We hosted a lunch for local historical Croatian Community Group!

Independence Day will be here before you know it, which means that now is the time to get to work on planning your backyard celebrations. The three key ingredients for a successful 4th of July party are planning, preparation, and activities. Feel free to assign duties to guests in the days and weeks ahead of the party, such as purchasing drinks and appetizers or putting together a few kid friendly games for the younger crowd.  

As you will see in this video, one simple strategy for making sure that you purchase all items necessary is to create a shopping list before heading to various stores. Once you have food, games, and other essentials on hand, decorate the outdoor space, tidy up your home, and let the celebrations begin.

One component of every 4th of July party that you simply can’t do without is a grill. To find out which style of grill you should rent for your outdoor barbecue party, call A Tool Shed Equipment Rentals at (831) 359-4769. You can also visit our website to learn more about the equipment rentals we offer in San Jose.

San Benito County Chamber of Commerce after hours mixer event!

We won this Ditch Witch SK755 at the ARA Show in Las Vegas. 

Check out our branch chipper, skid steer loader, and excavator in action! 

Growing your own produce and herbs is convenient, therapeutic, educational, and environmentally friendly. If you would love to be able to step into your backyard to collect fresh ingredients when a salad or other vegetable-heavy dish is calling your name, you need planting seeds and the following tools .

Weed Eater At the beginning of the planting season, a weed eater can help you eliminate weeds that would otherwise compete with your plants for sun, water, and living space. It is important to weed throughout the gardening season, although you should be very mindful should you decide to use a weed eater near your plants.

Tiller A lawn tiller plays an essential role in preparing soil for planting. Tillers come in many sizes and with varying degrees of horsepower, but a small garden tiller should work for most small gardener’s needs.

Seeder If you are planting on a large scale, you will definitely save some time and hassle by using a seeder. A Tool Shed Equipment Rentals lends these super helpful tools to garden enthusiasts in San Jose at the low rate of $8 an hour.

Spade or Gardening Fork If you are working in a large area or doing any heavy cultivation, you will benefit from a spade or gardening fork. The tools can be used during the digging, planting, and harvesting phases of gardening.

Rakes and Hoes Rakes and hoes can help uproot weeds, and they are especially nice to have when you prepare a garden plot for planting. Choose the rakes and hoes you rent or purchase based on your garden soil and gardening goals.

Rental tools are a great option for those who are transforming yard space into a personal garden. It is also an economical way for long-time gardeners to get their hands on expensive, upmarket tools that are only required a few times a year. To speak with a garden equipment expert in San Jose about renting these and other tools, call A Tool Shed Equipment Rentals at (831) 359-4769.

Lawn aeration is a must for property owners who care about the health and appearance of their lawns. Aerating your lawn will reduce the soil compaction that occurs every time you or your children are playing, working, or relaxing on your lawn. As a result, your soil can more easily get the nutrients, oxygen, and water it needs to thrive.

Lawn aeration is fairly straightforward, but if you are a first-time lawn aerator, there are a handful of things you should be aware of. Before you start, mow your grass. After mowing, mark all sprinkler heads, septic lines, and underground utilities. Take care not to run the aerator directly over any of these markings. You should also take general care while running the aerator. After aeration, rake up the aerated plugs and rake sand into the holes to prevent pests from seeking shelter in your soil.

Since lawn aeration is most beneficial in spring and fall, you may find it most cost-effective to rent an aerator as needed rather than purchasing a new one. To speak with a lawn and garden equipment rental specialist that serves San Jose and the surrounding areas, call A Tool Shed Equipment Rentals at (831) 359-4769.

PERRY, Okla. — The Charles Machine Works (CMW®), Inc., manufacturer of Ditch Witch underground construction equipment, has launched a series of informative articles designed to improve jobsite safety and productivity of anyone who operates underground construction equipment. This initial article covers the basics of operating trenchers safely.

The Basics of Safe Trencher Operation

Thanks to advances in technology, trencher manufacturers are producing better and safer equipment today than ever before. But no matter how sophisticated the trencher is, the operator must learn and follow all operating procedures provided by the manufacturer.

Here are some of the main safety precautions that operators, supervisors and managers must incorporate into their daily routine in order to ensure the safest possible working environment.

Operator Responsibility . Equipment operators are responsible for ensuring equipment is operated safely and properly, and for ensuring the safety of coworkers and bystanders. However, safety must start with the supervisors and managers requiring that all operators are properly trained on each piece of equipment they operate. Having and enforcing safety policies and procedures and providing the needed training are essential to safety on the job and key to reducing the number of injuries and fatalities that happen each year.

