Mini Zamboni update.
Mini Zamboni update.
(OP)
Another season with the Mini Zamboni.
Mini Zamboni
thread1528-403548: Mini Zamboni
Is the restoration finished? No.
Is the Zamboni pretty? No.
Does it do the job? YES!
It still needs a paint job.
The engine side covers are still off.
The left-hand side is off for access to the fuel shut-off that I installed. I have found that leaking needle valves on small engine, gravity fed, carburators to be fairly common.
The right hand-side is off because it won't fit over the oversized battery. On the plus side, I have been able to start and use it at minus 20 C with a minus 29 windchill.
The first season it was very time consuming. It took quite a while to spread a load of water. Then we had to wait for the garden hose to refill it.
This season I drilled out the holes on the distributor bar to speed up spreading water.
Then I mounted an old oil drum on 2"x4" legs and added a float valve and a 2" dump valve and 2" hose.
The drum fills in about the same amount of time that it takes to spread a load and it only tkes a few minutes to dump a load of water with the 2" hose.
Our local rink puts down about 120 to 140 gallons of water when they flood. They use hot water to fill the skate grooves and reglaze the surface.
We are trying to build thickness to level the ice and so that the ice can survive short warm spells.
We may put down 250 or more gallons when we flood.
We have had very little snow this year and only used the snow blower twice. I cleared the snow a couple of times with a larger tractor.




PLAYING UNDER THE LIGHTS!
Mini Zamboni
thread1528-403548: Mini Zamboni
Is the restoration finished? No.
Is the Zamboni pretty? No.
Does it do the job? YES!
It still needs a paint job.
The engine side covers are still off.
The left-hand side is off for access to the fuel shut-off that I installed. I have found that leaking needle valves on small engine, gravity fed, carburators to be fairly common.
The right hand-side is off because it won't fit over the oversized battery. On the plus side, I have been able to start and use it at minus 20 C with a minus 29 windchill.
The first season it was very time consuming. It took quite a while to spread a load of water. Then we had to wait for the garden hose to refill it.
This season I drilled out the holes on the distributor bar to speed up spreading water.
Then I mounted an old oil drum on 2"x4" legs and added a float valve and a 2" dump valve and 2" hose.
The drum fills in about the same amount of time that it takes to spread a load and it only tkes a few minutes to dump a load of water with the 2" hose.
Our local rink puts down about 120 to 140 gallons of water when they flood. They use hot water to fill the skate grooves and reglaze the surface.
We are trying to build thickness to level the ice and so that the ice can survive short warm spells.
We may put down 250 or more gallons when we flood.
We have had very little snow this year and only used the snow blower twice. I cleared the snow a couple of times with a larger tractor.




PLAYING UNDER THE LIGHTS!
Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter





RE: Mini Zamboni update.
How often do you "resurface"?
Doesn't the water in your outside tank freeze?
RE: Mini Zamboni update.
Freezing. Well my outdoor freeze proof water tap is always frozen. I start by hooking up the garden hose from the tap to the surge tank. Then I pour hot water over the water tap until it starts to run water.
I close the balve valve on the bottom of the tank.
Some days the homemade float valve has not drained and is frozen so up the ladder with more hot water.
As soon as the water flow has started, I start trying to start the Zamboni.
I drive over to the surge tank, place the 2" hose in the hopper and open the dump valve.
When I am out on the ice I open the valve to start spreading water. Sometimes the holes in the distributor bar have frozen shut. A short time with a small propane torch gets the water running. As long as one hole is open the flowing water will open the other holes very shortly.
I start a pattern and when I am out of water I head back for another load of water.
when I am spreading my second last load, I shut down for a minute and shut off the water tap.
While loading the last load of water, I disconnect the garden hose and drain it. When the tank is empty I leave the dump valve open and the hose low so it will drain.
When the tank on the Zamboni is empty, I park it with one wheel on a short 2"x8". That drains the distributor so that any freeze-up is minor.
It's not as difficult as it seems. I have a routine and a proven solution for any recurring problems.
It takes about one to one and one-half hours.
It's not hard and with suitable clothing it's not uncomfortable.
Last week I was flooding with a wind chill of minus 29 C. No complaints. (I did have to jump start the Zamboni.)
But it will all be over in a day or so. There is a warm spell coming. Will should be able to skate after school tomorrow, but Wednesday may be a little damp. I don't expect to have usable ice by the weekend.
With hockey finished for the season yesterday, warmer weather coming, and more time, we can devote more time to training the Christmas Pony.
thread1088-419065: The Christmas Pony.
I sometimes wonder if my kid is spoiled?
Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: Mini Zamboni update.
Are you going to have enough free time this summer for the rodeo trips?
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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube