How to make PVC Stand for a Shark Tooth Sifter

This lightweight PVC stand holds our floating shark tooth sifter at a comfortable working height, making it much easier to sift through shells without bending over. It's inexpensive to build, easy to transport, and comes together in just a few minutes.

Materials

• 3 × 10-foot lengths of 1/2-inch PVC pipe

• 12 × 1/2-inch PVC tee connectors (Home Depot sells these in a 15-pack, which was the most economical option when we built ours.)

• 1 × 1/2-inch cross connector

• PVC cutter or saw

• Rubber mallet (recommended)

Cut List

Cut your PVC into the following pieces:

• 8 pieces — 21 inches

• 24 pieces — 4 inches

• 4 pieces — 8 inches

  
  

Assembly

Step 1: Build the center

Insert four 4-inch PVC pieces into the cross connector.

Step 2: Add the lower tee connectors

Attach a tee connector to the end of each 4-inch piece.

Step 3: Install the legs

Insert a 21-inch PVC piece into each tee connector to create the four legs.

Step 4: Add the upper tee connectors

Attach another tee connector to the top of each leg, making sure the remaining opening on each tee points outward (Attach where our daughter's hand is below)

Step 5: Build the top frame

Use the remaining 4-inch PVC pieces to connect the upper tee connectors together into a square.

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Step 6: Add the sifter supports

Insert one 8-inch PVC piece into the remaining opening of each upper tee connector. These four arms extend outward from the frame and provide support for your floating sifter.

Step 7: Seat all the fittings

Use a mallet (or firmly press each connection by hand) to fully seat every fitting.

Step 8: Square everything up

Place the stand on a flat surface and make any final adjustments so all four legs sit evenly. We also tested ours in a bucket of sand to see how it'd work on a beach.

Tip

We intentionally didn't glue any of the PVC joints. This allows the stand to be taken apart for transport or storage, makes it easier to replace individual pieces if one ever gets damaged, and lets you make adjustments later if you'd like to modify the design.

Final Thoughts

Like any good DIY project, we learned a few things during our first test run. 😄

Our stand took a tumble after a wave caught it in the swash zone...but that's all part of the fun of testing new ideas! Next time, we'll push the legs a little deeper into the sand or set it up a bit farther from where the waves are breaking.

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The good news? Since we didn't glue the PVC together, it's easy to make tweaks and improvements as we go.

If you build one, we'd love to see it in action! Please drop me a note or send me a DM on instagram. We love this stuff!

Wondering when to go? We tested whether the tide really matters for shark tooth hunting. See what happened in We Tested High Tide vs. Low Tide for Shark Teeth on Manasota Key.

Happy hunting!

About the author. Kate is a Florida-based mom of two and the writer behind SunshineFamGuide. She's been camping in the Keys for over 20 years, moved her family from Denver to Southwest Florida, and personally visits every park, beach, spring, and cruise she writes about...usually with two kids and a bucket of gear in tow.