Building avalanche shovel

_IRRELEVANT_

_IRRELEVANT_

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While this might not be the best option I want to create an aluminum shovel for my snowmobile/skiing/car emergencies. At school I have access to a tig welder and have gotten good at welding steel and aluminum but I want to hear any ideas on the best way to build one and what materials to use
 
I feel like you're better off just buying one. They're so lightweight.

If you want to build something buid a psrk rake. Maybe even a collapsible that you can transport to different places or hit urban.

Park rakes are crazy expensive and somewhat heavy anyway. Also if you're into building, a weighted tranny shovel head is always sweet snd you could make it switch with your rake head on the existing handle.

Idk if an avy shovel style shovel even just for the car is worth it.
 
Also that was just my $.02 build whatever you want. Wasn't trying to be discouraging. I've never learned tig, never really had the reason or opportunity. Always wanted to but at this point prolly never will.
 
14338987:theabortionator said:
Also that was just my $.02 build whatever you want. Wasn't trying to be discouraging. I've never learned tig, never really had the reason or opportunity. Always wanted to but at this point prolly never will.
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Nah I got you, but not gonna be anything serious that imma be lugging around in mountains just gonna be something to say I made that and just strap it to snowmobile or put in truck
 
That's legit, unfortunately unless you can find some good scrap raw materials may cost as much as just buying one. Aluminum avvy shovels are super cool, sturdy, and light as it is.

If you weren't worried about weight, I'd use stainless and make something super beefy that will last forever. Sounds like a neat project. I just got a tig welder myself and have slowly become more proficient at turning bits of tubing stock into perfectly glued together scrap.
 
Bet you could build a pretty dope shovel for around the house and urban and shit. Seems really hard to build something small and lightweight that I would trust as an avy shovel. Maybe build a sleigh shovel? Those things are epic for jump building
 
14339014:IcantSki42069 said:
Yo gotta plug DMOS shovels here
https://dmoscollective.com/

For truck/sled skiing its by no means an rescue shovel but it has gotten my truck out of some stick situations as well as my sled super bomber products. #notsponsored
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Why wouldn't they weld the wise closed. Is there a reason they left it open or just lazy. Also would make it stronger. Kinda looks like once they're all cut out they get them bent in place and call it good. Also does the other shovel have rivets in it?

Idk. Seems weird for a $200 shovel.
 
They seem to collapse pretty legit though. Idk. Just always curious why people do things the way they do. Not necessarily hating.
 
14339021:theabortionator said:
Why wouldn't they weld the wise closed. Is there a reason they left it open or just lazy. Also would make it stronger. Kinda looks like once they're all cut out they get them bent in place and call it good. Also does the other shovel have rivets in it?

Idk. Seems weird for a $200 shovel.
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I'm sure it's just ease of manufacturing. Doesn't look like any of their products are welded, can be made by drilling/cutting/fastening and forming sheet material in a brake pretty easily. I bet it's plenty strong all things considered but definitely a bead in those areas would look better
 
14339040:Biffbarf said:
I'm sure it's just ease of manufacturing. Doesn't look like any of their products are welded, can be made by drilling/cutting/fastening and forming sheet material in a brake pretty easily. I bet it's plenty strong all things considered but definitely a bead in those areas would look better
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Yeah it makes sense. I think with the thread being about welding it was on my mind. That's prolly all it comes down to lol
 
So I’m gonna do some drawings tonight but I can’t think of a way to make a two piece handle becuase I’d like to have it collapse but I might just have to do a one piece design
 
I love saving money, but I think buying one would be way more practical, they're relatively cheap and are super lightweight and some are foldable. That's just me though, good luck if you go through with it.
 
I feel like in the realm of avvy safety too it might be better to have a bought shovel thats tested to work under intense pressure. I mean if you just want one for ur car or whatever its dope. but a sled/ski shovel is something you dont want to fail if it comes down to needing to use it in an emergency. not doubting your welding skill or anything but a good folding avvy shovel is $60-80 and is far less likely to falter in the time you need it
 
if your making a shovel on the smaller side i would personally use stainless as thin gauge aluminum tends to warp, and the clean welds will be an added bonus
 
14339072:_IRRELEVANT_ said:
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I love threads like these. I’d say no go on the wing nut unless you’ve got a second point of contact between the actual shovel piece and the handle. Itll be swangin like a horse cock if you don’t get that wing nut right as fuck. Maybe some rivets and one of those snap joint things that are on normal shovels, ya know??

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**This post was edited on Nov 1st 2021 at 5:50:25pm
 
14339138:Nixx said:
I love saving money, but I think buying one would be way more practical, they're relatively cheap and are super lightweight and some are foldable. That's just me though, good luck if you go through with it.
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14339602:CrunnchyVanMan said:
I feel like in the realm of avvy safety too it might be better to have a bought shovel thats tested to work under intense pressure. I mean if you just want one for ur car or whatever its dope. but a sled/ski shovel is something you dont want to fail if it comes down to needing to use it in an emergency. not doubting your welding skill or anything but a good folding avvy shovel is $60-80 and is far less likely to falter in the time you need it
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Love y’all worrying about my safety but I already have a real one I just want to make one so I can say I made that you know
 
I feel like if I use those it’d be just as sloppy as the bolt but I think instead of putting it on the shovel head I weld a bigger piece like 4 inches long then put the bolt
 
14339873:_IRRELEVANT_ said:
I feel like if I use those it’d be just as sloppy as the bolt but I think instead of putting it on the shovel head I weld a bigger piece like 4 inches long then put the bolt
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The vast majority of play in that joint will come from the tolerance between the ID of the sleeve that is fixed to the blade and the OD of the tube that connects to the handle, not the fastening mechanism.
 
14353116:mrk127 said:
Do you have a good way to bend metal or are you welding all the joints?
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Most of it I’m welding because it’s supposed to be a welding project because I want to get better at it as a real life experience instead of just welding plain plates
 
14353118:_IRRELEVANT_ said:
Most of it I’m welding because it’s supposed to be a welding project because I want to get better at it as a real life experience instead of just welding plain plates
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You should figure out how to put bends in the metal without welding it. Not corners. Corners will break too easily, and it's fairly easy to bend some sheet metal into that simple of a shape. Any good welder should be good at other basic metal working, aswell.
 
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