How to Make a Lawn Levelling Tool 

Tip on screwing, use countersink screws inserted from the bottom, which allows you to use a lock nut from the top, no need to cut threads.

Just left the army as have been suffering with PTSD and I’ve been trying to do my own DIY to stay busy. Just discovered this channel and I’m learning a ton. Thanks mate 👍

A testament to a good channel, I have absolutely no need or use for something like this, but enjoyed every minute of your video. Keep up the great work. 👍

Thank you so much for making this video. I’ve been looking at lutes since lockdown. I just couldn’t justify paying so much for something so simple. Always thought quite straight forward to make. Now I know exactly how to do it, I’ll get on it over the weekend.

I made one from the dimensions here but used countersunk headed bolts and came up from the underside enabling good locking of the nuts and no need for ends to be cut off. I also used second flat plates on the underside of the higher lengths to get a completely flat surface as well as adding weight.

Hope to see you use this. I have never heard of this tool. Loved the clever use of the hinge. Love how your mind is thinking ahead to prevent making mistakes.

I watched this the whole way through and i dont even have a garden 😂

Great project Stuart. Don’t start me on angle grinders. Two tales … Firstly my mate cut me some metal and was wearing glasses and goggles. A shard shot through both and sat in his eye. I couldn’t look at him driving to hospital 🤮 The shard was removed and his eye healed. Secondly, I once went for a job interview at the boss’ house. He was having metal gates installed and the workmen were grinding away. As I looked out of his window I saw sparks flying straight in the direction of my car. I thought it’ll be fine. As there were a group of us being interviewed, I couldn’t really excuse myself but the sparks flying preyed on my mind. Anyway interview over and I ran outside. My windows had been peppered with hot metal and I needed two new windows! The boss paid my excess but I didn’t get the job. Loving your videos. Cheers.

Built it today. Very happy with your instructions; thank you!

19 minutes of MASTERCLASS!!! What a pleasure it is to watch you meticulously execute a task and it's the small tips that really do it for me. I note a professional gardener has just complemented you- Premier Lawns........his channel is also wonderful for all your lawncare tips.

So glad I found this. I’ve been looking on and off for a year for a lute and they are prohibitively expensive.

I made my lute from 25 x 25 mm batten timber. Works great and just if you’re wondering it is very heavy. Cuts through high spots with ease.

Made one of aluminium a few years ago, it works great and is surprisingly heavy. 30” wide and 18” deep and I used a soldering system to join the pieces backed up with pop rivets.

If you prefer a flat bottom, you can put slots in the side pieces, so that the longer pieces can be underneath.

Another enjoyable video with some very useful learning points along the way. A well made product and should set you up for some 'work outs' in the garden! As I had taken delivery of new lawn lute 2 days ago I started to wonder if I'd been a bit hasty but after watching the video and not having all the tools and skills you have, it probably was a reasonable buy.... I hope? Really looking forward to seeing future lawn videos.

I think one of these will be on the list for next year’s lawn renovation.

Very nice job, well done, you can use a metal bed frame for the steel, everyone around you put it to garbage ! :) For the bolts, use a mechanical one with round head under the frame, for tighting, use a flat washer + luck washer and a nut.

Always clearly presented and interesting.

I love how you solve problems with an understanding that you don’t need ‘contractor grade’ tools that you’ll only use occasionally. Although, your lawn equipment is pretty kick ass.

Hi Stuart Wow mate I’m impressed. That is bang on not used one in many years now, as my first trade as teenager was a head green keeper for 14 lovely year Ps Don’t forget to cut the grass first before you apply the top dressing Otherwise it will be hard work mate Great video 👍👍👍👍

A garden project with plenty of DIY tips, fantastic. Have to concur with 'Home maintenance' as well, this channel is synonymous with good content and engaging to watch

This is ace. I’ve been dragging a pallet around on a rope

Shade, gradient, idea, colour remarkable m8

And now this is a channel worthy of a subscription 👏 🙌

Pretty much how I made mine, just a different hinge mechanism. Will serve you well and last a lifetime.

I have been considering buying a 'real' one, but seeing your efforts I think that I will have a go with your design. I have scoped-out some metal-work, and I think that I will go with the slotted stuff as it is a bit lighter. I still need to figure out how to fit the handle, as I can't find a similar hinge to yours, but I will bodge something together. If all else fails, I will use an up-turned wooden pallet.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, with heavy equipment, large dumpsters of storm debris my lawn is deeply rutted, bumpy, and on the verge of dangerous to walk on (ankle injuries from uneven surfaces) so this video is of real interest to me as we rebuild. Thanks!

Nice job, might make one of these this spring

Thank you, looks good. I'd be tempted to use flat head wafer thin bolts coming up from underneath plus bolts to save cutting threads and grinding off. Admittedly raises the bars a little.

