Despite all the talk about global warming, winters in most regions of our country continue to be harsh, so there are often situations when heavy snow makes it difficult to move vehicles and even passers-by through courtyards and streets. This issue is especially relevant for owners of cottages or country houses, since they have to rely only on their own resources. Of course, you can buy a mini-snowblower, but not everyone can afford it. In addition, sometimes its use is difficult and even impossible, so the snow scraper continues to be a popular tool.
How to choose
Today in stores you can find a variety of scrapers for cleaning sidewalks, yards and steps. They are mechanical and manual. If you are not ready for big expenses, you will have to purchase a hand scraper. It is often called in the English manner a pusher or scraper, emphasizing the main purpose of this product - to push and scrape. Regardless of whether we are talking about a store product or decide how to make a scraper for snow with our own hands, it should be:
- light
- durable;
- having a convenient non-slip handle made of material with poor thermal conductivity, which will prevent freezing of the hands of the person performing the cleaning.
From the foregoing it is clear that when choosing a scraper for snow, it is better to pay attention to the options of plastic or aluminum, as they are durable and at the same time light. In this case, the one who will be engaged in cleaning will get tired less, and the likelihood that the device will break down will be reduced to zero. In addition, it is desirable that the handle be covered with rubber, to prevent slipping of hands, and the height of the tool corresponds to the height of the person who will use it, since working in a hunched position is not particularly convenient.
DIY scraper for snow (spade type)
Everything said regarding the choice of such devices in the store applies to home-made tools for cleaning the yard or sidewalks. The easiest way to make a hand scraper, resembling a shovel. For its manufacture, you can use a regular aluminum sheet 40-50 cm in size, bent along the upper edge so that a side with a height of 4-5 cm is formed. You can also bend the side walls and make the handle in the form of a frame, which happens with a garden car.
Wooden scraper
To make a scraper for snow with your own hands with sides of a pine board measuring 210x23x2.5 cm, you will also need a rail made of the same material with a length of 280, a width of 8, and a thickness of 2.5 cm. You will also need to use a galvanized iron sheet with dimensions 73 on 70 cm
Instead of a rail, a round handle of an old shovel is suitable as a handle for a scraper. Moreover, the width and length of the scraper can be taken different from those indicated, given the fact that the device must pass freely through the gate.
The bottom of the scraper is made of iron sheet, to which the boards cut from the board are fastened with screws or self-tapping screws. Such a tool can also be useful in the spring, because by adding wheels to it from the pram and reinforcing the bottom with wooden slats, you can turn it into a light wheelbarrow for the removal of sawdust and garbage. In this case, the wheel axle must be placed between 2 boards and fixed on 2 sides with metal plates.
Scraper on wheels
Rolling is always easier than dragging. Guessing this, our distant ancestors came up with wheels. They can also be used to facilitate the snow removal process using a manual scraper. To make such an upgraded device, you will need a plastic or aluminum pipe with a diameter of 27 cm, from which you need to cut a sector with a side length of 2-3 cm less than the circumference of the section. The result is a part that will be used as a blade. As for the frame, an old baby carriage, which is likely to be found in any house where there are preschool children or schoolchildren, is useful for its creation. You will also need to get old water pipes. Next, you need to perform the following operations:
- create slots in the pipes on one side for the axis of the wheels, and on the other, weld them to the blade;
- from metal corners make ears for mounting racks;
- make 3 holes in the upper part of the racks so that you can control the height of the handle;
- if you plan to use such a home-made scraper to remove snow on asphalt, you can attach a conveyor protective tape to the lower edge of the blade;
- paint the scraper to protect the metal from corrosion and give the tool a finished, presentable appearance.
Such a product will be a great helper, as it is convenient to use and does not scratch the road surface. In addition, it can be adjusted in height in order to adapt to the user.
Homemade snow scraper on runners: what you need
Wheels are not the only way to make the scraper easier. It will be easy to move if the blade is mounted on skids.
To make such a useful device you will need:
- metal, preferably aluminum sheet, measuring 800 by 1500 mm;
- thin tube for the handle;
- two parts of a metal corner, each 1 m long, which will play the role of runners.
How to make a scraper on runners
To make a scraper that glides freely in the snow, you need to:
- bend the tips of the metal nodes;
- attach a handle to them at a distance of 25-35 mm from the front end of the runners;
- stepping 2 mm forward from the uprights, install 2 pins;
- fix the scraper;
- Install the top of the blade using clamps to help control the height of the device.
If the snow scraper, the photo of the scheme of which is presented below, is intended for summer cottage and it may need to be transported by car, then the scraper can be made folding.
Motorized option
Cleaning the yard and the street in winter can be facilitated if you make a snow scraper with your own hands on the basis of a walk-behind tractor. To do this, you don’t have to make much effort, since it is enough to attach a snow blade to the bumper, made, for example, from a curved stainless steel sheet. You can also use a ready-made blade. You can also install a snow blade on the bike, securing it below the handlebars.
Plywood shovel scraper
If the scraper is urgently needed and it is supposed to be used only for one season, then such a tool can be made in a couple of hours. To quickly make a scraper for snow with your own hands, you need a sheet of dense plywood 50 x 50 cm in size, the surface of which should be treated with water-repellent impregnation, and the edge with epoxy resin. It should be trimmed with aluminum on both sides to ensure ease of sliding. As for the handle, it needs to be made slightly shorter than with conventional shovels, and the edge that was supposed to be attached to the scraper needs to be cut at an angle of 45 degrees. In order for the scraper to turn out reliable, you need to drill 6 mm holes in two places and put bolts and nuts. Next, the handle should be fixed with a wooden plank so as to increase the angle of attachment.
Now you know several ways to make a snow scraper and can meet the winter fully armed.