SuperD
Active Member
Ya, I know this is pretty lame but it might help someone out there. I'm trying to germinate some seeds and I had quite a few that wouldn't crack so I found on the net where it helps sometimes to "scuff" the seed on the seam of the seed.
I've got big hands and it was almost impossible for me to do that without the seed popping out of my fingers and go flying through the air so I built the "bean scuffer" and I know from the pictures you are thinking you need to be a mechanical engineer to build this but believe me you don't
I just took a little container and rolled up some fine grit sandpaper and stuck it inside so the grit is on the inside of the container
. I then took a razor blade and just trimmed it even with the top so it could close tightly. To get a bit more coverage I cut two circles out and glued them on the base and inside the top.
Complex stuff huh.
Now just stick your beans in and swing it around in a circular motion. I don't recommend shaking it up and down like it is a can of spray paint but just hold it in your hand and rotate your wrist so the seeds roll around on the inside.
I'm assuming this is the best way because if you ever put a coin or slug in a plastic bottle and start to swirl it around the coin will eventually get up on it's edge and roll around the bottle so I'm "assuming" the seed will do the same thing which is where you want it to be scuffed... on the edge or seam of the seed.
I only did mine for about a minute and didn't go a hundred miles an hour but just enough to get a good spin on the seeds. You could probably use any grit paper but I just had some fine laying around. Also in my picture the yellow thing at the base is just some liquid expoxy I used to fill the bottom so I didn't have to use the whole length of the container and to give it a bit of weight.
Like I said I know this is lame but if it helps someone germinate a few more seeds then it's worth it.
Super-D
I've got big hands and it was almost impossible for me to do that without the seed popping out of my fingers and go flying through the air so I built the "bean scuffer" and I know from the pictures you are thinking you need to be a mechanical engineer to build this but believe me you don't
I just took a little container and rolled up some fine grit sandpaper and stuck it inside so the grit is on the inside of the container
. I then took a razor blade and just trimmed it even with the top so it could close tightly. To get a bit more coverage I cut two circles out and glued them on the base and inside the top. Complex stuff huh.
Now just stick your beans in and swing it around in a circular motion. I don't recommend shaking it up and down like it is a can of spray paint but just hold it in your hand and rotate your wrist so the seeds roll around on the inside.I'm assuming this is the best way because if you ever put a coin or slug in a plastic bottle and start to swirl it around the coin will eventually get up on it's edge and roll around the bottle so I'm "assuming" the seed will do the same thing which is where you want it to be scuffed... on the edge or seam of the seed.
I only did mine for about a minute and didn't go a hundred miles an hour but just enough to get a good spin on the seeds. You could probably use any grit paper but I just had some fine laying around. Also in my picture the yellow thing at the base is just some liquid expoxy I used to fill the bottom so I didn't have to use the whole length of the container and to give it a bit of weight.
Like I said I know this is lame but if it helps someone germinate a few more seeds then it's worth it.
Super-D
