Tips On Replacing Broken Handles On Your Garden Tools

The metal sections of hoes, weed planters, shovels and various other lawn accessories with wooden handles always tend to outlive the handle. A damage handle can typically cause the tool to be useless. Often it will be necessary to replace the defected tool, but this can be annoying if the tool is fairly new. However, using the right technique and tools, it is often possible to simply replace the handle.

The substitution handle will need to be made of hard wood, such as maple or ash. This has the potential to make the replacement more costly than is justified, but in many instances the cost is advisable. In order to provide the optimum stress resistance, any handle needs to be pre-treated, and coated to prevent premature rot.

The better tools are often joined using sturdy screws, and not rivets. This makes the task of handle replacement easier. Simply undo the screws and remove the damaged section. Some may be tightly wedged in.

Remove any remaining wooden fragments with a file or similar tool. The plan is simple: locate a new handle of the same dimensions, seat well, and return the screws.

If the substitute handle wasn’t pre-varnished or coated along the full length, coat with varnish and wait to dry prior to inserting. A further tip is to cover the portion within the metal sleeve. This will help to stop moisture from entering the wood.

Place the tool into a wood working vice, slot in the replacement handle and start the screws off with a manual screwdriver. If necessary finish the task with a powered screwdriver. Be careful not to over-tighten, as the wood could strip.

For gardening tools affixed with rivets, the task does become more tricky, but certainly still doable. If you intend to proceed, it will be necessary to saw off or drill out the head of the rivet in order to get rid of the section of the handle still attached to the sleeve.

If you are unable to get a hack saw behind it or a drill piece into it, it could mean that the head needs to be filled off. As a final option, if the tool is clamped into a vice, a hammer can be used to punch the rivet into the damaged part. Then remove any small debris as before. Fix the handle back, but now use screws rather than the rivets.

In either case it’s always necessary to be certain that the new screws are fixed well into place, and don’t stick out. This ensures that the screw heads don’t snag on things, and tightly attaches the handle to the metal piece.

By: Darren Lintern

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Darren Lintern writes extensively for www.andallgardening.com, a popular informational website that provides helpful tips, and resources on many gardening topics including Garden Lawn Decor, and Weed Trimmers