Simple Technology – The Azadon

[Does’ Leap]

In preparation for this winter’s logging, I brought my tractor to the woods for to make some water bars in key sections of my woods. I used a tractor and winch to do my logging for years and forgot what a mess a wheeled vehicle can make. After trying to make one water bar and making a mess of it, I brought my tractor back home and resurrected a tool that is a staple for many in Latin America – the azadon (there should be an accent over the “o”).

When I lived in Ecuador, I rarely saw a shovel but the azadon – of various sizes – was everywhere. It is like a hoe on steroids. This particular azadon is about 9″ wide at the base.

I found it to be the ideal tool for making water bars. It digs, shapes, and tamps and I was able to put in a handful of water bars in a couple of hours.

Here are a couple of pictures:

George

[Michael Low]

Nice tool.

I agree, tractors pale in comparison to hand tools for the construction of good water bars.

[Jim Ostergard]

George, I used one during the years I lived and worked in Puerto Rico. Still use it in trail work.

[Carl Russell]

In Vermont we call those “Mountain Planes”, “Hoe-dads” or more accurately “Maddock”, often Pick-maddock, or Axe-maddock. I have one of each, and have used them to build most of my waterbars over the last 20 years…. although now I can build broad-based dips with the crawler.

I have also used them to dig out stumps, and fill in eroded ditches, and yes even turn the garlic beds….

Carl

[Donn Hewes]

I find all the different names interesting as the same (or similar) tool found it self useful in different places and times. Local conditions and users would also naturally modify the tool to their uses. Hoedads was also the name of a large group that planted many millions of trees in the Northwest clear cuts. They planted the young evergreens with one swing. Swing the hoedad with one hand (seedling in the other), rock back the tool, plant and pull the tool, step it in, and go to the next. All while hiking across steep slash with hip bags full of seedlings. I believe the maddocks where widely used in forest fire fighting and might have originated there. It seems I have seen the same type of tool in different African and European nations as well.

Always gave me a sore back though!

[Jim Ostergard]

I have pretty muched changed over for all trail work to using a Rogue Hoe. Really like it. Be,I eve I found it at Forestry Supply.

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