DIY snow scraper: drawings, video, photo

Types of homemade snow scrapers

All scrapers have the same device. The equipment consists of a handle and a working blade, which is used to directly clean the snow. However, the shape and size of these elements can be different, depending on the purpose of the tool. For example, roof snow scrapers have a long handle. It can be solid or telescopic. The working blade is fixed perpendicular to the handle. The scraper is more like a rake.

To clear snow from paths and areas, scrapers are made wide. The simplest option is a rectangular sheet of tin or plywood with a handle. The stalk can be one or two, as well as straight or curved. A U-shaped handle is made on wide scrapers.

If we talk about assembling a scraper for snow removal with your own hands, then a scraper of this type sometimes has a working blade with side sides. The bucket allows you to capture a large volume of snow mass and transport it to a designated location.

Important! To make work easier when manually cleaning large areas, craftsmen came up with a type of scraper mounted on skis.

There are many configurations of snow removal equipment. However, all homemade snow scrapers have a main difference in the material they are made of. They create a tool from metal, plastic and wood:

  1. Plastic equipment is most often purchased in stores. However, you can make such a scraper yourself from a used plastic barrel, tray or other household item. The plastic is lightweight and snow does not stick to it. Due to these advantages, the work with the scraper is simplified. The edge of the working blade is usually protected by a frame made of a metal strip, which protects the plastic from abrasion. Store-bought products have stiffening ribs. They give strength to the working surface. Plastic scrapers are lightweight, convenient, and do not stick to snow
  2. The most popular tool for DIY assembly is a shovel-scraper for snow removal, where the material used is plywood and a wooden handle. It is not difficult to find a blank for such a tool in almost every home. Wood is easy to process, but has one drawback. Plywood strongly absorbs moisture. Over time, it begins to delaminate. A tool swollen with water becomes heavy, and wet snow sticks to the working surface. Wooden equipment is usually made from plywood
  3. In terms of strength, metal scrapers come first. However, not all equipment is created equal. Metal is a flexible concept. If you use ordinary tin and a pipe for the handle, then such equipment will quickly rust. It's heavy. Snow is frozen to the working surface. Inventory made of galvanized sheet steel is considered optimal in terms of price and quality. The protective coating prevents the rapid development of corrosion. However, the scraper is still a bit heavy. Over time, the galvanized layer wears off and rusty spots appear. Aluminum scrapers are considered the best. The tool is lightweight, rarely freezes with snow, and does not rust. You can also consider stainless steel, but the metal is expensive. Metal scrapers are durable, resistant to moisture and mechanical stress

Despite many disadvantages, wood still remains one of the most popular materials.

Snow bag on the roof. How to avoid problems. Correct arrangement of the valley.

Snow bagging is a common problem on complex roofs. Forms at the junctions of different roof planes. Simply put, in the inner corners of the roof. Especially on the north side. This place on the roof is called the valley.

Snow and ice accumulate in these places. Moreover, it can reach substantial thickness. And if on the southern side the snow bags melt under the sun, then on the northern side they lie and accumulate all winter until April.

And the problem is precisely that due to spring melting, if the roofing is not done correctly, water can easily seep into the house and ruin your interior.

Why is this happening?

This happens because during the day the snow on the roof begins to melt. Even in winter. The snow bag only grows and gradually becomes saturated with water. At night the water freezes. The snow bag turns into an ice plug and interferes with the free flow of water. Water accumulates and begins to leak under the outer valley strip. As a result of this temperature leapfrog, more and more water freezes between the outer and inner valleys. And if the internal valley is not done correctly, then water leaks into the house.

How to avoid this?

Make the correct design of the valley.

The valley structure consists of three elements: continuous sheathing, lower and upper strips


Important point! The blue arrows show how the air should move. The roof must breathe!

Continuous sheathing is done due to the large snow load in these areas of the roof.

The top bar has a decorative function.

The bottom bar does all the work of collecting and draining water.

Upper strips are usually ordered along with the roofing.

The lower strips are factory-made, especially in roofs with a polymer coating such as ondulin.


Factory valley.

You can also order them from the company where you buy the roof. You draw the configuration, they will bend and cut everything for you. All that remains is to attach it in place.

But usually the bottom strip is made by the roofers themselves.

The bottom strip performs the most important part of the work of draining water, so we will consider the most common mistakes that are made when installing a valley.

Firstly. The bar is too narrow. The narrower the bar, the more likely it is that it will not hold water.


If this width will work for the southern side, then it is not enough for the northern side.

Sometimes, in order to save money, roofers or homeowners install a valley that is too narrow, and as a result, water gets inside the house. It is very difficult to fix this unit; you will need to remove all the roofing sheets lying on top.

It’s better to play it safe right away, in this case it’s completely justified.


And the size is good and the edges are curved.

Lay a wide valley with a side width of 50 cm and an overlap of at least 15 cm and the problem of leaks will never arise.


This is the right size! But for some reason the edges of the valley are not bent.

Secondly, this is the design of the unit itself. It's quite complicated.


It is important to remember that the roof must be ventilated.

The top figure shows two examples of laying an internal valley. The upper one is more reliable, the lower node can be freely used on the southern sides, for the northern side it is better to take the design of the upper node.

On seam roofs, a simple valley design is used.

Unlike other roofs, it is one and immediately has a decorative function.

On slate roofing, only one valley is also often used.

The method of fixing the valley depends on the type of coating.


In a seam roof, clamps are used; in others, as a rule, the valley is attached to a roofing screw.

A very important point. The edges of the inner valley should be curved inward. This side protects against water leakage into the roof space.

Remember one thing, it is better to assemble it once as it should be than to correct the jambs.

A properly assembled roof does not require any attention from the owners and serves well for many years.

Source

How to make a snow scraper with your own hands

Before you start making a scraper, you need to think about its configuration and size. See what material is available. First of all, the equipment should be convenient for work. The cutting is made according to the height of the person. If the working surface is wide, it is optimal to provide a U-shaped handle.

For a wide scraper, a double U-shaped handle is provided

It is optimal to choose metal from the materials for the working surface. However, such a tool can scratch paving slabs. If the yard has such a decorative covering, then it is better to choose plywood or OSB sheet. You can make an excellent plastic scraper for snow from a barrel with your own hands if you cut out a fragment of the side wall. It is important that the plastic is not fragile and at least 5 mm thick.

The material for the handle is a wooden handle or an aluminum tube. It is not advisable to use a regular steel pipe. Such a handle will be heavy, cold, and uncomfortable in the hands.

The tools you will need are a saw, a jigsaw, a grinder, a hammer, a screwdriver, and an electric drill. The exact list depends on what material will be used for the work.

Advice! If you plan to transport the scraper in a car, you need to consider a collapsible or folding handle.

Video of DIY snow scrapers:

How to make a snow shovel from a baking sheet

A used oven tray will serve as a good material for a scoop. It usually has an enamel coating that will protect the metal from corrosion. To make a shovel, first attach a wooden block to one side of the baking sheet with self-tapping screws. A small back edge will create a slope for the cutting.

It is better to use the entire baking sheet without bending or cutting it, since in place of damaged enamel the metal will begin to rust from moisture

The end of the cutting is cut at an oblique angle. They attach it to the scoop with bolts. You can use overhead clamps.

DIY snow scraper made of metal

If desired, you can make two versions of metal equipment: with and without sides on the working surface. The easiest option is the second one. For a working blade, a rectangular blank is cut out of sheet metal using a grinder. The height of the scraper is about 50 cm. The width depends on how many people the tool is designed for. If one operator will operate, the parameter is limited to 60-70 cm. For two people, the width of the working surface is increased to 1 m.

The handle is a wooden handle. It is installed alone on a narrow canvas. A wide scraper is equipped with two cuttings, and at the end they are connected by a jumper. The handle is shaped like the letter “P”.

The presence of sides allows you to capture more snow

Using the scraper principle, you can construct a homemade snow scraper with your own hands if you equip it with sides. Here too there are two options. In the first case, the rear and two side sides are bent from metal. If you make them high, the bucket will be convenient not only to scrape off, but also to remove snow from the site.

In the second option, the metal ones bend only the side sides. The back shelf is made from boards. It additionally serves as a solid basis for fixing the cutting.

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.

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.

How to make a snow scraper for skis with your own hands

The disadvantage of all inventory is the complexity of management. While pushing, the scraper collects snow well only on a flat surface, but no matter how smooth it is, the working surface still hits pieces of ice, ground and other obstacles. Each blow is reflected by the load on the back. A cleaning device installed on the skis helps solve the problem.

The working blade mounted on skis does not rest against the ground when raking snow.

