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Hi Stephanie and Jacqui- We rigged bucket sieves in Venezuela using wire mesh. We cut the base out of the bucket, cut the screen to fit, and then cemented it in using epoxy that is specially made to bind plastic. With careful rinsing, it worked very well. Regards, Linda >From: Jacqui Huntley <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The archaeobotany mailing list <[log in to unmask]>, > [log in to unmask] >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: sewing buckets >Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 12:45:11 +0000 > >Hi Stephanie, >half to an hour a sieve once you've done a few, which probably makes them >less >than half the price of the, too small, 100mm diameter brass Endicote type >sieves. The mesh, which we do get from Locker Wire Co (shame that I never >noticed they produced wire mesh but may have decided against it 25 or so >years >ago on the grounds of how do you fasten it to bowls!!) is nylon and >extremely >robust. I think it correct to say that the bowls and/or stitching have >always >given way first and several of our bowls have been in service for some >years. >Bowls are the most vulnerable because the dryng ovens too easily get turned >up >too high. We tend to use 2mm, 1mm, 500 and 300 micron although sometimes >use >commercial garden sieves, ca 8mm, to remove the largest stones after the >sample >has been weighed/volume taken. > >Does no-one else out there make their own sieves? > >Jacqui > >Quoting Stefanie Kahlheber <[log in to unmask]>: > > > Dear Jacqui, > > > > thanks a lot for your detailed description! Though, I have the > > impression it is a lot of work - how long took it to sew one bucket? > > Another question, how durable is the plastic mesh you use? Is it > > suitable for coarse stony sediment, or is it easily cut by sharp stones > > and ceramic fragments? > > > > Best regards, > > Stefanie > > > > > > Jacqui Huntley schrieb: > > > > >Dear Stephanie, > > > > > >We've tried various methods over the years although only with plastic >mesh > > as I > > >don't know of a British source of wire mesh. We use plastic washing up >bowls > > as > > >these often have a convenient ridge around the base that is easy to cut > > against > > >when removing the base. > > > > > >We've found the most reliable to be a double set of stitching, each >with > > saddle > > >stitch, using either nylon fishing line or a heavy linen thread. For >the > > non- > > >sewers, saddle stitch uses two needles and threads; pass one up through >a > > hole > > >and the other down through the same hole, pull tight and move onto next > > hole. > > >We use a fine mounted needle heated in a Bunsen to make the holes but >you > > have > > >to be careful not to make them too large. Alternatively use robust >leather > > >needles and a pair of pliers. > > > > > >As long as the mesh is cut quite closely to the outer line of stitching >the > > > > >sieve is easy to clean of the little material that gets caught under >the > > mesh. > > >We have tried all sorts of materials to seal this edge but they are >either > > >rigid and quickly break/flake or are flexible and get soft and sticky >when > > we > > >put the bowls in the ovens to dry the flots. A thin layer of ordinary >gloss > > > > >paint works quite well for the finer mesh sizes and I have a 300 micron > > sieve > > >made more than 10 years ago still in good working order - it has only >had > > 'one > > >careful owner' though and not a lot of work recently! The mesh is white >and > > by > > >using pale coloured bowls (luckily 'fashioinable' today!) it is easy to > > check > > >for possible contaminants. > > > > > >Look forward to seeing what other methods have been used.... > > > > > >Happy sewing, > > >Jacqui > > > > > >_________________________________________ > > >Jacqui Huntley, > > >English Heritage > > >North East Regional Science Advisor, > > >Bessie Surtees House, > > >41-44 Sandhill, > > >Newcastle upon Tyne > > >NE1 3JF > > > > > >Phone: > > >Durham University: +44 (0)191 334 1137 (also fax/answer machine) > > >Regional Office: +44 (0)191 269 1200 (Mondays: ... 1222) > > >Mobile (preferred contact): +44 (0)771 3400387 > > > > > > > > > > > > >