wheelbarrows

For all the disparagement of Chinese barrows, I got a Chinese one when I was building this house 26 years ago. It has had virtually no issues since then, although it badly needs repainting now. It has wooden handles, which I soaked in Penetrol before assembling it. Also needs a little panelbeating. It has done all my concreting, and an awful lot of carrying firewood back to the road, as well as miscellaneous use. As far as i can remember, the tyre is original and still serviceable.

The secret, as far as I can see, is to always store it under cover, and never leave it outside sitting upright.

For my 50th birthday my wife bought me a mattock and wheelbarrow to celebrate the purchase of our new bush block. It was a Malaysian barrow, hardwood handles, galvanised tub. While well made but it was a pig to use. Handles too short for a start. I blew the tyre up with a foot pump. Guage was not working. Wife heard the bang up the other end of our 46 acres. Bloke in the local hardware had to put up with me calling him a purveyor of exploding wheelbarrows. Horrible thing, left it behind when we sold.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

Hi all,

can someone suggest a decent wheelbarrow to get? My last one lasted about 20years of abuse and neglect before it rusted out. I borowed my parents a few months ago .... and broke it's plastic tub ( woops [bigwhistle] ). So I whipped up to bunnings and grabbed one of the cheap ones from out the front ..... the first time I used the damn thing I put a shovel through the side of the tub ... since them its split down the length of the barrow.

I'm thinking a good quality barrow with a proper galvanised tub is the way to go. What do you guys suggest for someone that isn't "gentle" with there tools :wasntme:.

seeya
Shane L.

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I've got three wheelbarrows (and I've killed one in the last 45 years)
One is 'the wife's yard-cart' - a T-handled two-wheeler; which is:
* useful;
* wider than it looks and a bit of a pain because of that sometimes
* has a black plastic tub which needs to be out of UV when stored
* seems robust
* (oddly, is a perfect tool for lesson 1 in teaching how to reverse a trailer)
* low to the ground
* usually, light enough to lift-to-empty clippings etc into trailer.
* solid tyres
(Thought here is - maybe you need two wheelbarrows? We've got a large block, so... horses for courses).

I've got a standard Kelso (aussie made) metal barrow with wooden handles. It's about 20 years old - and has had some maintenance.
* wooden handles - still sound but full of nasty splinters (so get metal handles with good quality rubber covers)
* tub is zinc-coated (scratched but good)
* major issue is with 'the axle' -
** when moving (really!) large rocks the trick is to lie the wheelbarrow on its side and roll the rock in, stand the barrow up.
*** after a time, the axle becomes loose and the wheel can begin to fall off.
*** I've fixed this several times, usually with wood and bolts as washers. Latest fix - which will probably last - is with two pipes sleeved and again, washered with bolts.

I've got an ancient (smaller) Kelso - 46 years old - has done massive amounts of work, and is now so repaired and patched it's called
The Franken-Barrow!
* All steel (and the tub is reinforced with shaped and riveted zinc-coated former back of a washing machine - works well) (third repair)
* Steel handles with rubber grips - still good (hence the recommendation)
* similar problems with the axle - similar fix
* smaller steel chassis - flexes unhappily with heavy load.
* spare tyre unobtainable - now runs on a hand-trolley tyre.

Summary lessons:
Aussie-made zinc-coated tub, is good (but not cheap)
Rubber grips on steel (coated) handles recommended in preference to wood
square tyre with off-road tread - a bit of a joke; simple round with linear tread at 25psi - all you'll need.
A damn good look at the front and the tipping pivot - some barrows, the pivot is too damn low and you're forever ramming to a halt over minor obstacles.

Bored yet?
Cheers
"Professional standard" - worth it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phideaux

I've got three wheelbarrows (and I've killed one in the last 45 years)
One is 'the wife's yard-cart' - a T-handled two-wheeler; which is:
* useful;
* wider than it looks and a bit of a pain because of that sometimes
* has a black plastic tub which needs to be out of UV when stored
* seems robust
* (oddly, is a perfect tool for lesson 1 in teaching how to reverse a trailer)
* low to the ground
* usually, light enough to lift-to-empty clippings etc into trailer.
* solid tyres
(Thought here is - maybe you need two wheelbarrows? We've got a large block, so... horses for courses).

I've got a standard Kelso (aussie made) metal barrow with wooden handles. It's about 20 years old - and has had some maintenance.
* wooden handles - still sound but full of nasty splinters (so get metal handles with good quality rubber covers)
* tub is zinc-coated (scratched but good)
* major issue is with 'the axle' -
** when moving (really!) large rocks the trick is to lie the wheelbarrow on its side and roll the rock in, stand the barrow up.
*** after a time, the axle becomes loose and the wheel can begin to fall off.
*** I've fixed this several times, usually with wood and bolts as washers. Latest fix - which will probably last - is with two pipes sleeved and again, washered with bolts.

I've got an ancient (smaller) Kelso - 46 years old - has done massive amounts of work, and is now so repaired and patched it's called
The Franken-Barrow!
* All steel (and the tub is reinforced with shaped and riveted zinc-coated former back of a washing machine - works well) (third repair)
* Steel handles with rubber grips - still good (hence the recommendation)
* similar problems with the axle - similar fix
* smaller steel chassis - flexes unhappily with heavy load.
* spare tyre unobtainable - now runs on a hand-trolley tyre.

Summary lessons:
Aussie-made zinc-coated tub, is good (but not cheap)
Rubber grips on steel (coated) handles recommended in preference to wood
square tyre with off-road tread - a bit of a joke; simple round with linear tread at 25psi - all you'll need.
A damn good look at the front and the tipping pivot - some barrows, the pivot is too damn low and you're forever ramming to a halt over minor obstacles.

Bored yet?
Cheers
"Professional standard" - worth it.

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Sounds about exactly right. I'd forgotten to mention the last two peices of junk have sent me over the top a couple of times. The damn pivot is to low, the smallest pot hole or obstacle sees the damn wheel barrow stopping dead.... and you going over the top if your not ready for it. I was quite put off by kelso not having "australian made" written on it anywhere. so ordered one of these last night.

I can't believe the don't stock the aussie made barrows and fly big "australian made" signs over the top of them. I'll try to keep this one in one of the sheds.... so it doesn't rust out.

Daytek 100L Galvanised Contractor Wheelbarrow - Bunnings Australia

Kelso here too.

Maybe 30 years old, steel tub & wooden handles worn smooth. Original wheel rusted out so it now has a wide plastic rim one.

The trick with the tub is not to leave it out in the weather full of crap.

DL