snow roller for XC snow

[ArlyA]

Thanks Bravo but as expected, a few shortcoming were identified in my design... For example;

More weight must be added to the roller front, to counter the weight of the pan. The pan with its comb and flexible wings, added more than I expected.....

Needs hand holds welded to the rear of the frame to help when it being moved. What else??

 

[ArlyA]

Back rolling the neighborhood sledding hill again. The roller needs some tweaking but that's to be expected.

 

[ArlyA]

Here is a photo taken from the top of the kids run. You can see the streets snow berm has been knocked down some. That's from blading* it down with our machine. There run does cross there driveway. The 2nd photo is a "new and improved hitch" that I added some solid square stock to its inside, so as to increase its weight.

*spell check doesn't like this word!

 

[aczlan]

How much weight needs to be on one of those? Will they work with a smaller roller (a piece of 12" smooth inside, ribbed outside pipe like that)?
I have a tow frame from a lawn roller and a couple of leftover 12" culvert and that might be nice to pack down where we tow the kids around behind the RTV.

Aaron Z

 

[ArlyA]

How much weight needs to be on one of those? Will they work with a smaller roller (a piece of 12" smooth inside, ribbed outside pipe like that)?
I have a tow frame from a lawn roller and a couple of leftover 12" culvert and that might be nice to pack down where we tow the kids around behind the RTV.

I posted the below note a few pages back. Seems that a pipe that small, might act more like a plow, than roller.

I bit of snow grooming information follows. When snow falls and builds up, it has much air space within it. These flakes are quite shapely which retains lots and lots of space for air. When we groom it, we roll it around, or work in some fashion to knock those snow shapes down and reduce this air space. After doing that, you allow some time and these broken flakes will refreeze back together and become more like ice, than those original snow flakes. The more you work it, the more air space is eliminated. Note I did not state that great weight is required to knock those shapes down.

 

[aczlan]

I posted the below note a few pages back. Seems that a pipe that small, might act more like a plow, than roller.

I bit of snow grooming information follows. When snow falls and builds up, it has much air space within it. These flakes are quite shapely which retains lots and lots of space for air. When we groom it, we roll it around, or work in some fashion to knock those snow shapes down and reduce this air space. After doing that, you allow some time and these broken flakes will refreeze back together and become more like ice, than those original snow flakes. The more you work it, the more air space is eliminated. Note I did not state that great weight is required to knock those shapes down.

Kind of what I am concerned about.
If a roller is good for 1/2 the diameter, a 12" culvert (which is probably closer to 15" OD for the ribs) should be good for 6-7" of uncompacted snow, right?
We can't drive the RTV through much more than 8" before it starts floating and losing traction.
Perhaps I will try it if I get bored.
Thinking of 4 2x4s along the insides of the culvert, some scraps of plywood cut to fit into the ends, some 2x4 hardwood scraps in an X (inside and outside of the plywood) for bearings and a piece of 1/2" pipe with solid rod driven in at the ends for the axle.


Aaron Z

 

[BravoXray]

I posted the below note a few pages back. Seems that a pipe that small, might act more like a plow, than roller.

I bit of snow grooming information follows. When snow falls and builds up, it has much air space within it. These flakes are quite shapely which retains lots and lots of space for air. When we groom it, we roll it around, or work in some fashion to knock those snow shapes down and reduce this air space. After doing that, you allow some time and these broken flakes will refreeze back together and become more like ice, than those original snow flakes. The more you work it, the more air space is eliminated. Note I did not state that great weight is required to knock those shapes down.

Fill 'er with concrete!
That'll flatten that snow in short order.

 

[ArlyA]

This roller was in the shop yesterday to add 2 rear handles to it. This is to assist with its shuttling.

Then it was dropped off at the trail head as we await more snow.

 

[Thunder chicken]

How much does your rear pan and comb help? If you’re just gonna roll out some fresh snow and groom right away anyways, would it be worth the effort and expense? Perhaps just a piece of chain link fence behind the roller to move the snow a bit more?
ive got to build one up here for the non-believers. Even our skidoo club guys wont use their packer, they’d rather take the long drag and stir up gravel, especially on the hill tops……

 

[ArlyA]

How much does your rear pan and comb help? If you’re just gonna roll out some fresh snow and groom right away anyways, would it be worth the effort and expense? Perhaps just a piece of chain link fence behind the roller to move the snow a bit more?
ive got to build one up here for the non-believers. Even our skidoo club guys wont use their packer, they’d rather take the long drag and stir up gravel, especially on the hill tops……

TC are you doing sled or XC trails? I've used rollers without a pan and would say its a necessity. Its like you are adding another compaction to your snow and improving it more, than just the roller.