How is a qualitative snow plastic shovel determined?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is ambiguous, for the simple reason that there are a huge number of manufacturers, and not all produce a quality product. Repeated studies have been carried out, during which excellent samples were identified and completely unsuitable for operation at low temperatures. In Russia and some adjacent countries, the snow plastic shovel should maintain its quality at temperatures down to -30 degrees, but in practice the plastic of the working surface of the scoop often becomes brittle in such conditions.
The interested persons conducting independent examinations, first of all arranged shovels from different manufacturers with a cold test. The good news is that at a low temperature, not a single instrument has burst. But this did not stop there, followed by a serious test drive, in which conditions one by one the products from unknown domestic producers, as well as German and Polish ones, were dropped from a distance.
The frozen plastic of such samples burst at impact in the most unexpected places. We must give credit, most of the shovels passed the test, which means that you can buy qualitative inventory with an eye.
Shovel snowplough plastic should not be deformed
As they say, not one, so another, therefore, hitting a shovel with something solid and glad of the absence of cracks, we often find it annoying that the scoop suddenly changed its shape somewhat. Well, if it touched the sides, and if the edge was deformed, which must be scraped along the cover of the tracks?
The most obvious, of course, are steel scoops, especially those that are salted( the zinc is less reliable), followed by aluminum, plastic takes the third place, as for plywood, it can be shattered from dampness, but it often breaks more often.
One of the most important qualities of a shovel bucket, designed for snow removal, is elasticity.
All of the above materials sometimes participated in rather interesting tests, one of which was an imitation of an accidental crash on a shovel. As a result, aluminum scoops only slightly bent, but the plastic snow shovel( such was the majority) showed flexibility. Of course, not without damage to the plastic inventory, but these were products, as they say, "no name", and some, surprisingly, foreign.
Plastic snow shovel - the best option
So, what should be a normal plastic shovel to serve more than one season and not cause every minute fears for its integrity? To begin with, the area is too big for you. It's unlikely that you will be able to move the whole snowdrift, snow also has a certain weight, although it is loose, and if it is also caked, it is better not to try to remove the drift in large layers. We choose a deep enough bucket with boards, width within 45 centimeters .
With regard to strength and reliability, then there are options - with a large number of stiffeners on the working part of the scoop, flexibility is somewhat lost. However, too flexible tool you do not need, because such a bucket will bend under the weight of snow. The best option is when the snow plastic shovel has up to 4 stiffeners, when the bottom of the bucket smoothly passes into the sides, and the front edge is finished with metal for greater durability.