Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow

[dickfoster]

Thanks for the compliment dickfoster.....It took a little practice to end the cut like you say, but a combination of tilting the iron forward on the tip along with a twist of the wrist seemed to deliver the best results.

It's one of those practice makes perfect kind of deals I guess. I'd rather keep a little meat at each end of the groove so will give it a spin. I didn't know if you were resetting the tip 90 degrees off or something to make it easier for the handle to clear the tire at the end of the cut so thought I'd ask.

 

[dickfoster]

This grooving thing isn't as easy as some let on. I started cutting 3/8" grooves in my rear lugs yesterday. I've got thirty some worms to show for it so far. My lugs twist and turn which doesn't make it easy but I figure the twisting and turning will make it so that one groove works for both forward and lateral traction. Hopefully the 1/4" grooves I cut in the front lugs will go much smoother. I wish the iron had a way of attaching a pull rope to it. Pulling is often easier than pushing for the force then steer it from the rear.

Because it was cold and wet I put a halogen work light on them to warm and soften the lugs up at bit before I cut but I don't think it did much to reduce the effort. I'm thinking of sticking my heat gun to em next go round.

 

[Glrret]

This grooving thing isn't as easy as some let on. I started cutting 3/8" grooves in my rear lugs yesterday. I've got thirty some worms to show for it so far. My lugs twist and turn which doesn't make it easy but I figure the twisting and turning will make it so that one groove works for both forward and lateral traction. Hopefully the 1/4" grooves I cut in the front lugs will go much smoother. I wish the iron had a way of attaching a pull rope to it. Pulling is often easier than pushing for the force then steer it from the rear.

Because it was cold and wet I put a halogen work light on them to warm and soften the lugs up at bit before I cut but I don't think it did much to reduce the effort. I'm thinking of sticking my heat gun to em next go round.

DickFoster

I didn't really have much of a hard time with cutting through the cold rubber. I did all 4 tires in little more that 90 minutes and that was with the 2 cuts on the rears. I made a pattern on cardboard and used it to draw a line on the lugs, then I just followed the lines. I cut 2 or 3 lugs and then let the iron heat back up for about 1 minute and then cut 2 or 3 more.

 

[DavesTractor]

This grooving thing isn't as easy as some let on. I started cutting 3/8" grooves in my rear lugs yesterday. I've got thirty some worms to show for it so far. My lugs twist and turn which doesn't make it easy but I figure the twisting and turning will make it so that one groove works for both forward and lateral traction. Hopefully the 1/4" grooves I cut in the front lugs will go much smoother. I wish the iron had a way of attaching a pull rope to it. Pulling is often easier than pushing for the force then steer it from the rear.

Because it was cold and wet I put a halogen work light on them to warm and soften the lugs up at bit before I cut but I don't think it did much to reduce the effort. I'm thinking of sticking my heat gun to em next go round.

It's not cordless, you have to plug it in. Ha!

 

[dickfoster]

DickFoster

I didn't really have much of a hard time with cutting through the cold rubber. I did all 4 tires in little more that 90 minutes and that was with the 2 cuts on the rears. I made a pattern on cardboard and used it to draw a line on the lugs, then I just followed the lines. I cut 2 or 3 lugs and then let the iron heat back up for about 1 minute and then cut 2 or 3 more.

View attachment 489656 View attachment 489657

Those look to be 1/4" grooves. I'm thinking that the larger 3/8" size is what's making it harder. The pamphlet than came with iron even states that larger grooves takes more time and effort. I know I was out there for longer than 90 minutes and only got about 1/3 of the rears done. I was really putting some weight behind it. I have it set to cut 3/8" deep so the deeper depth and flat bottom probably has something to do with it too. I will start with a new blade when I get back to the rears. I plan to do 1/4" X 1/4" in the fronts and that blade has a round bottom.

I have pea gravel spread where I park the tractor and the 3/8" grooves match the pea gravel size so they're getting stuffed with gravel. Studs?

 

[dickfoster]

I can't imagine a cordless grooving iron, Dave. Even with lithium batteries you'd probably have a flat battery after cutting two lugs. I think it's a 250 watt iron.

Of course you flat landers don't have to worry about things like this since it never snows down there in the valley so don't be giving me anymore of your flatlander static. LOL

 

[Glrret]

Those look to be 1/4" grooves. I'm thinking that the larger 3/8" size is what's making it harder. The pamphlet than came with iron even states that larger grooves takes more time and effort. I know I was out there for longer than 90 minutes and only got about 1/3 of the rears done. I was really putting some weight behind it. I have it set to cut 3/8" deep so the deeper depth and flat bottom probably has something to do with it too. I will start with a new blade when I get back to the rears. I plan to do 1/4" X 1/4" in the fronts and that blade has a round bottom.

I have pea gravel spread where I park the tractor and the 3/8" grooves match the pea gravel size so they're getting stuffed with gravel. Studs?

Dick, make sure you don't have the blade in backwards... there is a sharp and a non sharp edge.

 

[DavesTractor]

I can't imagine a cordless grooving iron, Dave. Even with lithium batteries you'd probably have a flat battery after cutting two lugs. I think it's a 250 watt iron.

Of course you flat landers don't have to worry about things like this since it never snows down there in the valley so don't be giving me anymore of your flatlander static. LOL

Hey, we get snow every few years, maybe an inch or so. And giving you static is part of the fun. You guys removing rubber from perfectly good tires.....

 

[dickfoster]

Dick, make sure you don't have the blade in backwards... there is a sharp and a non sharp edge.

That much I made doubly sure of. Hard not to notice when you mount it so as not to cut your fingers. The one that's in it is bent from all the twisting and turning but it does still cut a decent groove but I'm guessing it's probably a bit dulled by now.

 

[dickfoster]

Hey, we get snow every few years, maybe an inch or so. And giving you static is part of the fun. You guys removing rubber from perfectly good tires.....

Yea well we don't call the dusting you guys get down there snow, that's just decoration. I'd rather buy tires than bust my hump or the tractor pushing this stuff around. I think I'll may even buy my next set from you and make you groove them for me. It would be worth the drive.