Summer cottages covered with a layer of white fluffy snow are truly a fabulous picture that you can enjoy for hours sitting at the window with a cup of tea. But sometimes you have to go outside, but not for aesthetic reflection, but with the goal of cleaning snow deposits from garden paths and car parking. Kneading muscles and clearing the area will help a snow shovel - a primitive tool, but very useful.
Step-by-step shovel manufacturing technology
Purchased products are good: durable, beautiful, light. But why not make a snow shovel with your own hands? Almost all tools and materials can be found right in the country, and it takes only 2-3 hours to work. As a result, we get time and money savings, but the most important thing is satisfaction from our own labor.
A comparative review of snow removal equipment may also be useful: //diz-cafe.com/tech/uborka-territorii-ot-snega.html
The advantages of a wooden shovel on the face: it is light in comparison with metal, quite durable, and most importantly - suitable for self-manufacturing
Step I - Preparatory Phase
The base will be a regular piece of plywood. Its dimensions may vary: if the shovel is intended for an adult, a square of 50x50 cm is suitable, for a children's tool 30x30 cm is enough. The plywood element is fixed on a piece of board sawn from a workpiece whose length is equal to the width of the shovel (respectively, 50 cm or 30 cm) . The handle requires a rail or a thin long block (about 2 m).
In addition to the basic materials, you will need a thin metal plate and fasteners - ordinary nails. As you can see, these are all the simplest things that anyone can find in the household. Special tools are also not needed, a file (jigsaw), a planer, sandpaper, a hammer, and pliers are needed.
Place of work depends on the weather. On a good day, you can sit right on the street, exhibiting a carpentry table near the house. In bad weather any outbuilding is suitable
Step II - Making the end part
We take an unprocessed section of the board and saw off the part necessary for the manufacture of the so-called end face - the basis for fixing the plywood sheet. We plan the workpiece on all sides so that it becomes smooth. With a pencil, draw the contours of the future part - draw an arc on one side, the second remains straight. The width of the middle is 8 cm, the edges are 5 cm.
Measure seven times, cut once - this proverb is very welcome. For accurate calculations, use a ruler, square and pencil
We remove the excess wood and get the finished end.
For wood processing, along with hand tools, you can use electric ones: work efficiency increases, and the quality becomes better
Step III - Handling the Shank
First you need to determine what shape the handle of the product will be, since both round and rectangular cuttings can be found on snow shovels. We will make a handle with a rectangular cross section, but for the convenience of the edges we will slightly round off.
For a start, cut a two-meter length of about 4.5 cm wide from a suitable edged board or slat. Make sure that the wood does not contain knots - these are critical, weak points that will break at the first load. It is not terrible if there is a slight bevel along the entire length (divergence in width) - this does not affect the strength and convenience of the handle.
If the shovel part of the shovel is attached to the handle at the right angle, it will be easier to work. Snow removal with such an instrument will require much less power.
If there is a bark on the side, remove it, then plan the workpiece, leaving, but slightly rounding the ribs. Finally, we sanded the stalk, giving it smoothness. Unprocessed parts should not remain, as hands can be injured about them.
Step IV - Sawing an Aperture
To firmly fix the handle in the end part, it is necessary to cut out the opening. It is located exactly in the center of the part, and the cut width corresponds to the width (or diameter) of the handle. It will turn out more accurately if you cut out the opening with a jigsaw, and then use a chisel.
The depth of the opening from different sides should differ: 4 cm and 4.5 cm. Half a centimeter goes to the bevel, which ensures an ideal landing of the handle. The angle of inclination of the shovel is completely dependent on this bevel, it can be different - it depends on the height of the person and the manner of his work with a shovel. The difference in half a centimeter is very convenient for most people, so you can stop at it.
Wood is a soft and pliable material, so you need to work with it carefully. One inaccurate movement - and the workpiece will become defective
Next, you should outline along which line you need to cut the stalk. For this, a square is useful. Carefully cut the unwanted length, while monitoring the angle of cut - the bevel on the handle must match the opening. We connect the two parts, checking the work.
Step V - Assembling the Shovel
All parts are prepared, you can start assembling a snow shovel. A piece of plywood is pinned to the end part. Only three nails are required: one is boarded up in the middle, two - at the edges.
Before connecting the plywood and the end part, you should find the middle of both parts and hammer the first nail directly in the center, and then the other two - at the edges
You can use one trick that will save plywood from cracking. We bite off the sharp parts of the nails, and their blunt end will not push apart the plywood fibers, but simply tear them apart.
All parts of the product must fit snugly against each other, otherwise snow will fall into the gaps and crevices. Dampness will quickly spoil the wood
We take a tape measure and calculate the place of attachment of the handle to the plywood. We mark the places of nailing on the back of the scoop part, and then we nail the handle to the plywood. This is a crucial moment, since inaccurate marking threatens with deviations of the handle. It is difficult to work with such a tool - a snow shovel will constantly tilt to one side.
Step VI - Upholstery with Metal Strips
To give strength to the shovel, it is necessary to strengthen it with metal strips. Galvanized iron left over from roof repairs is ideal. In its absence, ordinary cans of canned food will do.
Tin cans for work can always be found in the cottage refrigerator or cellar. For cutting jars into strips, metal scissors will be needed
To make the lower edge, cut the tape a little longer than the shovel width - 55-60 cm. Width - 6 cm. We bend the cut piece in half and get the edge that you need to put on the scoop part from below and fix it. So that the metal fits snugly on the plywood, it is driven with a few hammer blows.
When working with metal strips, work gloves should be worn to prevent injury; tarpaulin gloves or garden gloves are also suitable.
We bend the pieces of metal protruding from the sides, then we fix the edge with three nails. Nails must pierce the plywood, bend the excess parts. Similarly, we upholstere the end part with a metal strip. Then we fix the stalk with screws using the screws in the central part of the plywood, and reinforce the joint from the back with a small piece of metal.
In the process of working with self-tapping screws, it is advisable to use an electric drill. Work will go much faster, and holes for screws will preserve the integrity of the wood
The shovel is ready, and there will no longer be questions about how to make a spare shovel or how to make a small shovel for a child.
A wooden shovel should be stored in a warm room, but away from heating appliances - a veranda or a corridor will do. With proper storage, the tool will last more than 5 seasons.
Alternatives
If the cottage is considered as a resting place and there are difficulties with materials and tools, then you can purchase a ready-made shovel in the store. There are many options for products - metal, plastic, wood.
Electric snow blowers are suitable for large areas: their performance is higher, but a power source is required.
Snow blower can also be done with your own hands. Read about it: //diz-cafe.com/tech/kak-sdelat-snegouborshhik.html
To clear the path to the gate, a small shovel made of durable plastic is enough - it will last for many years.
Shovels made of plastic and aluminum are appreciated for their low weight - and this is important when cleaning snow, which is heavy in itself. The cost of plastic shovels is from 850 to 1500 rubles
Wooden shovels are chosen by creative people who independently “modify” them - give a beautiful look. Canvas products can be painted with paints - you get an exclusive model in a folk style.
