The Shovel Discussion Thread!

Very nice! Closed back, I take it? Looks like the split socket is made by welding it to the blade? I've always heard very good things about Dewit.
 
I maintain that we're all still little kids who like to dig holes. :p
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Very nice! Closed back, I take it? Looks like the split socket is made by welding it to the blade? I've always heard very good things about Dewit.
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Thanks. The split is not welded to the blade, it is one piece. The only weld is at the opening of the split, just an inch or so.
 
Ballenxj said:
Probably because to most folks a shovel means work, but you're right. Shovels are very unappreciated. ;)
-Bruce
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Something I've noticed about shovels. They're the least likely tool to have stolen off of a jobsite. You can't pawn 'em. The only thing you can do with one is work - and thieves don't work. In 29 years of construction work I've only seen one shovel stolen.
 
jurisprudence said:
Thanks. The split is not welded to the blade, it is one piece. The only weld is at the opening of the split, just an inch or so.
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Interesting--I wonder how they construct them then! Are you sure they didn't just cosmetically grind down the welds?

Ballenxj said:
Probably because to most folks a shovel means work, but you're right. Shovels are very unappreciated. ;)
-Bruce
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Square_peg said:
Something I've noticed about shovels. They're the least likely tool to have stolen off of a jobsite. You can't pawn 'em. The only thing you can do with one is work - and thieves don't work. In 29 years of construction work I've only seen one shovel stolen.
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^Both funny and true! A lot of wisdom right there! :D:D:D
 
Back in the Seventies, my brother and I would walk the construction sites for work. My brother would carry his hammer and I carried my shovel. As soon as we showed up, someone would always yell "Hey boys, you know how to use that shovel/hammer". We would run over and work till dark. My brother would be do everything an expert with a hammer could do and I would move giant piles of gravel most of the time. We usually got paid $100 for the day. Just for shoveling and hammering. We would laugh like heck all the way home. Now that was some crazy money back then. We had more fishing poles and hunting guns than anyone I knew. Back then, I thought all men could do the Construction Trades and work on their own cars and stuff. I forgot about them shoveling days for a long time.
 
that was an awesome reply leebrewer, brewer is a cool last name ;)

I know EXACTLY what you mean, now if you ask someone to move a pile of rocks or dirt and home depot tool rental is closed, that pile will stay where it sits.

I remember a time when i worked in a recycle dept. of an oil company,
A guy spilled a pallet of 5000 lbs of lead granules
MY lead man was scratching his head just worried on how he was going to get it up,
I said "we can just use shovels"
He basically said "ur and idiot"

I looked at him dead in the eye and said I could have it done in 15 minutes. He walked away shaking his head, that fired me up and I went crazy on that pile ( aluminum material shovel )
did it in 15 minutes
No one said much to me after that.

"SHOVELS: For a Stronger tomorrow"

nice thread BTW

KBREW
 
kelseyboy said:
that was an awesome reply leebrewer, brewer is a cool last name ;)

I know EXACTLY what you mean, now if you ask someone to move a pile of rocks or dirt and home depot tool rental is closed, that pile will stay where it sits.

I remember a time when i worked in a recycle dept. of an oil company,
A guy spilled a pallet of 5000 lbs of lead granules
MY lead man was scratching his head just worried on how he was going to get it up,
I said "we can just use shovels"
He basically said "ur and idiot"

I looked at him dead in the eye and said I could have it done in 15 minutes. He walked away shaking his head, that fired me up and I went crazy on that pile ( aluminum material shovel )
did it in 15 minutes
No one said much to me after that.

"SHOVELS: For a Stronger tomorrow"

nice thread BTW

KBREW
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Right on!
 
That's the spirit! :D:thumbup:

Any of you guys use the technique I do for getting the shovel under resistant materials? Keeping my back straight, I drop at the knees and widen my stance until the shovel blade is flat on the ground and my upper hand (usually my right) is at the natural height created by the lift of the shovel and my feet set to mirror my hands (left hand/foot forward, right hand/foot back) and then brace my hand against the inside of my thigh and push by leaning my body into it. Saves my back and allows me to push not just from my arms, but also my leg.
 
I use the forearm on the knee/thigh trick all the time. Like you said, it saves the back.


My hero.
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william-h-macy-as-the-shoveler1.jpg


Anyone remember the movie 'Mystery Men'?
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Any of you guys use the technique I do for getting the shovel under resistant materials? Keeping my back straight, I drop at the knees and widen my stance until the shovel blade is flat on the ground and my upper hand (usually my right) is at the natural height created by the lift of the shovel and my feet set to mirror my hands (left hand/foot forward, right hand/foot back) and then brace my hand against the inside of my thigh and push by leaning my body into it. Saves my back and allows me to push not just from my arms, but also my leg.
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I widen my stance as much as I can to get me lower and keep my back straight. I think I put my elbow in my thigh. Havent done any heavy diggin with a regular size shovel in awhile. Last time was for snow a couple years ago, I think. Just use my straight handle E-tool (issued to me in 1983 in the Army) on my knees for light diggin. Camping and stuff.
 
For snow around the house I use one of those big push scoops. :D
 
Personally I wouldn't be caught dead with one. Talk about heavy and awkward! I'd rather just use the blade of an all-steel shovel or just carry an Estwing I-beam pry bar.
 
We get wet heavy snow here - it's called 'Cascade Concrete' by the skiers. Big snow shovels don't cut it. I use either a steel flat-point shovel or a manure shovel. I've been told that I'm good at shovelling manure.
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Square_peg said:
We get wet heavy snow here - it's called 'Cascade Concrete' by the skiers. Big snow shovels don't cut it. I use either a steel flat-point shovel or a manure shovel. I've been told that I'm good at shovelling manure.
wink.gif
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Shoveling manure is a serious skill, and I say that with a straight face. Used to take me about an hour to muck the barn and now I can get it sparkling in about 15. An aluminum transfer shovel does the job a million times better than the manure forks so commonly sold and used. I turn it upside down and sweep with the tip like it's a giant broom, then scoop up the resultant pile. Makes VERY quick work of it. ;)
 
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