Requirements for snow removal tools
There are special requirements for work equipment, purchased or made in-house
- performing functional tasks (in this case, high-quality snow removal);
- presence of a comfortable handle;
- the height of the instrument corresponds to the height of the person;
- the size of the tray should allow you to clean snow, capturing its optimal amount;
- the bucket should have some inclination relative to the shaft for ease of operation;
- the structure must withstand the specified load (snow weight).
The service life of a shovel depends not only on the material of manufacture and build quality, but also on compliance with operating rules.
Expert opinion
Strebizh Viktor Fedorovich, leading construction foreman
To make a scraper with your own hands, you need to prepare the materials and tools chosen for the blade and handle and tools for working with them. If you want to clarify something, please contact me!
How to make a snow shovel with your own hands Do-it-yourself snow shovel
- you can make equipment from improvised means that are already available;
- even when purchasing the necessary missing material, there will be significant financial savings;
- it is possible to choose a model that fully meets personal requirements in all respects (height, size and shape of the bucket, etc.).
Metal
You can make a snow removal tool from metal. And this is not always as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
- metal strip 0.4 cm thick - 4 meters;
- ready-made wooden stalk;
- drill;
- Bulgarian;
- oven tray (or other metal sheet);
- means for opening the shaft;
- tool for installing rivets.
- The base of the shovel bucket is cut out of the baking sheet. A grinder is used for this work. Approximate dimensions – 0.5 x 0.5 m.
- The metal tape is cut into strips 0.5 m long. You will need 6 such strips.
- Make holes in the tape in 5 cm increments.
- Apply and secure strips on the base of the bucket, 3 vertically and 3 horizontally, to form a mesh. Fastening is done using rivets and special tools.
- Decide on the length of the cutting. The excess part is cut off.
- Sand the cutting.
- Attach the cutting to the working attachment using a pair of 15 cm metal strips.
- Treat the shaft with a primer (varnish, paint or other wood preservative).
An example of making a metal shovel is in the video:
Winter helper made of metal
Often people refuse metal shovels, arguing that they are too expensive and heavy. But you can make a snow shovel with your own hands and it’s completely free. You just need to use the materials that are always available on the farm . For this you will need:
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- Oven tray or saucepan lid with a diameter of 50-60 cm.
- Metal tape. The thickness of the tape should be about 3−4 mm.
- Wood cutting.
- Grinder (you can use a jigsaw with a blade for metal).
- Drill.
- Riveting tool.
If you have all this, then making a metal snow shovel will not be much effort. In addition, it will turn out strong, capable of withstanding heavy loads. Step-by-step instruction:
- You need to prepare the base of the bucket. Using a grinder (or jigsaw), cut out the base of the ladle from a baking sheet or lid. Suitable sizes are 0.5x0.5 m or 0.4x0.6 m.
- Now we need to strengthen the bucket. To do this, you need to take a metal strip and cut six strips. Three for length and width. Make holes in the tape at intervals of 3-5 cm. Then place it on the ladle in the form of a grid and attach it with a riveting tool.
- Measure the handle. Cut off the excess part. Sand the cut area.
- Attach the handle to the ladle. To do this, cut two metal strips of 10-15 cm each, wrap the strips around the handle and rivet them to the bucket.
To extend the life of a homemade shovel, you need to open a part of the wood with varnish, paint or antifungal liquid. If you use this tool only for its intended purpose, it will last for many years.
Materials and tools
The first step is to decide on the material for the scraper itself and the handle. The most durable metal tools.
But a metal shovel may turn out to be too heavy , and if deformed, it will scratch the tiles. Therefore, for paths lined with paving slabs or other coverings that can be damaged, it is better to make scrapers from plastic or plywood.
Which is better: heated floors or radiators?
Warm floorBatteries
The most economical and easiest to manufacture plywood scrapers. But plywood wears out quickly. If you need a tool for many years of use, it is better to make it from metal or plastic.
Plastic scrapers are ideal for removing light layers of snow from sidewalks or driveways. It is inconvenient to rake large snowdrifts with a plastic tool - the plastic bends under heavy load.
The handle can be made of metal or wood . In the first case, they take a thin pipe, in the second, ready-made cuttings of a convenient thickness. You can make a practical U-shaped handle from a pipe. The cuttings are more suitable for a regular handle, but if desired, you can make a wide handle by fastening 3 cuttings.
