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help construction digging homemade bar


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hello I should make with a recovery materials a steel digging bar to use as a spud bar, crow bar, to make holes in the ground and plant poles, what do you recommend, some friend user has built one if you like and what material he used , would you have photos to use to get inspiration thanks to which optimal dimensions?

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My great grandfather built one using a car axle. He made it in the 1930's, so the car was from the earlier 1900's. Had this shape and dimensions. Square on one end, round on the other with about 1"(25mm) of the round end threaded. You may be able to find something like that?

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Heres a pic of mine. Made long ago and still in use on the new shop.

The round point is great for many things. Popping rocks, rolling logs, and getting in between rocks when  breaking into rocky soil.

The chisel end needs a tuneup. It's a bit short and stubby, but works well.

Personally I dont like the style in your pic. It's too heavy and not well balanced. Makes me work too hard. However the straight side is great for cleaning up holes.

 

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thanks for the valuable suggestion, I have to recover the right piece of steel to build it (I had recommended steel rod for reinforced concrete armor), if you had other photos or drawings for inspiration, I invite you to attach them to the discussion thanks again greetings to all friends of the forum I take this opportunity to offer you best wishes for happy holidays

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One bar never does it all.  I have about 5 versions from lighter and about 1.5 meters long to really heavy and about 2 meters long.  I use them all for the job best suited.

The really heavy one is used the least--but when you need a good lever or lots of power, it shines.  The lightest and shortest is a bit too short on average but doesn't wear you out as fast as bigger.

Less "pointy" works better in soft dirt, more "pointy" better on hard or with rocks.  I prefer the style in your photo because it has a natural fulcrum (when used on a hard surface) to lift heavy stuff just enough to prop up about 10mm and then use a better lift system to go higher.  

So...don't make one bar, make a bunch :) One can never have too many tools.

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We use shop made post pounders all the time at work. Piece of Pipe with a chunk of steel on the top to cap it off and add weight, with rebar handles bent and welded on. All made from road finds. If you use rebar grind the nubs off before bending and welding. It will save your hands some wear and tear.

It's amazing what people lose along the roadway.

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Here are photos of a rough one someone welded up from pipe. I got this at an auction for less money than I could make it for, and have used it several times.

Size and length of the pipe depends on the size of the posts you want to pound in.

 

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Don't use concrete reinforcing bar to make your pry bars you need a better and more consistent quality steel. A car or truck drive axle is a good salvage steel for tools you want to be tough and springy. 

You'll want to experiment on small pieces to get the heat treat you want but I'd look to tempering to at least dark straw, probably near purple. If you're making one to hammer on I'd temper to blue where the hammer hits.

I have 3 bars, a: Spud bar, a pinch bar and a digging bar. Wouldn't be without them. Long anyway. ;)

Frosty The Lucky.

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thanks for the right suggestions and photos you have been very useful

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C774&title=Fences%20for%20the%20Farm

 

thank you again, excuse me if I insist, I should also make a gate or barrier to open the entrance road, you could suggest me how to make a gate mountable without using welding, I have no electricity in the countryside, I would like to make a gate or a barrier at home in my garage and take it into the ground in pieces with an old utilitarian car. and mount it with brackets bolts some suggestions thanks again best wishes for the current holidays

 

https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/fetch/DIY_Projects_and_Ideas/Building_Materials/Guides/simple-steps-to-assemble-and-hang-a-chain-link-gate-HT-PG-BM-hero.jpg

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Hang-a-Farm-GateFence/

 

https://www.farmweld.com.au/heritage-style-country-gates/

 

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four meters wide, a suitable access to make a truck access a farm machine, easy to carry out and transport, robust and light, the land is out of reach in the countryside in the suburbs, some carriers use it as illegal dump to discharge construction waste and cumbersome, that's why I'm working and engineering to fence the perimeter of this land and to block access to the access path, thanks again for the valuable suggestions

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Illegal dumping ... mm ... may be a shotgun ? 

A 4m gate can be built without welding, using rivets. You still need to drill the holes. You could punch the holes hot of course. 

No electricity does not mean you can not weld. You can hire a small petrol or diesel generator/welder.  Or if you have the patience, an oxy/acetylene set. The welder usually has a 220v outlet that you can use for the drill and the grinder.  Farmers usually have welders driven by the tractor's PTO.

The easiest way to make a gate is making a frame with flat bar, or T or angle section and add a couple of diagonals. You can forge the vertical section next to the post down to round to make it hinge. What sort of materials do you have to build this gate? Can you buy new steel? Can you hire a diesel or petrol welder? 

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thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately I have no current in the agricultural land, I should buy steel bars, the iron shop owns a small truck, therefore with a small economic contribution of transport, I would deliver the material to the house where I have my small workshop in my garage, I have the welding machine the drill and other equipment, I would build the frame of the modular gate to bring the bars into the ground and compose it using bolts bars and plates and fixing brackets, the ground is in an isolated place or so I should bring everything you need and the equipment from home, I own an old utilitarian transport, otherwise I should hire a pickup truck, I should find a cheap and effective solution, thanks anyway for the right suggestions, thanks

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I believe he means install it Marc. He has a shop to make the gate just either doesn't have a portable welder or generator to use power in the field. Translation software can make reading these posts an adventure. ;)

Angiolino: The easy way if you don't insist on using a square post on the gate is to set a round post in the ground with a flat cap welded to the top end. Use a drill bit to make a very shallow divot in the center of the cap as a bearing race. This is to retain a bearing ball. 

The post on the gate itself needs to be round and large enough to slip over the post set in the ground. It also needs a welded flat cap with a bearing race on the inside. Place a ball bearing in the "bearing race, a gob of grease to keep it in position is a good idea.

The gate will swing easily on the bearing ball and being a close fit over the post won't rattle or wobble.

You can make  any size or shape gate you wish and won't need any power in the field to install, just a couple people to help lift it. You DO want the gate heavy enough folks aren't going to lift it off to trespass. 

If you want to, you can cut a slot around the bottom of the gate's hinge post(?) a bolt can pass through. Install the gate and put a bolt in the permanent post. This hole needs to be drilled and tapped of course, if you don't want anyone to remove the lock bolt saw the head off the bolt so they can't put a wrench on it. The slot in the hinge post can also limit how far the gate can open so you want to use a pretty large bolt to prevent it shearing off.

Frosty The Lucky.

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thanks for the right suggestions, I should create a hinged hinge and a right jumper, a friend of mine suggested me to use metal pipes for metallic carpentry like those used to make temporary scaffolding on construction sites that you think? thanks again for the right suggestions

 

http://www.layher.it/cataloghi/Catalogo-accessori_tablet.pdf

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