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How to Make a Privy Probe

Privy diggers are modern-day treasure hunters, seeking out the locations of old outhouses -- privies -- and other old and long-abandoned structures like the huts used by soldiers in the Civil war. They test the ground in likely spots with privy probes, which they push into the ground to find the outline of the old structures. While most of the contents of the old privies have long ago been turned to soil thanks to busy worms and other creatures, as well as the workings of chemistry, once-discarded items that are now valuable collectibles, like antique bottles, remain to be dug up once the treasure trove has been discovered.

Things You'll Need

3/8-inch diameter spring steel rod, 4 to 6 feet long
1- to 2-inch hollow steel tube, 24 inches long
Metal drill press
Metal lathe
MIG welder
Welding flux
3/8-diameter nut or thick washer

Instructions

- 1
  Drill a 5/16-inch hole in the center of the hollow metal tube with the metal drill press. Extend the hole to 3/8 inch on one side of the tube only. Bevel the end of the spring steel rod to 5/16 inch with the lathe, or take it to a machine shop to have the work done. The purpose of this is so the top of the steel rod fits snugly in the top of the hollow tube, which will be the handle of the probe. Since the diameter of the full rod is slightly larger than the hole in the top of the handle, it cannot come through and injure you while you're using the probe, even if both welds were to break.
- 2
  Insert the beveled end of the rod into the tube and fit it into the hole at the top of the handle.
- 3
  Weld the rod into the handle at both the top and bottom holes you drilled, using the Mig welder.
- 4
  Place the nut or thick washer about 1 inch up from the bottom of the steel rod. Weld it in place.

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