Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Snow sticking to blade.

penokee · Nov 1, 2004

Any ideas on how to stop or reduce the amount of snow that sticks to the blade? I've forgotten to shovel the buildup off the blade at times and it ends up dropping off and melting on the garage floor. Attaching a picture of my camp road (cut trees in the winter so the deer have browse and I have my next years firewood.)
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kokopelli2 · Nov 1, 2004

ski wax or wd-40

Theowegian · Nov 1, 2004

Yes, WD-40 works great. Just clean the blade of dirt and spray it on thick right on the whole surface of the blade. For some reason, the snow just rolls off. After an hour or two, you might have to do it again.

Really, it works!
dwight

penokee · Nov 1, 2004

Steve
Does ski wax come in a pressuerized spray can or is it rubbed on? A little on the lazy side this time of year, so looking for something that could be sprayed on - the WD-40 sounds good, will give it a try. Snow forcast for later in the week.
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Egon · Nov 1, 2004

Ski wax comes in many different forms and for many different purposes. Just be careful you don't put on some Klister.

Racing quality also takes a brinks truck to deliver the payment.

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Rip · Nov 2, 2004

Look for the Big Blast can of WD-40..... will work better for spraying a large surface.

Dargo · Nov 2, 2004

I'll second (or third) the WD-40. It works. Have you actually had snow this year?? The only place I've seen snow so far this year was when I was flying over the Rockies. I'm just an "old" kid and still love snow. There are so many snow sports!! Where I live, we have now had about 7" of rain in the last week. Imagine how much snow that would have been if the temps were colder! I'd be having a blast!!

Deerlope · Nov 2, 2004

"Pam" cooking oil spray.

Freds · Nov 2, 2004

When I was a kid we used to spray the snow shovels with furniture polish...

I never had a problem with snow sticking to the blade, but then my tractor is kept at outside temperature all the time. If you don't have any of the suggestions to spray on the blade you could always pull it out of the garage and let the engine warm up and the blade cool down before starting to plow.

Is that snow from this year already???

kensfarm · Nov 2, 2004

Has anyone used those plastic shields that cover the snow blades.. the benefits are suppose to be easier snow plowing.. no buildup.. etc.

I use a 3 pt rear blade for snow.. usually the blades are not that tall.. I was thinking of lining the blade using pieces cut from plastic drums to heighten the blade. The 3pt rear blade I bought used.. the blade is rusty.

LBrown59 · Nov 2, 2004

Silicone Spray:
Also good for spraying underside of mowers to help Keep grass from sticking.

PineRidge · Nov 2, 2004

Actually your best value if you are going to be using WD-40 is to go to Wally World or Harbor Freight and buy it in gallons and then pour it in a spray bottle for application purposes. It's a lot cheaper that way.

skent · Nov 2, 2004

I bought one (Northern Tool) for my 7' rear blade. What a difference! I've used it three years now and still works great. Plowing is faster and easier too. The snow seems to roll off the moldboard (as opposed to being pushed sideways).

Dave___in___CT · Nov 2, 2004

I haven't used it...

Snow Plow Wax...

Dave...

LKGuy · Nov 2, 2004

penokee, I'm not sure what is the best substance to keep snow from sticking to your blade but PLEASE, to Theowegian and all others that have suggested using WD-40, DON'T. From an environmental point of view, you might as well go and pour another volatile organic compound like BTEX (gasoline) in your drinking water, because that's exactly where it will end up. I've spent over 25 years in the environmental business and I've seen petroleum distillates, such as TCE and BTEX, ruin entire water supplies. It's been estimated that one teaspoon of oil can contaminate over 400,000 gallons of water and make it unfit for human consumption. When you spray WD-40 on something and water washes it off, it doesn't just disappear, it ends up in surface and ground water where it can persist for a long, long time.

bandit67 · Nov 2, 2004

That's exactly what I was thinking. All that WD 40 can't be good for the environment.

Although more expensive, I think that using Pam cooking spray would be a safer alternative, especially for the kids and pets that like to play on the snow piles.

I also think that a good quality automotive wax should work well - it takes some elbow grease to apply and buff it out, but it should last for a month at a time, and how much work is it to apply to a blade, compared to how much work it takes to do an entire car or truck.

I also wonder if Rain-X makes a product that would work, now that they have stuff for glass and plastics.

frank_f15 · Nov 2, 2004

will second THIS. besides , what if some snow sticks to the blade or the fel or the blower? if u forget to scape it off it will melt on the floor, but usually it is cold enough for it to still be there the next time i pull out.

Michael_S · Nov 2, 2004

When I was in the motocross racing business, we would spray a heavy coat of PAM, or some other type of organic cooking spray on underside of fenders, frame, hubs, rims, etc., to keep the mud, and the extra weight associated with it off the bikes.
Should work for snow. Try it.

penokee · Nov 2, 2004

Good ideas all. The snow picture is from last year. Have had a little on the ground, but it melted. We had 2 years with 300 inches, so get plenty of opportunity to play with the snow.

"Tamarack needles never fall on the snow" and since the Tamarack still have a few needles, it'll be a while before the permanent snow comes.

The potential environmental pollution from Wd-40 is a good point. Will evaluate that approach before using it. The comments triggered another thought - plan to contact local city and County DPW crews who have large snowplows, etc, will see what they use, if anything. Will post what I find out.

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