Never seen one of these before. We get lots of worm casts in our lawn, making it rather bumpy. I guess part of this tools job is to knock these back. Looking forward to seeing it in action and how it performs, nice one Stuart

excellent vids.. thanks for your service

Absolutely brilliant.

Those Bosch point tq bits are excellent.

Excellent video, subscribed straight away.

Your timing is excellent, thanks soooooo much 👍

great video thanks for showing me how easy it is to build one of these lawn lutes, like you I was astonished at the price these items reach on the the likes of amazon. I will be buying a welder soon as i want to learn to weld so mine will most likely be welded together insteads of bolted.

How funny, I've recently been enjoying videos of tractors pulling "Land planes".. they are used to re regrade stone tracks etc This is the hand held version.

I have no grass and can’t see that ever changing but I’m so addicted to this channel, love it.

Thanks for the video and congrats! Now I plan to use my welder to make this happen! I guess - as you said - it will be much faster and easier that way

Great piece of fabrication and made to look easy 👍

Great work!!

Great video Stuart. Thanks.

Welll done, great video !!! I to have been in the market for one, and these are expensive. Will try this for the summer !!

The hinge is pure genius 👏

I'm making one of these soon as I don't have a lawn yet but just an uneven garden area which we want to level over nicely ready for our top surface, I'm a welder so will be welding my example and maybe adding some small teeth to the underneath of the lute to give a cutting action to the ground which is a mixture of earth, shingle and old roots (-:

You could set-up your laser at the side of your lawn, & get a laser-line detector that is fixed to the top of your 'lawn-leveler', so you can see/hear the beeps if it needs more,or less soil at that particular spot.. 👍🙂

Real nice project for a bad weather day !

Spring is on the way, I wanted to level my lawn too before reseeding. Lawn Loute’s are stupid expensive, so super idea 👏🏻 This is now on my list of projects 🥳 Edit: both WILKO and B&Q are now selling one for £44, so not sure I can justify the project 😅

If you want to achieve the same results with a minimal budget or work then attach a loop of rope to an upturned small pallet and pull that across the lawn like a drag mat 👍

Another good one Stuart. I can't help thinking it would have been worth investing in a low cost welder. I did arc & gas welding / braising when I was an apprentice many years ago but never since so like you I don't have the kit to do any welding. I also have a cordless angle grinder so I think a full face mask is now on the shopping list. 👍

Much needed here!!! Definitely a job for my Aldi welder!!!

Well done.

many thanks😎

Lovely stuff!

Another cracking video !👍

Nice work Stuart. 👍

Great job, Stuart. Another tool to your arsenal. May I suggest... Would drilling through the hinge spigot and adding an R pin (hinch?) make the job even more professional looking than it is already, so you get rid of the jubilee clip? Just a thought. ?? 👍👍🇬🇧

Kudos to you for showing fire safety here.

Great video, I’ve fancied one of these for a while but they are overpriced. I dismantled a steel box framed gazebo last year & kept the parts with the idea of making one out of it. You made it look easy, can’t wait to see it in use 👍

Mate - 10 videos later. I've bought a bloody sprinkler system and now a lawn level 😄 subbed

Well done good video. Would have thought a split pin and a drilled hole and washer would have been better than a jubilant clip though. LOL 👏👍👏👍👏👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

I am 75 and this is the first time I’ve have seen this tool. I used to use a roller, you don’t see them so much now.

I actually made this and used your links to buy the parts. It did work out ok, but the grinder cuttings was a bit scary! I'm not entirely sure the bolts will remain tight, so I added a 10x4 mm rivet as well. I really think it would be better welded, but unsure where I could take it and need to consider the cost. The total costs came to approx. £80, so I don't think the saving was worth the effort to buy one from eBay? Anyway a good project (but I ruined a fleece jacket as the sparks from the grinder melted it) - so additional cost.

Made my day hearing jubilee clip rather than hose clip.

Your lutes a beaut!

Came across your great videos a few weeks ago and enjoy your videos not only for your great work /great ideas but I really enjoy the way you present/explain things 🙂 I looked at this project and ponder a query instead of tapping threads into 3.5 mm steel (which can never be that strong ) would counter sink from below and using a double nut on top not be easier ? or for that matter - would pop rivets be strong enough ?? great work whichever way you believe 🙂

Good job

You know what you at. Well done.

So thanks for the advice on eye protection but continued use of a grinder and no ear protection.... I suffer massive tinnitus in my right ear and that is down to me not considering ear protection... I struggle to sleep if there isn't a sound drowning out my internal whine...

It is not simply a case of a cutting disk wearing and then shattering as it gets thin if you use it as a grinding disk but the fact the cutting disc has no real strength in tension. You should not use it even once for grinding - a new one can easily shatter the first time you try to grind with it. As for using the angle grinder to clean up the cut edges - use a file and get a bit of exercise and you wont have sparks (and tiny bits of metal ) bouncing round the workshop,you'll save a tiny bit of electricity and help the environment. Top tip - don't put a fire extinquisher on the edge of a bench. Experience tells me you will knock it off

Really helpful video thanks. Reading through the comments a lot of people are asking for advice on regrouting. Would you be able to advise on how to do this please or whether you’ve used/recommend the ready made mixes you can buy. I have a large patio to repair and would rather do it right first time! Thank you.

