Best piece of equipment you have purchased recently?

[Graeme]

I am probably a bit preaching to the converted but has everyone tried one of these?

The best thing I bought last year was a azada digging hoe

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31zbAms8suL._SX300_.jpg

Found it was also good for digging foundations - took me half the time and a lot less back ache than digging with a spade - less jarring the wrists

[David Nicholson]

Our local grave digger swears by 'em

[SJW]

Looks similar to an Italian hoe ('zappa'). I have a couple in different sizes - fairly cheap to buy in Italy - and they're excellent tools.

[Maggi Young]

Funny you should say that , Graeme - as it happens that is very similar to the last piece of kit we got here - a mattock -



It is a VERY useful tool. The two different "faces" are extremely tough and make easy work of tree roots and so on and make it possible to remove  stumps I wouldn't have believed we could without  mechanical equipment.  And, as you mention with your new toy, easier on the back than an alternative, be it spafde or trenching  tool. 

[David Nicholson]

Looks similar to an Italian hoe ('zappa'). I have a couple in different sizes - fairly cheap to buy in Italy - and they're excellent tools.

I think Frank has one too?

[Hoy]

Here we call it "rotøks" lit. root axe. Very handy as you say, I have inherited both my father's and my father in law's!

[Graeme]

Funny you should say that , Graeme - as it happens that is very similar to the last piece of kit we got here - a mattock -

(Attachment Link)

It is a VERY useful tool. The two different "faces" are extremely tough and make easy work of tree roots and so on and make it possible to remove  stumps I wouldn't have believed we could without  mechanical equipment.  And, as you mention with your new toy, easier on the back than an alternative, be it spafde or trenching  tool.

Got quite a few of them but they have a short handle - these things have a very long handle about 1.2-1.4 m - which means a lot more throw and a lot less back ache

I even have a mattocks with fibreglass handles to reduce the feedback on the wrists

If I spend every waking hour in summer when I am not working building stone walls at home it plays havoc with my wrist - I even bought a eastwing rock hammer which has helped but it 'rings' when you hit anything with it - now that is an evil tool - you seem to get twice the weight of blow due to the design - more toys

[John85]

What kind of rock gardens do you have? Jungles?
I usually use a trowel to replace a dead alpine.http://www.srgc.net/forum/Smileys/classic/wink.gif

[johnralphcarpenter]

When I was a lad everyone had a mattock ( why does this bloody machine substitute mystical for mattock?)

[Maggi Young]

Looks similar to an Italian hoe ('zappa'). I have a couple in different sizes - fairly cheap to buy in Italy - and they're excellent tools.

I guess you must drive to Italy - you'd have fun getting one of those on a plane!

[Maggi Young]

What kind of rock gardens do you have? Jungles?
I usually use a trowel to replace a dead alpine.

   
 Ahh! you got us there, John          You're right , we should need nothing biggger than an knife and fork, eh?       

[Maggi Young]

I think Frank has one too?

 Nah, I think Franks has a Dweezil.....

[johnw]

Funny you should say that , Graeme - as it happens that is very similar to the last piece of kit we got here - a mattock -

In these parts we call that a pick mattock.  There is also this one, an edge mattock.

johnw

[Graeme]

What kind of rock gardens do you have? Jungles?
I usually use a trowel to replace a dead alpine.http://www.srgc.net/forum/Smileys/classic/wink.gif

rock garden is last thing to be built - and I am some way off getting on that job (although I have it on the plan) - I have a couple of pyramids of building stone at the moment about 100 tons that I need to get used first - I have already earmarked the bits/cubes for the rock garden at the quarry (they are using them to block off bits of the quarry road) and it will be a crane job as they are about 1m cubes (I could do with some Egyptian builders.....)

[SJW]

I guess you must drive to Italy - you'd have fun getting one of those on a plane!

Brought one back in the car and another in a suitcase in the aircraft hold! They sell the heads and shafts separately which makes packing easier. http://www.handyofficinepiazza.com/prd_images/img_1024_2208.jpg The one stashed in the luggage also had a smaller, narrower cutting edge - what my father-in-law called a woman's zappa They're also lighter than a UK standard mattock so not as tiring to use - but the latter is brilliant for the heavier jobs.