Anyone else working in a sand sea?

[Riveteer]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic.

I work outside doing metal fab work, in the SW desert. In three inches of loose sand. If I drop something like a tool it disappears completely and I have to fish around in the sand trying to find it. I use large magnets but it is still aggravating. I've put raised edges on my work tables but I still lose small tools like sockets and hardware.

I'm wondering if other folks have come up with other solutions.

 

[jack stand]

Concrete. (to be a smart ***)
It's got to be aggravating, how weird would it be to wear a carpenter's tool bag?

 

[jack stand]

A few magnetic parts dishes and some of those magnetic bars for the tools?

 

[mike93lx]

I can't even handle going near a beach. I'd lose my mind having sand around all the time.

Good luck

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

Not knowing your exact circumstances for working outside in the sand I'll just add something simple. Get a big roll of heavyweight kraft paper and encompass your work area with it. Anchor it with a few stones. If you then drop something, you can pick it up off the paper. Zoro Tools sells big rolls of the paper for a reasonable price.

 

[finn]

Sounds like a concrete pad might be in your future.

 

[bwringer]

Uhhhhhh... several tons of crushed stone?

Or is there a way to stabilize the sand in your work area?

 

[pcmeiners]

"Concrete. (to be a smart ***)"

Do like the Brooklynites do.....if it is alive or hides your tools, cover it with concrete.

 

[CraigStu]

A piece of indoor/outdoor carpet. The box stores sell it off of a roll so it may not be too hard to have an 8-10ft piece that you unroll to put down when working and reroll to store when done.

 

[Sweetcorn]

Not knowing your exact circumstances for working outside in the sand I'll just add something simple. Get a big roll of heavyweight kraft paper and encompass your work area with it. Anchor it with a few stones. If you then drop something, you can pick it up off the paper. Zoro Tools sells big rolls of the paper for a reasonable price.

When I hear outdoor metal fab, I think welding, torching, grinding, etc. Paper might not be good in that environment.

Putting a welding blanket down below the work area might not be too bad, though. Might have to move it before doing any heavy torch work. Most of the reasonably priced ones aren't meant to be used horizontally. Slag burns right through.

 

[laser3kw]

I throw down movers blankets when working in dirt

 

[Ilikeike]

Like above carpet,
or just slide a sheet of OSB or some type of plywood, under your work area.

 

[dchawk81]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic.

I work outside doing metal fab work, in the SW desert. In three inches of loose sand. If I drop something like a tool it disappears completely and I have to fish around in the sand trying to find it. I use large magnets but it is still aggravating. I've put raised edges on my work tables but I still lose small tools like sockets and hardware.

I'm wondering if other folks have come up with other solutions.

I'd probably work somewhere away from quicksand but maybe that's just me.

 

[Riveteer]

Wow!

Gentlemen, I am impressed.

Numerous intelligent helpful responses in just a few hours. I think I'm gonna make this my new best forum.

I use welders, grinders and torches over a large area. It is like working at the beach. If I don't see a tool fall and immediately search for it, it is gone. I've tried finding them using the H.F. wheeled magnet but it sinks into the sand, is a pain to drag it around, and it is so weak it usually just picks up grinding dust close to the surface.

I tried the harbor freight welding blanket but it actually caught fire and burned up.
I tried magnetic parts dishes but they are quite small for tools and using larger ones transfers magnetism to the tools and they collect lots of grinding dust.

The carpet idea is intriging. I'll have to find some that won't burn, melting is fine. Probably a 10ft by 10ft piece. I might have to replace it after it collects too much grinding dust.

Still interested in any others ideas, just let em fly...

 

[jives]

Canvas tarp?

 

[nadogail]

I have found a sheet of backer board can catch a lot of stuff.

 

[softailgarage]

Repairing riding mowers for Sears in the Arizona desert I used a 8'x8'x1 1/8" sheet of plastic to lay on. It kept me somewhat protected from the hot sand and critters and was bendable enough to store in the van. It held up well against the heat and hot metal parts sitting in the 120+ degree heat.

 

[Sumboodie]

Working in snow is nearly as bad!

 

[mike93lx]

What's under the 3" of loose sand?

 

[dcg9381]

What's under the 3" of loose sand?

Another 3" of lose sand?
Concrete may not be an option, how about a tarp of some type? Or does that just end up buried?

 

[mike93lx]

Another 3" of lose sand?
Concrete may not be an option, how about a tarp of some type? Or does that just end up buried?

I was thinking if it was something more solid that maybe it would be worth stripping the sand and laying something like pavers if the height matters.

