[Closed] Trail Building

Saw.

Spade.

Wheelbarrow.

HTH

😉

I know I need a saw! anyone in particular that is suited for cutting through felled trees (wet wood)

Some manner of pruning saw with a blade spec'd for wet wood. I've got a big un (36 inch bow) and a couple of little 'uns (a fixed one with a blade of about a foot, and a small folder) and they all do a job. You can cut surprisingly big trunks with a fairly small saw but the big 'un goes through trees like butter.

This is cheap but surprisingly decent:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SILVERLINE-PULL-ACTION-PRUNING-SAW-NEW-/300548404437?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenEquipment_HandTools_SM&hash=item45fa14b4d5
Bahco Laplander is a good folder. I think the FC gives us Bahco 339-6Ts, they're good and have a nice curve to the blade.

Spade- don't get carried away, smaller head and sturdy is better than a big head. If you want to break ground with it, get a pointy one, if you'll break ground with a mattock or similiar then you might want a flat ended one. Your spade is also a ground flattening tool o'course.

Mattock or a big strong hoe for proper digging. The ones we use have an axe head on one side but I'd sooner have a pick edge I think.

Chillington hoe, invaluable piece of kit.

Chillington Hoe is my favourite bit of kit as well. rake? if you just want to clear a rudimentary riding surface. Mcleod if you want a rake come tamper. What's the one that's like a mattock, but has an axe head on the other side?. cazwalski or something?

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hoe, rake and tamper

A [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_(tool) ]McLeod[/url] is a useful trailbuilding tool that sits somewhere between a rake and a mattock. Good for scraping, shaping and breaking up soft ground.

http://www.imba.com/resources/trail-building/tool-resource-guide
You can make your own McCloud/BAnana style tool if you have access to a welder and angle grinder. Buy a good quality spade, cut the shaft from it. Shape the spade into something that looks like a McCloud/BNana style tool and weld spade shaft to centre. Source a long shank/ handle. Stanes crews been using this design for yrs.
I made a tamper from a piece of u-channel steel in a similar manner 😀

Rogue hoes with the hickory (axe type) are awesome for digging; the best trail digging tool IMO. I have a 55H and highly recommend it. They're made from old harrow discs, so they're made from a high quality steel that stays sharp for a long time.

I have used the 60A (with the pick or stinger) but it does not dig as well. This is because the 2 sided blade is about the same length and the handle is mounted in the middle. Thus the handle on the 60A hits the ground and stops it at a shallow depth, while the longer blade of the 55H goes in deeper and loosens more dirt. I haven't seen the rake yet, but the combi tool that Nana shows above likely has the same drawback as the 60A.

The rogues with the ash or fiberglass (rake-like) handles are not strong enough for digging. They do work well for lighter work such as cleaning out drainages though. Or hoeing a vegetable garden...

The Pulaski is a combination single-bit axe and mattock/adze. I try to keep mine real sharp and use it as a root cutter only, but some people use them as a primary digging tool.

McLeouds work well in some soil conditions, but don't work well for me as there are a lot of tree roots in the soil here.

All of these are primarily US type tools though, so I can't say what the availability is in the UK. Even in the US, they're expensive and aren't available at regular hardware stores. So they have to be mail ordered, and it's costly to ship items that are both long and heavy.

All depends on ground conditions & what your building really. I prefer to use a pick / spade to dig out then a long handle Mcleod for gradient & finishing.

Saws really are another world when you look into them, a proper arborist supplier will sort you out.

thanks guys been really helpful, watch this space...

If you can borrow and know how to use one..
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