Photos of equipment made by or owned by members or the club

Please click on links below.

Images and accounts of relevant equipment made or owned by members or the club.

Reports on work in progress to improve this section

Currently focussing on fossicking sieve stands.

There is no particular type of fossicking sieve stand that is suitable for all conditions. When searching for specimens by walking to different areas and sampling then just a sieve, small shovel and a small pick is suitable. However also carrying a lightweight dry sieve fossicking stand is common.

When someone has found specimens then it is common for others to join in a few meters away and set up lightweight dry sieve fossicking stands straightaway.

If an extended amount of time is to be spent at some location then having a lightweight sieve stand is less of an issue than having a more efficient way to sieve, such as attempting to use a sieve with water.

Bill Reece

Bill Reece is a highly experienced fossicker. The club thanks Bill for allowing his equipment to be photographed and examined. Please click on images to enlarge Fossicking Stand Based on Bill’s experience in fossicking, he had this stand made for him. Your first reaction is that this portable and collapsible stand with sieve is not made to be shaken like a normal sieve. You are right. Bill revealed a totally unexpected detail.

Fossicking Stand Photography and Measurement Day

Members who showed stands Ken Vaughan Tim Franklin John Heenan Club Stands All stands On 12 September 2020 Ken Vaughan, Tim Franklin and John Heenan brought in fossicking stands and a willoughby for photography and measurement as well as for examination and questions by members. The club stands and sieves were also displayed. John Heenan wrote this report and updated information in links. Members who showed stands Ken Vaughan Ken kindly allowed his ultra lightweight and portable fossicking stand to be photographed and examined in detail.

Allen Gale

Wooden Framed Double Rectangular Sieve Set with Stand Cropping from a photograph in May 2017 issue of club newsletter taken during a fossicking trip to Mt Gibson in April. Wooden framed sieve stand set with Allan Gale holding top 3⁄4 inch mesh sieve on left and Trevor Hannam placing bottom sieve 3⁄8 inch mesh on stand There is a club report on the trip.

Club Stands and Sieves

Water capable sieve stand Water capable stand fabricated by Damian Stands Tim Franklin arranged for the stands below to be fabricated by a boilermaker. 2 stands for large (17 inch) sieves 1 stand for a small (12 inch) sieve 3 poles 1.3 meters Sieves and Pans 4 large (17 inch) fossicking sieves - 2 x 1⁄8 inch, 1 x 1⁄4 inch, 1 x 1⁄3 inch 3 small (12 inch) fossicking sieves - 1 x 1⁄8 inch, 2 x 1⁄4 inch 1 garden sieve (14 inch) 3 plastic pans with riffles 2 metal pans Donated to club Sieve set donated to club by Trevor Hannam.

Tim Franklin

Fossicking Stand The sloping sieve box stand with two mesh layers was originally made and owned by John and Val Evans. Willoughby A willoughby, as used in areas such as the Central Queensland gemfields (including Emerald/Anakie/Rubyvale). The arm was replaced and Tim states it needs to be shortened

Trevor Hannam

Replica of 1788 hand cranked faceting machine Replica of 1788 hand cranked faceting machine Sieve Set On 19 September 2020 Trevor kindly donated to the club a two mesh layer wooden framed fossicking sieve set similar to Allen Gale’s. The sieve set will fit into a stand for 17 inch (430 mm) sieves. Currently only images and a description of parts with measurements is provided.

Damian De Sabbata

Tripod Fossicking Stand with water capability. Thanks Design Images Portability Construction Characteristics Design Principle Water-sieiving vs Dry-sieving Field Test Tripod Fossicking Stand with water capability. Made by Damian De Sabbata. Owned by the club. Field tested by John and Isabella Heenan Thanks The club is extremely grateful to Damian for making the tripod sieve stand upon request by the club Design The stand is based on a popular design once used in parts of QLD and for which there is no known documentation or images.

Ken Vaughan

Ken Vaughan’s Fossicking Stand Stand Setup 3D Modelled Parts Stand Disassembled Stand Parts 3D Modelled Parts Other Parts Construction Notes Differences With 3D Model Version Ken Vaughan’s Fossicking Stand Made and owned by Ken Vaughan. Photographs taken and measurements made on 12 September 2020 at CMLC by John Heenan. This is a particularly lightweight and convenient folding sieve stand that is easy to construct with inexpensive tools.

Craig Walker

Image of aluminium sieve stand top, lightweight and foldable Made by Craig Walker. Owned by Craig and Peggy Walker The bottom image shows the sieve stand disassembled with a standard steel tent pole There are two standard sieve sizes, 33 cm and 45 cm. The sieve stand is for 45 cm sieves. The parts are: Two lengths of vice folded flat bed aluminium (5 mm thick, 25mm wide), horizontal length 44 cm, side vertical lengths 8 cm and slightly over 90 degrees from horizontal.