The Trials Of Personal Snow Removal.

[garyfromterrace]

My snow clearing whip.

Also my logging skidder, seven sister access assist, and yard work tractor (some accessories not shown). Love this thing.

[Tech Tonics]

I’ll play! At 6750’ on the edge of Durango CO.

My driveway is 500’ and steep. And NE facing with a couple of big turns.

It’d be a nightmare driveway for a lot of people. I clear it all with a Honda 1132. I’ve had plows hit it occasionally when I’m out of town and they just fuck it up.

It takes me an hour to do it right or 20 mins to gtfo for a powder day or work.

I can’t sleep when it’s storming anyway, so i usually just get up early and bust it out. I rigged a cup holder so I can bring my coffee. And a couple rips of green and some headphones and I’m stoked.







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[mcski]

That’s amazing w a push blower. Props to the 1132 and your cup holder!

[detrusor]

Gotta put a cup holder on mine!

[liv2ski]

You're only seeing the lower 3/4. The worst isn't even in that pic.

If I miss a certain regular Tuesday posting during the winter season, check the weather for SW CO. It may be that I'm plowing and shoveling.

Huh, I always had you pegged as some Golden Boy living in Newport Beach CA.

[frorider]

Today I tamped down the 11 ft snowpack in the front yard.

[liv2ski]

Wow, impressive pile of snow there

[Alpinord]

Today I tamped down the 11 ft snowpack in the front yard.

Now that's thinking!

[Thaleia]

Foot of snow plus a layer of freezing rain on top today. Was supposed to ski. Nope, shovelled for three plus hours instead.

My current situation. Augers not spinning. Turns out the bolt that attaches the impeller shaft to the impeller pully wheel sheered off. This thing only breaks when used lol fml.

Attachment 449009

Attachment 449010

This it's second breakdown this season, couple weeks ago it was a (65 F'ing CA$) belt.

Last season it was a bearing. Not too bad, at least that part was only 25 CA$.

Six years ago I had to put a new engine on it, but that was completely my fault. Had an oil leak that I didn't notice in time..

Welp, many days, and multiple trips to the hardware store later, I got the sheared bolt out and fixed, only to discover I cracked the gearbox cover when putting it all back together. Expecting a 'once in several years' storm dumping two feet of wet and heavy over night this evening.

Some quick googling shows I can't source the individual cracked piece, but can get the whole (used) gearbox assembly for ~500 USD plus shipping. Will look some more later, but dude at the small engine shop already warned me awhile back parts for this are notoriously hard to source.

With out knowing or understanding how or why the bolt on the impellor shaft sheared off in the first place I'm half expecting it to simply break again. Time will tell I suppose.

Between that issue and now the gearbox cover kinda thinking we're nearing the end of the line for this this thing.

[BeardedClam]

Attachment 448943
Big year on the east side of the cascades has me thinking about a blower or tractor…. Neighbor has heavy equipment and does the driveway but just keeping the rest dug out was exhausting during December and January


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You in town or up the highway near the hippys?

[boltonoutlaw]

Millions of Japanese octogenarians stand ready to kick your ass shoveling snow

[Alpinord]

Making lemonade out of lemons/roof leak mitigation.

You can perform snow pit tests.


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[adrenalated]

Finally found a good deal on an upgraded snow removal tool. Waaaay better than the snowblower.

[wendigo]

Was away during the last storm.



Took a while to make any progress. A tracked blower would be helpful, but the decade old arians is holding steady.

[Alpinord]

Hopefully intense sun and temps in the 40’s will free some dams. Maybe some hammer drilling.






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[John_B]

I've never done it but a buddy has had good luck with filling an old sock with ice melt and placing it on or above stubborn ice dams. That one looks like a doozy!

[jmedslc]

Hopefully intense sun and temps in the 40’s will free some dams. Maybe some hammer drilling.






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Before I got the new roof, I used to do the hammer drill thing and it worked. Scary as hell though being under there for that long.

