shovelling techniques

[skizilla]

I am to cheap and proud to buy a snow blower and live near Springfield mass so we only get a couple big storms a year that get my goat shoveling wise. Do any of you northerners have any techniques for shoveling, shovel recommendations, timing, or driveway prep ideas?

I personally go with a wide shovel probably 18-20 inches that is curved plastic with a inch an a half metal blade. It works pretty well once i taped on the blade to the handle cause kept popping off.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

live in an apartment complex..

 

[Warp Daddy]

Yeah my shoveling routine is a 9hp 2 stage snowblower

-- ALTHO i JUST now SHOVELED my roof on the sunroom 12 x 16 addition to the house about 3 ft of snow on it

 

[Hawkshot99]

let it sit till it melts.

 

[Johnskiismore]

Landlord's son with his truck and plow ;-)

I am having my house built this summer and the driveway is going to be pretty big.... almost as big as my parents, and with the memories of shoveling as a wee little lad, I have put on lawaway a 25HP John Deere riding mower complete with a snow thrower!

 

[Chris I]

make 1 line down the middle of the drive way. then take start and one end and just hammer it out on one side. then switch directions for the other side (depending on how the abs feel)

 

[mondeo]

Depends on the snow.Lighter it is, more I'll tend towards a wide shovel and push. Always in the direction with the prevailing wind, and throw the snow as far as possible so as to avoid having to lift it later in the year.

 

[bigbog]

....

Yah, there's nothing like spending shoveling/blowing it away when you could be skiing in it someplace...
What is also nice is the plastic scoop....~36x36"...great for those times when you wanna get some exercise , although the blower is the easiest....;-)

$.01

 

[drjeff]

Yeah my shoveling routine is a 9hp 2 stage snowblower

I'll second that technique Just gotta be carefull not to pull a muscle in my thumb pushing the button on the electric starter though

 

[Glenn]

I live in CT and I have a snowblower. I grew up in Western Mass and you guys get more snow than we do.

 

[Grassi21]

10.5 horsepower Ariens snow thrower... this item and my back pack leaf blower are the two best purchases i have made as a home owner.

 

[Warp Daddy]

10.5 horsepower Ariens snow thrower... this item and my back pack leaf blower are the two best purchases i have made as a home owner.

Agree totally !!

My first Ariens a 1976 model 7 hp lasted till this year and still started with recoil but was sometimes an effort so sold it and bought a new Ariens 9hp -------------------these suckers really do a great job and with this pow it throws a hell af a rooster tail .

 

[Grassi21]

Agree totally !!

My first Ariens a 1976 model 7 hp lasted till this year and still started with recoil but was sometimes an effort so sold it and bought a new Ariens 9hp -------------------these suckers really do a great job and with this pow it throws a hell af a rooster tail .

i have heard great things about ariens which is why i went with one. i bought it off of a guy who used to for one season. he decided 10.5 hp wasn't enough and bought a plow for his truck.

love throwing the pow, hate throwing the slush/wet snow. the wife parked our son's highchair in front of the window on saturday morning so he could watch me clear the driveway. i hope he was taking notes because this will be his job in about 13 years.

 

[Marc]

Don't twist when you throw the snow off the shovel. Twisting is the singular easiest way to injur your back according to my soon to be Dr. of PT girlfriend.

Beyond that, you could do like me and shovel with a FEL:

 

[Warp Daddy]

i have heard great things about ariens which is why i went with one. i bought it off of a guy who used to for one season. he decided 10.5 hp wasn't enough and bought a plow for his truck.

love throwing the pow, hate throwing the slush/wet snow. the wife parked our son's highchair in front of the window on saturday morning so he could watch me clear the driveway. i hope he was taking notes because this will be his job in about 13 years.

Saw you're an IC my son's best buddie was on their indoor and outdoor track and field squad and XC squad in teh early 90's My son was a UB athlete in the same sports we have several great IC friends from that period and earlier

My former colleague and Athletic Director a one of the college's i worked at held the Foul shooting record @ IC for DECADES.

Good school

 

[Grassi21]

Saw you're an IC my son's best buddie was on their indoor and outdoor track and field squad and XC squad in teh early 90's My son was a UB athlete in the same sports we have several great IC friends from that period and earlier

My former colleague and Athletic Director a one of the college's i worked at held the Foul shooting record @ IC for DECADES.

Good school

Ithaca is a special place. Can't wait to get back up there.

 

[o3jeff]

Have an Ariens 9/26, does the job.

 

[campgottagopee]

I've found that my 27hp Simplicity 4x4 Legacy XL w/ 49 inch 2stage blower and 40lb spintech salt spreader works better than any shovel you could ever find.

 

[drjeff]

I've found that my 27hp Simplicity 4x4 Legacy XL w/ 49 inch 2stage blower and 40lb spintech salt spreader works better than any shovel you could ever find.

And it's a really cool color too!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

At work we have 3 inches of solid ice on the driveway and paths..we're not planning on any deliveries this week due to the weather..I used about 100 pounds of salt on the paths and the sun despite frigid temperatures is softening the paths..luckily mother nature is going to do the shovelling Wednesday and Thursday with warm temperatures and rain..