The shovel is the oldest invention of mankind, the design of which continues to be improved to this day. There are many types of shovels. Thus, only in the modern domestic GOST there are three main types of shovels (construction, gardening and loading and unloading) and 17 types of them.
Unfortunately, our industry produces only two...three types of shovels, so many gardeners are forced to dig their gardens not with gardening shovels, but with construction ones, spending more effort on unnecessary deep “squats.” But gardening shovels differ from construction shovels by just a little - in the former, the crown is bent from the blade by 10°. But as a result, the worker does not have to squat low. And this is not a trifle if you imagine that when digging 1 m² of garden, you need to do 50...80 “squats”. Now multiply these “squats” by the footage of your beds. (Let me remind you that the tulle is the part of the shovel blade into which the handle is inserted. - Ed.)
Improvement of the bayonet shovel
I had the opportunity to work with different types shovels for one purpose or another, including those made according to the recommendations of the respected American professor Mittlider. And I came to the conclusion that the main drawback of all these shovels is the excessive force that the “digger” has to apply when digging the shovel into the ground and lifting the formation. The fact is that it is more advantageous to rest your foot in the center of the canvas, but the handle interferes with this, so some of the effort is wasted.
When lifting a layer of earth with a shovel, the hand on the handle is at a fairly large distance from the canvas. And because of the large shoulder, the load on the arms increases.
I have little strength left, therefore, as the Russian proverb says: “Trouble gives birth to intelligence.” It is for this reason that it appeared new type bayonet shovel(Fig. 1). For my homemade product, I purchased a blade from a sharp-pointed digging shovel (LKO) and cut off the tulle from it. By the way, the sizes of shovels produced by our factories are always smaller than those stipulated by the state norm. Apparently, it is easier for manufacturers to make such shovels, but as a result, consumers, that is, gardeners, often have problems with cuttings that break precisely at Tuleika area.
Then I made a longer tulika and welded it to the blade of the shovel using a steel strip measuring 45x4 mm, and sharpened the strip from below. I placed a cutting from a young pine tree. Please note that the cutting is inserted into the tulleka with the thickened part. Everything is according to the laws of nature. This is how all trees grow. Now look at your shovel, after which you will immediately understand that they are selling us something wrong. I attached a fork handle to the top.
When digging my shovel into the ground, my foot is located in the center of the blade, which makes the job easier and increases the coefficient useful action digger. Resting against the ground, the sharpened part of the strip cuts the layer. When lifting a layer of earth, the worker can intercept the handle either above the previous point or closer to the canvas, which saves effort (Fig. 2).
And when dumping the layer, the fork handle helps turn the blade to its side. This shovel is convenient not only for digging, but also for cutting weeds. But most importantly, the gardener does not need to bend over backwards. This design solution is also suitable for garden forks, which are often used for digging. With a new shovel, my wife quickly learned to deftly dig up all kinds of transplanted greens with a large lump of earth.
Try to make such a shovel yourself and you will see what has been said.
You just have to show intelligence and hard work, and - contrary to the well-known saying - you can get some very good gardening equipment from a waste pipe. And with minimal costs for its production. The published material of the candidate of agricultural sciences S. Larkin from Moscow is proof of this.
"BLADE PROJECTILE"
I started gardening and gardening seriously about 6 years ago. Naturally, appropriate equipment was needed. Among the descriptions of numerous homemade designs shovels - an indispensable “bladed implement for digging, raking, dumping and pouring loose solids” (a definition that has not lost value over the more than century-long period of its existence) Explanatory dictionary V. Dahl) - the publication in the third issue of M-K for 1985 attracted attention.I liked the idea itself: the possibility of using a section of water and gas pipe with a coupling to attach the blade (bayonet) of a shovel-hoe to the handle. The only things we weren’t satisfied with were the complexity of execution and the reduced reliability of the fastening pin, judging by the dimensions taken as a basis, and the connection to the Czechoslovak assortment of the factory-made parts used.
The design I developed is free from these shortcomings. As in the prototype mentioned above, the housing of the rotary unit in the proposed shovel-hoe is a piece of pipe. A steel water and gas pipe (GOST 3262-75) with an outer diameter of 33.5 mm and a wall thickness of 2.8 mm is best suited from the domestic range. The blade (bayonet) is made from a used, rectangular digging shovel KPL shortened to R-210 mm (GOST 19596-87) with a modified crown.
