How to put a Handle on a Spring Action Leaf Rake

This is a little restoration project I did in a day so this post is a combination "How to" along with a little on the restoration I did to this Spring Action Leaf Rake.

Don't know what a spring action leaf rake is? Well Grasshopper, let me show you. Below is the "head" of the rake, minus the handle. It's an 18 tine Metal Spring Action Leaf Rake. It's approximately 35 to 40 years old. And I've already cleaned it up.

You'll see two springs, chrome plated on this model. This is 18 tine as mentioned, but they come in a variety of number of tines. Commonly, 20, 22, 24 and more. If the tines are 1" apart, then the number of tines equals it's width. For example, the 18 tine is 18" wide.

The reason I'm posting a how to is because I'm actually surprised at how many people don't know how to put a handle on a rake, let alone a spring action rake head.

When I got this rake, it came with a handle. It had one tiny number 6-1/4" sheet metal screw in the wrong hole holding the head on. Barely holding it on. Done incorrectly, or using the wrong hardware, they come loose and when using it, the head will fall off.

I also noticed even new from the store, many don't have them on correctly or with all the hardware to hold it on. The wood dries, shrinks and then the rake head warbles from side to side, the single screw falls out and you're left fixing it.

Let's take a look at where the hardware goes on this rake head and give you a couple options. Yes there are options you can choose from.

You can see two holes, one larger than the other. The top hole is for a set screw. That holds the handle square. Check yours to be sure but a number 8 Pan Head 1/2" screw should do fine. It doesn't need to go all the way through, but it does need to go in more than a 1/4", about half way into the handle is fine.

The larger hole is for the main bolt. The back side hole gives you leeway in case you can't drill a straight hole through the handle.

Here's where the options come in.
A 1/4-20 bolt should do fine for the main bolt. Up to you really, but I wouldn't go smaller than that.

To make it really nice, you can use a curved head bolt. You can find them at most hardware stores. Curved Head bolts look like this:

For the back you can use a wing nut with a lock washer, or a hex nut and lock washer, or a nylon lock nut. The wing nut allows you to tighten it if it loosens but.. there's nothing worse than trying to find a wing nut that spun off while you were raking leaves. Same with a regular nut. Hence my choice is the nylon lock nut.

Some manufactures don't add the bolt, only the upper screw. See below.

Others do, you'll see you need an additional piece of hardware if yours doesn't have a bolt in the lower hole. This piece of hardware helps squeeze the head shaft together once the bolt is tightened. On the example below you'll see it right under the wing nut used in this particular model. It's the curved piece of chrome metal.

As mentioned, it's curved, the rake head is split so when you tighten the wing nut or nut it helps pull the split together squeezing the rake head split shaft around the handle gripping it tight.

But your rake didn't come with one!!! Don't fret Grasshopper, I'm going to show you how to make one easily.

But first, let's take care of that handle.

The finish from the factory sucks. It'll wear off in no time. Any farmer or old time tool guy will tell you to sand it back and the best thing to use on the wooden handle for hand tools is linseed oil. And he's right. However...

Using linseed oil takes know how to do it right. It's a process that takes time. There's steps over the course of the first week, month, 6 months, and year to do it right. And it's continued maintenance. A yearly thing to keep it up to par. If you're willing to do that, great! Google search applying linseed oil to tool handles. Come back in a couple weeks and finish putting on the rake head.

I went for a a decent exterior grade finish on something like this. Something I can do in a day start to finish. Other tools, linseed oil. This rake, exterior grade Spar Urethane, is perfectly fine.

Sand the handle back to wood, seal it, and apply a couple coats. I did a total of 4 coats including sealer. 50/50 two coats hot coating the sealer, 25/75 for the third coat, 100% final coat. Plenty good for this. It will last for years before needing a recoat.

Now that your handle is ready... Let's make some needed hardware.

If you choose to go with a curved head bolt you only need to make the back side piece. I chose what I had on hand, a hex head 1/4-20 bolt. If that's what you are using or a pan head for the bolt, you'll need a standard washer for the front side, and a fender washer for the back side.

But flat washers aren't what we want to end up with. We want a curved washer on both sides. They're very easy to make.

You'll need a piece of steel pipe or a metal spacer that's thick enough and the correct diameter which we'll use to curve the washer.

I had a spacer I used. The diameter is close to the diameter needed where the bolt goes through...

You'll also need a hammer, and some means to hold the washer against the pipe or whatever your using. If you have a vise, that's great. If not, you can use a pair of vise grips. Or even two pairs of pliers to bend the washer. (I've done it)

I happen to have a video I'm going to refurbish, so that's what I'll use. You use what you have.

Here you see it in place in the vise.

Then just hit it with a hammer curving it around the piece of pipe or what ever you're using. And that's it... It's now curved.

Do the same for both front and back washers.

Test fit your hardware... Looking good!

Alright, handle is refinished, hardware made, let's put this bad boy together!

Get a rag, bunch it up and toss it on the floor.
Take the handle insert it into the head taking care to line it up where you want it.
A quick tap of the butt of the handle on the tag you put on the floor holding the rake straight up and down to seat the handle in the head.

Grab a drill, you need to drill two pilot holes. One for the screw your going to use in the top hole, one for bit your going to use to drill the hole for the bolt your using. Use a center punch to set where you want the pilot holes drilled and drill them. You'll have something like this when done:

You can install the upper set screw in at this point or wait till you drill the bolt hole, up to you.

Drill the correct size hole for the bolt you're using.

Install the hardware and tighten. Tight but don't crank down on it.

Now if your bolt was too long. Like this:

Don't leave it that way. While assembled, nut on, or if you're using a wing nut, remove it and put a nut on the same width you need for the wing nut. Use a Dremel cut off wheel or Hack saw and cut the excess thread off. By cutting it with the nut on, you can then remove the nut, which will clean up the threads. You can also use a file to clean them up. In the end it'll look like this as opposed to above...

And your handle is attached. If you used it before, try it now. It's much sturdier isn't it! Feels good right!

I took this project a little further in my restoration.

I added a leather hanging loop and a couple neoprene grips to my handle just to finish it off.

Another thing you can add, which I'll be adding to this one, is a rubber chair foot to the butt of the handle. Whenever someone rakes leaves I'll guarantee they'll hold the rake head towards the sky and plant the butt of the handle into the ground. The chair foot will protect that area of the handle. And then you can use it as a walking stick when done taking up the yard.

And that completes this blog post.

And this restoration project and how to post. Here's a couple extra pics of the Spring Action Leaf Rake I refurbished after completion below...

Till next time,
Stay creative, and by all means, stay Happy! 😀
Cheers...