The length of the handle is calculated taking into account the height of the person who will be doing the cleaning. The angle of attachment of the working blade and handle should be such that it is possible to remove snow without bending over. To make a scraper with your own hands, you need to prepare the materials and tools chosen for the blade and handle and tools for working with them.
Expert opinion
Strebizh Viktor Fedorovich, leading construction foreman
To adjust the level of lift of the blade, bolts are used that are screwed into holes in a piece of tube welded to the tow hitch and placed on an L-shaped bracket. If you want to clarify something, please contact me!
Operating principle and operating features of benzene shovels for snow
The category of metal snow blowers includes interesting mechanical models with a built-in auger. This tool allows you to cope perfectly not only with loose and shallow snow, but also with wet snow mass. It is important to remember that any metal snow blowers can damage the surfaces being cleaned, including expensive ceramic tiles in the local area. Such modern mechanisms do not depend on gasoline or electrical energy.
In recent years, snow shovels have become increasingly used. The components of such models are represented by an engine, a fuel tank, a starter, a wheel and auger drive system, as well as a shovel for capturing snow mass. Among other things, mandatory elements include screw or rotary milling mechanisms, an impeller for ejecting collected and crushed snow mass, a guide pipe for ejection, a handle for controlling movement, as well as buttons for turning on and regulating operation.
The principle of operation is represented by the ability of the machine’s bucket, while moving, to capture snow from the surface being cleared and direct it into the ejection pipe, which is located in the central part of the bucket. The class of the tool influences the features of the ejection system, which can be single-stage, two-stage or three-stage. The first version involves throwing out snow using the auger itself, without the use of additional devices.
Two-stage systems are equipped with an impeller that prevents the pipe from filling with snow and also increases the ejection range. Three-stage models are capable of breaking the largest pieces and effectively grinding them into small crumbs using an additional special auger, which is located in the central bucket part, made of high-quality and high-strength plastics or metal. The auger blades have rubber or metal parts with rubber linings that provide a gentle effect on the surface being cleaned.
Wooden Shovel: A plywood shovel with a handle for clearing snow. Snow shovels made of wood and plywood
- Make runners from the pipes by bending their ends.
- Make a U-shaped handle.
- Weld the handle to the runners at an angle convenient for work.
- The working blade is attached to the handle posts, and its lower edge is fixed to the runners.
Made of metal
Metal scrapers are the most common. They can be of any width, so they are suitable for cleaning large areas. For example, this tool can quickly clean a large yard.
Large metal cleaning tools are reinforced with strong corners. They can be operated by two or even three people (if the snow layer is very high).
- Cut a sheet of metal 50 cm wide and 60 to 100 cm long.
- The edges of the metal blank can be bent to create a ladle shape.
- Secure the canvas with a wooden board, which should reach a maximum of the middle of the metal workpiece.
- Make a handle (regular for a narrow scraper, U-shaped for a wide one).
- Attach the handle to the canvas.
How to do it yourself?
a shovel on wheels yourself, following the instructions:
- A sheet of metal (aluminum, stainless steel) is used as the material for the bucket. You can also purchase a ready-made work surface, which is sold separately.
- Wheels can be removed from an old stroller or bicycle.
- The pipe for the handle should have a diameter of about 20 cm. The frame is made from the same pipe.
- A fold is made at the bottom of the sheet. The angle should be small.
- On the back side of the bucket, two rectangular frames are welded: at the top and bottom. The top frame should be longer. Wheels are mounted on the lower part of the frame, and a handle is welded to the upper part.
Homemade equipment is tested in operation. If necessary, structural changes are made.
This video will show you how to make a shovel on wheels for clearing snow:
Do-it-yourself snow shovel: requirements for a snow removal tool, how to make a wooden and metal one, advantages and disadvantages of homemade equipment
This is a special type of equipment designed for effective cleaning of open areas during periods of heavy snowfall.
Expert opinion
Strebizh Viktor Fedorovich, leading construction foreman
Removing snow by hand is quite difficult, but you can make cleaning as easy as possible by building a convenient and practical cleaning tool. If you want to clarify something, please contact me!
Aluminum snow shovel
Metal shovels win in terms of strength, but they are heavy for clearing snow. The only exception is lightweight aluminum. Soft metal is great for a scoop. Let's look at how to make a snow shovel from sheet aluminum:
- It is better to make an aluminum scoop with sides. When applying markings to a sheet, the shelves should be marked on three sides of the workpiece. The handle will pass through the backboard, so its height should be 1–2 cm greater than the thickness of the wooden element.