To make your own snow scraper, use a grinder to cut off two corners, pipes or tires 1 m long. The ends are bent, otherwise the skids will hit the ground while moving. A U-shaped handle is bent from a tube with a diameter of 15 mm. It is welded to the runners at an angle. Bend towards yourself. The angle is determined individually so that it is convenient to control. A rectangular metal sheet is bolted to the posts of the U-shaped handle. The lower edge of the working blade should be on skis so that it does not rest on the ground.

Manufacturing

Let's consider several options:

From plywood

To make such a scraper, you need to prepare:

  • plywood sheet 6 mm thick;
  • wood saw;
  • wooden cuttings or thin metal pipe for the handle;
  • bolts;
  • steel strip for framing plywood;
  • rivets for fastening steel strip.

Instructions:

  1. Saw off a sheet of plywood 50 cm wide and 80 to 100 cm long.
  2. Bend the handle from the pipe or saw off the stem to the required length.
  3. Attach the handle to the plywood with bolts.
  4. Secure the steel strip to the edge of the plywood with rivets.

Video instructions for making a scraper:

Made of plastic

Plastic scrapers are usually purchased rather than made by hand. The fact is that factory scrapers have stiffening ribs, which gives them the characteristics necessary for cleaning equipment. Homemade plastic scrapers are made from waste household items - a tray, a barrel, a piece of plastic furniture.

Without stiffeners, the scraper will not be suitable for clearing snowdrifts or clearing ice. But using it to brush away accumulated snow from a path or roof is quite possible.

Tools for making:

  • plastic;
  • wooden stalk;
  • metal or wooden slats for framing the plastic sheet;
  • hacksaw with fine teeth;
  • bolts.

Instructions:

  1. Cut a sheet 30-40 cm wide and 50-70 cm long from a plastic blank.
  2. Cut the stem to the required length for the handle.
  3. Secure the upper part of the plastic sheet with a strip.
  4. Attach the canvas to the handle.

Video instructions for making a scraper:

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).

Materials and tools:

  • sheet of thin metal;
  • Bulgarian;
  • pipe or wood for the handle;
  • board for fixing metal;
  • bolts for fastening.

Instructions:

  1. Cut a sheet of metal 50 cm wide and 60 to 100 cm long.
  2. The edges of the metal blank can be bent to create a ladle shape.
  3. Secure the canvas with a wooden board, which should reach a maximum of the middle of the metal workpiece.
  4. Make a handle (regular for a narrow scraper, U-shaped for a wide one).
  5. Attach the handle to the canvas.

The video will show you how to make a scraper:

On wheels

Scrapers on wheels allow you to quickly clear a large area and immediately remove snow beyond its boundaries.

Materials and tools:

  • metal pipe up to 30 cm in diameter;
  • Bulgarian;
  • two-wheeled frame from a stroller or trolley;
  • welding machine;
  • metal corners.

Instructions:

  1. Make a scraper blade by sawing the pipe lengthwise, leaving a little more than half the diameter.
  2. Weld the blade to the frame.
  3. Make a handle from a pipe.
  4. Weld the handle to the frame.
  5. Strengthen the fastenings with metal corners.

The video will show you how to make a scraper:

On skids

A skid scraper is necessary for large farms in regions with heavy snowfall. It allows you to remove snow without constantly bumping into obstacles. As a result of cleaning, a thin layer of snow will remain, but large snowdrifts will be cleared with minimal effort.

Materials and tools:

  • Bulgarian;
  • 2 corners;
  • 2 pipes 1 meter long;
  • pipe for handle;
  • welding machine;
  • metal sheet 60-80 cm long, 50 cm wide.

Instructions:

  1. Make runners from the pipes by bending their ends.
  2. Make a U-shaped handle.
  3. Weld the handle to the runners at an angle convenient for work.
  4. The working blade is attached to the handle posts, and its lower edge is fixed to the runners.

For the roof

Materials and tools:

  • rake;
  • board 10-15 mm thick;
  • metal strip;
  • screwdriver;
  • self-tapping screws

Instructions:

  1. Cut the board so that its width and length are slightly larger than the working part of the rake.
  2. Attach the board to the rake using a metal strip and self-tapping screws.
  3. You can also attach a piece of rubber, for example, a cut tire, to the board so that the tool does not damage the roofing.

An overview of scrapers for removing snow from the roof is presented in this article.

