Kitchen Garden Forum

can anyone advise me on how to use a wolf terrex autospade. thanks

Hello David71, i have never seen one used, so i can't help you there, but if you can't find out how, you could always sell it on Ebay, they seem too fetch a good price.

dosnt seem like anyone will admit to using one, ive also never sen one , but i think you stick it in the ground as normal then pull the handle towards you and the spring flicks the soil away from you, maybe a search on google would bring up something, also try a search on ebay someone may explain how to use it if they are selling it.

Well, I'll admit to trying to use one - and failing. My late friend Joe used to turn over half an allotment in an afternoon. I wouldn't like to start to describe how to use it, but I have come across a couple of helpful sites:

http://www.marktplaats.nl/index.php?url ... 6xref%3D1#

Als je de spade in de grond steekt kun je met een beweging van de steel de grond opwippen.
Zo belast je de rug niet en is dus handig voor rugpatienten.*

If that's double Dutch to you, try:

http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/garden-spade.html

* I think it means something like "As ye the spade in the ground stick can ye with a movement of the steel the ground upwhip. So strain ye the back not and is thus handy for backpatients"

Happy digging - and strain ye the back not.

Alan

The guy who has an allotment behind mine uses one. I've never seen him use it but until I found out what it was we thought he was using a snow shovel to turn the plot over. It looked like it had been ploughed; badly.

However, I'll ask him how it works if you like.

David21,
I bought one a while ago 'for my old age'. They're very simple to operate.

Alan,
The Spear & Jackson 'Backsaver' is no longer available. Shame, as it's extra length was it's attraction.

Hi David 71,
In Reply to Richards posting. I use a Terrex Spade regularly and it has been of very great help to me
and today whilst looking for something else I finally found the Instruction Manual which if nothing is very concise. If you or anybody else wants a copy I will only be too pleased to photostat a copy for you. I think it best that I snail mail it to you if you need it. Please PM me your name and address and you can have it by return.
JB.

I have just come across this site...

http://www.backsavergardentools.co.uk./spade.htm

...looks familiar.??!!

Hi Clive,
Several people have tried to purchase the Auto-spade rights from Wolf Tools and have failed. Have these people managed to do so or are we going see a court case shortly. On the other hand the patent could well have run out now because the Auto-spade was produced just after WW2 I believe and I forgotten how long a patent stands.
JB.

I was given one a few years ago and it languishes in my shed sadly

When I first took possession of it I did have a go and after falling off a few times managed to develop a reasonable technique of sorts.

The reason it is now redundant is that the lower shaft appears to be weak (a bit like me) and I am fearful of it breaking completely which it surely will.
Why do I keep it?... I was hoping that someone would tell me that it could be repaired.

Hello JB,
I found the link on another forum...which in turn I had found by chance...in 5 minutes.??!! of sat at this 'puter idly looking for something else...which I forget now what that was.!!

Anyway..one poster had reported that he had been told of this company having previously contacted Wolf...so all must be in order.?.

Clive.

Hi Weed,
I to have had one for years and it is still in perfect working order despite the amount of work it has done. I suppose that is because my top soil is
anything up to 4ft deep and no clay so the auto-spade has probably not had the strain put on it.
I feel that there is no part that cannot be repaired so if is does manage to break a suitable piece of welding can be carried out and if the spring breaks a general blacksmith should be able to make a new one. If as you say you to are becoming a little fragile I can really recommend their use.
JB.

Hi all,
Found this whilst waiting for spring!

Wolf Terrex Autospade
FREE fork head. Dig faster without back strain. £94.99

www.redumbrella.co.uk