How About A Digger Like This In A Park?

[MarkCZ]

Below is a picture of a coin recovery digger that I've made. Now the tool makes a perfect hole and puts it back just as perfect. Now it is a long handle so do you think it might draw bad attention if a person was to use it in a city park?
I know that a tool something like this is used to relocate green cups on golf courses, so the end result of using something like it would be a neat job,

The digger takes a 3-1/2" dia. plug and to a depth of about 6" but will also take as short as about 3".
What's your take?

Mark

 

[fowlercharles]

Neat looking digger you made there Mark! I never dig parks and have been using the same shorthandled sharpshooter for around 40 years,It is probably about the same size as your digger, but not as long .I would have to think twice about using either one of our diggers in a park. Especially if I were to be in a highly visible area. Fact is when folks see someone with a detector, they usually don't have the slightest knowledge of detectors, and you will have to believe the same lack of knowledge will carry right on over to what you are digging with. With the digging, and some folks, it does not take much for their "wild Imaginatons" to take over and we all know what happens then. Just my thoughts, but I believe I would start out with something a little less eye catching, and see how it goes. After folks have seen you about and the park folks know you, you may could introduce your digger to them. Be a dang shame not to be able to show them how good a job it does, but I I would take my time and work into it. HH, Charlie

 

[oldcoon]

Your digger there looks like a first rate tool, but since you asked I would have to say to carry that into a park is just asking trouble. Look, you know and I know you can dig a clean plug with that but perception is everything and any park employee or busybody sees you with that and your detecting there is probably over. I carry one of them little Fiskars Digging Knives and my Pro Pointer that they aren't scaring anyone.

 

[w6pea]

Nice looking, bt a stated above I would be careful using that in a Park or at a School. JMHO

 

[Larry (IL)]

360 degree plugs are frowned upon by most clubs and manufactures nowadays, at least the ones I know of and read about. You will sever all roots that spread out and the plug is almost guaranteed to turn brown no matter what tool is used. Long handled recovery tools in parks is just asking for confrontation by John Q Public and law enforcement in my opinion.

A three sided or 270 degree hinged plug dug with a handheld digger is the only approved way to dig a plug by our club on public property.

 

[khouse]

It ain't the plugger - it's the long handle that will make people call the cops. If you stick a long handle on a spoon it still looks bad to most people to have in any park.

 

[jmaryt]

yes!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[jmaryt]

right!..attention getter!.still belongs in the woods,or the fields!
NOT in a park!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[jmaryt]

this is ''correct"..it is absolutely "essential" that the "plug"
does NOT die,or "huge"problems will ensue!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[jmaryt]

park "caretakers" will have a "heart attack" if they see anybody with "that" in a park!
just sayin!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[Ism]

Never use it in parks, only tot lots, baseball diamonds, and soccer fields.

Ok, Ok...just kidding

Wear an orange vest and use a post hole digger, They will think you work for the city.

grin

 

[MarkCZ]

360 degree plugs are frowned upon by most clubs and manufactures nowadays, at least the ones I know of and read about. You will sever all roots that spread out and the plug is almost guaranteed to turn brown no matter what tool is used. Long handled recovery tools in parks is just asking for confrontation by John Q Public and law enforcement in my opinion.

A three sided or 270 degree hinged plug dug with a handheld digger is the only approved way to dig a plug by our club on public property.

Our local park is a pretty nice park, but its not really well groomed! people let their dogs do their buisness and just leave it! now that's a dead spot for sure.
The park has some pretty large areas of bare places from past flooding.
Volley ball net post leaves holes,
I've seen coaches have soccer pratice in the park, that's good on the grass,

Now they keep it well mowed and the park has a nice entrance with a fountain but the grass is as much weeds as grass, but it is mowed.

Now, my title post I stated or ask if you all thought it would draw to much attention, which meant I already was thinking that it would. One good thing is EVERYBODY agrees that it would get to much bad attention for use in a city park.

