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With the first snow falling, the owners of a country house begin to sort out the garden inventory. Children like the white fluffy cover, but the paths need to be cleaned. The owner must have at least one shovel or scraper for snow removal. If such a tool is not available, you will have to go to the store to get it, and there is quite a large selection there. We will now try to figure out what manufacturers of snow removal equipment offer us today.
What material can you find a snow shovel on sale from?
Since ancient times, our ancestors cleared snow drifts with shovels. This tool has not lost its relevance even now. The design of any snow shovel is a long handle to which a wide scoop is attached. Previously, the owner himself made it from wood, but now it’s easier to buy it in a store. A modern snow shovel is made from the following materials:
- Traditional tree. The plywood shovel is still on sale today. The tool is the cheapest, which attracts buyers. The scoop is made of plywood 5–6 mm thick. The edge is framed with a steel strip that protects the canvas from abrasion.The size of the scoop varies, but the most popular is considered to be 70x50 cm. A wooden handle is attached to the back side of the scoop and in the center of the blade. The disadvantage of a plywood shovel is its short service life. When working with wet snow, the wood becomes saturated with water, causing the tool to gain a lot of weight.
- Modern plastic. The tool is lightweight and corrosion resistant. Plastic shovels are quite durable. The scoop similarly has a steel edge that protects the blade from abrasion. Cheap products have a wooden handle, while branded tools are equipped with aluminum handles. They are durable and lightweight, and to make it comfortable to grasp the handle with your hands, the aluminum tube is covered with soft plastic. The most durable shovels are those whose scoop is made of reinforced plastic. Metal rods increase the strength of the canvas so much that the manufacturer guarantees its product for up to 25 years. However, such a branded shovel will cost the consumer quite a lot. Among the variety of plastic shovels, there are models with folding, rotating and collapsible handles. This tool is convenient to carry in a car or take with you on a hike.
- Durable metal. Snow shovels made from this material are considered the most durable. However, not every metal is suitable for making a scoop. Regular steel is heavy, susceptible to corrosion, and snow sticks to it. Galvanization does not rust, but also has an impressive weight, plus it makes a strong roar during operation. The ideal material is aluminum. A scoop and a cutting are made from it. A lightweight, durable, stainless steel shovel will serve the owner for many years. The disadvantage of aluminum equipment is its high cost.
The variety of snow shovels is so great that anyone can choose a tool for themselves. The equipment differs in the dimensions of the scoop, the length and design of the handle, and the presence of a handle for gripping with the hand. What this tool has in common is the principle of its use. You first need to scoop up the snow with any shovel, then lift it in front of you and throw it to the side. The work is labor intensive. To clean a large area, it is better to use other devices.
Shovels that allow you to remove snow with less labor
Among hand tools, there are many devices that allow you to clear a large area of snow with less labor. The equipment is produced from a similar material that is used in the manufacture of shovels.
- It is easier to clean a larger area with a scraper, since you do not have to lift it in front of you to throw the snow to the side. The cover is simply collected by pushing the bucket in front of you, and to unload you just need to lift the handle up. This tool is also called a snow scraper or draggers. Scrapers have a slight advantage over shovels. Firstly, scrapers have a larger working width. Secondly, it is easy to move even wet or frozen snow with a scraper. You just need to choose the right tool for the job. A wide plastic drag is used to rake up the loose mass. The icy cover is cleaned off with narrow metal scrapers.
The video shows the Fiskars 143050 drag scraper:
- A rather interesting and productive invention is a shovel on wheels. In terms of functionality, it can be compared to a blade for a walk-behind tractor or a mini-tractor, only it is driven by human muscular power. Blades are usually made of metal.The classic cheap option has two wheels. This scraper is quite maneuverable. A four-wheel plow is expensive, but this design has its advantages. In summer, the shovel can be removed and the chassis can be used instead of a trolley for transporting goods. Any blade has a rotation angle mechanism. This allows the shovel to shovel the snow to the side rather than constantly pushing it in front of you.
- Manual snow blowers with an auger operate on the blade principle. They need to be pushed in front of you. When working with this tool, you need to correctly adjust the angle of inclination relative to the ground using the handle. The fact is that the auger rotates from touching a hard surface. If it is raised too much above the ground or presses into it, then there will be no rotation, which means the snow will remain inside the bucket. When the auger rotates along its axis, it uses a spiral knife to push the mass to the side at a distance of up to 30 cm.
A manual snow blower with an auger is effective on loose cover up to 15 cm thick. It is better to clear narrow paths with a mechanical shovel. It will not be possible to remove a wide area due to the short range of snow removal by the auger. After passing each strip, you will have to re-lay an increasingly thicker layer.
The video shows a mechanical shovel in action:
- Working mechanism electric shovel is an auger, only it rotates not from touching the ground, but from an electric motor. Such snow blowers are usually not self-propelled. The person still has to push them. Electric shovels are usually equipped with motors up to 1.3 kW, but there are also more powerful machines with a 2 kW motor. The auger of an electric snow blower is most often made of plastic or rubber.Because of this, the electric shovel is only capable of removing loose cover up to 25 cm thick. Snow is thrown to the side through the outlet sleeve. The ejection range depends on the rotation speed of the auger. Typically this figure is limited to 5–8 m.
The variety of snow removal equipment is great. We considered only basic models. Each manufacturer tries to improve its tools, so every year new and quite interesting designs of scrapers and shovels appear in stores.
Snow removal tool for cleaning roofs
The northern regions can boast of heavy snowfalls. Here you have to clean not only the roads, but also the roofs of houses. A thick snow cap is dangerous for the roof, as it can collapse. In addition, an avalanche can injure a person. Cleaning a flat roof is easy. You can climb it with a regular shovel or scraper. But it is safer to remove the snow cap from the canopies of verandas and pitched roofs with a special roof scraper, simply standing on the ground.
Frame scraper
Feature of any scraper for cleaning snow from the roof is a long handle. For convenience, it is made collapsible or telescopic. But the working element itself may vary in design. The frame scraper is considered the most effective. Its shape varies. For example, in the photo you can see the working part in the form of a U-shaped aluminum scoop or a rectangular frame. A mandatory element is a long strip of soft plastic or synthetic fabric.
You can work with such a scraper without any effort at all.It is enough for a person to stand on the ground and with light movements push the tool up the roof slope. The frame will cut the snow layer, which under its weight will slide to the ground along a strip of fabric.
Telescopic Scraper Roof Scraper
A scraper will help remove snow from a pitched roof. Factory-made models are equipped with a telescopic aluminum handle. Its length when unfolded reaches more than 6 m. Taking into account the height of a person, such a scraper can grab a snow cap from a height of up to 8 m. A special feature of the scraper is the plastic working part. This is not a frame, but a solid rectangular element. Using this scraper, they begin to clear the snow on the roof from the bottom up. The movements are made towards oneself, rather than being pushed forward, as is the case with a frame scraper.
Conclusion
Almost all snow removal tools are designed for seasonal use, and most of them will sit in the shed waiting for a snowy winter. However, you cannot do without such equipment and you have to buy or make it yourself.
