Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I've never used a blower with drift cutters on them.

I've been thinking of making some from flat steel bar.

Do they do anything useful is is it a sales feature.

Sure they work if the snow is higher than the bucket.  They make a nice edge on snow banks.  They also makes nice marks on car door panels as well.  Be careful maneuvering a snowblower with them on especially around cars and fences.

I don't have them on because I rarely let the snow get higher than the bucket before going outside to snowblow.   The retractable drift breakers are nice since you can put them out of the way when not needed. 

I love mine and wouldn't be without them.  I had them on one unit and the next unit that I had didn't have them so I custom ordered them right away for it.  At the end of the driveway where the plow shoves snow in they are very useful and infront of the mail box on the street where I have to clean a spot for the mailmain to drive up, they are also useful.  So in those two spots I use mine almost every good snow fall.  I have yet to have a normal snow fall that is over the bucket depth of 21" where I would use them going down the sidewalk though.  Lord help us all if we get hit with a 21' snow fall all at once.  Now that could make us use our machines and put them to the test.  HA

nibbler wrote: You're first two lines are exactly what I went through last year. Easy enough project, fabrication and paint in less than an hour. But then I picked up a piece of flat stock I had laying in "the pile" and realized how easily it bent and stayed bent. I thought of going thicker but too thick won't slice. Deeper into the pile I found an old lawnmower blade, sharpened too often to be of any use, that I had saved for the steel. Looks like with a little grinding it would do a great job, but I only had one so I still haven't done it.

So I really can't answer your questions except to say make sure the stock you use isn't too flexible, unless it's spring-hardened. I'm pretty sure all the flat stock you buy at HD or a regular hardware store will be fully annealed and just might get kinked after fighting the EOD a few times.

Has anybody made them out of materials other than steel?

My ariens came with a set but my previous machine didn't so I used "3/16" flat steel about about "1 12" wide and made a set. The thickness didn't seem to bother when you had snow that deep. I haven't used the set I got with the new machine yet.

Coldfingers