Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Amarda, glade you found us and we're happy to have you. Yes I can understand how winds and close proximity to pubs can tend to slow a nautical search. We had a lot of problems with wind (hurricanes) this year.
Do to gas prices we reduced in size also, from a 28ft with a big old 454 down to my other boat a 23ft with a 4.3, GMC V6. Lot cheap on gas while pulling a magnetometer. I still like using tanks since my air is free and we have so many tanks. I also like the freedom of not be tied to the boat by an air hose.
Keep us posted on you activities. Also tell us a little more about your equipment you use. Where will you be doing the gold panning ?
 

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Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

HJOLA:
Just? a side remark on using a refrigerator compressor for diving air, remember it was never meant for clean air and circulates oil with the refrigerant? to keep the sytem lubricated.? The last thing that you want in your air is oil, even with the best of oil separators.

Use it for your tires , painting system, etc., but,? "not" for breathing air.? OIl vapor and lungs just are not compatable, especially under pressure.

There are plent of diaphram compressors of low price that work nicely down to 100 ft for one diver, and prob are cheaper in the long run compared to "adapting" a frig? compressor with oil fiolters, etc..
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

RealdeTayopa , guess I must have missed something some where. Who was using refrigerator compressor for diving air ? I think we were looking at compressors for sand removal.
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Hello Charles,

Amarda2 again.
Just to give you a bit more info on our methods. The wreck site was fairly well known and only just off-shore. It was an iron ship with both sail and steam power (a very short lived conbination), coming back from Liverpool from the Australian gold fields in 1859.

The site has had salvage attempts vertually from day one, firstly by Victorian hard hat divers and then in the 70's and 80's by various people using modern methods. The treasure consited of gold, bars, nuggets, coins and gold dust!

Our method was to blow a hole with the boat, kit up and see what was there. There was a clay layer about 10' below the loose sand. We found that even after blowing all the sand away the nuggets, coins and even the gold dust were still on the clay bed.

The world gold panning championships were held in Slovakia this year (my wife came 6th in the lady's beginners. Next year the world championships are going to be held in South Africa and the European champoinships in Spain. Will post more info and picturs if anyone is interested.

Cheers Charlie
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Regarding sand removal:
1) Depth of water you are working in.
2) Type of sand (i.e texture ,grain size is not too important unless way out of normal spectrum, consistancy is it mud like or loose)
3) Depth of overburden you wish to remove
4) Size of vessel (you have stated 24-28 ft)
5) Power available (would you be using a gas driven engine, diesal, hydraulic etc)
6) Area to be cleared approx
7) Is this a systematic cleaning from one area to another or just inspection holes
8) Do you need to keep it open .i.e prevent backfill (or reduce irt at least)
9) Tidal or currents you can use these to your advantage (viz assistance in displacing removed overburden) or disadvantage usually if not taken into consideration (backfill almost as soon as you stop operations)

Answer what you can and I will try to assist
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

I like the idea of using Mailboxes. That is redirecting the current from the props downward to blow a hole in the sand. I've read about these being used quite a bit. Sure, it stirs up a lot of much.. But I wouldn't think it would take long for the water to clear.

Another system I saw used once, was where they basically vacuumed everything up and it ended up on the deck of the boat where it was sorted.. I think this is a little different that just sucking sand out of the way. But pretty neat too... I wish I knew what they called that techique.

Garrett
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Garrett, check out the below web site let me know what you think. Also got to be careful with the mail box there may be environmental restriction in your area. Did you finish ROV book ?
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Awesome... Do you have pictures of yours?

I LOVE PVC pipe. I've used it over the years to make many things.

I suppose some type of wire-mesh filter on the other end of the exaust pipe would catch any smaller items...


As far as the ROV book -- Yes! I've read it and am excited to build one. As soon as I get the garage cleaned out and get a workbench set-up I'll be ready.

My wife just delivered our baby girl on Monday night so I'm having fun with the little one!
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Well congratulations Dad. You didn't tell me you all (aka yall) were expecting.

I'll get out to the shed where it is hanging as soon as some of this Christmas company slacks off and take a picture and send you.
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Thanks for the Congrats!

I look forward to the picture -- whenever you have time.

Have a happy holidays.
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Desertdigger !
? ? You are "Redeemded"
AND! AS FOR THE REST OF YOU GUYS....? :-[ :-[
BOY!
? >:( You guys are making me feel like an Old Geezer!? :P
Desertdigger, Sept.12, '04 @8:29:48, made the comment about getting
? ? >:( "Oxygen Poisoning"? ?>:(?? ( at depths in excess of 33 feet, aka 1 atmosphere) !
Have any of you youngsters ever heard of an? ?" Oxygen Rebreather "? ?
? ???? ? Can anyone guess what kind of problem you would have, using one, at depths below 33' ?? ????
Check it out!
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

To All:

Navy divers have oxygen tolerance limit testing to determine what your maximum depth for oxygen is. Master navy divers have to be able to breathe pure oxygen at 90fws without any adverse effects. Once your individual oxygen limit is known it goes in your diving record. When you are doing deep dives or extended dives your oxygen limit is the depth pure oxygen can be administered as the breathing medium in decompression. The quicker the diver can be put on oxygen the shorter the decompression time. These are called surface decompression using oxygen dives.

