Snowblowing rules of thumb

[Gord Baker]

An old Ammo bucket on my Walk behind 30" Snowblower holds the same things plus a pint container of Fuel.

 

[bigtiller]

An old Ammo bucket on my Walk behind 30" Snowblower holds the same things plus a pint container of Fuel.

Would that be blackberry brandy?

 

[Gord Baker]

Lamb's Old Navy Rum. Plastic Mickey. I was thinking Ethanol Free Fuel!

 

[smfcpacfp]

Nice to see that my writeup is still here after a dozen years. I still have the same setup!

 

[Gord Baker]

The 3 sided Canopy makes Snowblowing very pleasant. I fashioned an old 12VDC battery drill to the chute shaft and with a DPDT switch rotate the chute with fingertips. Lawn Tractor battery also powers rotating blue light and rear red LED display. Because I can. 10 overnight in Ontario Canada North of Hamilton.

Almost 6 years to the day. Same setup, less snow so far.

 

[Tony H]

Nice to see that my writeup is still here after a dozen years. I still have the same setup!

Love #4. Was never a problem for my Walk behind until I added rubber extensions to the Impeller Blades. With the closing of the gap from blades to housing it became an issue. Yup rubbery smelling smoke on auger engagement

 

[Gord Baker]

Love #4. Was never a problem for my Walk behind until I added rubber extensions to the Impeller Blades. With the closing of the gap from blades to housing it became an issue. Yup rubbery smelling smoke on auger engagement

The smoke will go away as rubbers wear in to accomodate off-centre/out of round housing. I put them on mine years ago and Not so sure that they do a great deal. The 10.5 HP helps! Bring on the snow.

 

[Tony H]

The smoke will go away as rubbers wear in to accomodate off-centre/out of round housing. I put them on mine years ago and Not so sure that they do a great deal. The 10.5 HP helps! Bring on the snow.

You misunderstood, the rubber smell was from the impeller being frozen to the Tunnel. Yes, the spinning up after I installed did cause a little heat-up as everything Seated. Funny you say they didn't help. I have put then on about 8 blowers, friends family, and the throwing distance an lack of clogging of wet snow was very obvious on all makes and sized machines. I used Belting material used on old farm equipment. It basically is reinforced rubber just like a sidewall on a car tire.

 

[scaredychicken]

gloves, a good coat, toque, cup of hot coffee, and my tractor

 

[Gord Baker]

You misunderstood, the rubber smell was from the impeller being frozen to the Tunnel. Yes, the spinning up after I installed did cause a little heat-up as everything Seated. Funny you say they didn't help. I have put then on about 8 blowers, friends family, and the throwing distance an lack of clogging of wet snow was very obvious on all makes and sized machines. I used Belting material used on old farm equipment. It basically is reinforced rubber just like a sidewall on a car tire.

I didn't know the Impeller was frozen. I don't recall that extensions made a huge difference and didn't say they didn't help. I used Belting Material as well.

 

[Jstpssng]

The first time I used a walk behind snowblower I got my driveway cleaned out nicely. Just as I got inside and got my coat taken off the state plow went by winging the snowbanks back, filling it back in again. I learned that day to blow it out on the downstream side of the driveway.

 

[Gord Baker]

I always blow away 20' or so to the upstream side, removing snow from where the blade would pick it up. I always wait until the Snowplow has passed before SnowBlowing my Driveway

 

[5030]

I don't. Have one of my renters do it.

 

[Jstpssng]

I always blow away 20' or so to the upstream side, removing snow from where the blade would pick it up. I always wait until the Snowplow has passed before SnowBlowing my Driveway

I now do that with my bucket, pushing the snow bank back to the tree line for about 100 feet before my driveway. It was pretty difficult to do though when I was living on a state highway and all that I had was a 9hp snow blower.

 

[hube2]

Defensive snow management. I also clear the upstream bank to my property line at an angle, about 75'. I'll also clear the snow out of the road if the plow has not gone through depending on how much is there. Really dislike needing to go back out after I've put my tractor away just to move what the plow pushed in.

The plow drivers here can be, well, pricks, but not to everyone. The guys that do my road tend to swing wide around my driveway because of the way I take care of it. They don't do this for some of my neighbors that push up big banks close to their driveway and road or across the road. I've seen them swing wide for me and then swing back in for the neighbor and push a 3 foot bank back across the end for them to move. It seems that if you make their life easier they will return the favor but if you make their life harder they will do the same.

 

[stevem5215]

I always plow the road on the plowing side enough so that even if they push the snow from the blade it's gone off the blade by the time they get to my driveway area. Seems to work for me that way and I never end up with any pile at the end of the driveway sides either.

 

[domains]

How about Stay on good terms with the paperboy?

Paper boy through out all papers in a storm once, Could not see it, Alot of people broke the safty bolt

 

[domains]

My first rule of thumb is making sure blower shoot turns by hand and not frozen in ice, learned that the hard way a few times , but cleaning all the snow off after is a good idea

 

[Gord Baker]

Know your area. Check Oil. Fresh Fuel. New Filter. Adjust height. No need to scrape to bare pavement/gravel. Wait until the plow goes by and run Blower up the oncoming traffic shoulder side to clear the snow left by the plow so his blade is near empty at your laneway. Wait until the Wind stops. Blow snow towards South and East. Less drifting for you. Buy a canopy cab for your walk-behind Snowblower. So nice.

 

[wolc123]

Only one rule of thumb for me and snowblowing -

Don’t do it, snowplows are way more fun: