By Bob Beyfuss
For Capital Region Independent Media
I don’t know when was the last time you had to buy, or replace, a common gardening tool, like a turning fork, shovel, hoe, rake, loppers, sledge hammer, mattock or some other item, but the current inflation that has raised the prices on everything has also affected our favorite pastime as well.
The “sticker shock” we experience shopping for these tools is particularly exacerbated if we have not had to buy the item in a decade or so. These days it is easy to spend $50 to $60 on a common shovel, rake, hoe, sledge hammer or axe. A decent wheelbarrow can cost $150 or more.
Personally, I like wooden-handled tools, despite their tendency to cause blisters (wear gloves) and the fact that they sometimes break. Wooden handles are best preserved by first sanding them carefully, being certain to clean away any dirt that adheres to the area they are attached to the metal head, or blade. A fine wire brush or even a stiff toothbrush works well and rinsing them off with soapy water does not hurt at all.
After cleaning, allow the tool to dry completely and bring indoors to warm up as they dry. Apply a coating of linseed oil, or coconut oil, to the wood, using a rag that has been soaked in the oil. Repeat this process a few times until the wood has absorbed as much oil as it can. Apply some WD-40 or rust-preventing oil to the metal blade after cleaning and sanding and the tool is set for the winter.
Unleaded ethanol-enhanced, gasoline sometimes destroys small engines, unless they are thoroughly drained before storage. I use only non-ethanol, high-octane gas in my chainsaws, mowers and my generator. It is a very bad idea to just drain the tank and pour the unused gas on the ground. Petroleum products percolate quickly and deeply and can contaminate the soil and groundwater.
You can buy gasoline stabilizers that are effective in preserving the gas in the tank, but I think the best way to handle this annual chore is to add the stabilizer and then run the motor until the gas runs out completely. This drains the carburetor and fuel lines as well as the tank. After the motor runs out of gas, remove the spark plug, squirt a few drops of oil into the cavity, clean or replace the spark plug and screw it back in. Clean or replace the air filters and change the motor oil now, as well. This helps to ensure that your machine will be running well next spring when you really need it and don’t have time to perform this maintenance.
Anything that can hold water, such as sprayers, hoses, watering cans, rain barrels, troughs, hummingbird feeders, etc. need to be completely drained as well, since water is the only liquid that expands and can burst anything it is stored in. I even add a little antifreeze to my sprayers before winter in case I did not get all the water out. As with the gasoline stabilizer, I run the chemical through the tool, just in case there is still some liquid inside. Many pesticides have a shelf life and some are rendered less effective or even useless after freezing, like latex paint. Try to store your chemicals someplace that does not freeze.
In recent years I have purchased an electric, lithium battery-powered chainsaw that is far superior to my old gas-powered machines. These saws have so many advantages over gas that I would not even consider buying any other type in the future.
Not having to mix, store and handle gas or oil and gas mixtures is just one of the benefits. They are much safer to use, since the engine stops when you take your finger off the triggers, unlike the gas machines that keep running unless you lock the chain. Even with the chain locked, they still vibrate and will usually fall off anything you happen to set them on or roll down a hill. If they do stall, old machines like mine are often hard to restart and yanking on the starter cord for five minutes is perhaps the easiest way to get cut.
Electric chainsaws start as soon as you pull the trigger. They are also so quiet, you do not need ear protection and they require zero winter maintenance. With a spare battery, my 18-inch electric saw runs far longer than my aching back and it is equally as powerful as my gas-powered Stihl.
One precaution is to always remove the batteries when not using the tool and store them in a well-ventilated, dry area, between 40 and 80 degrees, away from heat sources or water.