Video instructions for making a scraper:

How to make a snow scraper from plywood

For snow removal equipment you will need a plywood sheet 6 mm thick. The workpiece is sawed off to a length of 0.8-1 m and a width of 50 cm. The plywood is bolted to a U-shaped handle curved from a metal pipe or assembled from wooden cuttings. The scraper is almost ready, but it’s too early to clean the snow with it. In this form, the ends of the working cloth quickly wear out. The plywood begins to delaminate and break off in splinters.

It is optimal to frame the plywood with a steel strip

To improve the design, the lower end of the working blade is framed with a steel strip. It is fastened with rivets through through drilled holes.

Advice! A good handle for a scraper can be made from the frame of an old clamshell. The aluminum tube is durable, lightweight, and comfortable to hold with your hands.

Making a shovel with your own hands

You don't have to spend money on buying a snow shovel.

If desired, each owner can make it himself, thereby saving not only money, but also time searching for a suitable model.

There are no particular difficulties in making a shovel for removing snow. Many owners of private territories have long been engaged in making wooden products with their own hands. But for those who are going to make a wooden snow shovel on their own for the first time, it wouldn’t hurt to first find out what materials will be needed for this work:

  • nails and screws;
  • wooden slats;
  • strip of galvanized steel;
  • plywood sheets 5 cm thick.

After preparing everything you need, you can proceed directly to assembling the tool:

  1. First you need to make a back wall, for which you will need a piece of plywood 4-5 cm wide. This part should be in the form of an arc and have a height in the center of no more than 8 cm, and in the area of ​​the sidewalls it should narrow to 5 cm. For further fastening of the handle it is necessary to Make a cut in the middle with a bevel of about 1 cm.
  2. Now you need to attach the rail to the profile of the back wall and mark the place for cutting off the excess. In this case, the cutting will fit tightly into the cut.
  3. After the scoop is ready, it needs to be attached to the arc wall and secured with nails. Usually three nails are enough - one is driven exactly in the middle to the back wall, and the other two - on the sides. Be sure to inspect the bucket and make sure there are no gaps. Otherwise, during cleaning, stuck pieces of snow will be absorbed into the material, which as a result will very quickly deform.
  4. After making sure that the edge of the handle is closely adjacent to the plywood sheet, it must be secured with self-tapping screws.
  5. For the lower edge of the scoop, in order to strengthen the fixation at the junction of the handle with the back wall, you need to prepare steel strips of the required length. The finished strips are attached to the wood with self-tapping screws.

In order for the snow clearing tool to last a long time, it is advisable to make a bucket for it from stainless steel or galvanized metal.

To better understand how this will all look, you should take a closer look at the workflow:

  • From a pre-prepared sheet of metal, you need to cut a square or rectangular workpiece, the thickness of which should be 0.7-1 mm.
  • On one side of the sheet, through two opposite corners, you need to draw diagonal lines 5 cm long, and then make slits along them.
  • The corners of the workpiece must be bent upward on three sides to form peculiar sides.
  • In the resulting wall of the scoop, you need to cut a round hole corresponding to the diameter of the handle.
  • The end of the wooden handle must be processed, giving it a slightly pointed shape. You need to make a metal holder for it, which is then attached to the middle of the bucket using self-tapping screws.
  • The handle is driven through the side hole into the holder and fixed with self-tapping screws to secure the connection.

Do-it-yourself scraper for removing snow from the roof

Snow covers not only paths, but also roofs. On the one hand, he doesn’t interfere there. However, it needs to be removed. Large accumulations of snow can cause the roof to collapse, and when an avalanche falls from the roof, there is a risk of injury to a person. A regular scraper won't do the job here. A long-handled device will be required. There are many options, but one of the simplest designs is considered to be a rake scraper.

They begin to assemble a homemade scraper with their own hands for removing snow from sawing off boards. The workpiece is taken up to 800 mm long and up to 200 mm wide. In any case, the board must cover the rake teeth, otherwise they will damage the roofing.

The board is fixed to the rake with a steel tire and self-tapping screws

The board is laid on the ground. A rake is placed perpendicularly on top. In this position, the teeth are parallel to the plane of the board. Now the elements need to be securely fastened. To do this, take a tire. Its length should exceed the width of the rake. Holes are drilled in the tire, placed on the teeth, and screwed to the board with self-tapping screws.