The modification is that the latter is cut to 57 mm, and with inside cheeks are welded from sheet steel grade St.3 with a thickness of 5-6 mm. You can use the scraps left over from shortening the shovel. A hole with a diameter of 14 mm is drilled into the side of the vest for an axle made of steel St.3.
As in the prototype, to firmly fix the bayonet in any of the three positions, it is enough to turn the threaded coupling all the way to the corresponding ends of the cheeks.
For older people, another tool may be recommended. Using it, you no longer need to continuously “bow” when digging up a garden or garden plot. What helps here is a rubber “shoe” support stand with a bracket and a special rotating device made in the form of two clips sliding relative to each other from pipe sections with the appropriate parameters. To make it easier to bury the bayonet into the pound, the shovel is equipped with a wooden handle in a metal (from a wedged section of pipe) holder and has a slightly modified plane of the blade itself.
The basis of the design is again the KPL shovel. Only the canvas is no longer shortened. And so that it penetrates deeper and with less resistance into the ground, without sliding off the cut roots of the forest growth in the area, its cutting end is made not smoothly rounded, but trapezoidal. Moreover, the plane of the blade itself, without touching the edges of the spade, is straightened with a hammer. The resulting teeth, rectangular in cross-section, are sharpened at an angle of 20 degrees and heat treated to a hardness of 37... ...53 HRC.
But making such a shovel is still half the battle. It is important to learn how to work with it. Taking the end of the cutting right hand, use your left foot to bury the blade into the ground (at approximately an angle of 70 degrees). Then the cutting is pushed away from itself until it stands perpendicular to the soil. And then, pressing the persistent stand to the ground, the handle of the shovel is sharply pulled (with a turn) towards itself. As a result, the next portion of soil seems to be thrown forward by itself.
This shovel is very convenient when digging potatoes and other root vegetables. Bury the bayonet at a right angle next to the bush of the plant. Then slightly move the handle towards you and sharply move it forward again: to a position perpendicular to the ground. Now press the thrust stand with your left foot and, with a slight turn of the handle, throw the tubers towards the harvested row.
LIGHTWEIGHT RAKES HELP YOU
Rakes are also extremely necessary on the farm. Over the many centuries of their existence, their design has undergone few changes. And modern rakes are essentially the same (according to V. Dahl) “a hand harrow, consisting of a ridge, an arshin-length bar, with up to 12 through holes, into which teeth are driven, pegs into a finger, and a rake akin to a stick in the height of a man, stuck in the middle of the ridge.”True, you can hardly see wooden rakes anywhere these days. Instead, welded metal ones are usually used. But I, for example, are not always satisfied with them. After all, the options produced by industry are, as a rule, rather heavy. Even with light pressure, they immediately go deep into the ground and can tear the surface roots of plants. That’s why I prefer to use homemade rakes of an almost archaic wooden design.
The fastening is tubular. It is based on the same wedged section of a water and gas pipe of the appropriate size. Preferable are pipes with an outer diameter of 33.5 mm (or 26.8 mm), which successfully mate with cuttings d=40 (or d=30) mm and a length of 1300-1600 mm, supplied to our distribution network. To avoid unwanted cracking during wedging, it is also necessary to provide in advance technological holes in nodes possible stresses threatening the appearance of cracks and breakages.
The rake also includes special device, the design of which is so simple that it does not need explanatory drawings and drawings. It is a plate cut from a piece old saw, with a base of 570 mm, a side height of 35 mm and a central part converging in the form of an isosceles triangle. The apex of this triangle is 120 mm from the base.
The device is attached to the rake teeth using an overlay screwed on the other side with M-6 wings. And it serves to destroy weeds that appear in the beds shortly after sowing is completed. When carrying out weeding, the weeds are first cut off using a device. And then, having removed it from the teeth, they collect all this “biomass” with a rake and loosen the surface layer of the earth.
LOOSENING WILL BE EASIER
You often have to loosen the soil in the garden or vegetable garden. And the equipment produced for this purpose by the domestic industry is often made in such a way that the worker has to bend over every now and then. Is it possible to do without this?Of course you can. An example of this is two designs of rippers that also successfully perform additional functions.
