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TomatoNut95
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Winterizing Garden Tools

So I was wondering if there is something I can put on garden tools with wooden handles to keep them from cracking. I read somewhere about using oil and sand....but sand is a no-no for me since I can't get it anywhere unless I go dig in someone else's garden... :lol:
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pepperhead212
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Why would you use sand - for a better grip? I never think of it as winterizing - just sealing the wood - but every few years I rub a coat of diluted pulyurethane on them. That's it! I've never needed anything like sand added to them for grip, and it seems this might add to getting blisters.

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TomatoNut95
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An oil and sand mixture is what I read in one of books somewhere. Polyurethane, eh? My step-dad should have some since he likes to mess around with wood stuff. How diluted? Like half polyurethane and half water?

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digitS'
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I believe that some people use only boiled, linseed oil.

It hasn't seemed very necessary to me. I have Dad's sledgehammer that must be over 50 years old. There is a spade with a severely worn blade that has been in use several times each year since I dug a ditch for a foundation wall in the '70's.

They are outdoors, under a roof, and aren't in the sun except for maybe an hour during the summertime when the morning sun is far to the north.

I had a neighbor once who was, supposedly, well versed in all phases of construction and tool use. He would leave tools out in the weather. There was no fence between the gardens and I would notice, how could I help it?! He left tools out, not just overnight but over months! I found it somewhat humorous that his tools showed little if any wear but had rusted metal and handles bleached by the sun.

I don't think that you are as negligent as I am, TomatoNut. Certainly, not as lack-a-daisy-cal as he was. Oh! And, wearing gloves for outdoor work is a good idea :).

Steve ;)

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applestar
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The oil and sand is for the metal digging parts — you are supposed to keep a bucket of sand soaked with oil and each time after use, plunge the shovel, hoe, fork up and down in the oily sand to clean off and lube.

The first time I read about it, the instructions said to use/“recycle” used motor oil — blecch — so I kind of dismissed it. But I imagine you can use other kinds of oil as long as they don’t go rancid.

pepperhead212
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Now the sand and oil thing makes sense. I was thinking of the wood - where my mind always is, plus the photos of the handles. Boiled linseed oil is something from the old days, and it is not even waterproof - I don't know why people even think of that anymore.

The poly/thinner mix I make up is 50/50. This wipes on easily, and soaks into porous wood and cracks, and dries hard. If the batch is old, however, put some on a small scrap of wood, and let it dry. It should dry within 4 hours; if it remains sticky, throw it away, and buy some fresh. Polyurethane can go bad, like this.

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TomatoNut95
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Another thing that book mentioned was mineral oil. ( I need to look for that book....) I can't remember if it meant to put it on the wood or metal parts. Like I said, no sand for me unless I go digging in somebody else's garden. Unless kiddie sand would work, but I can't buy that now.

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applestar
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I still can’t imagine not being able to buy construction/home improvement type things — sand included. Don’t you have Home Depot or Lowe’s ... major hardware stores like True Value, Aces, or other home improvement big box stores? I realize some of these are regional and I’ve no idea what you have there. (We don’t have Menards around here for example).

Anyway, most of these have online purchase with free shipping to local store, and you should be able to get bagged all-purpose sand.

Another option might be a local brick or concrete / masonry supplier since sand is a critical ingredient as well as underlayment.

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TomatoNut95
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I have Lowes, Wal-Mart and Ace Hardware. But I have yet to see all purpose sand around here. Only landscaping sand or play sand. However, I keep looking.

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Gary350
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Buy a 1 quart container of Boiled Linseed oil from Walmart they have the best prices. I paint all my wooden handles every winter the wood dries out and this stuff reconditions the wood by soaking into the wood. It does not lay on the wood surface like paint or varnish that soon peals off. Boiled Linseed oil will soak into old wood and become part of the wood making it stronger and water proof. I bought a $2 wheel barrel at a yard sale wood looked terrible I painted the wood about 8 times with Linseed oil. I let it dry then painted it again that was last winter. Shovel, rake, hoe, ax, pick, post hole digger, hammer handle, hatchet handle, etc. usually only need 1 or 2 coats of Linseed oil. Picture below is what I bought at Walmart. Linseed oil is slow to dry on good wood buy dries fast on old wood.
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TomatoNut95
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Thanks so much, @Gary! :) I will put that on my shopping list! How often should I put a layer? Just once a year should be enough?

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Be careful with boiled linseed oil. I've read (in several places) that if a rag soaked in it is left around, it can spontaneously combust. Google it for more info.

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TomatoNut95
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Thanks for the safety advice! Last thing I want to do is set my stuff on fire. How should I go about disposing of the rag? Bury it, burn it or soak it in water and throw it away? And if linseed oil is that combustible, would it be dangerous for my garden tool handles to get too hot in my storage building, or out in the sun?

