Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: shaun on October 11, 2007, 20:17

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: shaun on October 11, 2007, 20:17

I have been looking for a decent T handle fork but cant find one anywhere local.I did find one but it was steel and was realy heavy.all the better stainless ones only have D handles theres loads on the web but I would like to touch it before i buy it  :evil:
so shall I buy a decent D handle one and change the handle myself ?,I dont fancy it cus its never the same is it.

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 20:19

just spend some of the millions and get a good one 8)

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: shaun on October 11, 2007, 20:21

there aint no good ones mate,they dont consider us men with big hands  :wink:

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 20:29

I am only little with little hands

I have to buy shovels to fit the workers :shock:

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 11, 2007, 20:29

Surely then you want a D one.

The T one's would be a bit uncomfortable when gripping wouldn't they as your fingers would need to go either side of the shaft?

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 20:31

anyhow my mates bought me a stainless set in the hope I go a diggin rather than trouble them  :o

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 20:32

Ba******

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: shaun on October 11, 2007, 20:34

Quote from: "SnooziSuzi"

Surely then you want a D one.

The T one's would be a bit uncomfortable when gripping wouldn't they as your fingers would need to go either side of the shaft?

When I put my hand in a Dhandle one suzi,my likkle finger rubs against the inside and I take the skin off it.

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 11, 2007, 20:38

Oh.  Sorry, I've got little girly hands so I don't have that problem  :?

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 20:52

best you get a good rotavator like a honda :D

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: new_2_veg on October 11, 2007, 20:56

i fell realy lucky the other week and got a spade and fork with a t-handle of a guy i knew from the pub, they are both old with the wooden t handles, the fork has slender tines  

the best bit was they where kept in his house and only ever used twice :D

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: new_2_veg on October 11, 2007, 21:00

shaun

i can tell you where you will get a wooden shaft with a t handle if you have or can get a fork head

nathan

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: penlee on October 11, 2007, 22:29

Shaun,  get yourself a long handled fork like we use here in cornwall,easier on the back,longer tines,so you can dig deeper,the trick is to place your leg against the handle for leverage,and much more quicker.A mans fork in fact. No doubt Bigbadfrankie wil know the type of fork .

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 22:33

Know it i have one :D

none of your short handled things for us


I recon you must be further south than me penlee :shock:

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on October 11, 2007, 22:38

No penlee its seems your a northerner up in St Austel

very nearly Devon :roll:

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: penlee on October 11, 2007, 22:38

Tregony, the gateway to the Roseland, where are you.

Title: D handle or T handle
Post by: muntjac on October 11, 2007, 22:44

try car boot shaun i got a cracker from there  :wink:

Title: Re: D handle or T handle
Post by: Tinbasher on October 13, 2007, 10:07

Quote from: "shaun"

I have been looking for a decent T handle fork but cant find one anywhere local.I did find one but it was steel and was realy heavy.all the better stainless ones only have D handles theres loads on the web but I would like to touch it before i buy it  :evil:
so shall I buy a decent D handle one and change the handle myself ?,I dont fancy it cus its never the same is it.

Spades.  I've always taken a decent blade and part of the steel shank (the curved, forged bit), then removed the wooden handle and replaced with a steel shaft.  It has to be welded to the remaining shank, but when you're done you'll have a tool that will last for ages.  35mm OD steam pipe is ideal.  The bore more or less fits over the shank (maybe with a touch of bashing) and the overall diameter is ok for the hands.  Negatives can be the overall weight (but this is a positive when heavy soil needs excavating or turning) and the coldness of the shaft on the hands in winter.  Gloves are a cure of course.

As regards the end, I prefer not a T or D handle but just a plain rounded end.  An American pattern I believe it may be called.  If you're lucky enough to get a length of pipe with a threaded end, a threaded capping piece can be used - nice and rounded and a nice sized boss for the hand.  A T or D handle always seems to get in the way at some point, whereas the hand can fit nicely over a plain end for more driving force into the earth.

I've had a digging spade like this for over 10 years and as well as excavating many a hole for the fitting of gate posts and the like, it's also seen service in digging out and removing at least 100 tons of heavy clay from the back garden, a task that took 3 years, wagonload by wagonload.

I did buy a posh stainless spade from Aldi only this year, and a bargain at less than a tenner.  Stainless shank turning to plastic covered on the upper section and with a D handle.  I'm starting to think I only got it to pose with, as whenever anything serious needs doing I always go back to the steam-pipe handled old faithful, which I know will never bend or break.  The fact is, I'm scared of using the stainless one cos it looks so nice.  :D