Build a Zamboni

[Scotty370]

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]

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

 

[Fritzy]

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.

 

[Mattlt]

Google "backyard zamboni"... Also a couple of youtube videos come up.

Ideas if nothing else.

 

[seca111]

thats a great idea.

I was thinking about making a rink last week, however I don't think it stays cold enough here to make it work.

 

[Tig]

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

 

[fud]

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

 

[Tig]

Very nice set up Fud. Reminds me of something they used at a local rink in the 70s.

 

[djradz]

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.

 

[Fritzy]

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.