The ripper-digger is made of pieces water and gas pipes with an outer diameter of 26.8 mm, hinged to each other. The dimensions of the arc-shaped pedal, as well as the rotary stand-handle, depend on the characteristics of the figure of the worker himself. It is even possible to provide for a sliding arm stand. Let's say, from pipes that telescopically fit into one another. The teeth are made of steel grade St.Z according to the dimensions indicated in the figure, and are strengthened in the holes of the cross member by riveting the back part of the necks with a diameter of 8 mm. The abutment tooth is made and installed in its place in a similar way. But its edge is deliberately blunted for the convenience and safety of the worker.
The method of using a ripper-digger is not much different from working with a rotary shovel that has a support post. By pressing the arc-shaped pedal, the gardener tilts the stand-handle towards himself: the recessed crossbar with teeth easily turns out the next lump of earth.
To manufacture a ripper-hole digger, sections of water and gas pipes are also required, but of a slightly different assortment. And the working body here is a kind of drill, made from the blade of an old two-handed saw. The shape of the head is triangular, pointing down. On the sides it has small, curved in opposite directions cutting edges with a sharpening angle of 20 degrees (not shown in the illustration). And in the upper part there are three appropriately bent wedge-shaped sections. This trinity is formed by cuts with subsequent turns: the central one - against, the rest - clockwise. The side sections in the upper part act as guide blades for the soil cut off by the tips, and the central section serves to securely fasten the head to the rivets in the eye made at the lower end of the stand. The head is heat treated to a hardness of 37...53 HRC.
The hole-digger ripper has proven itself well in planting potatoes. It can also be used to make holes when planting flowers of the bulbous family. It should be remembered: the planting depth depends on the type of plant, but on average they adhere to the rule of “three times” the height of the bulb.
Planting depth refers to the thickness of the layer above the bulb, and not the distance from the bottom of the hole or furrow to the surface. On heavy clay soils it is reduced to 2-3 cm, and on light, sandy soils, on the contrary, it is increased by the same 2-3 cm.
"RECOIL-FREE" SCRAP
If we proceed from the fact that genius is always simple, then we should, apparently, recognize the well-known standard design Scrap is an example of supergenius. But there are other considerations in this regard.
The fact is that ordinary scrap has quite a noticeable impact, especially if the soil is rocky. You work and, as they say, you can’t feel your hands. And for some reason the production of “recoilless” crowbars by industry has not yet been established in our industry, although there are a lot of all kinds of designs offered by home-made workers. They are usually based on a pipe closed with tips with large lead shot poured inside (one third of the cavity volume). The latter dampens the reflection that occurs at the moment of impact. But it does this partially - due to the friction of the pellets against each other and against the inner walls of the crowbar body. In addition, the pellets themselves gradually lose their shape and wear out.
In the proposed scrap design, the pellets have a diameter of 2-3 mm each and are generously moistened with machine oil. In addition, the shape of the tips optimally corresponds to the loads that arise during operation. And this is important. After all, the impact force here is greater than that of an ordinary crowbar.
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Probably, even if you want to find a farm that lacks this garden tools, it is hardly possible to do this. A shovel has become an integral attribute of our lives, without which it is impossible to carry out construction or gardening work. People learned to use this tool quite a long time ago, and since then the shovel has been constantly improved, reaching us in modern form. If the main tool of labor of our ancestors was the “digging stick”, known to everyone from school, made by craftsmen from scrap materials, then modern shovels are made at specialized enterprises from special grades of steel. Models made from alloys with the addition of titanium are already being sold, which allow such a tool to work with the hardest soils without breakage. Modern products are produced with ergonomic handles that reduce the required effort during operation.
Depending on the type of work performed, shovels are divided into several main types:
Choosing a bayonet shovel
The choice of a bayonet shovel must be approached very responsibly. An unsuccessfully chosen option can not only reduce productivity at work, but also undermine your health. Before you go to the store, you need to assess the scale of the event earthworks and the type of soil on the site.
