Outdoor gear

Screens and classifiers

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Why a screen beats a bigger shovel

Casual-use BLM is hand tools and a weight cap. A 1/2" and 1/4" classifier pair lets you leave the dirt on the ground instead of hauling it to the truck and dumping it at home.

Simple kit

1/2 inch classifier screen — 1/2 inch. First pass on gravel. Amazon

1/4 inch classifier screen — 1/4 inch. Agate and jasper chips. Amazon

1/8 inch classifier screen — 1/8 inch. Only if you are after small crystals. Amazon

Primary pick

A stackable classifier set that includes 1/2" and 1/4" and sits on a standard 5-gallon bucket. SE’s 13.25" five-pack is the common Amazon set. You do not need the 1/20" screen for west-desert agate.

Stacking classifier screen for a 5-gallon bucket — 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch class. Open the listing

SE stackable classifier set on Amazon

Cheaper option

One 1/2" bucket-lid classifier plus a Home Depot bucket. Buy the 1/4" later if the first trip proves you need it.

Bucket-lid classifier on a 5-gallon bucket — Bucket-lid classifier. Open the listing

Don’t

Don’t bring a sluice or a motor to a casual-use site. Don’t screen on a slope so leftover dirt buries the next person’s hole. Refill obvious pits when the office asks you to.

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