Materials list
Everything that you need can be bought at: hardware store, office supply store, art supply store or grocery store
How to build a Sandbox
 |
With some modest carpentry skills you can build a sandbox yourself. The design specifications and instructions are in this 1.5 MB pdf file: Analog model set up and sandbox design, by Mario del Castello and John Sweeney. The file includes:
|
Specialized parts can be purchased from McMaster-Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/
- Thread inserts: McMaster part #92105A200 (package of 100 only need ~20)
- Machine screws: McMaster part #91770A546 (package of 50 only need ~20)
- Collars: Mc Master part #6435K14 (two per sandbox)
- You will also need a lead screw (1 per sandbox) and a nut (1 per sandbox) for the screw -- there are several options
| Expensive option but guarantees compatibility of lead screw and nut | Cheaper option. The threads the same but may need adjustment |
Potentially cheapest but you are on your own |
| Bronze nut #95072A109 + Mounting flange #95082A642 | Standard plastic nut for lead screw: McMaster part #6350K41 |
Buy a nut and screw from Home Depot that has v-shaped rather than square (acme) threads. |
| Lead Screw: McMaster part #99030A005 | Lead Screw: McMaster part #99030A005 (see alteration note below) | The v-shaped threads will not be as strong as the acme threads of parts listed in columns 1 and 2 |
| $107.43 | $29.54 | ? |
Alteration note: The tolerance for the lead screw is slightly large for some of the standard plastic nuts. With a griding wheel you can take off the first bit of the threads on the rod and this will cause the threads to bite into the plastic making the threads of the plastic nut large enough for the rode.
You will also need
- Wood, we recommend HDF because it resists water.
- Glass for windows: glass store, longer lasting than plexiglas and about the same price
- handle for the crank -- you can make one of wood (see photos of completed sandbox)
- Rubber Sheeting for extension experiments: Contact Professor Cooke, we may be able to mail you a small amount of rubber sheeting for your experiments.
- 1-1/4" screws for the head screw mount
- Aluminum plates to simulate tectonic conditions under the sand (optional). The plates serve to bring the deformation away from the moving wall. Some teachers have run beautiful experiments without a metal sheet.