1/2 Ready For Snow..FEL Blade is Done

[Spudland_Dave]

Well I'm 1/2 Ready for snow now... Blade is all done and I'm just waiting on a call from the dealer saying my 74" Rear Mount Blower is in.
Little Rundown:
-Started out as a rusty 7.5' Fisher Plow I found on Craigslist right in my town
-Cut off all factory mounting brackets
-Fabbed up new ribs to accomodate the 20 degree angle for the Skid Steer QA so I can be "true to spec" and not need to adjust my level indicator
-Used the SS Quick Plates from JinmaParts.com
-Sent blade to local coatings shop...sandblasted and powdercoated it JD Yellow
-Custom made my own graphics and had local sign shop cut em out for me.

All in all it came out really good and I cant wait to give it a whirl in the snow

 

[kennyd]

That looks great! I love the decals

 

[JDeerekid]

Awsome job. Also love the decals. I want the deer decal.
Just one question why did you go with a straight bland and not keep the angle adjustment?

 

[Deerlope]

Awsome job. Also love the decals. I want the deer decal.
Just one question why did you go with a straight bland and not keep the angle adjustment?

That is percisely my question also and I also see that you don't have any plow shoes on it. Plowing is done much faster with and angled blade. I just finished a 8 foot Fisher on a QA mount for a Bota.You want those plow shoes on there at least until the ground get frozen really hard.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I also don't understand something. Why would you have both a plow and a snowblower? Where I live people either have one or the other, but not both.

When you snowblow, you cut a path wide enough to get your vehicles through the snow. When you plow, you create big runoff areas to push the snow for later in the year (at least here where we get lots of snow that stays for a long time). When you do both, what is your strategy?

By the way, I like your rig.

 

[JDeerekid]

I also don't understand something. Why would you have both a plow and a snowblower? Where I live people either have one or the other, but not both.

When you snowblow, you cut a path wide enough to get your vehicles through the snow. When you plow, you create big runoff areas to push the snow for later in the year (at least here where we get lots of snow that stays for a long time). When you do both, what is your strategy?

By the way, I like your rig.

I am going to have my rig setup this way this year with snowblower on back and frame mounted front plow. The biggest thing is speed. I can plow all the snow to end of driveway or in a pile then blow it away.
We frequently get 1-2' snowfalls. For the longer runs it is easier and faster to plow the snow to each side of the drive or the road in my case than it is to blow it. Then when I have more time I make one pass down and back with the blower and make the snow go bye bye.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Lemme see if I can answer all the questions:

Awsome job. Also love the decals. I want the deer decal.

If you or anybody else wants the Fisher/Deere "Splat" I have one extra currently, and I can easily go get more cut out...shoot me a PM if interested.

Just one question why did you go with a straight bland and not keep the angle adjustment?

Straight Blade vs Angled....Pretty Simple really, strength. I've seen 2 loader frames tweaked sideways because someone was running it angled and hit something or a snow pile....loader frames are NOT Deisgned for "side to side" loading...

I also don't understand something. Why would you have both a plow and a snowblower? Where I live people either have one or the other, but not both.?

Around here most people have both...I plan on snowblowing my driveway...the blade is more for cleanup & more efficent blowing. I use this example: right against the garage....hard for me to get in there and blow all the snow, cant get right against the garage, etc... with the blade I can back blade all the snow away from the building to where I can easily get at it with the blower.
I've been joking with SWMBO that had I gotten a smaller blade I coulda even back bladed the front porch & steps

That is percisely my question also and I also see that you don't have any plow shoes on it.

Yeah, I'm trying to find a used set of shoes, when I got the blade it didnt have any...they're asking for your first born on new ones ($$)...and it also seems NOBODY has used shoes. Theres a Fisher Salvage yard that specialzes in new/used Fisher Plow parts exclusively and even he doesnt have used shoes. Might just need to suck it up and buy a pair of new ones.

 

[kennyd]

Yeah, I'm trying to find a used set of shoes, when I got the blade it didnt have any...they're asking for your first born on new ones ($$)...and it also seems NOBODY has used shoes. Theres a Fisher Salvage yard that specialzes in new/used Fisher Plow parts exclusively and even he doesnt have used shoes. Might just need to suck it up and buy a pair of new ones.

TSC usually has some generic plow shoes for about $20.00 or so...

 

[Deerlope]

Lemme see if I can answer all the questions:


If you or anybody else wants the Fisher/Deere "Splat" I have one extra currently, and I can easily go get more cut out...shoot me a PM if interested.



Straight Blade vs Angled....Pretty Simple really, strength. I've seen 2 loader frames tweaked sideways because someone was running it angled and hit something or a snow pile....loader frames are NOT Deisgned for "side to side" loading...