- Aluminum cuts easily. For cutting, metal scissors, an electric jigsaw are suitable, or in extreme cases, you can use a grinder. On the cut out fragment, the sides are folded on three sides. A hole with a diameter equal to the thickness of the handle is pre-drilled in the rear shelf.
- A nest for the handle is attached to the center of the scoop with rivets. It is made from a piece of sheet aluminum. Place the workpiece on the edge of the handle and try to press its edges down. Next, the aluminum plate is tapped with a hammer until a semicircle is extruded. The result will be a scoop, as shown in the photo.
Now all that remains is to take the cutting, pass it through the hole in the back side of the scoop and insert it into the nest. To prevent the made shovel from flying off while throwing snow, the end of the handle is fixed to the socket with a self-tapping screw.
Making a wooden snow shovel with your own hands
So, to make a snow shovel with your own hands you will need:
- A piece of plywood with a thickness of at least 6 mm and a size of 700x500 mm. You should not use thinner plywood, as it may not withstand the load and break. A thicker one, on the contrary, will increase the weight of the product, making it not very convenient to use.
- A piece of board 25-30 mm thick and at least 650 mm long. It is necessary to form the back wall of the shovel. The width of the board should be 80 mm.
- A handle from a shovel or other agricultural tool. If you don’t have one, you can make it yourself from timber with a cross-section of 25x25 mm. The length of the beam must be at least 2 m.
- Nails, wood screws.
- Jigsaw, electric plane, chisel, hammer, file.
The snow shovel already has a finished appearance, but to increase its service life it is necessary to take some measures to strengthen the structure:
How to treat the surface → Room decoration → How to choose the right paint → Surface treatment technologies → Leveling and finishing the walls → Selecting and applying a primer → Removal from the surface → Stretch ceilings and technologies → Reviews and testimonials
Expert opinion
Strebizh Viktor Fedorovich, leading construction foreman
it is necessary to ensure that there are no stones or other debris on the path along which the shovel will pass; a collision with an obstacle at speed can cause damage to the product; If you want to clarify something, please contact me!
Auger snow shovel
The auger shovel is characterized by high productivity, but it is not easy to assemble. First, you need to draw the correct drawings. Secondly, you need to understand the principle of operation of the auger. A diagram of the factory mechanism can be seen in the photo. We will now look into the operation of auger snow removal equipment.
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So, let's start with the fact that the working mechanisms themselves - the augers - are installed inside the steel snow collection chamber. Its lower edge moves along the hard surface of the road exactly as a bulldozer blade does. At this time, layers of snow are captured. Rotating screws direct it to the upper part of the chamber, where the outlet pipe is located. It can be located centrally or offset to the side, depending on the size of the shovel. Typically, the central location of the outlet is observed in auger shovels with a width of 1 m or more.
The rotation of the augers directs the snow to the outlet pipe, but they are not able to push it out of the snow receiving chamber. The tossing blades are responsible for this work. They rotate together with the auger, pushing the supplied snow into the opening of the pipe.
Using the principle of a factory analogue, you can make a homemade auger snow blower. The semicircular body of the snow receptacle can be bent from galvanized steel. A hole is cut in the center or side and an outlet pipe is installed. The sidewalls need to be strong, because the bearings of the rotor mechanism will be attached to them. Textolite or moisture-resistant plywood are suitable for their manufacture.
To make the auger, take a steel rod or pipe with a diameter of 20 mm. This will be the shaft. The blades can be welded from sheet steel or made from thick rubber. In the second option, steel strips need to be welded onto the shaft. The rubber blades will then be bolted to them.
When manufacturing an auger, it is important to maintain the same spiral pitch of the blades and choose the correct direction of rotation. If the outlet pipe is installed in the center of the chamber, then a rectangular throwing blade made of metal with a thickness of at least 5 mm is welded in the middle of the shaft.
Now all that remains is to attach the hubs to the side walls of the chamber, attach the bearings to the shaft and insert the auger into place.
The tool can be used manually, like a shovel. To do this, wheels are attached to the side of the body, and a handle is attached to the back of the camera. For large dimensions, the auger shovel is attached to the front of the walk-behind tractor.
Any snow removal tool is needed only in winter. The rest of the time it is stored in a dry place, preferably away from heating devices.