What size pipe did you use for your rear blade’s cutting edge?

[Piston]

I see a lot of you have added a steel pipe to your rear blade. I have an 8’ wide blade at 950lbs using it on a gravel drive.

Is there a rule of thumb for diameter of the pipe?

It doesn’t seem like it would matter too much, but curious what has worked well for you guys that have done it.

 

[s219]

At some point if the diameter is too small it will dig into the gravel and you won't get the intended benefit. If the diameter is too big it won't scrape too well. I used a 1" galvanized water pipe (1-1/4" OD) and it works OK on my crusher-run gravel. Would not want to go smaller than that. I experimented with PVC pipe for a couple winters first (worked fine but wore out quickly) which is how I settled on that size.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

I see a lot of you have added a steel pipe to your rear blade. I have an 8 wide blade at 950lbs using it on a gravel drive.

Is there a rule of thumb for diameter of the pipe?

It doesn遞 seem like it would matter too much, but curious what has worked well for you guys that have done it.

Matt, do you actually use the blade forward and in reverse? If not, why not just use the back side of the blade? Or do you need the snow to actually curl off of the blade and not just get pushed off to the side? Maybe so if you have a lot of snow to move considering where you live. :confused3:

 

[Reb954]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

I don't have a back blade but I did make an edge protector for my bucket. I used 1/2" schedule 40 black pipe. The main reason I choose 1/2" is due to the cutting edge of my blade being 7/16" thick so I figured the pipe would tend to roll and move less if the id were close to the blade thickness. I suspect a blade is going to abuse the edge protector a bit more than I would get on my bucket so my suggestion would be to use 1/2" schedule 80 pipe. I would have used schedule 80 on my bucket if I could have found any around here.

 

[s219]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

I don't have a back blade but I did make an edge protector for my bucket. I used 1/2" schedule 40 black pipe. The main reason I choose 1/2" is due to the cutting edge of my blade being 7/16" thick so I figured the pipe would tend to roll and move less if the id were close to the blade thickness. I suspect a blade is going to abuse the edge protector a bit more than I would get on my bucket so my suggestion would be to use 1/2" schedule 80 pipe. I would have used schedule 80 on my bucket if I could have found any around here.

1/2” is much too small based on my testing. The standard cutting edge on a rear blade has about 1/4” diameter equivalent edge. For snow removal on gravel you want to have a smooth rounded surface with some added surface area that doesn’t let the edge dig in (the edge of a rear blade is perpendicular to the ground with some weight pushing it down). 1/2” isn’t much of an improvement. I didn’t start to see good results until I got to an inch or more.

 

[s219]

BTW, all of this is dependent on your surface. What works on my crusher-run driveway and exposed aggregate concrete garage apron is 1-1.25", but that doesn't mean anything on different surfaces you folks might have, so take my above comments with a grain of salt. I bet you'd need to go larger than 1" pipe on large gravel (such as #3). Conversely, 1/2" is probably file on asphalt. Whether or not the surface freezes is another factor.

 

[Reb954]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

1/2 is much too small based on my testing. The standard cutting edge on a rear blade has about 1/4 diameter equivalent edge. For snow removal on gravel you want to have a smooth rounded surface with some added surface area that doesn稚 let the edge dig in (the edge of a rear blade is perpendicular to the ground with some weight pushing it down). 1/2 isn稚 much of an improvement. I didn稚 start to see good results until I got to an inch or more.

Keep in mind, 1/2" schedule 40 pipe is approximately 7/8" O.D., schedule 80 will be just over one inch O.D. Pipe size is determined by the I.D.

For gravel I can see the benefit of using a bigger diameter. I only plow concrete, pavement and grass.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

Keep in mind, 1/2" schedule 40 pipe is approximately 7/8" O.D., schedule 80 will be just over one inch O.D. Pipe size is determined by the I.D.

For gravel I can see the benefit of using a bigger diameter. I only plow concrete, pavement and grass.

.

For gravel I can see the benefit of using a bigger diameter. I only plow concrete, pavement and grass.[/QUOTE]


This is not right. Pipe size = OD (2" is 2" OD etc ) and doesn't change on the OD till it reaches 14" when from then on up it is measured in I.D. just like tubing.

Tubing size is measured in ID size therefore a 2" tubing will be 2" inside measurement and depending on the thickness it will be larger OD progressively as the wall thickness gets thicker.

 

[bcp]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

Bruce

 

[Piston]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

Matt, do you actually use the blade forward and in reverse? If not, why not just use the back side of the blade? Or do you need the snow to actually curl off of the blade and not just get pushed off to the side? Maybe so if you have a lot of snow to move considering where you live. :confused3:

Correct Brian, I need the snow to roll off to the side. I'm rarely pushing or pulling in a straight line, but rather have the blade at almost full angle to push the snow off to the side of the driveway. I don't truly see the "need" for a steel pipe on my rear blade at this point, as the skid shoes work just fine (in fact, really well) and I haven't had the issue of the skid shoes digging in like some have said. However, I've only plowed my driveway in frozen conditions so perhaps I'll notice a difference in the spring time???

The main reason I'm asking about the pipe size, is my wife has expressed a "slight interest" in plowing the driveway while I'm away, rather than paying the plow guy we use while I'm away. If she does plow, she isn't going to be adjusting the blade nearly as much as I do (I look at it like an art, you know, finely tuning each axis/angle as you leave the perfect surface behind you :laughing She won't do that.

So, for her I think the pipe would be very beneficial. From the sounds of it, it alleviates any need to really 'adjust' the blade aside from angle left and right. I don't want to come home to a driveway that 12" lower in elevation than it was when I left. :laughing:

Not to mention the incredible benefit that I could end up with here. Think about it, if I set up my wife to successfully plow the driveway, she is happy because she did a good job, I make a big deal out of it ("oh honey wow, I don't know many women that could do that" blah blah blah) and she gets her confidence up, leading to more plowing, leading to the INEVITABLE rain/sleet weather starting to come down as she is plowing. Instantly, she will demand we need a cab tractor. BINGO! Like fish in a bucket. :thumbsup:

....and, it's her idea to boot! ("great idea honey..." blah blah blah.... :laughing:

 

[Gary Fowler]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

View attachment 533457


Bruce

You posted a chart on tubing, not pipe

Edit: I didn't pay close attention to your chart but you are correct in the OD sizing. My original post was concerning the statement that schedule 40 was one OD while Schedule 80 was larger which is not correct. The OD on both schedules of piping is the same regardless of thickness. Tubing OD changes with the schedule thickness so that the ID remains the same. PIPING OD doesn't change regardless of schedule thickness until it reaches 14" nominal pipe size when the ID remains the same just like tubing.

 

[coldsteelva]

 

[Gary Fowler]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

View attachment api spec 5L.pdfSee table 4 of attachment on API 5L piping standard.

 

[crackerjack222]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

Tube and Pipe Size Overview | Allied Tube & Conduit | Mechanical Tube Division

Tubing is measured by the outside diameter. Pipe by the NOMINAL inside diameter.

Tubing size does not change with wall thickness.

 

[Reb954]

The point I was trying to make with s219 is when I said I am using 1/2" pipe, I'm not talking about the outside diameter, I am talking about the inside diameter which is how you buy pipe. I should say, nominal inside diameter so I don't get called out on that too.

I can see in the charts the O.D. doesn't change according to what schedule pipe it is, but it is still called 1/2" pipe and is .500 plus inside diameter.

 

[bcp]

I suspect nominal pipe sizes were once accurate inside diameter, when the walls were weak, thick lead. Later iron pipe needed to be the same outside diameter to fit the fittings.

Bruce

 

[blackdog2086]

Stupid question which has probably been covered in another post, but how do you cut the length-wise slot in the pipe? I don't have a cutting torch so is there a mechanical method that isn't too terribly time intensive?

 

[shaeff]

Stupid question which has probably been covered in another post, but how do you cut the length-wise slot in the pipe? I don't have a cutting torch so is there a mechanical method that isn't too terribly time intensive?

An air cutoff tool would work, but take a while. A cutting wheel on a grinder would be faster, but WEAR A FACE SHIELD and a good jacket that covers your throat. When those wheels let go, they'll do some serious damage. (if you're curious, do a google image search)

Otherwise, find a friend with a plasma cutter and a straight edge.

 

[Reb954]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a plasma cutter. As was mentioned, a grinder with a cutoff blade would work or a bandsaw with good guides and fixturing to keep the pipe from rolling while cutting a side out would work but would have a high PIB factor.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Re: What size pipe did you use for your rear blade痴 cutting edge?

Cutting V 's in the flat of a piece of 2x4 holds pipe pretty well...

A sawzalls will cut the pipe... Get a GOOD blade, and it cuts fairly fast...

SR