Homemade Probe

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lexdigger

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Alot of new diggers want to know where to get a probe. You can buy them but you can also make one. All you need is to find a good piece of spring steel. When I first got into bottle digging a fellow arrowhead hunter/bottle digger (Mike Dolcini) out in Cali. sent me my first probe. Since then I've copied it to make duplicates. The one he sent me is a five footer and I've made several four and six footers. I figured I'd share a few pics to give others ideas on how to put one together.

Here's a look at my typical gear for a day of bottle digging. Snacks, drinks, gloves, buckets & rope, long handled shovel, t handled shovel, a short shovel, probes, iron digger, scratching sticks, and a hand trowel.
julydigpit.jpg


My tip has a crayon shape to it and the bead is about an inch back. The bead was a nut that is welded on and ground down to the desired shape.
probeone.jpg


You don't want the tip to be too sharp. Mine has a flat spot ground down on it. You want the bead to have enough of a ledge on top to pull up a soil sample.
probethree.jpg


The handle is a piece of one in galvanized pipe (electrical conduit). You want to drill through and weld it on each end. It makes it good and sturdy. You also want to make sure to let it air cool and not dip it in water. Air cooling lets the steel temper while water cooling can make it brittle. If desired you can add some type of grips.
probetwo.jpg


Brazing is a little more expensive then welding but will hold up a little better. I used 5/8ths inch spring steel but you could use larger or smaller diameter depending on soil conditions. Remember, if you aren't abusing it you are not using it right!
 

sunrunner

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hay cris:you have a nice rig.were do you get your spring steel rod ? ,i get them out of old car trunks,,,,sunra
 

GuntherHess

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For safety sake I like them made with only one hole drilled in the handle (just welded on the bottom). I dont like the thought of the welds breaking and a spring steel rod going through my chest[:eek:]
 

lexdigger

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Actually, that is the purpose of the double weld. With a single weld you are relying on that one spot to hold the rod together. If it breaks or has a weakness it could come apart. It wouldn't take much for the handle to seperate from the rod and stab you in the neck. On a double weld you want to drill the second (back) hole a little smaller than the actual rod itself. It gives you a way to attach the rod in two spots making it almost impossible to come apart during use. I've tryed the single weld method with the rod resting on the back wall of the handle and it didn't feel nearly as sturdy. Mike has been digging bottles for 30 years and he makes his own probes. They are built to last. The old time diggers here buy them from a guy who makes them the same way, with a double weld. Try it sometime, you'll be surprised at the results. I only use my single weld probe for determining depth in a privy.
Sunra, I get my spring steel from a guy who works at a factory. They make springs for the automotive industry. You can also get it out of old cars at a junkyard. Chris
 

pupman

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Hi Ghris, Your probes are great and I'm sure will benefit new collectors.I have a different question though...You mention Mike(Big Mike) Dolcini- do you still see him and I was wondering if he still has his insect powders.I was wondering if he might be interested in selling or trading any insect powders.He was the third participant in the famous Las Vegas bug bottle shootout in 1985. If you can give me any information I would really appreciate it! Thanks,Kev
 

lexdigger

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Yeah Matt, the second hole is basically just to have a way to attach the rod in two spots instead of just one. Kind of a backup plan! LOL.
Hey Kev, I have actually never met Mike in person but I do consider him a friend in the truest sense of the word. We are both artifact collectors and frequent several of the same forums. I remember he would occasionally show pics of bottles that he had dug and in a way he was very instrumental in getting me interested in antique glass. When I found my first bottle dump he helped me out alot with advice on digging and telling me what I had dug up. When I expressed an interest in privies, he went out of his way to answer any questions I had and even hooked me up with some more local diggers for advice. When he sent me a probe I went out and found my first privy within a week or so of getting it. I still owe him Big Time for all of the help and for my "lucky" rod. No matter how many probes I make, buy, or have made I will always consider the one he made for me my #1. I'm still holding out for a nice Cutter flask and if I EVER dig one here in Kentucky it is going straight to him, no questions asked! He is one of the good guys and a true Pro when it comes to searching down artifacts and relics. He's dug more stuff than most of us will in a lifetime!!! He is actually a member on this forum but he doesn't post often. I have a phone number for him I think, but if not I have an email address for sure. I'll get in touch with him and let him know you asked about him. Chris
 

pupman

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Hi Chris,Great story,there's some really nice people ou there and obviously Mike D. is one of them.He competed in the first evr "bug bottle shootout along with "las Vegas" Lou Pelligrini and Jim Hagenbuch.If you ever get to read the article i think you'll positively enjoy it,the whole event seemed like nothing but good natured fun! It spurred me on th write a little colum in the letters to the editor section of the bottle mag. a few years ago. It's just that fun and comaraderie that is all too often missing from todays world. Having said that I must admit that there seems to be a great spirit in the hearts of most of the bottle people on the forum,alot of helpful,kind folks! Having read what you said about Mike Dolcini,it doesn't really surprise me as I got a little insight into all three contestants of the "bug bottle shootout".I would love to paticipate in one of those-I don't care if i win lose or draw,it just sounds like fun!!!! Thanks for taking the time to write and maybe I'll have the pleasure of talking to Mike somtime! Best Regards,Kev
 

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