I'll keep an eye on my fifty or more digs in my yard I've done testing the four diggers I've made over the past month and see just how dead the grass is in the area of the plugs. I know that when I first started building them the only way I could test them was in the MUD! it wouldn't stop raining. The grass on those plugs turned a little brown for a few days but the grass wasn't dead, because its all green now. But pushing the plugs out of the digger WET pushed the grass right into the mud. Now if the soil isn't muddy the grass can be brushed back up with your foot and left standing, so I'll keep an eye on my yard and see how it goes.
I know that on golf course greens they have to move the ball cup regularly and it doesn't kill the grass! and the tool they use is much like the tool I made, it cuts a 360 degree plug??

Mark

 

[Smudge]

Yes, I'm like a lot of others here.

You built a nice digger, but I'm not so sure I would take it to a park.

I think park officials would flip their lid, even though you will probably dig the cleanest plugs imagineable and hardly leave a trace that you were there.

Big diggers just give them the Willies.

I know that Tom Dankowski likes to use a short handled shovel when he hunts, and he cuts a massive plug. But he's so careful about what he's doing that when the plug is put back, you can never tell he was there.

Nevertheless, I have to wonder how many parks and playgrounds he's been chased out of at the mere sight of a shovel.

It's sad too, because the hand digger in the wrong hands can cause way more damage than a shovel or your device ever could.

It's all about appearances.

 

[MarkCZ]

Okay, I'm going to try the video remake again (Elton gave me the okay).

First the story about the video!
At one time there was a guy that did a video of a digger like the one I made, he made the video for an add he had on ebay where he was selling them. My brother (forum member WV62) and (Forum member wvrick) were going to buy one of his diggers. Well that was over 7 months ago and the guy hasn't had any of them back on ebay. So, that's when we decided to just make are own.

Now, I really liked the guys video, although his soil must have been some really nice soil. And I really liked the way he ended his video and so did my 11 year old grandson. So, I ask my grandson if he thought we good do a video like that? Well he thought it would be a lot of fun.
So, we did the video more for fun than serious, but it does show the digger in use. (also I'm new to doing videos, so it was fun and some good practice)
Enjoy the video!
Mark
[video]http://users.zoominternet.net/~markc/digger.wmv[/video]

 

[Larry (IL)]

You asked for opinions........ you got them.

 

[MarkCZ]

You asked for opinions........ you got them.

And ALL the information so far has been GREAT!

Thanks
Mark

 

[khouse]

The tool is of excellent design to be sure. The problem is the same people that let their kids dig holes. tear up the play equipment, throw trash on the ground, let their dogs dig holes and let the dogs take HIUGE craps are the same ones that will call the police because you are recovering a zinc cent with a long handled back hoe of some sort. It ain't right but guess who the cops will side on?
Note: I carry a permit to hunt several beaches by me. When a park attendant asked me for my permit I gladly shown it. He said "make sure you cover your holes" I said I always do even in the sand. Then I asked him why he doesn't make those kids fill in the holes they made the size of coffins? He said " they would never do that" What and idiot. I see so much trash, throw away so many cans that are buried in the sand from trashy people. I think they should pay use to detect any beach or park!!! We clean it all up!!!!!

 

[Elton]

Long handles depict in the minds of people Shovels.. They don't really look at the business end of the digger. All they see is a shovel being used in the park. In my neck of the woods "That will get you banned in a Heart Beat"

I guarantee if you went to a park..used your very nice plugger.. and went back in 15 minutes, and asked ten people who saw you.. They would say you were using a shovel. People see what they want too.

 

[khouse]

I must agree. Just like when I think in my head I'm a young, handsome viral man. The I look in the mirror. Sad, it just sad I tell you.......................

 

[wvrick]

360 deg plugs bad? how come a grass plugger cuts the same round hole, even some square in sizes 1 1/2", 2 1/2", 3", and 5". I agree with the long handle looking like a shovel.

HH