Snow Blade What to use to make the snow not stick to the blade?

[rhett]

None of the white stuff around to know if this stuff would help. It works pretty well keeping mud from sticking, kinda pricey though.
Wetlander
mud boat bottom coating | Wetlander - The Ultimate Slick Bottom

 

[ovrszd]

The REASON snow will stick to a blade - either front or rear - is the dramatic temperature differences between the blade and the snow. My tractor & rear blade reside in an unheated shed. Because of this, I have NEVER had snow stick to the blade. I have never used sprays, lube or paint as an assist.

If your tractor & blade are kept in a heated environment - bring them out into the cold for half an hour prior to use and you will notice a dramatic reduction in snow sticking.

On a warm blade, the snow melts(on the warm blade), refreezes(as the snow cools the blade) and sticks(as it freezes on the blade).

On a cold blade the snow will not melt, refreeze and stick to the blade.

I generally agree with your comments. Until you got the last one. That's simply not true. My V plow is always stored outside, no artificial heat. Starts pushing with the plow temp the same as outdoor temp. Still builds up.

Buildup begins by any small particle getting stuck to the blade/plow for any reason. Might be a chip in the paint. Might be some frozen dirt on the blade from previous use. The smallest imperfection can cause this to begin. From this point on it's an additional particle sticking itself to the first, then another, then another, until finally the entire blade is covered. The glue like nature of it is caused by the compression of pushing the blade against new material all the time.

On an angle blade you might minimize this a little by running at a sharper angle. On my V plow I don't have that choice. It's shaped like a plow shear already which causes a sliding and rolling action. And it still builds up.

 

[kevin37b]

Yep , and with a V there is no place for it to slide off as in opening up a road . That is one **** of a machine , like the wing . Are you the road commish , or are you volunteering your services for the sake of playing , whoops , working ?

 

[KubotainNH]

:thumbsup: I wonder if anyone has tried using kids sheet snow sleds, the ones that roll up?

Yes, I bolted one to a four wheeler plow and it does the same job as the item I posted, they are thick enough. No need to glue it because the curvature of the blade keeps it in place when bolted at top and bottom. The reason I did not use one on my truck plow is that they are not big enough for full coverage.

As for the temp of the blade affecting sticking, I'd go more with the temp of the air. My blades are always outside, it's the sticky snow that clings badly but not with a layer of the plastic stuff.

 

[gmikem206]

Last year I painted the inside of my bucket with Hammerite Rust Cap Paint. The snow really slid out easily and completely when I dumped it. We had quite a bit of snow the last two years so it worked well for me. Something to consider. Downside.....not offered in orange or green. Hammerite Rust Cap Hammered Enamel Finish Quart

 

[ovrszd]

Yep , and with a V there is no place for it to slide off as in opening up a road . That is one **** of a machine , like the wing . Are you the road commish , or are you volunteering your services for the sake of playing , whoops , working ?

It's a part time job for me. Gives me a little blow money. But I do it because I enjoy it. Wouldnt even consider it if we didnt have new/modern equipment.

 

[Mace Canute]

Would work in theory however those are too thin and in all probability would not last very long.
Also how would you attach? contact glue?

I was thinking pop rivets with the big head might work. Because they are too small to cover full width you'd have to used two or three of them and you'd have to make something to cover the joint to prevent snow from getting under it and ripping it off when the plow was angled in the "wrong" direction.

UHMW (ultra high molecular polyethylene) is reasonably priced considering the benefits provided. Some highway plows use it backed with a steel framework.

Agreed. That would be my first choice. I was just curious.

 

[Mace Canute]

Yes, I bolted one to a four wheeler plow and it does the same job as the item I posted, they are thick enough. No need to glue it because the curvature of the blade keeps it in place when bolted at top and bottom. The reason I did not use one on my truck plow is that they are not big enough for full coverage.

Repurposing stuff to do a job it was never originally designed for is always cool! :thumbsup:

As for the temp of the blade affecting sticking, I'd go more with the temp of the air. My blades are always outside, it's the sticky snow that clings badly but not with a layer of the plastic stuff.

 

[oosik]

Ovrszd,

No doubt - experience will always trump theory. I think my results are partly due to the angle I run the rear blade at & the fact that I never plow unless its VERY cold outside. The plowed snow moves very rapidly down & off the rear blade - it is similar to a scouring action.

 

[ovrszd]

Ovrszd,

No doubt - experience will always trump theory. I think my results are partly due to the angle I run the rear blade at & the fact that I never plow unless its VERY cold outside. The plowed snow moves very rapidly down & off the rear blade - it is similar to a scouring action.

Yep. In my case, opening public roads, I am forced to go out as soon as conditions allow. Lots of times if I could wait another 12 hours and let the snow freeze a bit more I wouldn't have the sticking problem so bad. For me it's all about snow conditions and very little to do with what application is put on the moldboard or V plow. I much prefer to push snow when it's VERY cold. Get along a lot better.