{"id":9978,"date":"2021-08-23T18:05:31","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T18:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=9978"},"modified":"2022-01-15T23:21:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-15T23:21:00","slug":"farm-hand-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/farm-hand-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"35 Farm Hand Tools And Their Uses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For jobs around the homestead, having the proper hand tools is essential. Equipping yourself with the best tools for the job makes everything much quicker and easier, getting things done correctly the first time around. Chainsaws, cultivators<\/a>, and weed whackers have their place but aren\u2019t always reliable. Hand tools get the job done without the need for gas, oil, or electricity. Here are 35 of the best farm hand tools and their uses.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Adjustable Wrench<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Adjustable<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The beauty of an adjustable wrench is that you can change the size to fit around just about any bolt or other object you need to get a firm grip on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few different types of adjustable wrenches. Some have a handle that slides up and down in a grove to change the distance between the two gripping surfaces, while others have a bolt mechanism that you alter using your fingers to increase or decrease the space between the two sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Auger <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An auger is a giant screw-like tool that resembles an oversize carpenters’ bit. It is a short cylindrical container that has cutting teeth around the end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cylinder is attached to a long rod that has a \u201cT\u201d<\/em> handle on the top. To operate it, the handle has to be turned by hand to make the teeth on the cylinder cut down into the ground and bore a hole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use augers of this type to obtain soil samples or to start post holes when fencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Auger drill bits are similar in that they bore a long, deep hole through wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Axe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many different types of axes<\/a> with a range of uses. On my homestead, I have just three, which serve the purpose for all the wood jobs I need doing. The first is a felling axe which has a long wooden handle and large head. Its primary use is, as the name suggests, to cut down trees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next axe in my arsenal is also known as a hatchet. This has a much shorter shaft and a smaller head. It is used to chop off branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My final axe is a wood splitter. Like the hatchet, it has a short handle and small head. The head width is much broader than either the hatchet or the felling axe, as it is designed to split logs for the fire. The wider head prevents it from becoming stuck and also breaks the logs more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Brooms and Brushes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you want your homestead to stay looking clean and tidy, you\u2019re going to need a broom, or two, or three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have several different brooms for the various jobs around the place. The one I use most often is a yard broom. This has a long head of about 3 feet in length and 3 inches wide. It has strong, mid-length, flexible nylon bristles. I use it to keep all my outside areas clean of debris and for clearing out animal stalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next boom I use is just a regular yard broom with a much shorter head of about 1 \u00bd feet. Sometimes the long yard broom isn\u2019t suitable to get into more challenging to reach places. The bristles on this broom are still nylon but are longer than those on my yard broom, the head is also a little wider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My final broom has a much smaller head of around 12 inches and has short, very stiff nylon bristles. I use this to scrub the ground clean of dirt and muck in the animal stalls or if I\u2019m hosing them down and disinfecting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good metal dustpan and brush set are also a beneficial acquisition. I use them all the time to clear up sawdust when I\u2019m making things. Or just to keep my work areas clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Buckets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buckets around the homestead are invaluable for watering animals, washing items, and carrying things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have various types of buckets for different jobs. Large tubs with molded handles for soaking feed, smaller strong plastic work buckets with metal handles for making concrete, carrying sand, or collecting old nails, not to mention various water and feed buckets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Crowbars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Crowbars are long metal shafts with a forked hook on one end and an angled blade on the other. There are different types and sizes of crowbars for all kinds of building jobs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have a selection of four in total. These are of varying lengths and thicknesses. Some have very special heads explicitly designed for dismantling wooden pallets, which we do a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even having one crowbar will be handy for removing nails out of wood or for levering things apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Duct Tape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OK, so I admit duct tape isn\u2019t per se<\/em> a tool, but we use it so much around the place that I just had to include it in the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duct tape is a strong sticking tape with fabric running through it. It\u2019s your go-to repair all, great for fixing all kinds of stuff from holey tarps to cracked gutters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are various types of duct tape for different uses. We always carry the waterproof kind to fix split hoses or other things that get wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve also found it great to use in animal emergencies as a makeshift dressing holder. Using duct tape you can patch up a wound or poultice a hoof. Keep in mind, however, that it isn\u2019t actually sterile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Forks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"pitchfork\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three essential forks to have are a garden fork, a pitchfork<\/a>, and a hand fork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garden forks have handles roughly the length of your leg with a handle on the end. The fork itself has a flat top so you can stand on it with your boot to push it into the ground. There are usually 4 or 5 flat, square or rounded tines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use garden forks for turning over soil, digging up root vegetables or weeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pitchfork finds its place in the barn or stable and has a long shaft that will reach around shoulder height. The fork itself has an arched top and 2, 3, or 4 rounded tines with sharp pointed ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitchforks are great for cleaning stalls, moving small bales, feeding hay, or fluffing bedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hand forks are small hand tools. The shaft and the head are both about the length of your hand. The fork itself usually has 3 or 4 broad, flat tines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use these small hand forks around the vegetable plot or flower bed to remove weeds, make holes for planting or dig up root veg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Garden Hand Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Garden hand tools include hand forks, trowels, hand rakes, and hand hoes. They are basically miniature versions of their full-size counterparts and are used around the homestead garden for weeding, planting, and harvesting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I often use a strong hand trowel when I\u2019m digging holes for gate posts, as I want the hole to be deep but narrow and a hand trowel is easy to get down to the bottom for scooping out the dirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this video, you can see a commercial market gardener\u2019s favorite tools and how he uses them to make his job more manageable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wsn-mPr7s6A<\/a>