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

If you could take the best parts/designs/features from different 2 stage snow throwers and create the best of the best, what would you use?  Who's engine? Impeller? Chute design? Drive system? Steering? Chute controls? Auger and Drive controls? Frame? Accessories? Etc?  I know most of us have favorites but I have to admit I find that I like certain things about certain machines.  I don't really mean that this has to be parts that would actually bolt together, just kind of a best-of-all design concept.  And don't just say brand or model xxx is perfect just the way it is.  If you feel that way that's cool.  But this question is not meant for that .  We're trying to take all of our experience and build something that hasn't been done yet.  Lets stick to 2 stage with wheels in an average bucket size to kind of limit the scope of this project. ( I know...I've got too much time on my hands while waiting for snow!)

Since we are in Fantasy Land, i,m going with handlebar mounted paint ball cannon to take out the over-caffeinated plow operators. Or better yet a teleporter to take me to the tropics for the winter.

If we're going really pie-in-the-sky, following aa335's lead, then I simply want a heated driveway, to melt all the ice and snow. Those apparently exist. I'd hate to see the electric/fuel bill, but hey, if you have the money...

I like to have a snow maker.  Wouldn't it be nice to have snow whenever you want without waiting for the weather report?

Well... I have a much better idea: instead of a auger and a chute and all the heavy duty stuff, I want a simple yet powerful " hot Lasor beam" to cut, melt, and vaporize the snow in a second...

I thought this thread was about taking all the best parts off of existing snowblowers and combining them to make the best actual snowblower.

Buut now it's laser beams and giant robots.

I mean you can always buy a commercial snowblower like a Bobcat and have a heated cab. That would be ideal.

Kubota with blower for winter, mower for summer, heated and air. 

Why go through this exercise when someone's already done it?

borat wrote:

They only cost about what $20K, still it would be nice to have a heated cab and be able to throw snow into the next county.

Enough money to install heating coils under the driveway and all the walks, and heat them all up so I never have ice or snow to worry about.  They would turn on automatically the moment a moisture sensor registered the precipitation when the temp was 32 degrees farenheit or lower.  I'd be in bed, with an electric mattress pad and retired.

New_Yorker wrote:

I sure hope you have really good drainage because melting a lot of snow like that is going to make a lot of water all at once. It would also be good for making an ice skating rink if it failed. I would think you'd have to remove quite a lot of the snow before you turned on something like that as snow tends to resist melting quickly. But maybe you don't get much snow where you are?

Steve_Cebu wrote:
I have heard of those things.  The secret is to turn them on before it snows.  Then the snow melts as it falls.  Some are electric and some use hot water / steam in a loop through the ground.