Sifting Box/Table

[fuzymunky]

Has anyone here ever built their own sifting 'paraphernalia'? I'm on a spot that has a few areas of about 3x5 yard patches of sandy, rocky material that has a high concentration of iron (square nails, etc) but has also produced gold eagle buttons, crossed rifle/sword/cannon pins, coins...you name it.

I've been hit or miss on these patches with the DFX-300 (more miss than hit ) and I know for a fact that all it would take is a simple sifting option for the first few inches of these spots to turn out some decent stuff.

Just looking for anyone that may have some experience with constructing something like this that would take at most: one shovel-full at a time of soil containing rocks no bigger than golf ball size.

As always, I certainly appreciate any help.

 

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[Sandman]

I have used a sifting table before at one site and did well, but I thought it was more like work and I preferred to use detector. good luck.

 

[GatorBoy]

I've sifted many times and made many screens ..I like to be very portable and light weight since I hike into many places. I make mine with hardware screen and one by twos.
I just screw two frames together ...cut screen to fit between them and screw them together.

 

[GatorBoy]

I make ones that float for fossil hunting also


You might also want to try raking out an area and dragging a good magnet through it

 

[Diver_Down]

I've used sifting boxes like GatorBoy described above. In one instance at a Seminole War campsite, I had hit upon a large concentration of targets. It turns out it was a cook site with bottle shards that would have been missed if I only relied on my detector. I unearthed some fire brick that would have been missed and forgotten.

Another instance, is a location that restricts metal detecting. They have no problem with people digging so when the conditions are right, I dig and sift.

 

[GatorBoy]

You can't find pipes with a detector either.

 

[MuckyBottles]

Here here for the sifting boxes. .you get quadruple the finds vs your machine

 

[GatorBoy]

For sure

 

[MuckyBottles]

Lol that's not fair man, sharks teeth? Are they that abundant in florida? I'm going to visit the in laws inside Hillsborough County in a couple months, do you think it's worth it? Also, are you using quarter inch screen?

 

[GatorBoy]

Florida is loaded with fossils especially over that side look into the Peace River. You can use quarter inch screen or you can use 1/8 inch screen.
The Tampa area is loaded with fossils too.
If you like screening you will love this

 

[GatorBoy]

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Great Stuff Gatorboy....Man I really wish i was into relic hunting when i lived in Ft Myers, I never really paid attention to the history that surrounded me...I was too busy thinking i was going to be a Pro Skateboarder..lol

When i was in school, we would take trips to the Peace River to sift for sharks teeth...Never found any big ones like that, again, I was too "cool" for that sorta thing..lol

 

[MuckyBottles]

I love florida! !!

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I love florida! !!
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[GatorBoy]

I love FL too.. I could load up this thread with fishing pictures that's me surfing fishing relic hunting fossil hunting and artifact hunting.
It used to be we could collect artifacts from the waterways.. Now it has to be on private property with the landowner's written permission

 

[MuckyBottles]

We have here in my county a big time paleo - Indian site were all types of artifacts were found, also a snake shaped burial mound. Cool stuff

 

[GatorBoy]

I know all about Serpent Mound cool area