Pre-Work Equipment Inspection . Before operating a piece of equipment, the operator first needs to read and thoroughly understand the equipment operator’s manual. Next, the unit must be in good operating condition. Make sure all guards and shields are in place and operator presence systems are functioning. Be aware of potential hazards such as exposed belts, chains and shafts. Check for leaks, but be cautious when checking leaks in pressurized hydraulic systems. A good way to determine if leaks exist is to look under the unit after it has set overnight. Never use your bare hands to check for leaks. High-pressure fluid escaping from a small hole in a hose or fitting can penetrate your skin. Hydraulic fluid-injection poisoning can lead to amputation, or even death—so be careful. Be sure that all safety switches are connected and working according to the manufacturer’s design.

The operator’s manual and the unit’s safety signs are designed to make operators aware of certain hazards associated with the operation and service of the unit. Replace these as they become worn, damaged or misplaced.

Loading and Transporting . The tow vehicle must be able to handle the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the loaded trailer as well as the tongue load. Make sure the trailer and tow vehicle are properly connected, and that the towing vehicle’s parking brake is set prior to loading equipment on trailer. With everyone clear of the loading area, lower the equipment throttle and slowly load the machine onto the trailer. Lower all attachments not held by stow locks, set the parking brake if supplied and secure the machine to the trailer with tie downs. Reverse the procedure for unloading the unit. Always follow all state and federal D.O.T. regulations.

Jobsite Preparation . Before beginning any job, mark the proposed trench path with white paint and contact your local one-call service or the national 811 number to have all underground utilities located and marked. In most cases, this should be done at least 48 hours prior to start of job, but check your local and state regulations for one-call regulations and notification. Knowledge of the laws in your area is important. Some states may not require all underground utility owners to be members of the one-call system. In those instances, utility owners must be contacted separately. It is your responsibility to prevent damage to underground utilities.

Walk the jobsite and look for signs of buried utilities that may have been missed. These could include trench lines, utility risers or pads, meters, lines coming down utility poles, and manholes. Other items often overlooked are yard lights, power to outbuildings and invisible dog fences. Some of these may be an inconvenience if damaged, while others can cause serious injury.

Potential Hazards . Start trenches away from obstructions such as curbs, slabs and fences that digging teeth may catch. Stop trenching to make trench observations such as trench depth. Clear objects such as landscaping fabric, cable and wire from the work area. Operate only with personal restraint bar or trench cleaner in place.

If trenching must be done on a slope, travel only up and down a slope. If operating across a slope cannot be avoided, swing all attachments toward the uphill side and lower them as much as possible. Avoid turning on slopes. If operating a walk-along trencher, never stand on the downhill side of the equipment.

Always wear your seatbelt, if equipped. Never remove, weld on or alter the Rollover Protection System (ROPS). If working in dense underbrush or around trees, be aware of low-hanging branches that can snag control levers or catch on attachments.

The Danger Zone . You, as the operator, must be aware of coworkers and bystanders at all times. Inform coworkers and bystanders to stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from the farthest reach of any attachment, including a backhoe. Bystanders and coworkers closer than 6 feet (2 meters) can enter the trencher attachment danger zone and may trip and fall into the trench or onto the attachment. Also, the trench could cave in, causing entanglement with the attachment. When working in rocky conditions, the attachment can throw rocks from the trench and strike coworkers or bystanders.

When operating a machine with a drilling attachment, the danger zone should be extended to 10 feet (3 meters). Never stand on or grab a rotating shaft with your hands. Other danger zones to look for include such areas as the plow and backhoe attachments, as well as the pinch point on articulating frame units. Stay away from these areas.

Safety is a personal choice that each of us must make. These choices can make a difference on whether we get to go home at the end of each day.

For more information about Ditch Witch trenchers and safe operation, please call 800-654-6481 or visit http://www.ditchwitch.com/ .

– See more at: http://www.ditchwitch.com/press-releases/trencher-safety-promoted-by-ditch-witch-organization#sthash.Rq2yNq2z.dpuf

When you need to level some land on your property for a garden or dig a hole as part of a DIY construction project, there is no man or machine that can help you the way a rototiller can. To learn more about this exceptional piece of equipment and how it is meant to be used, check out this demonstrational video clip.

Safety should always be of the utmost concern when you are operating a tiller or similar piece of equipment. With a tiller, it is most important to keep your feet away from the tines while the tiller is running and to have solid footing behind the tiller, with your grips firmly holding the handles. As long as you are being safe, all you need to do is control the tiller as it prepares the ground for you.

If you are looking to rent a tiller or other equipment for a home or lawn improvement project, contact the equipment rental experts at A Tool Shed in San Jose. To learn about A Tool Shed Equipment Rental’s vast inventory of well-maintained, high quality tools, call (831) 359-4769.