Best Snow Blade cutting angle????

[SkunkWerX]

Here is the question:

In General, what is the best angle for the cutting edge of a blade used primarily for snow?

Too shallow and it will want to glide up and over the snow missing spots, too steep (near 90 degrees) and it will push and chatter.

Examples:

Here is a blade that looks like it's about 80 degrees (not quite straight up and down).

And here is one that looks pretty shallow, like at 45 degrees.

So, for a CUT or SCUT, what is typically a good angle for the cutting edge when plowing snow?

 

[KennK]

Last winter was my first using a rear blade. I'd set it at a pretty high angle thinking it would make moving snow easier for my tractor (JD3320). In deeper heavier snow there did seem to be a struggle, but I figured that was normal.

I went over to help my neighbor plow her driveway. She's had a Kubota for many years and immediatly told me to decrease the angle on my blade for better performance. I did, and man was she right. The higher angle was pushing the back end of the tractor loose. The decreased angle did much better.

I never measured the angles though.

 

[diyDave]

If you use a V plow, the angle problem is eliminated, as the forces involved cancel each other out, and the only thing you have to worry about is a parallel lift, and road crowning.

 

[mbrule]

For what it is worth, my pickup plows better with a steeper angle. It cuts better and the trip edge trips easier and less violently. It does not trip constantly or chatter. I do however, set less of an angle for early or late storms when the ground my not be frozen and I want to use the "feet".

 

[daTeacha]

"The People" who live in the land north of the Great White North have about 20 different words for what we tend to call snow. The best angle to move the stuff will vary with ground speed, depth, temperature, etc. I generally set my back blade or front blade so the snow will roll over as it reaches the top of the blade. What angle this is depends on the radius of the blade as well as the angle of attack of the cutting edge.

The upper pic is a blade intended for relatively high speed use, like on a road or large parking lot. The lower one is intended as a general use grader/dozer blade for slower speeds. The big thing is to have a blade that will let the snow move to the side (unlike a bucket) and then angle it so it moves the snow sideways rather than just straight ahead. Rolling it over helps compact it and move it laterally.

 

[jimmer2880]

Teacha, I don't see any pics... would you please re-post them?

thanks

 

[Beavis]

Teacha, I don't see any pics... would you please re-post them?

thanks

I think he is referencing the pics in the first post ?

 

[jimmer2880]

I think he is referencing the pics in the first post ?

DOH! Boy do I feel stupid now

 

[Rara Avis]

DOH! Boy do I feel stupid now

Don't worry about it...They weren't there last night...