An easy way to repair a cracked shovel handle

The very first thought when a shovel handle cracks is to replace it. This is the ideal solution, but due to laziness or attachment to the old cutting, it can be reliably repaired in 5 minutes. If you have leftover plastic water pipes, you don’t even have to buy additional materials for this in the store.

Materials and tools:

• PP or PVC pipe with an internal diameter several millimeters smaller than the thickness of the handle;
  
• a heating source capable of producing heat greater than 260 degrees Celsius;
  
• scissors for plastic pipes or a hacksaw for metal;
  
• thick work gloves.

Repairing a crack in a handle

The idea of ​​repair is to strengthen the part of the handle with the crack with a tube of suitable diameter. This option is suitable if the workshop still has pipe cuttings from laying communications. If you have to buy the material, then it is better to take 2-3 cheap 40 mm polypropylene couplings. They have a limiter inside that you can simply cut off with a knife.

PVC or polypropylene pipe is suitable. The main thing is that it is not reinforced.The standard diameter of the shovel handle is 40 mm. The inner diameter of the pipe should be slightly smaller. Depending on the wall thickness, a pipe with an outer diameter of 40 or 50 mm may be suitable. The latter often has walls of 6.9 and even 8.4 mm, so its internal diameter is still less than the thickness of the handle.
The pipe is cut into small sections up to a maximum of 6-8 cm. The workpieces must be evenly heated by any available method to a plastic, pliable state. They can be placed in the oven or grill. If an open fire source is used for heating, the tubes are protected with a foil lining.

As soon as the workpieces soften, they need to be quickly placed on the handle using gloves.

Plastic in contact with cold wood will quickly cool down, so you shouldn’t hesitate. A well-heated tube is installed almost effortlessly. The number of clamps on the handle is determined by the length of the crack. But it is advisable that the tubes are not located in the place where the hand touches the handle when working with a shovel.

Water supply plastic tubes with a diameter of 40 and 50 mm are very strong, therefore they completely restore the mechanical stability of the cutting. In addition, it makes sense to attach them to working shovels used when mixing concrete. The tube is placed in the place where the handle rubs against the sides of the trough or concrete mixer.

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