My DIY digging tools

Rattlehead

Forum Supporter
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
4,896
Location
Cave Spring, GA USA
So I was bored at work and decided to build my own long handled shovel. I wanted something with a blade thats a little more aggressive and longer than the Sampson, but not quite as big as the Predator Ranger. This is what I came up with:

design.JPG


shovelhead.jpg


001.JPG


finished1.JPG


finished2.JPG


finished3.JPG


finished4.JPG


finished-with-hip-clip.JPG


Haven't had a chance to try it out yet but hopefully I can get out and do some digging this weekend. Blade is made of 12 GA mild steel but I think they'll hold up OK. We'll see.

Also made a couple of hand diggers. I made the blade on these a little wider than a Lesche to aid with scooping out loose dirt.

hand-digger-unfinished.JPG


007.JPG


009.JPG
 
Those look fantastic. What is the overall length of the shovel?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
They turned out great! :yes:


Thanks! :cheers:

Any heat treating so they will hold an edge and not bend?



Jeff



Only case hardened. I have an hand trowel that I made from 12 Ga mild steel a few years ago that has held up pretty well. Will see how this one holds up after a few months of hard use. I made a few extras so if it does eventually bend I'll just chunk it in the garbage and grab another. I think it's gonna hold up pretty well though. Time will tell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Great job, those look awesome! Thanks for the layout diagram. I picked up a small trenching shovel from a local store and was wondering how the layout should go on it.
 
Sweet design! Take that baby out and stick it under a sidewalk slab and see if you can bend or break it! Or pop up the entire 4' slab! That will tell you what you need to know...

You may want to run that shaft straight through the center part of the handle and about 3" down the front of the blade? Instead of that over top elbow thingy? Just to gain more of a robust weld surface connection?? Thats all I got here..FWIW, I used to be a gravedigger and concrete popper, so thats why I bring this up...Do some destructive tests and you will know...Love it Rattlehead! Skills + thinking! Man!
 
You may want to run that shaft straight through the center part of the handle and about 3" down the front of the blade? Instead of that over top elbow thingy? Just to gain more of a robust weld surface connection?? Thats all I got here..FWIW, I used to be a gravedigger and concrete popper, so thats why I bring this up...Do some destructive tests and you will know...Love it Rattlehead! Skills + thinking! Man!

This^^^ That's a big lever arm for a small weld spot.

BCD
 
This^^^ That's a big lever arm for a small weld spot.

BCD

Yeah...thats the idea!..I've busted a lot of shovels in my day, using them, and I'm not what would be considered a big powerful guy ..That 'shaft to blade' connection has got to be the primary focus and IS the major stress area though....With your skills Rattle, You could even slot that shaft and weld on both sides of the blade..Maybe even press or drive in a 4" length of a solid plug right in that 'bend' area of the shaft where most handles snap off? Distribute the forces equally over the entire length?

Oh well, get them out and have a go at something brutal...really try to break them...take pics during the process and report back!...You may need to temper or use some high carbon or spring steel blades to achieve what you desire.....

Your project/post has made me remember something...Luckily, My Old Man made me replace all the handles I broke..hammers, hatchets, axes, shovels, splitting mauls etc...I had to do this all myself, to complete the job! I had to find a piece of hickory or ash or oak or something and fabricate a new handle! It is not easy!! taking a rasp or something and making a new handle to fit! I will say this, it sure makes a guy have some respect for a tool! Learning the flex points etc...also, not to miss with a sledge or a maul and overshoot the wedge! or ream a hammer sideways as a lever...Appreciate the appropriate wood species and grain structures even...how to set a handle to the grain, like a baseball bat mfg does....Heck, I bet I started making replacement handles when I was 11.....:laughing::laughing: damn!

Anyway...to this day when I'm looking at buying a tool, even if its nothing but a damned old Dollar Store leaf rake, I find myself paying the most attention to the handle and the grain structure alignment, picking through the whole lot of them for the perfect one! drives my Wife crazy! :laughing:...

As Clint Eastwood remarked in 'Pale Rider' "There is nothing like a good piece of Hickory"...:laughing:
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the comments and suggestions guys! :cheers: I agree Mud. Looking back I could have given it some extra strength/leverage if I had put the shaft straight through and a little further down on the blade. I still have a couple more blades that I haven't welded yet so I will try doing those as you suggested to hopefully make them a little more durable.

I really like your suggestion about splitting the shaft and welding on both sides of the blade. Seems like that would be very stout! In order to do that, I'll need to modify the blade design a bit and cut some new ones but thats a great idea so I will definitely try it next time I get access to the CNC plasma here at work.

On the current design, I basically just copied the way they did the Ranger and Sampson (3/4" round insert inside the end of the 1" shaft), very similar to the Ranger in the pic below. The shaft is welded to the blade in two places, at the flat part of the blade and on the bent flange where you put your foot. I did some digging and prying yesterday evening and so far so good. Will see how it holds up after a few months of heavy use and report back to you guys.
 

Attachments

  • theran2.jpg
    theran2.jpg
    76.3 KB · Views: 3,366
I'd be afraid to use it, might scratch the paint :yes: Nice lookin' diggers!

I'd stick with your current method, having a straight piece on the bottom would mean setting the handle back further into the blade. Your current way allows the bottom of the bend to help pull the blade up as you push down on the handle. I'd have to think a straight design would be weaker. There's a reason the commercially built diggers are made with the bend, and since it only adds to the manufacturing cost, they have to know it provides better performance. Otherwise they could eliminate the step, and cut production/retail cost.

Hope they dig ya lots of goodies! :cool:
 
Thanks Gauntlet! I know it's a little early yet but so far it seems very durable. A couple of days ago I was using it to pry out some bricks from very hard ground and it didn't even flex. If it still looks good after another 8 months of hard use I'd say the current design is good to go. :cheers:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Nice work! And they look every bit as sturdy as mine. I've put mine through the paces, and am very happy as you will be. DIY is my favorite. Let us know how the hand diggers hold up as well. When work slows down, that will be my next project. Great skills.:yes:
 
Back
Top Bottom