Interchangeable Garden Tools
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| WHAT'S GROWING HERE? |
| The Advantages WOLF MULTI-STAR Tool CompatibilityGARDENA COMBISYSTEM Gardening LightSPEAR & JACKSON E-ZEE SWITCH BULLDOG SWITCH AND REACH |
Indeed Wolf Multi-Change also known as Multi-Star is unique.
After saving myself hours of work I can speak from experience. how did I used to rely on rake and hoe for every cultivation job? I want to tell you about something far better.
* my special cultivator breaks heavy soil like a plough and it drags weeds up -
* my soil miller (with no parallel among standard tool ranges) makes a fine crumb seed bed easily -
* I change from a soil rake to spring rake in 2 seconds and store them easily –
* and only one tool handle for all! but there's more tools besides.
Normally gardeners compromise tools because a wide garden tools range can't be stocked with handles on. But specialised Multi-Change tool heads are sold separately. You can easily convert from long to short(er) handles. Children’s tools are easily made. This is both efficient and indeed, organic in style.
U.K. gardeners go direct to tools here
American gardeners go direct to tools here
(But for Interchangeable Power Tools click here.)
Below I compare Wolf with several other interchangeable tools systems including: the Gardena Combisystem, and for lighter gardening jobs Spear & Jackson E-Zee Switch, and Bulldog Switch & Reach.
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WOLF MULTI-CHANGE Wolf Garden's experience goes back to 1922.
MULTI-CHANGE JOINS
The success of Wolf Multi-Change surely lies in the solid join. The same push together connection is used throughout. The handle's rectangular slot ensures no twisting and the lock is solid -
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| Solid, connection, easy release, clunk-click. |
MULTI-CHANGE HANDLES
I use 170cm Wolf (ZM17) long handle for cultivators, rakes, etc... This gives me a comfortable reach of 125cm. I think it's a must for the Soil Miller, and Bow Rake for example. (But some manufacturers describe this length as extra-long.)
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| My 170cm (ZM17) light hardwood handle for long handled tools |
Handles can be applied to a wide range of Wolf garden tools, from lawn scarifiers and edging tools, to pond nets and cleaners...
Several telescopic handles are made, the longest up to 4 metres, especially suited for Wolf tree loppers, pruners and saws, as well as for apple pickers... Elsewhere on this website I've mentioned Easi-Grip handles - the D shaped Wolf Auxillary handle (XOM) can be similarly attached to main handles for added grip.
Multi-change handles can also be applied to Wolf domestic tools, brooms, yard brushes, shovels, window squeegees, ice scrapers... ... they are truly multi-purpose.
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An older handle is pictured above my 16cm handle (ZM02) for small garden tools. Picture scaling approximated. |
MULTI-CHANGE TOOL HEADS
American Gardenersclick here to view Wolf Garden Tools |
The
Grubber (click for price)
is a nice hand tool for light weeding. Its 3 down pointing prongs behave like a hand extension for dragging out annual weeds: chickweed, creeping buttercups, goosegrass, and the like.
However the Small Culti-Weeder (click for price) goes one step further. It combines cultivating prongs for loosening earth and hoe bar for slicing through tougher weed stems. Both sides loosen soil and weeds. I find it especially useful after I mow for tidying up at lawn edges and borders. Pull the tool away from cultivated plants.
The Culti-Weeder or Grubber can be easily attached to longer handles for dragging ponds etc...
The 3 pronged
Cultivator (BOM) (check price)
will cultivate larger areas, loosening soil below the surface. I can use them on perennial weedy areas to drag up underground stems of Couch Grass to be picked off the surface.
The Cultivator pictured below is recommended for heavier soils but I couldn't resist it. It has arrow shaped wings welded on, as opposed to the 11cm wide Crumbler with prongs flattened into arrows. They differ from grubbers in having points facing back rather than downward.
The
Soil Miller (check price)
also pictured below is another tool that's saved me hours of work. It can break down even rough clods into fine crumbs ideal for planting and sowing in no time at all - no more treading and shuffling.
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Left Cultivator (BOM) - Right Bow Rake (DOM 35) The Bow Rake is 5cm wider than the equivalent Soil Rake. Note: both rakes have curved tines, this advanced feature gives a smoother action. |
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| The Soil Miller combines oscillating hoe to lift soil & maintain depth, & spiked drum to break soil to a fine tilth. And it works very well, even on lumpy soil. |
MORE WOLF GARDEN TOOLS
Wolf also make garden hand tools with fixed handles (e.g. the weeding and planting knife is good) as well as cutting, mowing, and powered garden equipment. I'll be taking a look at their mulch mower on another page.
MAKE YOUR GARDEN TOOLS COMPATIBLE
To get the full advantage from an interchangeable garden tool system you need to ensure that your garden tools and handles are from the same tool system. Also note that tool heads are not normally sold with the handle.
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| Gardena Combisystem Dutch Hoe |
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| Gardena Combisystem Star Tiller |
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| Gardena Combisystem Ergoline Aluminium 150 Plus Handle |
Gardena tools do not connect with Wolf gardening tools.
GARDENA JOINS
Gardena joins are plug in and screw, the screw being an additional step. Joins have a round cross-section and look like they've been developed from a garden hose interconnection. Some, though not all, have interlocking polygon shapes. The CombiMax system for larger tools: spades, forks and edging iron, not surprisingly uses a different join system and different handles.
Although I've seen the Gardena Combisystem close up I haven't used it yet.
GARDENA HANDLES
An interesting development is the Ergoline handle. This is curved to allow a more upright posture and comfortable hand position. The one I saw had longitudonal ridges for better grip.
GARDENA TOOL HEADS
The tool heads in the range appear similar in shape to Wolf. The useful Soil Miller is called the Star Tiller by Gardena, but it lacks the hoe bar. Although there is a version of it that comes with a hoe bar.
Gardena gardening tools are protected by a distinctively coloured gloss paint.
MORE ON GARDENA TOOLS
Gardena also make gardening tools for cutting and lopping, irrigation hoses, power tools, and domestic tools including a device for cleaning gutters.
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INTERCHANGEABLE SYSTEMS WITH LIGHT GARDENING TOOLS
The following gardening tool systems are suited to gardening raised beds, very small borders, patios and containers, greenhouse and rock gardening. They consist of light hand tools with extended handles and are not suited to traditional allotment gardening.
SPEAR AND JACKSON E-ZEE SWITCH
This is a good selection of light tool heads useful for the kind of jobs detailed above. There are 2 extension handles 38cm and 76cm long. They all have holes for hanging on hooks. The join is done by screwing off a cap and screwing in the handle.
Click straight to the
E Zee Switch Garden Tool range
by Spear & Jackson.
BULLDOG SWITCH AND REACH
Comprises a useful set of small gardening tools and 2 handles. They include a telescopic handle reaching 77cm. The short handle extension in the kit is 40cm. They all have hanging holes and once again the join is done by screwing off a cap and screwing on the handle.
THE ADVANTAGE OF INTERCHANGEABLE TOOLS SYSTEMS:
- A wide selection of tool heads for specific jobs
- Different tool handles can adapt a single tool head for working on small or large borders, and from adults sizes to children.
- Save on cost and get the right garden tools for every job
- Store tool heads seperately for safety
- Storing just one or two long handles for all your garden tools means you save storage space and...
- Tools are easier to transport - especially useful for mobile gardeners
BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN - more information and links