Depending on the operating conditions, it is necessary to choose the most best option. Of course for different types It is better to have various bayonet shovel forks, but here you need to look at the possibility of purchasing them. Optimal size for a bayonet shovel
Although, many workers believe that the size of the working part and the handle of the shovel are not of fundamental importance. However, this is not the case. From correct selection The size of the bayonet shovel depends on the force that will be required to perform the work. Too large a working part (blade) of a shovel will turn out a large lump of soil, which has a lot of weight. After working with such a shovel for several minutes, a person of average build is guaranteed to get tired. On the contrary, a blade that is too small will require more operations to dig up the same area. Special attention It's worth paying attention to the cuttings. He must be optimal length. In a vertical position, the handle mounted on the bayonet of the shovel should not reach 10 cm from the worker’s shoulder. Although, this is quite average, and there are people who work quite well with short cuttings. Shovel careIn order for a shovel to serve for a long time and productively, it must be treated with care. After work, the remaining stuck soil must be cleaned off, and the tool itself must be put away in a well-ventilated place. Bayonet shovels are stored with the handle facing up. The exception is models that are equipped with a sealed glass. In this case, to remove moisture from it so that it does not damage the wood of the handle and the glass itself, the shovel is placed with the tip up. A dull tool must be treated with an emery wheel, or whetstone. If knots or chips appear on the handle, they are cleaned using sandpaper. With careful use and storage, even the cheapest bayonet shovel will last a long time. DIY bayonet shovel
The production of shovels is usually carried out by specialized enterprises with industrial equipment. It is not profitable to produce bayonet shovels at home. Usually, homemade “Kulibins” only modernize the factory version, making their work easier. One such project was proposed by an amateur gardener. According to him, such modernization will significantly save effort when carrying out garden work. An ordinary bayonet shovel, dimensions according to GOST, manufactured in a factory, was taken as a donor. The essence of modernization was to shift the point of effort to achieve better efficiency at work. The crown was cut off from the shovel using an ordinary grinder. Then a reinforced version of the tulleka, of greater length, was made from the pipe. The fact is that a short fastening is often the cause of breakage of the handle. The tulika was welded to the rest of the shovel, but not directly, but connected using a piece of strip that forms a step. The handle was chosen with a thickening in the area of attachment with the working part. This made it possible to reduce the load on the hands when digging. Thanks to the step, the digging leg can apply force strictly in the center, which distributes the load evenly over the entire tip, increasing efficiency. In the proposed version of the product, the handle is not on the same axis with the tip, but is shifted 4 cm forward. This lever allows you to significantly reduce the force when turning the soil. The fork handle, which crowns the handle, will allow you to easily turn over the raised layer of soil. Meet homemade shovels with a half wheel. Their shape is somewhat reminiscent of a rocking chair. When working with such a shovel, the half-wheel acts as nothing more than a fulcrum, thanks to which a person does not need to make significant efforts to lift the soil. However, such models are only suitable for garden work; digging trenches with them will be, at a minimum, inconvenient. Bayonet shovel: photo
Bayonet shovel: video |
Good day, dear readers.
Today we will talk about how to make an improved version of a shovel with your own hands.
A shovel is undoubtedly an integral part of any dacha plot. Without it, work on the plot would be impossible for many, but you must agree that even with it it’s not easy to move, say, a lot of earth: you get tired of bending over and the shovel every now and then wants to turn over in your hands, however, it costs a little improve the structure of the shovel and the problems will disappear.
The authors of this material took care of this.
For modification we need:
◘ Scoop shovel.
◘ Welding.
◘ Riveting.
◘ Hook.
◘ Iron rod.
◘ A little time and consumables.
Step one: it is necessary to attach a handle to the end of the scoop, as on an ordinary bayonet shovel, and in front of the scoop, strengthen a kind of support.
Step two: bend the iron rod as shown in the image and equip it with a wooden handle. Most convenient size devices are adjusted through trial and error.
Step three: attach to the shovel with a hook screwed into the handle. Done, you can use and enjoy your creation.
Thank you for your attention, I hope the article was useful to you and you will use it in practice.
