Results 1 to 21 of 21
  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    On a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane
    Posts
    16,803

    Custom trail builders tool?

    Ok so I have a client who bought vacant land specifically to build a bunch of trails on. He has built trails for other people in the past so he knows what he is doing. There will be pros training at this compound. Pretty rad. Instead of the usual bottle of nice booze for a closing gift I was thinking a custom trail building tool engraved/laser etched with the name he's already given to the property.

    I'm sure you guys know of better tools than this one....but this is the idea. Kinda how they have "loamer" etched into the blade.

    https://up.bike/trail-loamer-mtb-tra...iking-up.bike/

    What tool to buy? Anyone know a place I could send a blade and have something laser etched? I'm gonna see if I can find someone local here to save some time.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    On a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane
    Posts
    16,803

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    2,648
    Have been kicking around buying a travis tool for my backyard, but no first hand experience.

    https://roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    On a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane
    Posts
    16,803
    Quote Originally Posted by VTskibum View Post
    Have been kicking around buying a travis tool for my backyard, but no first hand experience.

    https://roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/
    Looks like both sizes of the hoe are out of stock. I bet for an upcharge they would do a custom engraving though.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hell Track
    Posts
    13,841
    That's a cool idea.

    Everyone has their tool preferences, but a nice Mcleod is a safe bet. I like the rogue stuff (something like a 55HR), but there are probably other nice ones too.

    For just cutting fresh trail, a 70H is my tool of choice, but it really depends on the dirt your working in.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    On a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane
    Posts
    16,803
    I'm sure the trails will be mostly machine built and then finished by hand. A McLeod type all around makes sense.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Ogden
    Posts
    9,103
    Quote Originally Posted by VTskibum View Post
    Have been kicking around buying a travis tool for my backyard, but no first hand experience.

    https://roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/
    My local trails org gives the Rogue tool as an award, kind of a pulaski style that I don't see in that link. Super handy for our area.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Shadynasty's Jazz Club
    Posts
    10,248
    Based on suggestions here, and the fact that I wanted a single tool to do everything, I ended up with a Rogue 70J. It's awesome, but it's the only one of their tools I've used.
    Remind me. We'll send him a red cap and a Speedo.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Dystopia
    Posts
    21,053
    Heh. Was going to post rogue hoe.

    Their shit is awesome. But often out of stock.

    The last scuffle hoe I bought I had to buy from another vendor. Wanted to buy direct.

    Find the model you want and then google or Amazon shop it.

    As far as engraving? Who cares. Or. Get a wood burning tool and do something cool on the shaft.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hell Track
    Posts
    13,841
    Quote Originally Posted by Core Shot View Post
    Get a wood burning tool and do something cool on the shaft.
    I like that idea. If the tool is actually going to get used, any laser engraving on the head is going to be mostly illegible after 15 minutes of use.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    On a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane
    Posts
    16,803
    What about cut out via CNC? Probably overthinking this....also being injured I'm not about to woodburn anything myself.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hell Track
    Posts
    13,841
    Quote Originally Posted by Whiteroom_Guardian View Post
    What about cut out via CNC? Probably overthinking this....also being injured I'm not about to woodburn anything myself.
    I think the trick with doing it on a CNC is that you'd probably need to remove the handle to mount it into the machine. Not the end of the world, but I find that the factory fit on the handles tends to be better than any subsequent replacement. Also, most of those rogue tools have a curve to them, so cnc'ing something is a bit more complicated.

    I'm sure you could find someone to do the woodburning in town. That's probably easier (i.e. cheaper) to come by than a custom CNC'd logo or whatever.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Ogden
    Posts
    9,103
    Rogue 40x is what I have. And the trails org did a light woodburning of their logo on the handle.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Shadynasty's Jazz Club
    Posts
    10,248
    Do the woodburning or laser engraving on the handle. Doesn't really matter if it wears off with use, does it?
    Remind me. We'll send him a red cap and a Speedo.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Granite, UT
    Posts
    2,294
    Local frame painter sells his own custom tool, maybe shoot him an email and see who makes them?

    https://www.tec-gnar.com/products/gnar-trail-tool



  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    livin the dream
    Posts
    5,761
    Some other ideas
    - A local metal fab shop could build a McLeod head pretty easily with the name CNCed in.
    - You could get a metal badge made and have it fastened to the handle or welded to head
    - It’s 2022, you probably have some artisan blacksmith in your area that could make a rad Pulaski


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    Best Skier on the Mountain
    Self-Certified
    1992 - 2012
    Squaw Valley, USA

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    cow hampshire
    Posts
    8,294
    Quote Originally Posted by VTskibum View Post
    Have been kicking around buying a travis tool for my backyard, but no first hand experience.

    https://roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/
    The Travis tool is freakin' awesome. I waited around 8-9 months for it to ship and in the meantime my kids bought one for me as a gift. So now I have two.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    my dad used to work with SS scrapes so he made garden tools out of stainless steel, even made a boat anchor
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,951

    Custom trail builders tool?

    https://trailbossusa.com

    I feel like these guys could engrave a tool for you. Or you could buy it and get it engraved somewhere. It’s a multi-function (different head attachments) packable trail tool

    Evergreen MTB Alliance (WA’s primary nonprofit MTB trail group) gives these out to volunteers after reaching a certain number of trail hours. I’ve met the designer, he’s a good dude, and everybody that’s got one of these tools loves them. There’s lots of different attachments and it packs down nicely for riding with it.

    Edit: oops literally every thing on the site is out of stock. But they are awesome.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Elmore, VT
    Posts
    1,211
    Quote Originally Posted by jackstraw View Post
    The Travis tool is freakin' awesome. I waited around 8-9 months for it to ship and in the meantime my kids bought one for me as a gift. So now I have two.
    +1 for the Travis tool. Goes on every work day, can do lots of things well and not too heavy. We used to use them as our "volunteer of the year" award and spray paint the head gold.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    2,648
    Trigger pulled on Travis tool, seems like one too to have

    Edit for quick review: Just got first chance to use this over the weekend helping out with a trail build. We have a ton of rocks intermixed with loam and clay, so always fun digging. Used it for clearing out a pretty good dig spot and pulling up rocks that we used to back a berm and get through the roots quickly. Once through the top layer made for easier dig pit for dirt on the berm itself. Worked great for rough scraping/shaping a bit to get rocks up top and decently as a tamp as well.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	BB_4.jpg 
Views:	7 
Size:	580.5 KB 
ID:	417664
    Last edited by VTskibum; 05-30-2022 at 04:17 AM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •