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Author Topic: Maybe I am too picky about the sand  (Read 3506 times)

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wampidy

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Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« on: March 16, 2015, 12:05:45 PM »

I have been trying to find sand that is the right consistency for my zen gardens without much luck so finally I figured out how to make some. I have now invested $35 in sand and could have done it without the last $20 because I could have done the same thing with the first bag of play sand that I bought.

The problem I was having was either too fine or too course or a mix of both. So I took my splatter screen and screened the larger pieces then the only thing I could find to screen out the finer stuff was some thin scouring pads. If I had to do a bucket full I would run into next winter but it doesn't take much.

Splatter screen first.


Removing the smalls. I would bang on the top with the ends of my fingers then dump the good stuff into the tub.


The finished product. I would have had to do some macro to show the difference and ya'll have probably seen sand before so I passed.


I built all new rakes with wider spaced tines to allow for the larger sand and they work great.
Jim
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Enchantra

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2015, 07:00:55 PM »

I've seen all colors and grades of sand in zen gardens before.  I don't feel you needed to sift it.   :headbang:

lithicbeads

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2015, 07:34:52 PM »

 It's Zen - go with what makes you happy. We have used dead white sandblasting sand. I guess the point is to stay in your moment.
  I like the sifting idea as I need to pot up some local cactus and like a coarser top dressing. Time to buy a set of pottery screens.
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wampidy

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2015, 09:52:59 PM »

I've seen all colors and grades of sand in zen gardens before.  I don't feel you needed to sift it.   :headbang:

The larger pieces clogged up in the rake and the small stuff got all over the house whenever I was pouring it into or out of the sand gardens. These things are tiny and the rakes have to be small to be able to make a lot of strokes. I pretty much tried to scale them down even to how many lines between rock and edge. Trying to make them as realistic as possible with my limited shop.
Jim
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GoodEarth

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2015, 08:32:18 AM »

I built a large (20'x20') sand garden for a customer some years ago. They popped for crushed glass as the sand. If I remember right, the ordered 3 colors for contrast. Worked great, except for the breathing hazard. :) Wear a mask to rake your garden! :)
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wampidy

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2015, 09:39:45 PM »

Forgot these were in the camera. Test rake came out really good for an old guy with shaky hands and no handle on the rake.

Mine don't even make twenty by twenty inches. In fact my widest is eight inches.
Jim

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Itsandbits

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2015, 11:15:09 AM »

If you want to get real "Zen" Jim, make the rakes out of cut in half round toothpicks so you can make furrows one grain of sand wide. LOL
Great job by the way!!!
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wampidy

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2015, 09:42:55 PM »

hahaha lol That would be zen for sure, to the point of insanity. I did think about making a rake with one tine for the tight spots but now that you mention super zen maybe one tine rakes would be good.
Jim
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Itsandbits

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Re: Maybe I am too picky about the sand
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2015, 10:27:37 PM »

super zen maybe one tine rakes would be good.
Jim
now you're getting the hang of Zen, how about no handle on the one tooth rake; just the tooth LOL
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rocks and people have a lot in common; one persons "leaverite" is anothers treasure
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