×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Mini Zamboni

Mini Zamboni

Mini Zamboni

(OP)
Well it started several years ago when my son started playing hockey. I flooded part of the yard and made a small rink. Each year the rink got bigger. This year we have about 4500 square feet. That's a lot of snow to push off. Even after clearing with the tractor and snow blower, there was a lot left to do by hand. Flooding with the garden hose was also taking a lot of time.
A while back, a friend asked me why I didn't bring the old garden tractor with snow blower attached, up to his shop and get it going.
That was the start of the Mini Zamboni. For those of you in warmer climates, a Zamboni is a machine that is used to resurface and re-flood skating rinks. The tractor is a Ford LGT 125 (12 HP). It is somewhere between 35 and 45 years old. I dragged it home from an auction 5 or 6 years ago and then did nothing with it.
Well the first step was an oil change, a spark plug, points and a condenser. Some gas and a battery and wonder of wonders, it started.
Changing the points was a challenge. There was a drive shaft running down the left hand side for a PTO. The shaft cleared the cover of the points by about 1/8 inch. I don't have any attachments that would need a PTO drive so the shaft came off. It came out the front. That meant removing all the sheet metal on the front of the tractor. It is never going back on.
The steering was sort of good and the hydro static transmission still worked.
It needed a new ignition switch and still needs a new seat.
The next step was to lubricate the snow blower and get the chain to flex again. It turned out that an arm was broken off of the lifting mechanism for the snow blower. We removed the gas tank and then stood the tractor up vertically with a hoist generally used to remove diesel engines from large trucks. My friend welded the broken part back on and we replaced the gas tank.
Other issues, straighten a tie rod. That took the steering from sort of good to great. Tires. One back tire was rotted off. We couldn't match the other tire so two new tires that are just a little too big but work fine just the same. One front tire was also rotten and was replaced.
The next issue was a little more trouble than anticipated. We needed a drive belt for the snow blower. Two fairly large diameter pulleys, close together with tight clearances all around.
We finally found a belt that fit. 1/4 inch longer and we couldn't have taken up enough slack to tighten it. 1/2 inch shorter and we could not have installed it.
The original belt tightener was gone. I finally found a pulley with an integral bearing at NAPA. I think it was intended to tighten a belt on a earlier Chevy car. I managed to get it mounted and tightened the drive belt.
Now the tractor was running on four tires and the snow blower was turning. We started to work on the water system.
There was an implement hitch on the back. It looked like it was intended to support a tiller. It was about 8" or 9" wide and went up and down. We lifted it up all the way and bolted it in position. This put the top of the hitch almost horizontal.
We bolted on a short piece of channel iron (about 2 feet) and welded a curved strap on each end. That made a cradle that would support an oil drum. (45 Canadian Gallons, I think about 55 Gallons US).
We held it in place with a pair of ratchet type cargo straps.
A 2" 90 degree fitting, a ball valve, another 90 and reducer and about 50 inches of perforated 1 inch pipe for a water distributor.
The last thing was a safety guard over part of the snow blower mechanism.
Painting will have to wait for warmer weather.
Please remember, the purpose was to clear snow and flood a skating rink, not to faithfully restore an old garden tractor.
When the weather warms up we will give the tractor a new coat of paint and try to find some lettering sets to replace the original lettering. "FORD", "LGT 125"
It cost a few hundred dollars and took a few hours, but my 10 year old was so excited when we brought it home from the shop it was worth many times the cost.
Now he can clear the snow and flood the rink while I stay warm and watch out the window.
We filled up the water tank and William climbed into the seat. Well actually, onto the back pack where the seat will be when we get a seat.
Away he went, flooding his rink himself and unbelievably excited.
Now the are probably quite a few kids in Canada and the Northern States who own their own Zamboni. They are made out of garden tractors, quads or go karts; anything to get the job done.
But my son has dual citizenship, Canadian and Honduran. He may be the only 10 year old Honduran in the world with his own personal Zamboni.
I'll post some pictures when I have a little more time.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

Yes, we definitely need pictures of this.

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)
Hi IR;
I was thinking further afield than North America. Cricket anyone?