Snow is cleared from the roof by moving it towards you with a rake.

The only drawback of the design is the short handle of the rake. It is extended with an aluminum tube or a long wooden strip is used.

What parameters should you use to choose a scraper?

The design of a manual scraper for snow removal can be different. Conventionally, such a tool can be divided into manual and mechanical models. The first option is regular snow shovels or scrapers with handles that you have to push with your hands in front of you. Mechanical scrapers also need to be pushed by hand, but they have wheels or skis. This makes the tool easier to move. In addition to adding a running gear, mechanical models are often equipped with a small blade instead of a scoop, allowing the snow to be moved to the side.

There are three important requirements for any scraper design:

  • light weight;
  • structural strength;
  • comfortable handle.

Advice!
All the requirements for a scraper are combined in a homemade aluminum structure. It should be taken into account that any purchased snow removal hand tool is not always superior in its characteristics to its homemade counterparts. In some cases, it is even inferior in quality.

The easiest way to quickly assemble a shovel. If an aluminum sheet is available, a rectangular fragment with sides no more than 50 cm is cut out of it. The back side of the scoop is curved to a height of 10 cm, and the sides are in the shape of triangles, decreasing in height towards the front of the scoop. The cutting is taken from an old shovel. It is passed through a hole pre-drilled in the center of the back side of the scoop. The end of the handle, cut at an angle, is fixed with a self-tapping screw and a metal plate in the center of the scoop.

A wooden plywood shovel is made using a similar principle. Only the sides are cut out of the board. The working edge of the scoop is sheathed with a steel strip. It will protect the plywood from abrasion on the ground. The handle is attached to the rear side from above, reinforced with a metal strip overlay.

An example of a diagram for making a wooden shovel can be seen in the photo. This project has a small improvement. The lower part of the rear side is semicircular. This allows you to create a convenient curved shape for the scoop.

How to make a snow scraper from 0SB

When you urgently need to remove snow, and you only have a piece of OSB board at hand, you can make a scraper using simple manipulations with a jigsaw. To assemble a scraper with your own hands for clearing snow, you don’t need drawings, but you need to build a pattern.

On the OSB board, draw the shape of the future scraper with a pencil. Towards the bottom, the drag scraper is expanded to 1 m. The corners are slightly rounded. Toward the top, the plate is narrowed approximately 30 cm from each edge. Two oblong holes for handles are drawn on the pattern. Now all that remains is to cut off the excess parts of the OSB board using a jigsaw according to the markings. The area near the handles is carefully sanded with sandpaper. For convenience, they can be wrapped with electrical tape.

What are its advantages and what does it represent?

To call it a shovel, of course, would not be entirely correct; the name soil loosener is more appropriate for it. It is a bunch of one or two original villas, intelligently connected to each other with additional supports for the feet, for more convenient cultivation of the land, and a small handle. It is advisable to make (or buy) a handle in such a way that it is up to your shoulders, otherwise when working in your summer cottage it will be uncomfortable for you, or the meaning of such an invention will be lost.

Its purpose includes such things as:

It’s enough to just dig up various root crops. It’s easy and without any problems to get various kinds of weed (without destroying it into small parts, which is important) And also breaks down and loosens the soil

One of the disadvantages of the miracle shovel is its weight. But don’t worry about the fact that you will constantly drag it around your summer cottage; you will only have to get it onto the soil once and move it along the way with small pulls using the handle. If you compare it with the load that you apply when using a simple shovel, then you will spend 2 times less force on the same area. However, it is impossible to dig a hole with this shovel.

There is another type called “digger”

At first glance, you will immediately notice that you see very large forks with a large handle, to some extent this will be true. They are three times wider than ordinary forks; their powerful handle makes it easy to turn out the earth. The footrest of such a tool is very convenient, since you can stand on it with both feet, which makes it easier to drive it into the ground. If desired, such a digger can be quite easily made with your own hands. But if you decide to purchase a tool, one of the advantages is that the level of the handle can be adjusted according to human height. For this purpose there are special bolts installed on the iron “handle”.

Including there is another version of the miracle shovel called “Lightcopper”

It can be compared with the previous version, since they are almost identical, at first glance, it looks like a large fork, but only with a modified handle. It is made in the form of an arc and does not have the ability to change the height of the handle, which can be attributed to its negative features. Well, as you can see, from the name it is quite easy to use when working on the ground.

