Light Weight Foot Digger In The Works

[Rivers rat]

If i may 2/3 things:

 

1) the design is great depending of course of soil condition,i really like the fact that the "Digging Energy" will be focused on a narrow surface .

2)The handle : is it designed to be carry on your shoulder???as if it was to be dragged the abnormal position of your wrist will hurt after a while.

3) are you planning to build a larger model?

4) a wider foot rest wont hurt

5) i like it!!!!

 

RR

[Ridge Runner]

Looks great to me but it will have to be able to take a beating.

 Be sure to put somewhere made in USA not in one hung low.

 Chuck 

[kac]

3 hours ago, NCtoad said:

I think you have an innovative design.  I’m the type of person who looks at something (like a tool or shovel) and tries to formulate all the “what ifs” in my mind.  For the past year I’ve been using a root slayer nomad model.  Three things I really like about this shovel:  

1) the inverted tip.  It catches small roots and cuts them rather than deflecting off to one side or the other.
2) the size of the blade.  I wouldn’t want it any wider at the top and the length is sufficient for most targets.  However I wouldn’t mind if it was 10 or even 11 inches long.  Btw, when new I’m pretty sure it was 9” or slightly more, but has worn down to under 9” with all the digging I’ve done with it.  
3) the price was only $40. I know it’s mass produced in China, but it’s held up well.  I would expect a hand produced shovel made by a forum member would be at least twice as much.  
Looking at your design here’s what I see both pros and cons. 
1) I really like your tip design.  The center point will pierce the soil, but the inverted sections on either side of the point will catch and cut roots. 
2) I like the size of the blade and especially the fact that the sides are parallel and don’t taper from top to bottom.  I think this will help to dig and extract a more intact plug.  
3) the foot peg design is nice in that if needed to go deeper it won’t catch on the edge of the hole. Maybe you could enlarge the footpad area by circling it around the front of the blade. 
4) This is a con.  I think you need to make the ferrule that the handle fits in to extend at least a few inches higher and maybe even 6 or 8 higher than the top of the blade. I’m also curious as to why the handle and blade aren’t one continuous piece of steel.  Is it the weight factor?  

All in all I think you have a great design on your hands especially if you can figure out a sturdy handle solution.  
Attached are pics of the nomad shovel. 

Sorry ran out of likes.

I chose a straight blade rather than tapered as a tapered once you start digging you always need more force to keep digging.

I like the spade points better for scooping so I made a shallow spade point. So far it has cut through little over 1" thick top frozen soil without any difficulty when I took it out yesterday.

Downside of a spade point is they will deflect when next to a root so I made it shallow then put a cuple catchers on the sides which are proving very good at keeping the blade straight when stomping.

I plan on making the foot peg fill to the back profile of the blade and adding some small cleets. Current foot peg was just made from some left over scrap and my foot hasn't slipped off.

I try to avoid abrupt angles and rather try to transfer forces and energy outward. The little hand digger I have with spade point on a circular arc has proven very strong. Creased blades cause forces to converge but no so much on a flat point digger like the root slayer.

I thought about serated edges but so far not necessary from what I have tested so far so keeping it simple in that respect for now.

So far the 10" blade is working out well and the width seems really good. 3 stomps and I can roll the dirt out with one hand in most cases. Makes approx a 6-8" wide hole.

So far the fiberglass handle seems plenty strong, it is my biggest concern and I have to look close to where it bends. If it wants to try to flex where it connects to the blade it can be a problem as that will be a fracture point. If it just flexes a little in the middle then not a problem. Same will be if I attach a D or T handle on it.

Now to costs, materials are high, I use ansi cert 4130 which is not cheap and shipping is really through the roof. I have made various tools for forming etc to cut labor down so getting fabrication down to a science if you want to call it that.

Prototype stage cost isn't a driving factor and design is a priority for me. Not sure about mass production, rather make them as orders come in and be able to customize them to the customers. Everyone makes a shovel and shoves them on a shelf, very few fit each persons style and needs 100%. I think custom built has a niche.

[NCtoad]

4 hours ago, kac said:

Sorry ran out of likes.

I chose a straight blade rather than tapered as a tapered once you start digging you always need more force to keep digging.

I like the spade points better for scooping so I made a shallow spade point. So far it has cut through little over 1" thick top frozen soil without any difficulty when I took it out yesterday.

Downside of a spade point is they will deflect when next to a root so I made it shallow then put a cuple catchers on the sides which are proving very good at keeping the blade straight when stomping.

I plan on making the foot peg fill to the back profile of the blade and adding some small cleets. Current foot peg was just made from some left over scrap and my foot hasn't slipped off.

I try to avoid abrupt angles and rather try to transfer forces and energy outward. The little hand digger I have with spade point on a circular arc has proven very strong. Creased blades cause forces to converge but no so much on a flat point digger like the root slayer.

I thought about serated edges but so far not necessary from what I have tested so far so keeping it simple in that respect for now.

So far the 10" blade is working out well and the width seems really good. 3 stomps and I can roll the dirt out with one hand in most cases. Makes approx a 6-8" wide hole.

So far the fiberglass handle seems plenty strong, it is my biggest concern and I have to look close to where it bends. If it wants to try to flex where it connects to the blade it can be a problem as that will be a fracture point. If it just flexes a little in the middle then not a problem. Same will be if I attach a D or T handle on it.

Now to costs, materials are high, I use ansi cert 4130 which is not cheap and shipping is really through the roof. I have made various tools for forming etc to cut labor down so getting fabrication down to a science if you want to call it that.

Prototype stage cost isn't a driving factor and design is a priority for me. Not sure about mass production, rather make them as orders come in and be able to customize them to the customers. Everyone makes a shovel and shoves them on a shelf, very few fit each persons style and needs 100%. I think custom built has a niche.

All good points.  Let me know when one these is available to purchase. 

[kac]

Need further testing on one I have, getting snow this week of course. Thinking this spring should have things refined and options available.

[NCtoad]

Well my much used and much liked root slayer nomad shovel broke yesterday.  At least it waited until the end of the hunt until it snapped. 

[Rick N. MI]

You can weld it back together. Surprising that it broke.

[Joe D.]

  I see it broke at the first saw tooth, and near the end of the stiffener! A key stress point I suspect! Saw teeth are a known stress point on knives, even If done correctly! I'm sure it can be repaired, and strengthened! Looking back on what it cost you, probably will cost more to fix than it's worth!!👍👍

   

[kac]

Welding that won't do you much good where it broke. You would need a tig welder and a forge to stress relieve the weld. Not sure if you can re-temper it after. Process I do is I start with annealed or normalized stock, I cold form them and even water cool when cutting. Weld them up then temper once. I temper the entire blade. Even my diggers I temper the entire unit.

Don't know what metal that one is made of. I have good results with the 4130.

Is it under warranty?

[Joe D.]

Good info Kac! Are you gonna have any of yours ready to go by the end of April? Let me know! 👍👍