snow and how to move it efficiently?

StephenRudd · Post by **StephenRudd** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:53 pm

We have a comfortable house in a pleasant rural setting, and we reach our house by driving up a rather long and steep dirt track. The place is great in summer, but sucks a bit with lots of snow ... Heikki, the local farmer will drag a plough up and down the track on request, so we're not completely isolated! We still need to spend quite a few hours with our trusty shovels in moving what is missed by the plough, and then suffer with the compacted ice.

After the last couple of big snowfalls I am slowly becoming slightly fanatical about the dream of something mechanical, gasoline powered and extravagant for the optimisation of the snow moving process. Bauhaus and K-Rauta have a mix of snow throwers, mini-tractors with plough attachments; and a local motorcycle shop advertises quad-bikes with plough attachments.

Does anyone here have any experience in the comparative advantage (or disadvantage) of any of these methods? A 4x4 car will cost at least 10k euro, how much has anyone spent on any of these solutions? What about real used tractors? (and where might we find such machines?) Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received; and the solution will have to be great for my better-half's mental health!

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meplusthree · Post by **meplusthree** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 6:45 pm

First - don't even consider the mini tractors designed for lawn mowing - not enough power or weight.
You are always going to end up with the ice tracks unless you clear the snow right down to the dirt every time it snows and before it has been driven on and I am guessing that aint going to happen!
Probably most practical solution is the snow blower ! and also have a sand/grit box somewhere near the top of the hill !

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:41 pm

How far is "rather long"?

50 metres? 500?

SGJ · Post by **SGJ** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:21 pm

Most people I know and who have similar needs have one of those 4x4 ATVs... But on the other hand using is them for snow ploughing is just an excuse, most own them primarily for the fun of riding them

Idea about getting a real agri trac for that purpose seemed so excotic and fascinating that I actually had to find it out

Seems that as professional machinery they are quite expensive. You can find tractors for example at this site: http://www.nettikone.com/listCategory.php?id=20

This one seems el-cheapo enough and is sold with perälevy (translation anyone?) that is seen attached in pictures: http://www.nettikone.com/viewMachine.ph ... ine=710102
Very old, but tractors are surprisingly durable machines compared to cars. I know a few about that age that still keep going, never even have their oil changed, nor any breakdowns. But still...

But you won't get that kind of rustic feel with an ATV or something. Fits perfectly into rural setting, now you could be just like a "vanha isäntä" and block the roads when going grocery shopping. Don't forget to leave your turn signal on for kilometers after every intersection

raamv · Post by **raamv** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:26 pm

steep slope and winding road... an ATV with snow plough attachments might be your cheapest bet!!
My neighbor has one of those and he seems to have fun slow ploughing!!

StephenRudd · Post by **StephenRudd** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:06 pm

I love the agri hardware at http://www.nettikone.com - I suspect that I have a new web-browsing hobby now! For less than the cost of a ride-on-lawnmower, something with some history and manly style? I am sorely tempted and the prospects of leaving a tractor at the airport just pleases me

... I am also having some pleasant fantasies of "junior" tractor pulling! Is there an expats league?

The track is about 300m long; this gets us onto the next track that the farmers and neighbours use.

An ATV seems like a good idea but I fear that I could be confused for someone a couple of decades younger ... I guess that the kids might have a new favourite dad though!

I have spent a couple of hours looking at how people with real snow deal with the issue. A nice way to spend a little time.

Thanks for the pointers ... I think I need a tractor!

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:16 pm

We've got a 1962 Volvo 320 Buster

Paid 1700€ for it 5 or 6 years ago. A neighbour found it for us.
We use it for ploughing the potato field and moving wood around and cutting the grass at the mökki.
I think they are a sound investment as long as you are not afraid of a bit of DIY and/or know someone who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty. You need a shed though. We don't leave ours out in the winter.

Check the accessories (?) ( = the extra bits) when you buy 'cos sometimes they are harder to track down than the machine itself.

raamv · Post by **raamv** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:41 pm

Have you thought about making your track better using asphalt?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:31 am

How does that shift the snow?

Mölkky-Fan · Post by **Mölkky-Fan** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:54 am

penelope wrote:

How does that shift the snow?

when you slip over on the ice covered tarmac and slide all the way down the steep hill on your @rse, it clears a small pathway.

speedy · Post by **speedy** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:57 am

my father in law has an old tracktor and its work perfect for this job ...

DMC · Post by **DMC** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:33 pm

I thought about buying an old tractor, but found an easier solution. For a small fee the guy who clears the road past our place agreed to do our driveway as well. He clears it promptly after each snowfall and charges so little that there is no way it would be worth buying equipment to do the job ourselves, even ignoring the hassle we avoid.
Same with grass cutting in the summer. It used to take me ages with a small petrol push-along. I thought of buying a ride-on mower to do it quicker but then we got a flyer in the mailbox from a local guy offering gardening services. He has the kit to do the job in a fraction of the time I used to take, and I avoid another boring job for little cost.
I am all for avoiding chores - I could give lessons in advanced laziness.

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:15 pm

DMC wrote: I am all for avoiding chores - I could give lessons in advanced laziness.

I'll come to assist you!
Have you outsourced tv? It is sooo much easier to let others watch it and leave more time for me to surf forums hitting f5... If I lived at country side I'd get tractor just for heck of it, not for convenience!

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