Around here most people have both...I plan on snowblowing my driveway...the blade is more for cleanup & more efficent blowing. I use this example: right against the garage....hard for me to get in there and blow all the snow, cant get right against the garage, etc... with the blade I can back blade all the snow away from the building to where I can easily get at it with the blower.
I've been joking with SWMBO that had I gotten a smaller blade I coulda even back bladed the front porch & steps



Yeah, I'm trying to find a used set of shoes, when I got the blade it didnt have any...they're asking for your first born on new ones ($$)...and it also seems NOBODY has used shoes. Theres a Fisher Salvage yard that specialzes in new/used Fisher Plow parts exclusively and even he doesnt have used shoes. Might just need to suck it up and buy a pair of new ones.

Come to think of it the shoes won't do you much good unless you float the FEL and the the FEL will be so heavy that the surface area of the shoes won't support it.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Come to think of it the shoes won't do you much good unless you float the FEL and the the FEL will be so heavy that the surface area of the shoes won't support it.

I dunno about that....my dad has the same setup (Loader Mounted Blade w/Shoes) on his L2900 and he's never had a problem. Really just runs the shoes until the ground is froze solid and once it is he pulls em off.

TSC usually has some generic plow shoes for about $20.00 or so...

Good to know, They're building a TSC about 2 miles from the house so I hope they open up before snow hits the ground....

 

[MrWoodChips]

I also don't understand something. Why would you have both a plow and a snowblower? Where I live people either have one or the other, but not both.

When you snowblow, you cut a path wide enough to get your vehicles through the snow. When you plow, you create big runoff areas to push the snow for later in the year (at least here where we get lots of snow that stays for a long time). When you do both, what is your strategy?

I use both during the winter.

Most of the time, I plow. The winds swirl around here something nasty, so a snowblower is much less fun. I can also move snow faster with a plow. Had I a cab, that would help with the wind. But sometimes the snow is too deep to push around, and there is no place left to push it. Then I fire up the blower.

John

 

[DavidVT]

The fixed QA FEL Blade.. Nice job!

I have a FEL snowplow setup that I have used for a few winters. I have the hydraulics to angle the plow, etc. My setup is nice for big storms but too big to leave on the tractor.

Also I travel a lot and my wife is very uncomfortable entering the town road with that thing hanging way out front of the tractor. She ends up using the back blade for her plowing.

So, I have an extra 8' plow blade that I rescued from a dumpster. I guess I will have to buy some QA plates and fire up the grinder!!

Great idea for my routine needs and easy to swap with the QA solution.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Gizmo2]

I知 impressed. Nice work and a lot of it.

 

[BlacknTan]

That is some great workmanship..

The plow looks better than new! Very nicely done!!

 

[Gizmo2]

That is some great workmanship..

The plow looks better than new! Very nicely done!!

It's not new!

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Thanks for all the comments...I think I'm gonna cry the first time It hits the ground to do some actual plowing...cant bear to see it scratched up, That "first scratch" is always a killer LOL!

Its hard to believe it was a ~15 year old rusted hulk of steel...Which is why I had it sandblasted....I would probably STILL be at it with my flap wheels & wire wheels trying to clean it up for paint.

 

[Egon]

Very nice work but remember shinny steel looks good too!

 

[Steve_Miller]

I also don't understand something. Why would you have both a plow and a snowblower? Where I live people either have one or the other, but not both.

When you snowblow, you cut a path wide enough to get your vehicles through the snow. When you plow, you create big runoff areas to push the snow for later in the year (at least here where we get lots of snow that stays for a long time). When you do both, what is your strategy?

By the way, I like your rig.

Where I live, most times I don't need the blower, but when you can't push it, you can blow it. Forward plowing is always faster than blowing, straight or angled, but at least it's always on there for weight.

Steve,
1600' of driveway plus the neighbors and besides, my wing bracket is attached to my blower.

 

[PILOON]

Nice job.

Having cleared snow with many combinations, I also find rear blower and plow the best setup.

Tried using the FEL but found it quite useless as well as a rear blade.
Even had a front mounted blower/rear blade setup for a while.

Plow to gather rapidly to one side and blower to get rid of it. Saves me a good hour when snow is less than, say 4". (I did make mine a 'one way' manual angling set-up.)

This year I am adding a back blade for some difficult to get at spots.
A back blade is a hinged 1/2" X 4" flat bar that is hinged on the back side of the moldboard.
When pushing snow forwards, the 'back blade' simply flips up and rides along but drops and scrapes snow when going backwards.

I will now be able to (example) drive up to a garage door, drop the plow and pull the snow backwards away from the door (or any other tight spots) .

Note, I hate using a shovel.

 

[Egon]

For clearing snow here in Nova Scotia I only use the loader on my little tractor. The rear blade is almost useless as the tractor can not pull it. The same would probably be true of a front blade which I do not have. Most times I also have to use the FELL to move and dump snow to clear the driveway.

I would like a rear snowblower as this should work well on my little tractor.

Chances are very good that the size of the tractor and the type and amount of the local snowfall will regulate what works and what does not work for individual areas. One must also take into account the final placement of the snow as this may effect the type of equipment chosen.

Fellows living side by side may need different equipment to suit their individual snow clearing site.

A picture of a backyard showing snow and the constricted area. There are two cars in the picture and it has been posted before.