Snow shovel

Clearing snow from car parks, paths and sidewalks in winter leads to muscle strain. Not only a person's well-being depends on the quality of a snow shovel, but also the speed of snow removal.

Material selection

The snow shovel is a seasonal tool for farming in temperate and northern latitudes. Therefore, the choice of this indispensable tool in winter must be taken seriously.

Wooden

A snow shovel with a wooden base is suitable for removing freshly fallen snow. Usually, ordinary non-moisture resistant plywood is used as a material. It tends to quickly deteriorate: exfoliate, crack, break. Wooden shovels with a steel border and crossbars have a slightly longer service life. But even a metal-reinforced wooden base is not suitable for removing caked wet snow. The purchase of a wooden tool is explained by its cheapness and lightness.

Plastic

The service life of a plastic shovel, as well as its cost, depends on the quality of the polymer material. Since plastic is fragile, manufacturers reinforce the main part with a metal edging. Plastic tools are lightweight, convenient and inexpensive. Another advantage is a comfortable handle and resistance to deformation even after several seasons of use. The material is not afraid of chemical reagents, frost, temperature drops. But he is vulnerable to mechanical stress.

Metal

Metal snow shovels last a long time

In the first place in terms of quality and durability are metal shovels. Such material is perfect for cleaning any type of snow: loose, freshly fallen, spring and wet. The cost of metal shovels is high. Common metals:

1. Steel. It has a high degree of strength, heavy. Can be used to remove ice.
2. Aluminum. Very lightweight (lighter than wood). Average strength.
3. Duralumin. The alloy of metals combines lightness and a high degree of strength. The lightest are with a galvanized surface.

A light and durable aluminum snow shovel with an aluminum or wood handle is in demand. An aluminum shovel with a lining is reinforced with a metal bar - a tulle, securely fastened with rivets. The optimal size of the shovel and the lightness make the cleaning work comfortable.

There is also a heavy duty titanium snow shovel that weighs no more than plastic tools.

The weight

Choosing a tool begins with determining its weight. A lightweight shovel makes cleaning your yard much easier. The lightest tool is made of aluminum, plastic.

Handle length, scoop size

The convenient design of the tool is selected individually. The snow shovel can be one-piece or folding. The tilting shovel bucket makes work easier and faster.

There are various forms of scoop:

• rectangular;
• semicircular;
• with bumpers (1, - and 3-sided).

A wide bucket allows you to remove more snow at a time, but requires the appropriate effort. Freshly fallen snow is light and loose, so this bucket speeds up work significantly.

The shape of the scoop of a snow shovel is different

The rectangular shape is considered the most comfortable due to its wide grip. The presence of the sides reliably holds the snow layer on the scoop, preventing it from sliding off. Such a shovel is suitable for a strong man.

A semicircular shovel has a smaller grip. Better to buy a plastic tool with metal pads. The size of the scoop should be optimal, since there will be a lot of work in the snowy winter.

To facilitate the work on snow removal, ribs are provided on the back of the bucket to improve sliding. The edge performs a cutting function, it is of 3 types:

1. Aluminum. Serves to protect wood and plastic from damage.
2. Plastic. It is a replacement attachment for removing snow from ceramic tiles, painted wood surfaces, natural stone objects and varnished objects.
3. Steel. Suitable for cleaning stale snow, ice.

Design features

There are two types of snow shovels:

1. Classic. The tool consists of a hand grip and a snow bucket of about 35 cm. The weight of a classic shovel is from 1.5 to 2 kg.
2. Scraper. It features a wide bucket with a width of 75-100 cm. It is a manual snow slider designed to push snow into a snowdrift. The handle is designed to be gripped with two hands, not lifted.

A shovel with a retractable, adjustable handle made of plastic or aluminum has been created to remove snow from roofs.

It has a 1100 to 1800 W motor and a telescopic handle. The electric snow shovel sucks in the snow mass and throws it 4 m away. Power is supplied from a regular socket. The electric snow shovel is available in an aluminum or wood version for delicate surfaces. Its weight is about 6-7 kg, such a tool is convenient for women.

There are 2 types of gasoline powered units:

• manual, driven by pushing forward;
• self-propelled, powered by a wheel drive or tracked mechanism.

They can be used anywhere.

The battery-powered snow blower is adapted for cleaning the area in front of the house or garage, paths, verandas. It is eco-friendly, quiet and powerful. The snow blower is even suitable for decorative surfaces. Snow is thrown at a distance of up to 6 m, the direction is adjustable.

Snowplows are used to clean city roads:

• plow - with a shifting mechanism;
• rotary - with a throw-away mechanism.