I’m definitely doing this one. The price of them is ridiculous. Excellent video.

This is cracking stuff, great video

A great step by step instruction on how to build this tool, but I have never ever seen it before. I do understand the principle though. Albeit, I doubt it will have much effect on a really bumpy (and/or compacted) soil especially without just sheering off all the gras. Would love to see it in practice though.

after watching your video i decided to make a larger one for our mini loader width: 1600 mm length: 1050 mm also will be adding some teeth on it so we can dig or loosen up the gound if needed for upto: 100 mm thank you for a fab idea 😍💪👍

perfect for smaller areas. If I was doing your large garden Id start off with ladders, weighted down & attach rope at the ends if its not very flat. Done that many times on a cricket square.

Really enjoyed watching. Any chance you could do a video on grinder how too...tips? Even something short on patreon?

Great video... might copy this ready for the lawn levelling video.... my lawn is in extreme need of levelling... (although why I'm bothering when I'll just nacker it all with my kids padding pool is anyone's guess) #dadlife

Great video and well thought out project. I was wondering if you stored your lawnmower petrol around there somewhere as you started grinding! Our garage had a 35 gallon oil drum in which we tipped all the old oil etc. Someone was grinding something, a spark went in and there was an almighty bang! A battery which had been on the top, ended up 30 feet away!

Great project. My only concern is if thread lock will do after hours of work?

Great video I bought one last year only if you made the video then lol

Nice to see a metalwork project that doesn't assume you know how to weld 👍👍.

You are One of the best because you talk and explain all the details so I’m very interested to fallow your posts and I have a question for this item. What do you think if add 4 bearings on each corner? Does it work for moving early and save the energy? I think the height of bearing is important. Thank you so much.

Enjoyed this video (as usual). Although I admit to being totally intrigued as to how it actually works! Guess I’ll have to wait until the next video. Is the idea that it actually slices off chunks of turf where it’s too high and drags those sliced chunks into lower levels? But wouldn’t that completely mess up the lawn by spreading soil everywhere? Presumably if the peaks and troughs in the lawn are that pronounced you’re better just getting out the spade, lifting the top turf, dig out the unnecessary soil and then relay the top turf back down?

I bought some of those drills from that shopping channel, all I can say is that they must use different ones on air.

I was thinking 3.5mm is just not enough meat for them M6 screws and was about to suggest split washers and threadlock but you came good and did it yourself, well done. I would have used Loctite 638 though but anything is better than nothing. I reckon you could have gone bigger with the lute but that might be too much weight to drag around. Have you already got a scarifier and aerator?

please make a follow-up video about how it worked. I'd like to smooth out my lawn this spring as its bumpy as heck. I do have a welder and propably am going to weld instead of bolts, but I'd like to know how your design worked and could it be improved somehow :) Have a nice day mate!

I learned a lot about drilling through steel, so now I am off to watch the video you mentioned. Will you please post the name of the "green paint tool" you used to mark the drilling position on the broom handle? I am in awe of your ability to explain what you are doing with such ease and clarity and I certainly enjoy the chuckle-worthy comments, facial expressions, and gestures.

defo not the time to buy or even try to buy steel prices are crazy! i buy sheet by the ton but held back last week price had quadrupled so looks like a hard time at work for the near future , and if you source it

Thanks for the video.. What is that neon green marking "pen"?

I think you will find dropping the lute forward is problematic, I did. I altered my lute to drop backwards. The advantage was when putting the lute on the ground it will drop forward read to start work.

There you go, clearly works well….good for you…..

Nice, but a losing battle when Mr Mole visits again every time I clear the evidence of his last intrusion!

Excellent video and great timing as im looking to do exactly the same. Where was the steel from?

And yet again 'absoLUTEly' (see what I did there) no need of one but I still watched the whole of the way through! Cheers.

Hi Stu, I'm looking to make one of these but thought I could use bed bolts inserted from below, so the finish at the bottom is already round and smooth. This would just leave them visible on the top which I'm not sure would interfere with it's function at all?

Subbed.

I too decided the money asked for a bought tool was too much - I used a couple of lengths of 2" x 6" timber with a couple of plates of 3mm ply for allowing a breezeblock to sit on these to hold the frame down. Why? Because I found I had more than 30mm of soil when I was dragging it across the Himalayas! (Sorry - lawn!!) It was also a very good physical workout. Good idea nevertheless.

Also, do you have a US Amazon Page where you list your tools?

Hey Mister the wheels have fallen off your Hoover... sorry I couldn't resist. How have you found it works leveling soil or sand. I'm new to your video's and have found them to be helpful and entertaining at the same time.