Yesterday, I was thinking about getting a small shovel for my garden. I don’t need a big one, just something handy for planting flowers and small stuff. So, I started to think, maybe I could make one myself. I mean, how hard could it be, right?
Finding Materials
First, I looked around my garage for some materials. I found an old, broken metal dustpan. The handle was gone, but the metal part was still pretty solid. “Perfect!” I thought, that could be the blade of my mini shovel.

Next, I needed a handle. I spotted a piece of thick wooden dowel, leftover from some old project. It was a bit too long, but that’s easy to fix.
Putting It Together
I grabbed my tools – a saw, some sandpaper, a drill, and some screws. First, I sawed the dowel to the length I wanted, about 10 inches. Then I used sandpaper to smooth out the edges so I wouldn’t get splinters.
The dustpan already had a couple of holes near where the old handle used to be. So, I drilled matching holes in the dowel. I lined them up and screwed the dowel onto the dustpan, making sure it was nice and tight.
I added a few drops of super glue, it can make it stronger, then I screwed again.
The Final Result
And that’s it! My mini shovel was done. It’s not the prettiest thing, but it’s sturdy and the perfect size for what I need. I tested it out on a pot of soil, and it worked great!
I felt the handle a little bit thin. I found some waste cloth strips, wrapped around the handle, and finally fixed with tape.
It feels great holding it now!

I’m pretty proud of myself for making something useful out of stuff I already had. Plus, I saved some money by not buying a new one. It’s a win-win!