The principle of making a miracle shovel at home according to drawings or videos

If you decide to make a miracle shovel with your own hands, then the first thing you need to do is make a frame base. To do this, you need pipes with a diameter of approximately 30 mm and a wall thickness so that they are not less than 3 mm, otherwise the frame will not be rigid and will constantly sag or break. In addition, when making a miracle shovel, you will need hard corners with a thickness approximately the same as the pipes for structural strength.

All you have to do to the prepared frame is to weld the teeth with which you will plow your plot. Many self-taught people use ordinary pitchforks for this, which are first cut and then welded onto the finished structure. The main thing when choosing is to rely on the fact that the pins are quite strong and powerful, preferably with a diameter of at least 8–10 mm. There will not be much difference if the pins are round or in the form of another geometric shape. On average, you will need eight or ten pieces for them, depending on the width of the frame you make, rely on the fact that there should be an approximate distance of 65–75 millimeters between the pins.

First of all, when making a miracle shovel, rely on your capabilities and dimensions, adjust all sizes individually. Don’t forget that the miracle shovel for digging the earth with your own hands is designed to make it easier to spend time at your summer cottage; try to make it with your own hands as suitable as possible for your size.

If you are not a lazy person, then it will not be a particular problem for you to make it the most convenient for digging your garden plot.

DIY snow scraper with brush

The store-bought version of a scraper with a brush resembles a double-sided rake, only instead of teeth there are bristles on one side, and a rigid base is fixed on the other side. When cleaning, first scrape off the bulk of the snow, and then sweep away the remains with a brush.

A shop scraper with a brush is usually equipped with an aluminum telescopic handle, which allows you to remove snow from a height, such as a roof.

In the DIY version, you assemble a snow scraper with your own hands from plywood, securing a long handle perpendicular to the rectangular blank. One side is framed with a tin strip. Bristles from a plastic broom or brush are applied to the other side of the workpiece, pressed with a metal tire and secured with self-tapping screws through the drilled holes.

General requirements for the product

A snow shovel is an indispensable assistant in winter. In order for it to serve for a long time, manufacturing must meet a number of conditions. Shovel requirements:

  1. The bucket must be strong to withstand the load.
  2. The desired shape of the bucket is ribbed. This will make it easier to glide through the snow.
  3. The end of the handle should have a rubberized grip. This will avoid slippage.
  4. The length of the cutting is 1.5−1.8 m. Depends on the height of the person.

When designing the structure, it is advisable not to provide a folding handle, as this reduces strength. The width of the bucket depends on physical capabilities: the more weight a person can lift, the wider the bucket can be made. A wide shovel can remove more snow at a time than a narrow shovel. But there is no point in this if you can’t lift that much weight. After drawing up the drawing, production can begin.

The simplest option for a DIY snow shovel would be a wooden product. Medium in complexity - plastic and metal. The most difficult things to make are rollbacks and auger cleaners.

Purpose


A snow scraper is used to remove snow from the roofs of low-rise buildings. In this case, the worker himself is on the ground .

If you do not take any action and leave snow on the roof, it can sag and even collapse.

Another danger lies in roof damage. Due to temperature changes, the snow melts, water seeps into the lower layers of the coating and freezes again, leading to its destruction.

No one knows exactly when the layers of snow will come off the roof . If there is a person below at this moment, he could be seriously injured.

An avalanche can damage equipment standing below, destroy a fence, barn and other buildings. Using a scraper avoids these problems.

Sometimes the tool is used to clear snow from the roofs of multi-story buildings. In this case, the worker, being at the top, pushes the layers down . He himself does not come to the edge.

However, this use of the product is an initiative of public utilities, since it was developed for removing sloping roofs from the ground. To dump snow masses, another tool is used, called an engine.

Rules of use and care

Recommendations for using and storing the roof scraper:

  1. Cleaning begins with icicles, which are carefully knocked down using a tool. You need to stand at a distance to avoid injury.
  2. To knock down the icicle and not damage the roof, swing the scraper and hit the ice at a distance of 10 cm from the edge of the roof.
  3. The scraper is placed on the roof at a distance of about 50 cm and smoothly pulled towards you. If the snow has already compacted, you need to start from a distance of 20 cm.
  4. Do not pull the tool too hard. If an obstacle is encountered, it is bypassed; perhaps there are roofing elements or a build-up of ice under the layer of snow.
  5. When the roof has been cleaned around the perimeter, begin processing the areas located above.
  6. There is no need to press the tool tightly against the roofing.
  7. After completing the work, the scraper is cleaned of any remaining snow and dirt, wiped with a dry cloth and stored.

