to take a multitude of heads for various common prospecting applications from running up different width crevices to digging down deep trying to extract maximum material, perhaps with attachable wings above the blade to shield material from being swept off in a current. And everything in between...
Useful for snake handling also
I'm only into two piece as walking up the river with buckets on a backpack is one thing, doing with a shovel makes us look like pot growers where I am, heat I don't need

Sing out if anyone sees anything marketed like this. Obviously would have to very well made to be of any use.

Keen to see any pics of customized shovels for wet digging

 

[Macros78]

Does rock size play any role in determining whether you need to classify first (even with sandy gravels)? Or will decent water flow move rocks of all sizes?

 

[aussiefarmer]

Depends on your mat riffle set up really

 

[sam-u-al]

As an olde underground miner from West Coast Tasmania IN THE 1970S, I used, as all do still probably, PELICAN PICS in the stopes...
I am also a gardener, a garden /building designer, ex Lic carpenter.joiner.shop-fitter.forman on building sites, and been self employed for most of my life...
I bought the Bunnings/Cyclone Pelican Pick...
...what I found was that they are a little heavier than the mining ones we used, and from memory the older version was a tad longer and a little lighter... but then again, I am 4 decades older now... opps, make that 5 decades... lol...
I work still, doing garden maintenance, and have fixed a long handle on the present Pelican Pick... now it is heavy but also REALLY the best tool for most all jobs, as it has ...
1)… a very fine point for getting into very tiny channels etc, great for tiny weeds in cracks so would be a great crevice tool...
2)… scoops water,
3)… moves a large variety dirt horizontally quickly and leaves an almost perfect flat surface afterwards,
4)… moves water & dirt vertically when needed,
5)… can be used as a SCOOP using the back rounded end (the other end of the point) to clean out and make drains, AND, clears the meeting edges of a horizontal and vertical bank of dirt.,..
6)… and to make perfect drains when necessary...
...
Pragmatically the Pelican Pick is THE most versatile tool of its kind that I have ever met... and AS an antique dealer for a few decades, met lots of tool collection and resold them... and never found anything better...
...
I have the Bunnings/Cyclone model right next to me... and no, I do not take it to bed... lol... ha ha...
...
And I figure that;
It is probably made in Asia, as they have a tendency to use thicker steel (for whatever reason) than say Swedish tools... and the handle was absolute rubbish... even if it is an adze shape... it is a rubbish bit of paulownia...
...
What I felt was that: a lighter, slightly shorter version of the Bunnings/Cyclone version would be a most appropriate tool not only for the gardeners amongst us, but for miners as well... and wondered IF a smaller gardeners variety was available... but have not found one... and I did look at modifying the said one I have already... but decided it was much too heavy and maybe simply a waste of time... I will think on it some...

 

[Mackka]

I agree with you Sam. I have had my pelican pick for 30 years or more and used to take it everywhere. Mine has an adze handle in it and the shape of the handle just adds to the effectiveness of this tool.Mackka

 

[WalnLiz]

Great picks and the main choice for most of the underground sapphire miners. Move a lot of dirt very quickly with them. Pity there is not a lot more sellers around for them these days.

 

[Mackka]

Mine will never wear out (mainly due to lack of use ) because it is made from a plough sheer.

 

[Normanthehun]

I’ve got a pick that’s ultra reliable and I love. Over the 20 years I’ve had it, I’ve replaced the head twice and the handle three times but it never gives up and just keeps on going….. ;-)

 

[sam-u-al]

I’ve got a pick that’s ultra reliable and I love. Over the 20 years I’ve had it, I’ve replaced the head twice and the handle three times but it never gives up and just keeps on going….. ;-)

Mmm I have an antique axe over 150 years old now, and has had 5 handles and 6 heads... ahhh... the things we do.... lol

 

[sam-u-al]

I agree with you Sam. I have had my pelican pick for 30 years or more and used to take it everywhere. Mine has an adze handle in it and the shape of the handle just adds to the effectiveness of this tool.Mackka

Yes Mackka... yet, I would like to see an smaller lighter one made for gardeners etc... I may have to grind the one I have back a bit... as the one I have is rather heavy if carried a long way, so it is way NOT suitable for fossicking apart from when the vehicle is 100 feet aways... ... I do not mind using its long 2 metre handle in the garden due to its versatility and it leaves such a NEAT JOB every time effortlessly... Ilove it...but a smaller version Pelican Pick with a 500mm adze handle would be ideal... so I may just keep one for the garden and buy a new one from Bunnings and cut it back...(ha! The joys of good tools..)…and one can still buy new hardwood quartersawn adze handles if we search for one, even if they are costly...

 

[sand surfer]

check bunnings out sam ,cyclone make 2 sizes in pelican picks still ,(smaller and larger ones) bunnings sell the larger one, if bunnings are not interested in helping try (blackwoods, they are a tool, workclothing company) they used to have a shop here but they are on line only now ,you will only get a price from them if you open a account

 

[Rusty_G]

Saw this thread and thought I might add a little something.
I've been using for last 6 years or so the Bunning's sourced Trojan Plumbers shovel.
I got to say it might be fairly inexpensive at something like $45 currently, but I believe it still comes with a lifetime warranty.
I consider it the perfect size for shovelling for a full day. It is a fibreglass handle with the Shovel steel going a fair way into the handle. I have levered on it pretty dang hard and thought I better back off before breaking it...
Bbut as it gets older and the shovel handle down where the fibreglass meets the shovel gets worn down and the fibreglass gets more moisture into it, then that may be the limiter for it...

So I decided I would protect and strengthen a little the lower handle area. I wrapping it with PVC pipe and then used 3 clamps to hold it tight. The PVC can be easily replaced. After some 2 years the PVC has some wear but still going strong...the shovel handle has no wear at all!


Maybe this is an idea anyone with a fibreglass handle could use to strengthen their own shovel.
Hope your all having a good one.
Rusty

 

[David-Karratha]

The same type of shovel, must have done about half a million kms with me. Being older and wiser however, I try to use it as infrequently as possible. It’ll easily outlast me.
Something at least to bequeath to my offspring that might be useful. Not sure they’d know what it was though…