But you are probably right

 

[Riveteer]

There is compacted sand under the loose sand. If I remove the loose stuff the compacted sand just breaks up and becomes more loose sand when I walk on it.

I never have to buy blasting media for the sandblaster or blast cabinet.

 

[Riveteer]

I throw down movers blankets when working in dirt

Do you know if those are fireproof? Melting is fine, I just don't want actual flames. They look to be easier to lay out and store than carpet.

 

[eejack]

Landscape cloth is cheap and can come up to 12' wide, roofers tar paper is around 3' wide and again, relatively cheap.

If you can catch them on sale, the canvas runner drop clothes from harbor freight are 4' by 12' and somewhere around $10. I understand there is some sort of fire retardant for canvas tents that maybe would help as well.

 

[Riveteer]

Canvas tarp?

Hmmm,

That is a good suggestion. A bit expensive. I need to research how well they last when walking and working on them.

I tried the blue and silver tarps from H.F. They fall apart in two weeks when walking on them. The intense sun in NM destroys them in 3 months even when they are just draped over a piece of equipment. I tried coating them with white elastomeric roof coating. They lasted longer but they were almost blinding to work on and I really got baked in direct sun and 95* + temps.

 

[dchawk81]

There is compacted sand under the loose sand. If I remove the loose stuff the compacted sand just breaks up and becomes more loose sand when I walk on it.

I never have to buy blasting media for the sandblaster or blast cabinet.

Oh yeah sure strip mine the place for your own selfish gains.

 

[dcg9381]

Do you know if those are fireproof? Melting is fine, I just don't want actual flames. They look to be easier to lay out and store than carpet.

They definitely are NOT. Don't ask me how I know. They will ignite with flame. You might be seeking a "welding blanket".

 

[no704]

Get used billboard signs. Heavy tarp, uv tolerant, and close to free.

 

[Blueshound_GJ]

How about 1/2" (1 cm?) steel hardware cloth, or even chicken wire? Roll it out before starting work. Roll it up after, all the sand falls out and the tools get scooped up. Might be too bendy flexy, I dunno. Maybe.

 

[Zeke]

Canvas tarp?

He welds.

I would get a cheap metal detector and if not welding, use a drop cloth.

Build a deck.

Lay some flagstone.

 

[Rc_Guy]

When I hung sprinkler pipe at a couple jobs we were 125 feet up and we had to use lanyards that hook to the railing of the lift and to the tool so if we dropped it it didn’t go all the way down I forget the type we used but they must sell them somewhere or something like this


Retractable key lanyard

 

[tyyost]

What about mounting some of the Hf bar magnets to your carts/benches to keep the tools attached? Wrap in Saran wrap to keep the swarf away when grinding but keep the tools handy.

 

[Riveteer]

Man,

You guys are Gooood.

Lots of creative thinking in this thread.

Chicken wire got me thinking of snake shield, a wire mesh screen with 1/4" holes. Easy to lay down, easy to pull up, won't burn or melt, won't collect sand or dust, will trap 99% of tools and hardware, and stainless version won't rust. I can sew two strip together with safety wire.

 

[arrowhead]

Why not sheets of plywood? Yea, it will burn but you really have to hit it with an open flame to make it take off. Sparks aren't really enough to light it up.

 

[Rc_Guy]

Why not sheets of plywood? Yea, it will burn but you really have to hit it with an open flame to make it take off. Sparks aren't really enough to light it up.

You can get fire rated plywood also

 

[Debcrow]

Yes, I live in New Mexico also.
I finally put down some chicken wire. Put some loose sand mixed with some fine pea gravel on top of it about 1 inch deep. Through the years since then, I have tossed some loose powdered cement on top of it when I was doing other concrete work and wetted it with a hose. Did not turn into a slab but kept the loose stuff more coherent. Breaks up when you walk on it but keeps things from getting lost. Any steel grindings, etc. just mix in.

 

[PoorUB]

Geez, guys! This is GJ! Nothing short of a 50x100 heated, and cooled shop is required!

I live in snow country, just as bad, but I can find my tools in the spring!

 

[tncatadjuster]

I would go with plywood as mentioned.

 

[qdvuu]

Why not get something like Marston Mats? Or, maybe there's something similar that can be rolled/unrolled as needed, maybe a lightweight flavor.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

I'm not too sure how handy it would be but I think of the key to the chuck on my small drill press. It is chained to the drill press and in 35 years I have never had to look for it. Of course you couldn't always leave a tool tethered to some type of chain or cord, but it might help from things falling down off a work table. My Dad would have tied something large, such as a bright orange stick or something similar to each tool with a cord or a zip tie, that couldn't get buried too quickly.