Choosing a cutting

The size and shape of the handle can turn snow removal into hard labor or make the process as easy and fast as possible. The main rule of choice is that the stalk must fit the owner in height. It should be at a slight angle to the scoop, serving as a lever. It is better to grind knots and roughness on the handle once again with sandpaper, burn on fire.

The shank of the shovel must fit the owner's height

A handle with a wooden or rubberized handle should be preferred. This ergonomic design ensures even load distribution. The motorist is advised to purchase a compact shovel with a removable or foldable handle.

A shovel with a plastic handle is very light, its weight is only 1.2 kg. But such a handle bends over time. The hardwood shank provides strength, does not slip in the hands, but makes the shovel heavier. The weight of the tool with a wooden handle reaches 1.5-1.7 kg. Most often, a tool with an aluminum alloy handle is bought because of its lightness and long service life.

Homemade shovel

A simple wooden shovel can be easily made by yourself.A hand-made model cannot be compared to a professional one, but it is also practical and convenient. The work will take no more than 2-3 hours. In this case, you will need a minimum of materials:

• plywood 6 mm thick (50x50 cm - for a large shovel; 30x30 cm - for a child's shovel);
• board 2.5 cm thick;
• aluminum or galvanized plates with a length of 5 to 7 cm;
• a bar or board for a pen about 2 m long;
• nails, screws.

Required tools: jigsaw, hammer, plane, pliers, sandpaper.

You can make a snow shovel yourself

Algorithm of actions:

1. A piece is cut out of the board, corresponding to the width of the scoop.
2. A part is sawn off from the resulting piece, which will serve as the basis for fixing a sheet of plywood, measuring 50x8 cm. Using a planer, give it smoothness.
3. On the resulting segment, draw an arc along one of the lines. The height of the arc in the middle part is 8 cm, on the sides - 5 cm each. Saw it out.
4. In the central part, a rectangular cut with a size of 4x4.5 cm is made, corresponding to the width of the cutting. Since the handle of the shovel should be inclined, the cut should be with a bevel of 0.5-1 cm. The angle of inclination depends on the personal convenience of the person.
5. The required size of the scoop is cut from the prepared plywood using a hacksaw or jigsaw.
6. The shank can be purchased ready-made or made yourself. The section is made round or square. The edged board or block must be free of knots and cracks. Saw out a stalk 2 m long and 4.5 cm wide. Shaped, in a rectangular shape, it is better to round the ribs. Using sandpaper, the handle is made smooth.
7. A cutting line is outlined using a square. The cut on the handle must match the opening. The stalk cut off with a jigsaw is inserted into the cut to check the accuracy of the work.
8. Assembling the shovel begins by nailing the plywood to the arc. First, the nail is driven in in the central part, then on the sides. To avoid splitting the plywood, bite off the tips of the nails.
9. The center of the scoop is measured with a ruler, a straight line is drawn. Errors in the markings will lead to one-sided shovel.
10. The handle is screwed to the scoop with self-tapping screws.
11. It remains to strengthen the cutting edge of the scoop with metal strips. Without the metal "reinforcement", the scoop will crack after a couple of days of work. It is best to galvanize it. You can take canned iron cans. A strip 6 cm wide should be slightly longer than the edge of the scoop - 55-60 cm. The workpiece is bent in half, put on the bottom of the scoop and fixed.
12. With hammer blows, the metal is pressed tightly to the plywood, the excess protrusions on the sides are bent.
13. The metal edge is fixed with nails, the excess parts of which are bitten off, leaving 0.5 cm, and bent.
14. It is necessary to increase the strength of the end part and the attachment point of the handle to the scoop in the same way. A metal strip is placed on the border of the butt joint with the shovel scoop, fixed with self-tapping screws. The edges of the plate are bent to the end and fixed with self-tapping screws.
15. With a strip about 10 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, they reinforce the connection zone of the end of the shovel with the handle from the front side. In the same way, a plate is applied to the junction of the handle with the surface of the scoop on the other side.
16. The shovel is ready.

There is an even faster way to make a shovel from scrap materials. The role of the scoop can be assigned to an old metal baking sheet. The wooden end and the handle are attached to the scoop with self-tapping screws. After 30 minutes, the original snow removal equipment can be used as intended.

After use, store wooden tools in a warm, dry place, away from heaters. The shelf life of a homemade shovel with careful handling is about 5 years.

If you don't want to mess around with making your own tool, you can purchase lightweight and ergonomic Fiskars shovels. In addition to the classic version of the tool, among the products of the Finnish company you can find a shovel for a car, an ice ax, a brush and an ice scraper, a scraper and a scraper-drag. The Fiskars snow shovel is a high quality professional tool.