I have made up a robot frame with 2 motors to shovel snow. Now looking to add the shovel and actuator (snow has already arrived!). Any ideas appreciated. The frame is about 2 ' wide and 6" above ground. Looking for something easily available.

 

My ideas are enclosed.


That makes about as much sense as you not showing your "robot" to get answers. Why are you using a snow shovel? The most common way of mechanized snow removal for walkways and such is a snow blower, and that's done because shoveling is just too hard and not as efficient.

 

A Robot in Snow will not work.
Do You want to make a self-propelled Snow-Blower ?, that might work, sorta-kinda,
but Gas-Powered is much more practical, You need a lot of Power.
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Yes self-propelled.

 

It won't be easily available or cheap.
What are the specifications of your Battery ?
What are the specifications of your Motors ?
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Battery: 20 AH 12V
Motors 2X50W

 

Why are you using a snow shovel? The most common way of mechanized snow removal for walkways and such is a snow blower, and that's done because shoveling is just too hard and not as efficient.

Actually pushing the snow to the side would probably be the most common method. Easily much more efficient too considering that a worm gear could even be used to push things along (albeit at a snail's pace). A super low-powered blower on the other hand would be practically useless. For that more generous amounts of power are needed. The latter is also rather noisy and obtrusive by the way being somewhat difficult to control the exact direction of the spray of snow and such.

For what it's worth shoveling snow is really great exercise. So maybe set that robot project aside for a while and focus instead on those quads for just a bit? Oh come on now you know you've got to stay in shape!

 

Luckily, where we live there is little snow,
I have seen the films with snow blowers,

and wondered,
this is off topic a bit , sorry,

would a petrol flame gun as used in garden weed control be of use,
could be great fun to put that into a robot,
but just wondered what sort of amount of heat is needed
( assuming salt put down afterwards can keep the water from freezing )

 

Actually pushing the snow to the side would probably be the most common method.

On streets or parking lots I agree, but I don't think that's what he was talking about. Residential snow removal at least in my area is done by either shovel or blower. And an automated snow shovel would be a very hard to do thing.

 

On streets or parking lots I agree, but I don't think that's what he was talking about. Residential snow removal at least in my area is done by either shovel or blower. And an automated snow shovel would be a very hard to do thing.

It certainly wouldn't be the most trivial project. (Unless the TS just happens to be some kind of amazing genius or what have you.)

would a petrol flame gun as used in garden weed control be of use,
could be great fun to put that into a robot,
but just wondered what sort of amount of heat is needed
( assuming salt put down afterwards can keep the water from freezing )

Well I guess that settles THAT question...

 

It certainly wouldn't be the most trivial project. (Unless the TS just happens to be some kind of amazing genius or what have you.)



Well I guess that settles THAT question...

Has anyone with lots of snow tried a weed killer flame gun ?
I'm interested,

 

Has anyone with lots of snow tried a weed killer flame gun ?
I'm interested,

Again I'll will be called crude and unkind, but, you must not have lived where there is much snow. What do you consider a lot of snow? Flame heat is going to cost a lot of money and do a very bad job of clearing snow, then you have the water leftover from that snow melt. Not a good idea at all.

 

If you want to do this with batteries on a robot frame, I'd look into using one of these - https://snowjoe.com/collections/snow-blowers-shovels-cordless I'm doubting you could build one that works for less money than they can be bought on Amazon for.

 

Again I'll will be called crude and unkind, but, you must not have lived where there is much snow. What do you consider a lot of snow? Flame heat is going to cost a lot of money and do a very bad job of clearing snow, then you have the water leftover from that snow melt. Not a good idea at all.

@shortbus

Where I live, if there is more than a few cm of snow, a national emergency is called.
we just put tones of salt on roads and footpaths, and snow gone.

hence my question,

I just did not know what sort of heat would be required, and how much water would be produced, and could that be prevented from re freezing with salt.

Thank you,

 

Where I live, if there is more than a few cm of snow, a national emergency is called.

Where I live we don't consider that much snow a worry. I don't even bother to clean the sidewalk for that small amount.

 

Where I live we don't consider that much snow a worry. I don't even bother to clean the sidewalk for that small amount.

I agree. If I need to clear that little, a shop broom would finish the job without the “batteries” dying. Carrying enough salt to prevent the water from freezing, would add 20 lbs for every 100’ of walkway, requiring more powerful motors requiring heavy batteries. And the salt would destroy concrete walkways.

All in all, sounds impractical… or very very difficult to engineer .

 

I agree. If I need to clear that little, a shop broom would finish the job without the “batteries” dying. Carrying enough salt to prevent the water from freezing, would add 20 lbs for every 100’ of walkway, requiring more powerful motors requiring heavy batteries. And the salt would destroy concrete walkways.

All in all, sounds impractical… or very very difficult to engineer .

Thank you
I did not know , as mentioned, we don't get that much snow , so wanted to know .
Thank you

 

Has anyone with lots of snow tried a weed killer flame gun ?

My guess: the same people who bathe in Borax.

ak

 

I have made up a robot frame with 2 motors to shovel snow.

No, you have not.

ak

 

Battery: 20 AH 12V
Motors 2X50W

Let’s see, my moderate sized snowblower uses a 6HP gas engine. The equivalent of 4500 W. Maybe your 100W of power could shovel the driveway for a doll house.

Bob