I tried to move some soggy duckpen soil/litter away from the boundary fence when the handle snapped Surprised.

My problem is that the little metal rod holding the base of the wooden handle is flared at either end into the metal “holder” (proper term escapes me! Embarassed ). Any ideas on how best to go about getting it out it, please.

I have 4 cu m of fresh woodchip/mulch ready to go into the poultry pens…With 68mm very heavy rain on Fri night, – it is getting muddy and waterlogged here.

cackles said:

My problem is that the little metal rod holding the base of the wooden handle is flared at either end into the metal “holder” (proper term escapes me! Embarassed ). Any ideas on how best to go about getting it out it, please.

you might have to grind it off with an angle grinder, or failing that a file. then replace it when you replace the handle.

you need a cold chisel (metal working), an angle grinder with metal cutting disk – i think the ends have been rivetted, parged or flanged over. a hack saw might chop it off. you’ll probably need to replace it with a slender bolt and nut drilled thru the shortened handle.

Didn’t they burn the wood out of shovels once upon a time?

pomolo said:

Didn’t they burn the wood out of shovels once upon a time?

i still burn the wooden axe handles out – no other way.

Yeah grind it off, (the underside will be easiest.) Then punch it out. Tap the shovel head with a hammer to shake the broken piece of handle out.
When you get the new handle in place, You’ll need to drill a hole through the new wooden handle . Then use a 50mm long x 6mm thick self tapper or similar and cut it off about 3 mm too long once it is through the handle, then sit the screw on an anvil or vice and give it a whack with a hammer to flatten it. You could use a 4” nail instead of a self tapper. As long as the head of the nail is too big to go through the hole in the shovel head.

Thank you everyone! :) My neighbour is going to see if he can grind it out and also offered me the use of his long-handled shovel today. So, now that my driveway is cleared enough to get my car out, I will look for a new handle. Might go for a long-handled one this time – not sure of the pros and cons of short vs long handled tools for an iffy back and shoulder…?

cackles said:

Thank you everyone! :) My neighbour is going to see if he can grind it out and also offered me the use of his long-handled shovel today. So, now that my driveway is cleared enough to get my car out, I will look for a new handle. Might go for a long-handled one this time – not sure of the pros and cons of short vs long handled tools for an iffy back and shoulder…?

Seem’s a lot of us gardeners have ‘iffy back’s and shoulders’ hey.

Unless you are pretty tall or have blokey muscles Cackles, go for the short handle.

Unless you are pretty tall or have blokey muscles Cackles, go for the short handle.
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LOL – neither of those! Thanks, HP :)

cackles said:

Unless you are pretty tall or have blokey muscles Cackles, go for the short handle.
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LOL – neither of those! Thanks, HP :)

I’d go the long handle every time.

I’ve got a dodgy back. One of my current jobs involves digging up sugar cane stools to check for cane grubs. The long handled shovel allows you to dig without having to bend your back. You also get heaps better leverage.

It is a different technique but less tiring and better on the back IMO. But then again, I’m tall with blokey muscles :)

I’ll choose my shovel by the job I am doing…. If I have plenty of room then I prefer to swing a long handle around, but if I am a little confined and I have to feel compact about me work, then the little handle does the trick….

Update – well not one but 2 pins – 2nd one lower down at right angles to the one pictured – came out yesterday thanks to my neighbour.

Still about garden tools – while he had his grinder out and before he changed to his diamond cutter he also cut a length of pipe in 2 for me :D. This pipe is essential to have to hand to straighten garden fork tines – or at least one tine on even the most expensive, best quality fork that I could buy. Anyway it was supposed to replace the 2 earlier ones whose tine-bending was really a nuisance. It is another reason why my garden is basically a no-dig one – that as well as weeds pop up when soil is disturbed. Heavy clay soil and has to be “just right” moisture to work – say about 2-3 days after rain or watering. So, now have a staightener piece of pipe with each fork!

Will take the spade head to the B store tomorrow to get a handle to fit when I have to venture out that way for more chook feed – and maybe also get some vegetable seedlings. Still undecided re long or short handle at this stage – will no doubt have a practise with available handles when I get there :D Thank you all for input in that regard. I do find the longer handle of the pitchfork easier to fill the barrow with than the shorter garden fork so it probably depends not only on the density of the material but how high it needs to be lifted or tossed?