Hi; I am in Canada, Ont. and I would like to make a Zamboni, or maybe something I can pull behind the Tractor. I was thinking an old Gas barrel and go from there, does anyone have any ideas or has someone made something that will help to smooth out the pond. The kids are ready to skate.
Build a Zamboni
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jimgerken
Veteran Member
I thought about this a couple years ago. I never did build it, but was set on the idea of mounting a water barrell/spray tank above my box blade. A PVC tube to a "T", and more tubing to spread out from side to side. Small holes drilled in the tube that spans side to side. A valve somewhere. Let it drip onto a couple layers of beach towel when open. So, using it, I would first leave the water off, using the boxblade to cut off the high spots and drag the ice parts to the side of the rink. Might be real nice to have a rotary brush on the front of the tractor at this point too, but hopefully not required. Then go over it all again with towel dragging and water dripping. This should apply a thin coat of water. It will self-level, and should freeze real fast if its just that thin layer.
PLEASE keep us posted if you build anything.
PLEASE keep us posted if you build anything.
JohninCT
Platinum Member
I really like the idea of using the box blade with tank and towel 
I mounted a 65 gallon water tank I bought at Tractor Supply on my box blade not to use as a Zamboni but to use as additional weight and horse riding arena wetter (I guess its kinda like a summer Zamboni).
There are lots of videos on YouTube of homemade zambonis. Here is one with a small tractor with what looks to be an old water heater and a box blade
YouTube - Homemade Zamboni
Here's another one made from a riding mower with plastic water tank and scraper blade.
YouTube - Backyard Zamboni
I mounted a 65 gallon water tank I bought at Tractor Supply on my box blade not to use as a Zamboni but to use as additional weight and horse riding arena wetter (I guess its kinda like a summer Zamboni).There are lots of videos on YouTube of homemade zambonis. Here is one with a small tractor with what looks to be an old water heater and a box blade
YouTube - Homemade Zamboni
Here's another one made from a riding mower with plastic water tank and scraper blade.
YouTube - Backyard Zamboni
Diamondpilot
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Red Green made one out a K Car. If he can do is so can you.
Chris
Chris
Tig
Elite Member
I've been doing the lagoon with a sump pump and an ice spud. It's the way they do the Rideau canal.
Simple and quick, just need the right weather.
Simple and quick, just need the right weather.
JohninCT
Platinum Member
Don't know how big your rink is or if you have access to a garden hose water connection, but another inexpensive way to resurface a backyard ice rink is with a rink rake. You can make one out of PVC pipe with holes drilled in the bottom and an old beach towel.
Here's a video of one in use
YouTube - Outdoor Rink flooder
Here's a video of one in use
YouTube - Outdoor Rink flooder
The magic part of a Zamboni is the blade that cuts the ice smooth and flat, removing lumps and humps. The edge on a box blade is probably not sharp enough or smooth enough to make good ice. You will need to mount a sharp, level blade. As the blades in Zambonis need to be sharpened and eventually wear out, ice arena supply companies can sell you a blade for a few hundred dollars, and re-sharpen it for you as needed.
Flooding wih a towel dragged behind will help a lot, but on pond ice, you will find that you have ridges and lumps that are much too high to get filled in with a limited amount of water from a tank.
- Rick
Flooding wih a towel dragged behind will help a lot, but on pond ice, you will find that you have ridges and lumps that are much too high to get filled in with a limited amount of water from a tank.
- Rick
Scotty370
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Dog- As a kid, I use to hook up a hose to the hot water tank in the basement, drag it up the stairs, and 'water' my backyard rink. Really impressed my folks and sisters, wanting to take a shower...........
Chilly807
Elite Member
Red Green made one out a K Car. If he can do is so can you.
Chris
I saw that one, funny as all get out, poking the holes in the rad bottom was a stroke of genius ...
My all-time favourites were the "variable wheelbase car", or the "personal sauna" made from an old clothes dryer, or the home-made car wash... I could go on all night.Chilly
Thanks for all of your advice, I think I will take the blade off my snow blower and sharpen one side of it and see if that will even out the ice. I am going to take a small tank with the T idea and mount it in the FEL and maybe I can have the exhaust going thru the tank to keep the water warm? Anyway I am still thinking about this and as soon as I get some free time I will get started. I see the weather is turning warmer so maybe mother nature will look after the pond for me.
