Snow shovel: varieties and tips for choosing

For some, snowfall is a beautiful weather phenomenon, but for others it is another problem. Even a calm snowfall is capable of filling up all the paths for movement. And if a blizzard comes, it will even out everything so that no traces of the former path can be found. As a last resort, you can use any available means, including panicles. But working with them is long and difficult. Therefore, you need a reliable tool - a shovel, with which snow removal will turn into an easy warm-up.

There are quite a few gadgets on the market now. The shovel consists of a bucket (blade, tray), a handle (handle) and is intended for manual labor. With the help of it, you can dig or grab snow, and then transfer it to another place, thereby clearing any area. It should be distinguished from a scraper - it consists of a plate with a U-shaped handle. With its help, snow can be collected in small piles, but it is a shovel that is needed to capture and transfer. A hand shovel is inferior to mechanized snow removal devices. But it is much cheaper, more practical and convenient for those who do not like to understand the mechanisms, as well as if you need to clear a small area.

A snow shovel should be:

• reliable;
• durable, with a long service life;
• resistant to moisture and frost;
• lightweight and easy to use;
• affordable.

When purchasing a shovel, you need to pay attention to its following characteristics:

• total weight of the product;
• length and material of manufacture of the cutting;
• dimensions (width and length), material, shape and features of the bucket (presence of sides, grooves and angle of inclination in relation to the handle);
• method of connecting the handle to the bucket;
• the presence of additional elements (for example, wheels).

Even a tool as simple as a snow shovel, can be classified according to several criteria.

• To size. In this case, it is the parameters of the bucket that are meant. Its side can be from 20 cm wide to 1 m. A narrow shovel will have one handle, and a wide one - two (they will end with a handle for easy grip).
• According to their capabilities, shovels can be:

1. static - connected in one position;
2. folding (or collapsible) - more convenient to transport.

• According to the method of making shovels, there are:

1. made in production;
2. handmade.

• In appearance shovels can be ordinary (the kind we are used to) or with additional elements (wheels, auger, and so on).

But the most fundamental feature that distinguishes snow shovels is the material from which all its components are made.

For the cutting, you can use as material:

1. metal;
2. plastic;
3. wood.

Buckets can be metal (duralumin, aluminum, steel), plastic, wood or plywood. Moreover, it is not necessary that the household shovel is made entirely of one material.

Historically, it was wooden shovels that were the first to appear.And a couple of decades ago, this particular version of shovels was the most popular when it came to removing snow. However, only the handle of the shovel and the back wall of the bucket are made of solid wood. The lower part is most often made of plywood. It consists of several layers of veneer glued together. What are the advantages of this type of shovel:

• ease of manufacture - if necessary, such a shovel can be made by hand, besides, it will be relatively inexpensive;
• the dried tree has a low weight, it is easy to remove snow with such a shovel, the wooden stalk is quite pleasant to the touch;
• environmental friendliness - wood is a biodegradable material, there will be no problems with the disposal of any parts of a wooden shovel.

Among the minuses, one can note, first of all, low strength indicators. Of course, it all depends on the quality of the plywood. But due to its structure, cracks, delamination and chips can occur during operation. In addition, this material does not react well to moisture. It is impossible to change the shape of the plywood, so the shovel bucket will be just straight.

You can protect a plywood shovel with the help of metal strips (more often they take tin for this purpose), with which they sheathe the edges of the bucket and protect the attachment points.

The bucket itself is usually made of plastic and sometimes the handle at the end of the handle. The handle can be either wood or plastic coated metal. What are the advantages of this shovel:

• lightness (a large shovel with a wooden handle weighs no more than one and a half kilograms, and women can easily handle it);
• does not require special care;
• snow does not stick to the plastic bucket;
• the plastic handle is comfortable to hold;
• ease of processing of plastic makes the bucket more convenient - longitudinal grooves allow for better sliding and grip of snow, high sides will help to accurately convey the contents to the destination point, and an ergonomic bend saves energy;
• popularity is also explained by the low cost;
• plastic allows a wide choice in color and design.

Besides the advantages, there are also disadvantages:

• despite the fact that durable plastic is used, it will not withstand collisions with ice, metal reinforcement partially solves this problem, but makes the tool heavier;
• low-quality plastic may not withstand severe frosts and crack.

