How to sharpen garden shears

Sharpening shears is important to make them last and unless you're very experienced it is a bad idea to try using a grinding stone. The best way for a DIY job is to use a 10 in long mill file.

Tighten the pivot

before you start sharpening make sure to check the pivot is tight. If not it can cause the blades to drift apart while cutting. This can lead to tearing of plants rather than clean cutting. After tightening check to see if it cuts cleanly. If not check to see if the blades are bent. To straighten a blade simply put it in a vice and tweak it. If after this the shears cut cleanly they do not need sharpening.

Sharpening

Clamp the blade into a vice and holding the file with both hands mimic the direction of the bevel. now move the file in one stroke along the entire cutting angle. If you use to many strokes or jerky motions you will lose the factory edge so make sure to use a single broad stroke. Repeat this until you expose the clean metal on the entire edge. Now you will need some 300 grit wet dry sandpaper to get rid of the burrs created by the filing. Lightly sand the back side of each blade keeping it flat and using a circular motion. After making several circles test the blade edge and it should feel sharper than ever. Now all you need to do is assemble the finished shears and test them out. you can also lightly oil all the moving parts and they will cut better than brand new.

Caring for Garden Tools

Taking care of gardening tools is a very easy job completed by few. I mean after a hard days gardening who wants to spend the next hour maintaining their tools for peak performance. However these three easy garden tool maintenance tips take no time at all and do wonders for the longevity of these tools.

Rinsing

 

After you are finished with your tools take a moment to quickly rinse off clumps of soil etc. This stops your tools from going blunt as well as giving them that brand new, just out of the shop look.

 

Linseed Oil

 

Once you have finished rinsing the tools give them a quick wipe with a rag soaked in linseed oil. This keeps them sharp and stops the tools rusting.

 

Dry Indoor Storage

 

Once you have given your tools a quick wipe do not let all these work go to waste by storing them in a wet place or outdoors. Keeping tools inside in a dry location literally doubles their lifespan. Off all the tips to follow make sure you take this one to heart.

The Importance of Chainsaw Safety

Chainsaw safety is obviously a very important thing to learn about before even starting a chainsaw as without proper knowledge they can be very dangerous, so here I am going to give you an overview of various safety equipment, how it works and the dangers of ignoring them as well as other tips.

Your Chainsaw

This may seem obvious to some but make sure to read the owners manual. Every chainsaw is different and knowing how yours works can never be a bad thing.

Protective Gear

Always wear protective gear. You will need gloves, a hard hat and goggles at the very least. A protective nylon vest is also a good investment as if the chainsaw ends up going through it it will sbe clogged up by the fibres and stop working.

Practice

Don't just jump into a large project. Start off small with a smaller tree or maybe firewood before attempting to tackle something bigger. Make sure that if you are a beginner do no use the chainsaw when alone. Having someone nearby could be a lifesaver if anything goes wrong. You could also keep a first aid kit nearby.

Tips

Never cut wood held by someone else. Always hold a running chainsaw with two hands. Dont rush, its better to wait and make a plan if you're unsure of what to do next than to rush through it. If you cut using the tip of your chainsaw you may experience kickback. this is very bad and can cause the chainsaw to come flying towards you. Use a scabbard to transport your chainsaw and keep out of reach of children.

Prolonging a Chainsaws Life

A few weeks ago we did a post on "5 ways to prolong your lawnmowers life" and we got alot of good feedback and reviews so we decided why stop a good thing? So today we are going to look at 5 ways to prolong your chainsaws life...

High Quality Oil

Using high quality oil in a chainsaw is an excellent way of prolonging the life. Buying from reputable brands ensures that there will be no problems with oil consistency or mixture and you are not running the risk of harming your machine.

Sharpen the Blade

Many people may be a little confused as buying a new blade is relatively inexpensive but its the problems that can occur when using even a slightly dull blade. Dull blades catch and can cause serious malfunctions within the machine and this can all be avoided by regularly sharpening the chainsaw blade.

  

Nuts & Bolts

When working chainsaws they constantly exuberate a lot of power and vibrations. This can cause nuts and bolts to come loose and therefore lead to problems with the machine. It is best to give the machine a quick once over to tighten these nuts and bolts every few weeks.

Mixing Oil & Gas

Short and sweet this one. Check the ratio for oil and gas. Use that ratio to the decimal point.

Drain the Chainsaw Fuel

During the down months chainsaw fuel can actually freeze within the chainsaw. This means it is very important to ensure your chainsaw is stored in a dry place and the remaining fuel has been drained from the chainsaw to ensure no problems.

How to Repair a Chain Link Fence

A damaged chain link fence is an easy DIY repair job for around 60 dollars whereas some professionals would charge you about 150 dollars for the same job.

What you need

To repair a fence you will need a section of top rail with one open end and one crippled end. You will also need a hacksaw, file and pliers and a helper.

Fixing The Fence

Start by removing the wire ties that hold the fence fabric to the top rail, then rest the new rail on top of the damaged rail and have your helper hold it in place while you mark a cutting line on the old rail. Mark a cut on the other end of the new rail where it meets a joint. Cut the damaged rail at the cutting line then slide it off the joint and toss it. The ncut the excess of the top rail to mate with the existing joint. Create some maneuvering room by unbolting the top rail and sliding it away from the damaged area. Install the new rail onto the old rail and reconnect the corner post.

Emptying a Chainsaw Fuel Tank

You should drain a chainsaw’s fuel tank if the saw is going to go in storage for the season or remain unused for more than three months. Occasionally, the tank may also require draining and/or cleaning for certain repairs. Whatever the reason, you can rest assured that the task of removing gas from the tank and cleaning it is relatively simple and requires only a few basic tools.

Run the Chainsaw until it Dies

Running a chainsaw engine until it dies is definitely the easiest way of emptying a chainsaw if not the most effective way. Running the chainsaw until it is dead ensures that minimum fuel is in the tank if any at all and anyone can do this even those with very little experience using and maintaining chainsaws.

Stabliser

If you are a little more savvy you could also simply use stabiliser over the winter months  to stop the need to drain the tank which can be quite time consuming. Only problem is you have to get the mix right and there isn’t exactly a stand procedure for every chainsaw as well as every time of fuel mix. The best thing to do is contact the manufacturer to find out more.

Some Helpful Tips to Trimming your Hedges

Lots of people have trouble getting their hedges looking nice and neat by trimming so I'm going to give you a few tips on how to make them look as tidy as possible.

When to trim

Knowing when to trim your hedges is the first step to making them look neat. New hedges require formative pruning for their first few years normally in winter or spring. After this you should move onto maintenance trimming once or twice a year depending on how formal you want it to look.

Safety

For small hedges a pair of hand held shears should be fine but for larger ones you will want an electric or petrol hedge trimmer. Regardless of what you use make sure it is sharp and lubricated. Always remember your safety equipment when using an electric or petrol trimmer. At the very least have safety goggles and sturdy gloves and remove all obstacles from the work space. Remember not to use power tools past shoulder height. If regularly trimmed the width of a hedge shouldn't really go past 2 ft. Remember that more formal hedges should be tapered on both sides so the base is wider than the top.

Tips

Cutting straight edges by eye can be very difficult so try using a taut horizontal string as a guideline and try using sticks or canes stuck into the ground for vertical lines. To shape the top of a hedge cut a template out of cardboard or plywood. Place the template on the hedge and cut along it moving it as needed. When using a hedge trimmer it works best to make a sweeping motion while keeping it parallel to the hedge for the best results.