Snow Attachments PVC Pipe On Snow Blade

BeeferMan · Dec 8, 2009

schmism said:
I think horse mat or conveor belt edge is better.

and why doesnt your plow have normal shoes? set them to keep the plow a 1/4" above the surface and dont worry about it.

Shoes really only work well when you need them the least. They're good on a nice hard flat surface to keep the edge from wearing, but in unfrozen/uneven gravel they're pretty useless at keeping the edge from catching. I haven't used the rubber edges on small plows, but my experience with larger plows would lead me to believe they wouldn't work as well as the round pipe on unfrozen ground - the rubber edges will still dig in, where as the pipe has no edge to catch and bury itself.

Duffster · Dec 8, 2009

bp fick said:
Uh.. maybe because shoes drag nice deep valleys in soft gravel?

Exactly

bp fick · Dec 8, 2009

I have the PVC pipe thing down to a 3 minute job. Run 'er through the table saw, bang it on with the small sledge.

Look, it works positively great. Stays put too.

The only issue is that you better have enough scrap PVC laying around, because if you live in a cold climate, and cold and snow sort of go together, that PVC cannot handle the temps and will shatter.

Still, it's cheap, quick and easy. Just won't last forever, or even half that long.

I may search for Black ABS piece. Don't have one in scrap. But steel is the way to go, it seems, for a longer lasting solution.

adirondacktrac · Dec 8, 2009

I posted a suggested fabrication approach and some photos of a 1-1/2" diameter PVC pipe installed on a 6' KK backblade. My experience on the install was that so long as the pipe was reasonably warm,(40-50 deg), a single table saw blade rip of the pipe was enough. A second pass on the saw was not necessary in order to install the pipe. Assuming your BB has an angled edge, it should be possible start this from the end of the blade, using a small sledge to coax it along, tapping it occasionally from below and from the end as you move it forward. It took a little patience, but it installed uneventfully. Check the photos posted to see if your situation is similar. I hope it works for you.
I would be interested in any experience anyone might have with the ABS pipe. I have some black plastic water line which is about the same diameter which I will try if the PVC fails in the cold. We are expecting some snow this week so I will give the existing arrangements a try under more realistic conditions.
bill

newlife · Dec 8, 2009

PVC is the wrong pipe to use if you are looking for shatter resistance. My other hobby is big fireworks displays. We use HDPE (High density polyethylene) pipe for our motars because they will never shatter if a shell blows up in a mortar. PVC shrapnel will kill you if you use it for fireworks mortars. HDPE pipe is the stuff that municipal gas and water lines are made of. You can get it at industrial plumbing supply houses in almost any diameter. You can slot it very easy on a table saw. It would be great on a plow because it is incredibly wear resistant. The attached pic is a trailer I just finsihed with 190 4" HDPE mortars.

bp fick · Dec 8, 2009

Thank you!!!!
Dang!!! A bomb guy, sorry, A fireworks guy!!! Way too cool and great tip!!

lungdoc · Dec 8, 2009

Has anyone tried on snowblower cutting edge? Should work though might be risky if pipe shatters. I have a bolt on edge that is much like a bucket edge.

KU Gator · Dec 8, 2009

I like this idea. I cleared my drive this morning for the 1st time with a back blade I bought this summer and ended up turning it backwards to reduce how much rock it was picking up. I looked at buying shoes for mine, but the Land Pride parts were about $160.

I am wondering if there would be any advantage to trying 3 or 4 smaller pieces of PVC spread out across the lenth of the blade. It would be easier to cut the slot and probably easier to get on the blade plus if you shattered a piece, you could maybe finish up or drive on another piece easier. As long as they stay in place, the gaps in between shouldn't make any difference as that is what you have with shoes anyway.

Also the "glue" and pre treatment stuff you put on the PVC when bonding it softens it before it goes back to being hard. I wonder if applying that prior to sliding the pipe on the blade would allow it to go on easier and then harden without attaching.

Maybe a this weekend experiment.

studor · Dec 8, 2009

I wonder if applying that prior to sliding the pipe on the blade would allow it to go on easier and then harden without attaching.

If you are thinking about softening, just use a heat gun.

I would be interested in any experience anyone might have with the ABS pipe. I have some black plastic water line which is about the same diameter which I will try if the PVC fails in the cold

I have used the ABS pipe for a couple of years --holds up fine as I said in a previous post. I don't think the plastic water line will last one pass as it gets brittle in the cold and is pretty thin. I have not tried the PVC because around here it is more expensive than the ABS and not as common. When they change out old high efficiency furnaces they switch to PVC these days so you can often find scrap lengths of ABS -- don't know which is the best but I stick to one solid piece with about a 1/4 inch cut on the table saw

LQPAPPY · Dec 8, 2009

I have used the pvc pipe in 3" since last year and have not had any problems.
I have basically used it only on gravel with or without snow and can not imagine that it would shatter when used only on gravel and not asphalt or concrete. I use a single blade cut on the 3" pvc and it is not that much trouble to slide on or off. I clean the road in front of our house and about 8-10 neighbors paved driveways. Also, there are a couple of neighbors with gravel and I just wait until last and slip the pvc pipe on and finish those two and remove afterwards.