[Alpinord]

I've never done it but a buddy has had good luck with filling an old sock with ice melt and placing it on or above stubborn ice dams. That one looks like a doozy!

That's interesting and I could anchor it there, along with other spots. Thanks for the idea. It's one of several, but this one is the worst as a north valley 12:12 dormer to 6:12 roof which then intersects a 16:12 rood section and pours over my office at the tree. Fun times.

Before I got the new roof, I used to do the hammer drill thing and it worked. Scary as hell though being under there for that long.

Fortunately, if I fall, the office roof currently has a 'cushion' and short drop if I bounce.

[XXX-er]

As opposed to a bunch of wanking about I would suggest one of the Easyheat heatng cable systems to melt snow from roof & gutters, I was getting ice dams cuz all the vents for 2 living spaces come out on one spot making the big icicles and bending the gutters, now I plug it in and it keeps every thing very clear

good instalation is key, you gotta zigzag the 2 ft of the roof/ the gutter/ the downspout all in one string and be near to the plug-in, I couldn't get the thermostat control to work well so I just plug it straight into the 115V in for winter

don't forget to plug it in

[bio-smear]

I did confirm that the Toro snow thrower I bought in a pinch last year is a piece of shit.

After moving to Minnesota, I inherited a pretty new Toro Storm 2620 which was nice because if I didn't get one for free I was gonna splurge on a Honda track unit.

It's been going strong for 2 seasons and starts first pull. Broke a shear pin when i sucked some wood pile tarp on accident but that's it. I've chewed a lot of settled plow berm with it.

I would never willingly purchase a Toro but this is the other side of the fence. Also, I think I'm just a pretty talented blower and have a smooth touch so there's that.

Our ice dams are fucked. I fucked up big time when I didn't replace the attic insulation on the bath remodel that's still underway. Now I'm just riding it out with fingers crossed the gutters don't peel off and whoever last did the roof added enough water barrier in addition to the felt.

[Alpinord]

As opposed to a bunch of wanking about I would suggest one of the Easyheat heatng cable systems to melt snow from roof & gutters, I was getting ice dams cuz all the vents for 2 living spaces come out on one spot making the big icicles and bending the gutters, now I plug it in and it keeps every thing very clear

good instalation is key, you gotta zigzag the 2 ft of the roof/ the gutter/ the downspout all in one string and be near to the plug-in, I couldn't get the thermostat control to work well so I just plug it straight into the 115V in for winter

don't forget to plug it in

Dude, because once a boneheaded wanker, always a bone headed wanker .....not to mention huge electrical bills the every 6 or 8 years the wanking is needed. This one, I waited to long. Hitting it sooner would have been the smart call.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Might want to try some dynamite up there.

[XXX-er]

ymmv but i get it every winter

I did wonder about electrical usage so I asked my personal electrition about the usage ?

Knowing that I probably need a visual he said " well that longest kit you got is 240W so that like leaving a couple of incandescent light bulbs on for the winter "

in any case happy wanking eh

[adrenalated]

A 240W strip running 24/7 would use about 173 kWh per month. Multiply that by your cost per kWh - US national average is $0.23 so about $40 additional to your electric bill per month.
I'm going to add a strip to my roof next year in one problematic area, but I'm also adding solar and will probably put it on a switch to help me control when it runs.

[Alpinord]

ymmv but i get it every winter

I did wonder about electrical usage so I asked my personal electrition about the usage ?

Knowing that I probably need a visual he said " well that longest kit you got is 240W so that like leaving a couple of incandescent light bulbs on for the winter "

in any case happy wanking eh

The resistive ones for roofs I was familiar ate up electricity. I'm sure it'd be useful in other areas, but in this case it'd just move the problem down stream I think. I have one in my pump house for the main water line, coupled with a space heater, all on a timer. It racks up some $$.

Might want to try some dynamite up there.

Would insurance cover damages if I'm off target a little?