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I suggest starting with Quahog clams. Steaming works well.The hard clam, also known as a quahog (/ˈk(w)oʊhɒɡ/; or quahaug), round clam or hard-shell clam, is an edible marine bivalve mollusc that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams, as in the expression "clam digging".
Unless you like the tinkering and have the materials and tools, it would probably save a ton of heartache, stress and money to just buy one. Fish USA has 'em in stock for $75.
I do like tinkering...I do have the tools...and I also have the time (retired). I just don't have the design yet. But it is on my mental drawing board. And if there is a way?...gonna do it for a lot less than $75. If not, I'll 2 hand it like I've been doing.