lightweight, cheap trowel

[mtwarden]

for doing your "business", but also for gathering roots and the like

1.5" electrical PVC conduit, cut a shape roughly like this (I used a cutoff wheel on a dremel- hacksaw blade would probably work too, finished the edges w/ a sanding drum- sandpaper would work too):

end up w/ something like this, weighs in at 0/75 oz:

even works in a pinch for a tent stake too

 

[evbouret]

a 12" machete works awfully well...

 

[mtwarden]

true that

 

[CWL]

I usually whittle a digging stick once I'm at camp.

 

[wildmike]

+1 on the digging stick.

 

[stingray4540]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing, I love the duel purpose of it too. Looks like it would make a good sand/snow stake too.

 

[jca21]

i prefer the cheap orange coghlan's trowels. they are light weight and extremely durable.

 

[mtwarden]

the Coghlan's isn't a bad trowel- the DIY one is about half the weight though - I can't remember what the cost of the section of pvc conduit was, but it was cheap (sold by the foot- you could make several out of a one foot section)

it's possible the Coghlan's is more durable (haven't used one), but this is pretty thick pvc and appears to be thus far pretty durable

 

[jca21]

i've had the same coghlan's trowel for 3 years. its pretty tough if ya ask me

it cost me 2 dollars. but yea, the section of pvc conduit could probably produce more.


great project though.