Two-man Shovel

Making a two-man shovel is super easy and can really help reduce the labor involved in shoveling.

For those of you who have spent the better part of a day shoveling (especially when pregnant or after childbirth), you will know how utterly exhausting it can be. This is a way to get those big digging projects done without a single back ache or blister: the two-man shovel.

Step 1: Construction

You take an ordinary shovel, a rope and, if you want, a stick or similar handle.

  1. Cut a piece of rope about the length of your leg.
  2. Attach one end of the rope near the head of the shovel.
  3. Make a loop at the other end of the rope, and another loop a few inches from the end one. Or wrap the rope  around the center of a stick, if you would rather have a handle.

And that’s it for the construction part of the project.


Step 2: Application

As for the application, that’s a little more complicated, simply because you expect it to be harder than it is. When we first used this shovel, we were each riddled with guilt that the other person must be doing all the work. It seemed too effortless. Only when we switched positions did we believe that neither person was really exerting themselves. It is great!

One person, “A”, holds the shovel. The other person, “B”, holds the rope handle. “A” places the shovel head on the ground against whatever it is that has to be shoveled. “A” does NOT push, he simply guides the tool. “B” pulls the handle (and thus shovel head) towards her, scooping up the material (sand, dirt, whatever) to be removed. “B” then lifts the handle upwards and “A” guides the shovel, using the shaft as a lever, to where you need to dump the material.   Rhythm is the key, and after a few tries, the team can move a lot of material without straining.

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