Not only a bucket can be made of metal, but also a shank. Shovels can be made of duralumin, aluminum or untreated steel, but the galvanized version is much more reliable. Such a product has a lot of advantages:

• strength - you can even dig a strong crust;
• durability - metal with such a coating is not in danger of corrosion, the shovel will last more than 10 years;
• metal allows you to make sides that hold snow;
• smooth surface makes it easy to pick up and dump the snow mass without sticking;
• the fastening between the bucket and the metal handle will be much stronger than in other options.

However, it should be borne in mind that metal weighs more than wood or plastic. And holding on to a metal handle in the cold is less pleasant, for this reason it is usually covered with polypropylene.

This type of shovel can be distinguished as a separate one due to the fact that they look different than ordinary ones, and their principle of operation is also different. It consists in the following: the blades of the auger capture the snow mass and throw it to the side. Snow plowing tools with auger can be hand-held or powered by a motor (the latter are less in demand due to their high cost and are purchased in cases where the area for clearing exceeds human capabilities). Auger shovels have their advantages:

• reliability (strong and durable materials are used);
• less effort and time is required for clearing compared to conventional shovels;
• the tool is quite compact, it is easy to carry, transport and store;
• has a wide, comfortable handle with two supports, providing the tool with ease of control and maneuverability.

In addition to the cost, this tool has other complaints. For example, the fact that a certain skill is required to work. From the first time, not everyone succeeds in taking into account the angle of inclination so that the blades do not slow down the work. In addition, if the snow is quite dense, more effort is required. Difficulties arise if the height of the snowdrift exceeds the height of the blades.

The choice of a snow shovel has a number of features that should be considered when purchasing.

• Estimate the scale of the area you need to clean and how often you need to do it. It's one thing to come to the dacha a couple of times during the winter, it is quite another thing to clear the driveway to the house for the car every day.
• The width of the shovel depends on the width of the areas to be cleared. For narrow paths, the bucket should be sized appropriately. It is important to pay attention to the relief - it is easier and safer to clean an area with an asphalt surface than paths in the garden, where bumps or branches that have fallen from trees can be found.
• Determine in advance the place where you will pull off the excess snow. This should be done so that it is convenient, and in the spring, when the snow melts, the resulting water has an outflow. It is more convenient to move snow in a shovel bucket if you do not carry it, but carry it. In addition, a trolley or other transport for moving snow can be foreseen.

• If the shovel needs to be transported frequently in the vehicle, opt for folding or collapsible options. In general, in the conditions of the Russian winter, a portable shovel should be in every car. However, shovels with mechanisms, including those with a folding handle, are less reliable than ordinary shovels.
• Soberly assess your strength. The larger and more complex the site, the lighter and more comfortable the shovel should be. Since snow is removed not only by men, but also by women, and even adolescents, it is necessary to select a shovel in accordance with their weight category and height. A wooden handle can be shortened on your own, cutting a metal one is possible, but already more difficult. Pay attention to the position of the bucket in relation to the handle to reduce stress on the back.

Do not assume that you can do all the snow removal work with a shovel. In fact, even there should be several of them - different in width, material.

And a few more tips.

• In addition to shovels, you need to have scrapers with which it is convenient to shovel snow into piles, and ice axes to remove ice. And of course, do not forget to sprinkle the tracks with a special compound that prevents the formation of ice at the end. The shovel must be used for its intended purpose, otherwise its life will be short-lived.
• During work, you need to correctly calculate the snow load. Don't take too much snow. It is better to do several approaches than one, thereby damaging your health and tool. But you should also not use a snow shovel to move bulk building materials (such as sand).
• After work, all shovels must be shaken off of snow. Wooden shovels require more delicate handling - they deteriorate from excess moisture, so they should be wiped dry.
• To place the shovels, use special racks or wall mounts located in a dry place - a utility room or garage.

• The shovel should be inspected for damage before and after snow removal. Weak points - the transition of the bucket blade to the handle and attachments. If cracks appear, it is difficult to do something, but the risk of injury during work increases. Loose fasteners can be tightened or replaced. Even in the event of a breakdown, do not rush to throw out the tool - you can try to fix it by replacing the failed part.