Tig
Elite Member
I've done a rink every year since 1987. Median size would be about 50' x 70' Most of them in the backyard. I've also taken note of how they maintain the worlds largest outdoor rink, the Rideau Canal. No Zambonies out there. They plow, brush and flood. I only brush for small children. Big kids can skate the lumps off.
If you think of yourself as mother nature's assistant you will be very efficient. You just need to work with the conditions given. Right now the get the lumps off and don't leave any foot prints. It's going to be a while before you can build up the ice.
As far a smooth goes, the more you skate the smoother it gets. Send the kids out to play as much as they want. Patch up the damage with a light flood around midnight or if it gets cold then light daytime floods are good. I've never liked the results of heavy flooding. It can cause hollow spots if it's not cold enough and lava like flows if it's too cold.
Just my .02
If you think of yourself as mother nature's assistant you will be very efficient. You just need to work with the conditions given. Right now the get the lumps off and don't leave any foot prints. It's going to be a while before you can build up the ice.
As far a smooth goes, the more you skate the smoother it gets. Send the kids out to play as much as they want. Patch up the damage with a light flood around midnight or if it gets cold then light daytime floods are good. I've never liked the results of heavy flooding. It can cause hollow spots if it's not cold enough and lava like flows if it's too cold.
Just my .02
Since the winter of 06/07, I've been using the pictured PMZ (poor man's Zamboni) on my pond. I find that mother nature is not usually my friend in keeping good ice. This thing has saved the season several times when we've gotten snow and rain mixed, leaving a couple inches of honey comb crud to on top of the good ice. My process is to snow blow, sweep, then resurface. If it is sub-zero, I can continually coat the ice with many passes to build a good surface.
Here are some comments on the build. The line between the two tanks and the valve is all metal to conduct heat and help keep things from freezing during use. When done, the valve is left open and the plumbing is all inclined downward so it completely drains. The valve control is easily operated from the driver's seat. The sprayer "booms" are removed when I leave the ice and snap into a storage position on top of the tanks. Similarly, the mat hangs on hooks on the tanks between uses.
In general, this thing has been great. I use it in the summer to water remote trees. There is a by-pass of the spray boom that allows the water to flow directly out a removable spout in the back. It isn't shown on these photos.
I got the initial idea from looking at the Bambini site and their systems. They have lots of good ideas. The Bambini, ice resurfacing machine, ice resurfacing equipment, Backyard portable ice skating rinks, ice hockey rink kits
Best of luck with your project. Would love to see what you end up with!
Fud
Here are some comments on the build. The line between the two tanks and the valve is all metal to conduct heat and help keep things from freezing during use. When done, the valve is left open and the plumbing is all inclined downward so it completely drains. The valve control is easily operated from the driver's seat. The sprayer "booms" are removed when I leave the ice and snap into a storage position on top of the tanks. Similarly, the mat hangs on hooks on the tanks between uses.
In general, this thing has been great. I use it in the summer to water remote trees. There is a by-pass of the spray boom that allows the water to flow directly out a removable spout in the back. It isn't shown on these photos.
I got the initial idea from looking at the Bambini site and their systems. They have lots of good ideas. The Bambini, ice resurfacing machine, ice resurfacing equipment, Backyard portable ice skating rinks, ice hockey rink kits
Best of luck with your project. Would love to see what you end up with!
Fud
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Tig
Elite Member
Very nice set up Fud. Reminds me of something they used at a local rink in the 70s.
djradz
Veteran Member
fud, sound as if you don't have an issue with draining and freezing, but if you ever do, a little of that pink RV antifreeze (safe for humans and animals) would make a good final flush before parking it for the day.
Fud; very nice, a couple questions, do you find that you need 2 tanks? I have some steel pipe I was going to use, do you think it will freeze up? and how big or the holes and how far apart are they on you boom arms. Your idea looks like it works great.
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