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)

Here's the tractor in the shop.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)

The channel is mounted on the hitch. One cradle is being placed prior to welding.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)

Here's the Specs.
(Full information at http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/001/4/1/1...)
TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors
Lawn Tractors > Ford > LGT-125

Ford LGT-125
LGT Series
Model years 1972 - 1983

Production:
Distributor: Ford
Manufacturer: Jacobsen

Ford LGT-125 Engine:
12HP Kohler 476cc 1-cyl gasoline
full engine details ...
It's a cold morning and time to flood.
More pic to-nite.

Capacity:
Fuel: 2 gal [7.6 L]

3-Point Hitch:
Rear Type: 0 (optional)

Power Take-off (PTO):
Front PTO: independent
Clutch: electric

Dimensions & Tires:
Wheelbase: 46 inches [116 cm]
Weight: 790 lbs [358 kg]
Front tire: 16x6.50-8
Rear tire: 23x8.50-12
full dimensions and tires ...

Ford LGT-125 attachments:
42" mid-mount mower deck
50" mid-mount mower deck
snowblower
blade
front-end loader
backhoe
all LGT-125 attachments ...

Mechanical:
Transmission: hydrostatic
Chassis: 4x2 2WD
Steering: manual
Brakes: integral mechanical band
Cab: Open operator station. All-weather cab optional.

Electrical:
Ground: negative

Battery:
Number: 1
Volts: 12

Page information:
Last update: July 9, 2013
Copyright: Copyright 2015 TractorData LLC
Contact: Peter@TractorData.com
©2000-2015 - TractorData™. Notice: Every attempt is made to ensure the data listed is accurate. However, differences between sources, incomplete listings, errors, and data entry mistakes do occur. Consult official literature from the manufacturer before attempting any service or repair.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

Nice! Bet your son has a blast driving it too.

Didn't realize ford made tractors that small. My old boss had a 16hp Ford tractor we did all sorts of things with. But it had rear tires that were 5 feet tall. Definitely wasn't a "yard tractor". I was always being amazed by the raw ability of 16 diesel hp funneled thru hydraulics and low gears.

Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Mini Zamboni

Do you play music in the background while he preps the ice?
They always do at the rink.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

RE: Mini Zamboni

Actually Ford DIDN'T make that tractor. If you look at the details that Bill uploaded you would see that it was manufactures by Jacobsen, a name much more recognizable in the lawn-tractor industry. This is what you would call a 'private label' arrangement where Jacobsen did all the engineering and manufacturing and simply delivered it in Ford markings and color. Not sure what the sales-channel would be in a situation like that, perhaps through those organizations that actually did sell Ford farming equipment.

John R. Baker, P.E.
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)
The other night at Will's hockey game they played "Hockey Mom" by Stompin Tom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2lw-uB9SFA
Right now it's 14 degrees F with a windchill of -2 degrees F.
Will is out blowing snow. He has cleared his rink, cleared a path through the trees and bushes and he is now working on the driveway. When he turns into the wind he gets a faceful of cold snow and cold wind.
He came in and found some goggles and more warm headgear and went back out blowing more snow.

Here's the Mini Zamboni, out of the shop and about to load in the trailer.


The first run flooding the rink. An excited kid driving the tractor for the first time.


A special thanks to itsmoked for the faq on uploading pictures.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

I bet Will is super jazzed about that. He gets to drive, push stuff around, spray stuff, smell exhaust, and work a gas pedal. Doesn't get much better than that at that age. Seems you gained a permanently cleared driveway in the deal too. :)


I'll take that thanks and then tell you that FAQ is outdated and unnecessary now because Eng-Tips finally got things working right. You just click the picture up above with the circle in the lower corner and directly upload the your pics onto the server and they're automatically linked in-line into your text. (Try to keep them around 700W X whateverH and no one will complain about the size much.)

If using 'tinypics.com' as soon as a period of time goes by without anyone accessing the tinypic located image, they dump it off their server, and then the links in here all break and everyone is disappointed who looks at the thread later. Some of my earlier threads in here have fallen to that malady.

It's easy to do if you want to.
1) Hit the edit, down below your posts.

2) Right click on each image in its post and pick "save as" whatever it sez to your desktop. You should see each file appear on your desktop starting at the top left-most available icon spot.

3) Click the icon above and drag the file you just saved to your desktop right back into the "drop file here" that pops up.

4) Right click and delete the old image.

5) Preview your now fully edited post. Hit submit. You're done.
Takes way longer to read this than to do it.


P.S. I edited the FAQ to the new reality.

Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)
Thanks again Keith. Editing done. Posting pics is super easy now.

