Help with design project

ktbubster · 11-04-2006, 07:02 PM

Hi!

My name is Katy and am an undergrad student studying Industrial Design (aka product design) and our next project we have been given is to design a set of 3 hand tools for gardening. Ofcourse I have looked at all the basic ones with a rake, hoe and shovel, sometimes a dandelion digger thing (sorry I am not completely up on the name), but I am looking for more information on this subject.

I was curious if you guys could help me.

I was just wondering what you look for in the design as far as the handle and angle of the tools in relation to the grip?

Also, are there ANYTHING you wish you could have in the garden that they don't make, perhaps a cross between or change to one of the tools.

I was told by someone that they wish they had a cross between a shovel and a hoe, because they tend to dig out the holes with the hoe and wish they could have a shovel type blade backwards instead.

ANY suggestions for tools or even handle designs/grips or a tally on what garden tools you use the most from the kits out of the hoe, spade, shovel, dandelion puller, tiller, etc would be good too.

Please help!

Ziggywigs · 11-05-2006, 06:59 AM

I like my claw for weeding as i'm able to loosen the soil around the weed to be able to pull it out. The bigger ones are great too for working larger areas and go down a spits depth for turning the soil also much nicer on the back. I used the larger one when clearing weedy ground as i was able to loosen the soil and then pull them off the top, then i used my fork to break the ground deeper. The other tool which i find really useful is the mattock or i believe they are sometimes called a grub hoe in some states of US. This is very useful indeed, and is really easy to use for digging. A lot of Allotment holders over here swear by this tool.

Other tools i use are fork, hoe (dutch, onion and classic) and garden and lawn rake. I tend to use an adjustable lawn rake for tidying up my beds too because it allows me to adjust for stones etc. However, the lawn rake is designed for pulling not pushing so a normal garden rake is the job for this. I've used several different garden rakes and some are more comfortable than others depending on the angle of the head, i personally find a more straigh head at 90 degrees to the shaft more comfortable to use.

Also some consideration would be good for left handers as amazingly some tools are really difficult for a southpaw to use.

These are the typical types of equipment i regularly use in the garden.

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/tools.html