I keep snapping scoop handles... why?

[catamount]

I'm having a string of bad luck with scoop handles on my Stealth. I am not a large person, 5'11 and about 170 lbs. I don't unga bunga on the handle but I do like to get as much material as I can... isn't that the point?

I'm on my third handle in about 1 month of scooping. And not much scooping, either. Maybe 10 hours total.

The most disappointing break was yesterday, when the handle snapped on my 2nd scoop! I had broken one on Friday, went out with a new one on Saturday and on literally my second scoop with this brand new handle I heard a snap and I was out of commission.

I'm on my last handle and I've got a crack forming. I've put a couple of hose clamps on there in an effort to get a little more time out of it but I'm nervous while digging now.

I like to get a lot of material at once, but now I'm treating this thing like a china doll for fear of snapping my last handle. Do you guys dig gingerly? I'm wondering if I need to change my approach, or take much smaller bites. I certainly can't afford to buy new handles once a week.

 

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[romanf]

That makes a lot of sense, not to attempt to take too much in one scoop. Could explain why some handles break and others have had them for years with no issue. Perhaps it would be good if the scoop makers put a video on their website of how to best use the scoop. I am sure I for one would learn something I did not know about.

We went to fiberglass HOE handles that are about $12 at tractor supply. Then add a hard wood dowel inside. Havent had one break since.... plus we learned NOT to try and bury that 14" scoop by going straight down and trying to move that much material. My buddy broke 2 handles and bent the back of his scoop twice before he learned how to use that monster.

Dew

 

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[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Way to go, Chuck! As always, Sunspot stands behind their products.

Wayne

Metal Detector Sales and Rentals | Fisher, Garrett, Minelab, Lesche and DetectorPro

 

[baywalker]

The ubolts are what brakes the handle put a peace of stainless pipe on the handle about 8 " up then bolt to scoop.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

I will keep that in mind when I only have one chance to retrieve a deep target which is being sucked down (Not). Discipline and common sense (which is actually uncommon) go out the window when you only have one shot at it!

One should master using one's scoop in dry sand, where the amount you take in one scoop is not critical, before moving on to the wet sand and shallow water.

My opinion is that practice is more important than eye candy.

That makes a lot of sense, not to attempt to take too much in one scoop. Could explain why some handles break and others have had them for years with no issue. Perhaps it would be good if the scoop makers put a video on their website of how to best use the scoop. I am sure I for one would learn something I did not know about.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Gala Glad is correct, when your hunting in the surf you only have the interval between waves/swells to recover a deep target, I take as big a scoop as possible and the Beach Brute II takes big bites...

 

[catamount]

The ubolts are what brakes the handle put a peace of stainless pipe on the handle about 8 " up then bolt to scoop.

Again, this is not possible. There is absolutely no room for a stainless pipe with an ID of 1-3/8, at least with the existing hardware. You'd have to seriously modify the mount to allow for a sleeve over the handle. There are far too many better suggestions here than to do any of that.

 

[ColonelDan]

I have the same set up..720i with wooden handle and have had no problems. I too take big scoops but I don't try to pry the full bucket in one powerful pull. I rock the handle a little at a time until the bucket frees up and can be lifted without strain on the part of the handle where it meets the u bolt assembly.

 

[general]

I have stealth 720i and have had no problems so far. I think I will check with Chuck to see if I can get another handle very soon as a backup. I am very happy with this scoop and like it more than my RTG.

 

[Sandigger2]

I have a 720i and haven't had a problem yet. Don't try to lift full scoop without rocking it and also use Chucks handle to aid in lifting rather than putting all the stress on the attachment point. YMMV.

 

[Chuck-N-Detroit]

You do not have to Baby the wood handle!

I have a 720i and haven't had a problem yet. Don't try to lift full scoop without rocking it and also use Chucks handle to aid in lifting rather than putting all the stress on the attachment point. YMMV.

There have been many comments about taking it easy with a wood handle.

Please ignore

First off, this problem is not the norm

Second, just do it.

Anything can fail and having a back up is the way to go.

I have said before that in the 80's I cleaned out Germany and did not take a back up detector. What a fool I was (but I could not afford a second detector). I think differently now.

Chuck

 

[fongu]

Hope you get your problem taken care of. I use my scoop at the local river and some swimming holes and mostly deal with wet sand but some of the old creeks and swimming holes have some mud in them that is pretty tough. I put the tip down and push in and rock back, push in and pull back until I get to the depth I think the target is. I have dug down to 12 inches to recover a target and lifted a full scoop full of mussel shells and lots of rocks closer to shore, but have never had a problem with my scoop handle. Nothing has come lose since I put it together in November of 2012. When I emailed Chuck about buying his scoop in 2012, I planned to get my own handle at the local hardware store and fix it myself. I had already told him I didn't have long to detect this area at the river because the water would be coming back up and had been down 2 weeks before I got there. I was using a land detector where the water had drained and he advised me to go ahead and buy a wood handle from him instead of spending time I could be detecting trying to fit a handle from some store. Great advice and I found quite a few items that year and bought an at/Pro so I could water detect in deeper water and I've never had any problems at all. Chuck takes care of his customers and will make every effort to not only be honest with you but satisfy you with any problems. His response to this post proves that. GL & HH. I've never had the opportunity to detect in the ocean yet and didn't realize the time situation and the waves were so crucial to recovering your targets.