We have a few shortcomings still. (Will thinks that it is perfect!!)
I'll try to get back in the shop next week while Will is in school.
Issue #1 The cutting edge rides about 1/4 inch high due to a couple of skid shoes.
Fix- Either remove the skid shoes or extend the cutting edge.

Issue #2 Filling. It takes about 9 minutes to fill and about 12 minutes to spread a load of water. With a wind chill of -18 deg. C, or 0 deg. F the water tap frezes before Will can get back for another load of water. Then the holes in the distributor bar freeze over while the tank is being filled.
We keep a jug of water handy to thaw the tap, and Will has learned to use the small propane torch to thaw his distributor bar.
Fix- A second water tank that can be filling while the rink is being flooded. This is in progress. I have the bottom cut out of another oil drum. We will bolt some 2x4s to the sides as legs to raise it up high enough.
I have the fittings and a 2" ball valve to fit a 2" hose to rapidly dump the water into the Zamboni tank.
I went looking for a fill valve, similar to a toilet fill valve but with more volume.
These valves are available for stock watering. The price runs from about $80 to $180. Back to the shop. A couple of pieces of scrap steel, a couple of 3/4" pipe niples and fittings, a couple of holes drilled and a couple of bolts.
We now have a servicable fill valve. (pics to come)
We have been filling the tank through the small bung. We will have to cut a fill hole for the 2" fill hose.
The freezing is a minor annoyance. The big advantage will be time saving. Now we can do about 2 floods per hour. With the new system we will be able to do about 4 or 5 floods per hour.

Issue #3 The discharge chute is more or less fixed. Even if it could be adjusted, I don't want Will anywhere near the front of the machine making adjustments. His standing orders are to disengage the blower clutch and then stop the engine before he gets out of the seat.
Fix- Design and build a chute that can be easily flipped from right to left, from the drivers seat.

Long term plans for warmer weather; A good paint job and replace the lettering.
Replace the back pack with a proper seat.
Investigate the possibility of using an electric window winder from an old car to raise and lower the snow blower. (May not happen. If I can't make it safe for a 10 Year old I won't do it.)
Replace the battery with the proper size battery so that we can instal the right hand side panel.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

I have a sack of 12V window cranks if it makes sense to send you one. They are pretty torqueee.

Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Mini Zamboni

Really nice job, and as is usually the case, a work in progress. Not any where near your efforts, but I just bought and old Murray riding mower. Drained the poly gas tank, replaced the fuel line and fuel filter and it started right up. Figured out how to adjust the mower lift. There is a lot of life left in those old tractors if you're willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)
Thanks Greg. I hadn't thought of that.
Thanks Keith. I have two parts cars, both with electric windows and seats. One of the advantages of rural living, along with skating rinks and horses. I have both cable type and spur and gear type window winders.
You couldn't force a kid out in weather like this. But with his own Zamboni to drive, his Hockey Mom can't call him in.


Here's a shot of Will's winter wear.


Here's Will and a friend at the local rodeo last summer.



Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

The power liftgate mechanism in my 2013 Navigator looks like a disc motor with a big long screw running through it; most of it is hidden in the left rear interior quarter trim panel. You might be able to scrounge and use something similar. It lifts the heavy liftgate with a poor mechanical advantage with no apparent difficulty.
I think there's some kind of overload clutch in there so that bagboys can pull the gate down without damaging the actuator; not sure how that works, or if you'd need to defeat it.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)
Thanks for the suggestions fellows. I'm going to pull out some power seat motors as soon as it warms up a little. With the weather we have been having lately, that may only be a few days. The ice rink is fading fast.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

(OP)
Thanks Tick.
I considered using plastic but my friend pointed out that I would not be able to use the Tiger Torch to thaw out plastic hardware.
We may end up with a squeegee but not right away. A squeegee will work great for resurfacing with hot water.
We spend a lot of time building the ice up thicker and trying to level the low spots. If we ever get the rink level, we may try a squeegee and less water per pass but that will have to wait for next year. We have had a spell of above freezing weather and it looks like our rink is finished for this year. When it gets a little warmer we can start re-painting the machine.
Will is wondering if he will be able to water his mothers garden this summer. It may work well, maybe not. We will have to try and see what happens.
I enjoyed the link that you posted, and also the adjacent clips on youtube.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Mini Zamboni

waross, this fellow Canadian salutes you.
Stompin' Tom was playing in my head well before I got to your youtube link :)

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources