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!)

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.

Shryp wrote:

I'm sure they are cool to use but up here with all the snow we get. I'd worry more about a flood than blowing the snow to where it can melt in peace slowly over a couple of months. For places that don't get a ton of snow it sounds ideal.

Steve Cebu, the raindrains away no problem, so the melted snow would as well. No Biggie.

There is a lot more going on in the winter as all your drains would have to be heated or on really cold days and we get a lot of them it's going to freeze up in a big way. Then the water will back up as it won't have anywhere to go. So if you did get a system like this you'd need heated drains and someplace for the water to runoff in case the drains froze up.

In the summer it is a non-issue but when it's 0 degrees or colder that water will freeze up mighty quick.

New_Yorker wrote:

It would be porhibitively costly.I know ground heating is around for a couple of decades, it works very well at residential properties but I have not heard this idea in practice.

But instead of snow blowers we might use torch blowers with LPG tanks behind, melting the snow. However when it is freezing cold, melted snow will turn into ice as Steve_Cebu said. :D

Back to my idea, let's use Lasor to vaporize it!

JoelKlein wrote:

If you do that can I come over and watch? I want to see a high kilowatt laser melt snow on top of a driveway that will liquify at 200 degrees.