You can protect the metal surface from corrosion using grease. It is applied before long-term storage of the product.

Snow removal equipment

The structure of snow varies. The tool used should also be different. For example, loose snow requires a large scraper so that you can grab as much snow as possible. For hard snow, you need a more durable tool that can roll on the surface. Wet snow will slide off a plastic or metal surface more easily. In addition to scrapers or scrapers, dumps and pushers can also be used.


The simplest device is a piece of plywood. The height is selected according to the user’s height, but the sheet is placed not vertically, but at an angle of 60°. The width also depends on the person’s build. The wider the sheet, the stronger the plywood must be - therefore, the weight of the sheet increases. The advantages of such a device are its low cost, minimal preparation and a small number of tools for manufacturing - a hacksaw, ruler and pencil are enough. However, such a device looks unaesthetic and is inconvenient to use.

Another device is a pusher. It is a rectangular plate, perpendicular to which the handle is attached. This is a more convenient means for shoveling snow, and can also compact the path. In rural areas, this is done so that the crust and the path are at the same level - then the snow does not linger and the path remains almost clear.

This scraper is more convenient for work. To make it, you need to drill a hole for the handle in the middle of the wooden plate. For strength, you can fix the handle with additional stops, which will push it and the plate apart.

Snow shovels

Before you go to the store to buy a suitable tool, you should find out which manufacturers produce the highest quality and most reliable snow removal equipment. But to ensure that your snow shovel doesn’t disappoint, you need to look beyond the manufacturer. The ease of use of the purchased device largely depends on the size and material. If you wish, you can consider the option of making a snow shovel with your own hands, but in this case, you will first have to find out all the nuances regarding such devices.

In the design of a snow shovel, two main elements can be distinguished - a bucket for collecting snow and a handle. Sometimes in stores you can find models that are made using a larger number of parts. But even with such differences, similar instances are intended to perform the same function.

Traditionally, wood, plastic and metal are used to make snow shovels.

Made of plastic

The plastic used by manufacturers must be frost-resistant.

For some models, it is complemented by a metal edging on the bucket, which allows the product to more easily withstand mechanical loads and increases its service life. Plastic shovels are more convenient to use due to their light weight. This is an ideal solution for women and teenagers. At the production stage, the material is treated with chemical compounds, and the area near the handle with the bucket is protected with a special edging, which makes the product more wear-resistant.

Made of wood

They are most often chosen by those owners who want to save money. The main disadvantage of such devices is the fragility of the material. In addition, wood tolerates moisture much worse than plastic, which very quickly causes cracks to appear on the surface. Wooden snow shovels are best used for removing recently fallen snow. In order to easily cope with ice and wet precipitation, you will need to additionally equip the bucket with a metal edging, which will increase the service life of the tool.

Made of metal

These shovels are the most durable and therefore last longer than other snow removal tools. But they are also more expensive than other types, although this is not surprising, given their high level of performance. Metal shovels can easily handle not only snow, but also ice.

To reduce fatigue, you can purchase a tool made of aluminum or duralumin, which weighs less than steel products. Aluminum is lighter than wood, but still does not have the same amazing strength as metal shovels. In comparison, duralumin looks preferable, because this material is much stronger, although much heavier than ordinary aluminum. Steel shovels require considerable physical effort, so, as a rule, only men work with them.

When evaluating shovels by weight, you also need to pay attention to the handle. For more convenient work, the handle must correspond to the height of the owner. Cleaning the area with a short-handled shovel will be very tedious.

It is equally important that the bucket has the appropriate width. The wider it is, the more snow you can collect in it. But to remove wet sediment, it is best to purchase a small shovel.

It is most convenient to clear the courtyard area of ​​snow using a three-sided model, since it allows you to retain all the collected light and loose snow. Its bucket has longitudinal ribs that increase the degree of its sliding over the surface.

When choosing a snow removal tool, you need to pay attention to the nature of the work and the individual load.

To ensure that snow clearing equipment can be transported in a car and conveniently stored, manufacturers produce special folding and collapsible models. There are solutions for children too - small shovels that will allow even little helpers to take part in joint cleaning.

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