However when using a rebreather that only has oxygen, diving at 90fws is not recommended as everyone has dfferent limits. Therefore shallow dives up to one atmosphere are OK.

CAUTION - Using an oxygen rebreather is totally different than using SCUBA. There are many
things that must be adheard to so as not to kill yourself breathing the gas that is in the breathing
bag thinking it is oxygen when it could only be NITROGEN. Adios

Dinkydick
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Ya, theres nothing like a grain or two of caustic soda in your suit, to ruin your whole day.. In your lungs, it'll ruin your whole life.. If your building a compressor from 'junque' you need a standard of at least 4cfm 'at depth', and a good air purification system (not just a flow through tube of charcoal)..Time to dig out the old diving physics book and brush up on your V1 P1 T1 over V2 P2 T2... Hi Dinkydick nice to meet another old working diver here....
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Charles said:
has anyone built an air lift or other sand moving equipment ? If so got any plains you want to share of do's and don'ts of DIY on these items. ?? ;D
Click to expand...


I don't know where you all got the idea I was looking to build a unit for breathing air. This was soppose to be about building an AIR LIFT for moving sand.
If I want a Hookah unit (which I don't) I would build one from the book I purchased 6 years ago. I sure as he// am not planing nor ever plan to use a rebreather.
If you need assistance on rebreathers or Hookah units you can visit one of the forums I go to daily listed below.
http://www.scubaboard.com/search.php?searchid=1023401
http://www.scubaboard.com/search.php?searchid=1023423&pp=25&page=2
I have a number of other web sites if you need more assistance.
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Charles:

The information contained in my post of November 01, 2004 was in answer to your building an air lift.

An airlift requires volume not pressure to work. By using a vacuum pump (in reverse) as an air compressor
you can obtain large volumes of air with small mechanical devices. Case in point, what do you think a super charger delivers in volume at low pressure? Take a look at a rotary screw compressor. These are realitivity small units with large engines.

The airlift I built has a vaccum pump which is about 6-inches in diameter and 8-inches long and it supplies
enough air to run a 4-inch airlift. It's very small for the work it does. You can put it anywhere even use it on jon boats.

What are your requirements for your airlift? They are very easy to build. Although large airlifts (12-inches
in diameter) do require a large volume compressor. I recently ran a 12-inch aitlift. It was powered by a
800cfm compressor. I am sure you don't need one that big as it took a track hoe (or crane) just to lift the 12-inch steel pipe which was 20-feet long. It did however move some dirt.

Small airlifts of 6 to 8-inches require a 250cfm machine.

If you are really interested in build one please supply me with your requirements and I will give you a bunch of tricks and help. HH

Dinkydick
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Interesting post here, can you guys help me with this dilemma? I'm trying to recover some coins from an old well. Well is in a remote location, full of water...about 25 feet. How the heck can I recover them? Currently I am limited to carrying in equipment..no ATV allowed. Of course, no electricity there either. Entering the well is out of the question. I'm certain there will be sediment/rock on the well bottom.

Anything in the marketplace that is portable, lightweight, battery or gas powered capable of pushing material 25 feet?
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

You say the well is 25 feet deep, Correct? How deep is the top of water level in the well to the ground level? Is there a wall built around the well above the ground? How high is it?

If the level of water in the well is close to the surface you can use a small airlift. I have ran them off of SCUBA bottles which you can carry in. But, they don't last too long.
(I got to go out and take a pic of the one I built from a vacuum pump).

I await your replies

Dinkydick
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

Thanks for the reply! Distance from top of water to the ground is about three feet, nothing above the ground (top of well is flush with the ground). In regard to the airlift you recommend, are they commercially available or will I need to make one? Pictures would be cool!
 

Re: Shipwreck sand moving tools air/water ??

An airlift is nothing but a piece of pipe with a air flow into the bottom end.. As the air rises up the pipe it creates a vacuum and sucks up everything that will fit up the pipe.. 28' of 2.5" PVC would not be hard to handle, and air can be supplied with a small compressor or scuba tank from the surface down a hose.. The 28' length would allow the end to fire the stuff coming up from the bottom onto the ground behind you, or into a sieve.. A 2.5 inch diameter bubble going up the pipe will give you a Fair bit of suction...
 

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