Probably, even if you want to find a farm that does not have this garden tool, it is hardly possible to do so. A shovel has become an integral attribute of our lives, without which it is impossible to carry out construction or gardening work. People learned to use this tool quite a long time ago, and since then the shovel has been constantly improved, reaching us in its modern form. If the main tool of labor of our ancestors was the “digging stick”, known to everyone from school, made by craftsmen from scrap materials, then modern shovels are made at specialized enterprises from special grades of steel. Models made from alloys with the addition of titanium are already being sold, which allow such a tool to work with the hardest soils without breakage. Modern products are produced with ergonomic handles that reduce the required effort during operation.
Types of shovels
Depending on the type of work performed, shovels are divided into several main types:
- Bayonet shovels. This type of tool got its name due to the shape of its working part. It, like a bayonet, is pointed at the end. This shape of the shovel allows it to penetrate deep into the soil layers with minimal effort. To make it easier to press the shovel with your foot, its upper edges are bent back at a right angle. This tool is indispensable when working in the garden or construction, as it makes it easy to dig the necessary hole.
- Garden shovels. Fundamentally, a garden shovel is no different from a bayonet shovel, and serves the same purposes. The difference lies in the shape of the bayonet and the handle. The garden shovel has a rectangular tip and a special handle on the handle, which makes work easier. Despite their name, garden shovels are used everywhere.
- Military type. These shovels were developed for use in the army. They have a slightly different shape, as well as a much smaller cutting size. The stem itself is thinner than in civilian models, thickening at the bottom. This shape is made for ease of movement. The most famous is a folding model of a military shovel, better known as a sapper shovel. Due to the folding handle, it is easy to transport, and it is convenient to work with it even in a lying position, which is very important during digging in combat conditions. But even in peacetime, such a shovel became widespread. Tourist models of shortened bayonet shovels are even equipped with saws, hatchets and other useful options.
- Half-shovel type or “American”. This modification of the shovel received this name because it has the characteristics of a bayonet shovel - a pointed tip, and a scoop - the angle between the handle and the shovel. This species appeared overseas. Its convenience lies in the ease of discarding soil when digging.
- Shovel Designed mainly for loading and unloading operations. It has a blunt tip and a large working surface area with curved side ends. This allows you to collect a large amount of bulk materials into it, which speeds up work. A rectangular bayonet shovel is a separate type of shovel that combines the properties of both types.
The choice of a bayonet shovel must be approached very responsibly. An unsuccessfully chosen option can not only reduce productivity at work, but also undermine your health. Before you go to the store, you need to assess the scale of excavation work and the type of soil on the site.
- A regular bayonet shovel is suitable for working in areas with soft soils. Such models are usually made of ordinary steel. This is the cheapest type of bayonet shovel and will last a long time with proper care. The fact is that ordinary steel can become dull and corrode over time. Therefore, such shovels must be sharpened on time and anti-corrosion treatment carried out.
- In conditions of heavy soils that contain rocks, it is better to use a reinforced bayonet shovel. Such models have special stiffening ribs (a glass into which the handle is inserted). They do not allow the shovel to bend when working in difficult conditions.
- Lightweight titanium bayonet shovel. Thanks to the use of this material, the weight of the product becomes much less, which reduces human effort during work. In addition, such a shovel does not bend and does not require additional sharpening. Another undoubted advantage of titanium models is that clods of wet soil do not stick to them, which makes working in high humidity easier. However, the price of a bayonet shovel made of this material is quite high, which is an obstacle for many farms in purchasing it. Titanium shovels are suitable for any job.
- Stainless steel bayonet shovel. With a large number of advantages, such a shovel costs much less than titanium models, although its weight will undoubtedly be greater. The main advantage of such a shovel is that it does not require anti-corrosion treatment, which increases its service life. American ones are often made from stainless steel, which would be an ideal choice for loose soils.
- Telescopic bayonet shovel. Such models have an adjustable handle length, which allows people of different heights to optimally distribute the load so as not to strain their backs. It is very convenient to transport, especially in the trunk of a small car. However, aluminum or plastic telescopes, namely, these are the materials they are made from, are significantly inferior in strength to solid handles made from these materials, not to mention wooden ones. And such models of shovels are much more expensive. Such shovels will be an excellent choice for those workers who often move tools in a car and work on light soils.
Depending on the operating conditions, it is necessary to choose the most optimal option. Of course, for different types of work it is better to have different bayonet shovel forks, but here you need to look at the possibility of purchasing them.