Snow Happens
Snowed about 4 inches last night. I was out shoveling the rink as the snow was tapering off at midnight. The temps were above freezing all day yesterday, and even as the snow fell at that late hour, it was 34 degrees. As a result, the ice turned to water on the side facing the sun, and the snow turned into a thick slush when it landed on the rink. It was important that I shovel and get as much snow off as quickly as possible. The snow was wet and sticky, and the trees and netting were covered in a thick blanket of the white stuff. However, what looks pretty isn't always good for ice. What was once a smooth sheet of ice turned into a mess of bumps and crunchy junk.
Snowed about 4 inches last night. I was out shoveling the rink as the snow was tapering off at midnight. The temps were above freezing all day yesterday, and even as the snow fell at that late hour, it was 34 degrees. As a result, the ice turned to water on the side facing the sun, and the snow turned into a thick slush when it landed on the rink. It was important that I shovel and get as much snow off as quickly as possible. The snow was wet and sticky, and the trees and netting were covered in a thick blanket of the white stuff. However, what looks pretty isn't always good for ice. What was once a smooth sheet of ice turned into a mess of bumps and crunchy junk.
So I let it all freeze up today and I just finished putting down a coat of hot water using the Rink Rake. Then I broke the Rink Rake, and stared at the two pieces in my hand and thought to myself, "crap." It was very cheap and not sturdy at all. In the past I would either give up, or leave it in the basement and periodically check it to see if it miraculously fixed itself. But those days are over! I went out to Home Depot tonight and bought a bunch of pipes, a female coupling (heh, heh), and an adapter thing-a-majig to make my own version of a Zamboni. Going to give that a try tonight.
*******Amendment*******
10:00 pm
I just built the rake (gotta think of a new name now). I will take suggestions at millin@comcast.net . I made it for 1/4 the cost of the Rink Rake Debbie bought me online last year. In fact, this one is even better as I now can control the flow of water by using a switch that sits on it's handle. And, it only took me 30 minutes to do it. and at a fraction of the cost. And I'm one of those guys that measures something by saying, "it's 3 inches and 5 little lines long." Never the less, here are some pictures. I still have to attach the towel at the bottom that will smooth out the water as it flows onto the ice.
10:00 pm
I just built the rake (gotta think of a new name now). I will take suggestions at millin@comcast.net . I made it for 1/4 the cost of the Rink Rake Debbie bought me online last year. In fact, this one is even better as I now can control the flow of water by using a switch that sits on it's handle. And, it only took me 30 minutes to do it. and at a fraction of the cost. And I'm one of those guys that measures something by saying, "it's 3 inches and 5 little lines long." Never the less, here are some pictures. I still have to attach the towel at the bottom that will smooth out the water as it flows onto the ice.
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