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Gary350
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TomatoNut95 wrote:Thanks so much, @Gary! :) I will put that on my shopping list! How often should I put a layer? Just once a year should be enough?
I put Linseed oil on my tools in winter when I am not using them so they have time to dry. If they need more I and add more and still have time to dry. My old wheel barrel handles are so bad they soak up linseed oil like a sponge I pour it right from the can onto the handles.

Vanisle_BC
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TomatoNut95: I don't know beans :) about storing 'B.L.O.'-soaked rags. (Burn them?) I was just passing along what I've read elsewhere. I seem to recall that 'raw' linseed oil may have different properties but I'm not sure about that. Don't know why they boil it in the first place.
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Vanisle_BC
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After a quick non-exhaustive search, the most useful online article I found about linseed oil is one by The Natural Handyman. You could google it. I won't provide a link because I think that's against forum guidelines. Anyway it sounds as though storing your wood handles dry and out of the sun is as effective, cheap & eco-friendly as any coating (but how many of us actually do that??)

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TomatoNut95
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I admit I am bad about leaving my hoe and shovel in the sun and sometimes rain.(right now, however, they're in the storage building) It's just that as cheap-made as the wooden handles seem to be, I want to keep them from cracking all apart too early in their life and be able to use them for many years to come. :) I put the Linseed oil on my shopping list; thanks so much, everybody! :D

Vanisle_BC
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Epoxy is an excellent protective. It soaks into the wood but the wood has to be dry first. I've been trying to avoid using epoxy, in the interest of becoming more eco-friendly; but that's kind of foolish because I have quite a lot left over from building my wee boat. Also it's a superlative glue so sometimes .... :).

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Gary350
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TomatoNut95 wrote:
Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:34 pm
I admit I am bad about leaving my hoe and shovel in the sun and sometimes rain.(right now, however, they're in the storage building) It's just that as cheap-made as the wooden handles seem to be, I want to keep them from cracking all apart too early in their life and be able to use them for many years to come. :) I put the Linseed oil on my shopping list; thanks so much, everybody! :D
Buy a 1 quart can of Boiled Linseed Oil $10 at Walmart. Paint it on the wood handles or pour it on the wood. Wood soaks Linseed Oil up like a sponge. It will soak down deep inside the wood and totally revives the wood good like brand new wood. It dries and becomes hard as new wood. I do this to all my, shovel handles, hoe handle, post hole digger handles, wheel barrel handles, rakes, I use a 4" wide horse hair brush it makes the job very fast and easy. A can of Linseed oil will last for many years.

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Gary350
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I am glad you mentioned winterizing tools because I completely forgot to work on my tools this year. I did not even remember to wash them clean this year. We used the shovels last week to plant fruit trees. It is good to let Linseed oil dry for a week then set all winter in the garage. Today I painted all the handles with Boiled Linseed oil using a 4" paint brush to made this a quick easy 25 minute job. If you take care of your tools they will take care of you. I painted wheel barrel handles too. I bought this junk wheel barrel for $2 at a yard sale 6 years ago. I intended to remove the cracked metal pan and turn this into an Amish style wheel barrel but been too lazy to do that. I like Amish wheel barrels bottom is flat an open in the back like a dump truck bed, this makes it easy to shovel out what ever is in the wheel barrel with a flat shovel. I need pressure treated wood to build an Amish wheel barrel so wheel barrel will be ok to set outside in 250 days of rain. Last year we had 76" of rain from Jan to June then 3" from Jun to Nov.
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imafan26
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I have to admit I do clean my tools and hose them off after use to get rid of the dirt. I have oiled them rarely. I figured if I can put motor oil in sand, I could just use motor oil, but what would I do with the rest of the can? Builder's sand is usually available at home centers because people need sand to make concrete unless all they are using are the premixed ones. I can also find sand at tile companies since sand is needed to make the mortar mix for the tiles. You may be able to find sand at quarries as well. Play sand is finer, but it should still work.
Here, sand is easy to find, finding sand that is not made of coral is the hard part.

In the end, I used Pam for the tools. It is something I have in the kitchen and use anyway and it should be non toxic and for me any oil will still offer protection.

As for the handles. I paint them with left over paint. I have oil paint from painting the trim on my house. I have even painted rocks to use up the paint.
The other thing I have used is varathane, also left over from repainting the doors. This is not an annual thing for me because these coatings last for years.

However, it does not stop termites. I don't keep my tools outside. The bulk of them are stored in the garage. The ones that are outside are the ones I use the most and they last maybe 10-15 years.

I did have some rot on one of my shovels after I bleached it because of nematodes. My bad, I should have rinsed it off better and stored it off the ground instead of standing on the point.

That looks like a well used wheel barrel. I haven't had a wheel barrel in years. I don't really need one and I have a couple of small carts and 5 gallon buckets instead.



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