Steve C · Dec 9, 2009

bp fick said:
Thank you!!!!
Dang!!! A bomb guy, sorry, A fireworks guy!!! Way too cool and great tip!!

HDPE is the stuff to use. I had some left over from a city water installation job. It was schedule 80 and you can't break it with anything. It is pliable and tough. Hit it with a hammer and it just bounces........and it is cheap!

I will be putting it on my 7 foot rear grader blad ASAP we are getting snow!!

mjncad · Dec 9, 2009

A simple but effective trick I discovered while cutting a slot in PVC pipe with my table saw is to place wood dowels or sticks the same length as the I.D. of the pipe in each end perpendicular to the slot to be cut. When you slit the pipe, the wood prevents the pipe from closing back in on itself and binding on the blade. It should work on any plastic pipe. I like the HDPE suggestion better due to PVC's tendency to shatter easily.

chumly2071 · Dec 9, 2009

I've been getting stuff ready in case we get part of the big storm going through the northern part of the midwest right now. I finally got around to adding the PVC to the bottom of my blade, but haven't gotten to try it out yet (no complaints on that front...

)

Anyways... to slit the pipe, I put in a thin cutting wheel in my 4-1/2" grinder, and it buzzed through the pipe like butter. I followed the edge of the printed text line as a guide, and had a 6' piece slit in less than a minute. I then added a v notch at both ends of the slit. I started the pipe onto my blade, then let the blade all the way down to the concrete floor. Holding the pipe between my feet, I tapped the end of the pipe with a medium hammer to get it slid on, moving after each hit so that I didn't run out of pipe (or feet

). With the blade holding it down, the pipe did not try roll off the cutting edge of the blade, and with my feet being used as a guide, the pipe didn't flop around as it was being driven on.
We'll see if the PVC lasts any length of time in my use. I had some pieces that were left at my house when I moved in that I used for this little project, so am not out any $ in my experiment.

Thought I'd post up my tips for install and see if they helped anyone else.
Chad-

bp fick · Dec 9, 2009

Well we got the big one!!! 12" and still coming. I have been plowing on and off for the last 5 hours. Gonna take a nap now.

Been through my last two sticks of PVC. All shattered.

If we get a break, I might go into the village and see if the Hardware store has some of that HDPE stuff. I'm officially done with PVC.

LQPAPPY · Dec 9, 2009

bp fick,
Just wondering are you plowing gravel only or paved surfaces ?
I know we never have that much snow but with somewhat limited use I have not had any shatter problems.

bp fick · Dec 9, 2009

Friend,

Well, first, our temps are considerable colder than Western Kentucky. Second, I plow for hours, as I have three 125' drives, and 1/4 mile private road to clear, plus my own place which is 150' double drive, plus aprons, etc.

All on gravel. Believe me, I plow, as I should, with speed. You cannot move that kind of snow we have here without speed. I was pushing 12" on that road. You gotta carry some speed to do it. We are up to 14" and they are calling for another 6-8 when the winds pick up. I don't know how often you get those kinds of snows, but we get them with constant regularity.

The PVC in those temps, and with that abuse, simply is shattering. No big deal. I really am anxious to try the better product, as I love having the tube on there. It just flat out does a better job. I admit to not knowing there was a better plastic and am sooooo grateful for the heads up given by others.

LQPAPPY · Dec 9, 2009

Thanks for the reply. Yes there is a temp difference and we do not receive a
foot of snow on any given year as a total. We will on occasion have a 10"-14" but not often. Most of my blading is on asphalt or concrete and not using the pvc. Good luck with the heavy material maybe you can gain several
days of plowing without replacement.

Ford850 · Dec 10, 2009

bp fick said:
Friend,

Well, first, our temps are considerable colder than Western Kentucky. Second, I plow for hours, as I have three 125' drives, and 1/4 mile private road to clear, plus my own place which is 150' double drive, plus aprons, etc.

All on gravel. Believe me, I plow, as I should, with speed. You cannot move that kind of snow we have here without speed. I was pushing 12" on that road. You gotta carry some speed to do it. We are up to 14" and they are calling for another 6-8 when the winds pick up. I don't know how often you get those kinds of snows, but we get them with constant regularity.

The PVC in those temps, and with that abuse, simply is shattering. No big deal. I really am anxious to try the better product, as I love having the tube on there. It just flat out does a better job. I admit to not knowing there was a better plastic and am sooooo grateful for the heads up given by others.

With that much plowing with the blade angled, does the pipe slide off the blade?

Mcourchesne · Dec 10, 2009

bp fick said:
Friend,
The PVC in those temps, and with that abuse, simply is shattering. No big deal. I really am anxious to try the better product, as I love having the tube on there. It just flat out does a better job. I admit to not knowing there was a better plastic and am sooooo grateful for the heads up given by others.

BP, I noticed you are using "Schedule 40" pipe (also known as thinwall). May I suggest Schedule 80 pipe and give that a try?

Though the outside diameter of the pipe is the same and the inside diameter is slightly less, the wall thickness of the schedule 80 is 33% more than the schedule 40....and not much more money for a 10ft length. I just paid less than $5.