repairing wooden handled digging fork

Here I've welded the base of the shank to the black pipe (6013 weld rod is my favorite for this job) The next part took me a while to learn via several failures but is the secret to this lifetime tool. I have to render the TIP of the shank immobile where it lies encased now in the black pipe. I accomplish this by cranking up the arc welder to 135 amps and blast a small hole near the premeasured location of the shank tip. I then lay the weld bead on the shank through the hole I've made and slowly withdraw the rod filing the hole as I withdraw the rod. Look at the white dot on the black pipe to the left of the tip of the displayed weld rod. That's the fill hole now closed. I now flip the fork over and repeat the immobilization of the shank on the opposite side.

Experience shows me that this procedure stops any shank flexing inside the pipe and keeps my first weld from breaking loose. All I do now is coat the black pipe with liquid nails, a glue, and force it into the stainless steel pipe. This is the best fork not found on the market to avoid the frustration of another broken garden tool. It is made of TOtally REcycled MAterials (TOREMA) and money can't buy it. With all materials on hand I made two lifetime quality digging forks in under twenty five minutes. The fork leverages better for hard soils because it is long -handled and splinters in the hands aren't possible as there is no wood to weather. I paint the tines gold and call it "The TOREMA gold digger!"

Done