Ideas for Displaying a Sand Collection

Below I've compiled links to everything I use. ​I like test tubes and acrylic drawers as my primary displays, but I know others who use miniature glass bottles with cork tops, or square acrylic boxes, or film canisters, or circular bead containers, or small jars . . . the possibilities are endless!

• 72" Loring Ladder bookcase

• 5 ml borosilicate test tubes

• 10 ml borosilicate test tubes

• 15 ml borosilicate test tubes

• 10 ml glass bottle with cork top

• 1 dram glass vials

• ​Acrylic 3-drawer case. These are only sold in Daiso stores, not online. However, you can find similar things by searching online for acrylic cosmetic drawers.  Also search for pen/marker organizers, antique printer trays, shot glass displays, or spice racks. Think outside the box to find what works best for you!

• Glass-front guillotine collectible case. I don't use these for sand (I use them for small fossils instead), but you could easily display many small bottles in one. 

• Avery 0.5" x 1.75" labels

Some other items that come in handy when collecting sands:

• A microscope (I use this one; it is an excellent beginner stereo microscope)

• Small funnels of various sizes

• Cotton make-up pads (to clean the funnels)

• Pipe cleaners (to clean the funnels)

• Mesh in various gauges for sifting out large, unwanted particles (searching for "gold panning screens" or "plastic mesh" or even wire kitchen colanders will work)

• Small baggies in several sizes

• Shallow storage containers (like this one) for storing extra baggies of sand

• Measuring cup in 5 ml - 30 ml (like a liquid medicine measuring cup) 

• Brunton grain size card

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• A stamp magnifier or jeweler's loupe

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• Tweezers

• Aluminum foil or large sheets of paper; use this to cover the table when transferring sand from baggie to jar. This way, if you spill some, you can fold the paper and pour it back into the bag/bottle.