We have a slot on our cut log to write in how many turns up you went before your exit. I always do three but everyone has their own. It’s all for nothing because I do a test cut mid ice before my first cut of the day. I really enjoy your videos man! Thanks for the knowledge!
I tell my guys to always be adjusting the blade. Take less snow with little kids and more when bigger kids or adults. Kinda evens out more with some less with others. Take the least amount of snow. To still make it look fresh. Sometimes that's a full load. You need to learn how to adjust properly. I can tell with the tension on the wheel and sound machines making. Different groups require deeper cuts. Public skate is the worst. You can get full load of snow. Just from power snow on the ice. I run thicker ice 1.5 to 2in. 24 to 26 degrees normal operations. 21 23 at night morning. Glycol refrigeration system. 30% relative humidity. Edge 3 days week. Blade changes once week. Cross cuts, figure 8 once a week. 2 rinks all yr.
What’s your opinion on this............I was taught, that when you back the Zam on the ice, before you turn your water on, you put the conditioner down and start both augers, and look behind and see if you have 3 to 4 inches of space on either side of your cut. At least that way you know if you have a good start on your ice make, of course you can make adjustments during your cut, but at least you arent cutting too much and fill your bucket up after one or two laps. I’m a perfectionist and I want my ice to look damn good when I’m done.............thanks in advance for your reply, you know your stuff man!!
I manage the ice at an ODR with a roof and one wall (facing south). It’s located in Pennsylvania and we run late October through early March. I like to try and keep our ice around 17-20 degrees. Do you have any suggestion ice thickness? I try to keep it between 1.25” and 1.75’ but sometimes the corners get up to 2 or even 2.25’ before I have a chance to get out there with the edger and bring those corners down. One thing I do to keep the level down where the Zam comes off the ice is shave it down with the edger like you do but I also keep a big blow your h right by the door that runs off a 5g propane tank and at the end of the night I just melt it down a bit and squeegee off the water. That has seemed to work well and leaves it really clean, as opposed to going at it with an ice chipper.
We don’t do much blade changing while on the ice, at least as far as moving it while going over overlap points, we just pay attention to the snow coming out of the auger into the tank and look at the ice and maybe we will adjust it depending on that. Generally we try to do most of the adjusting blade before cuts depending on the group that’s out there and how much the ice has been used.
My last 3 blade changes I have had a high spot in the middle of the blade. Everything looks good and set properly on the wedge tool and the angle sticker but when I go out there the high spot in the middle is always there. I’ve tried bringing bringing the side flairs up and down but I can’t seem to get it perfectly flat. Do you have any advice on which direction I should go in the adjustments?
Why would an unlevelled concrete floor have any affect on what you do to your blade? The ice would level itself out with hose floods. The only reason the floor would be an issue is during ice maintenance an having low spots in your ice.
If you have a high spot in your concrete at times you may have to raise your blade up. Just something to be considered. As I said if you keep on your ice maintenance it should not be an issue. I think I explain it better in the concrete elevation video. But you are right, it is nothing to worry about if your ice is think and beefy. Fair points. Thank you. Edit: I am guessing your are the thumbs down. Ouch
With fuel powered machines, I will check if this applies to electric models, but first perhaps clutch was not the right word to use. It is recommended that once the throttle / RPM's are set then adjust the foward / reverse lever called the "Transmission Control Lever" so that when the foot pedal is floored it is the speed you want to drive and make ice. You do not want the transmission control lever all the way forward because then you would have to back off the foot pedal to reach the desired speed. Which is harder to maintain a consistent speed. Going into the corners you can slow down by backing off the pedal. Then pressing the pedal down again as you come out of the corner with the foot pedal all the way down for the passes up the middle. Great question as I did not explain that well. Perhaps I will do a separate video clarifying it.
@@YourLocalIceMan thanks for the reply, I've been watching all your videos and it's all been very helpful! I get what you mean I didn't know that that lever would control my speed, I'll mess around with that on my Graveyard shift tonight!
My ice is 16 degrees and used mainly for hockey. We do have public skating, and I know what you mean about them skating in circles. With a fresh blade, I can’t set the blade using the Zamboni tool. I’ll fill my hopper about half way through a resurfacing.
We have a slot on our cut log to write in how many turns up you went before your exit. I always do three but everyone has their own. It’s all for nothing because I do a test cut mid ice before my first cut of the day. I really enjoy your videos man! Thanks for the knowledge!
My name is Pete and I’m from Canada Markstay-Warren Ontario I thank you for responding quickly on testing the blade on the Zamboni.
I didn’t mean testing I meant adjusting the blade yes
Thanks for the video, you have a lot of passion for the craft
I tell my guys to always be adjusting the blade. Take less snow with little kids and more when bigger kids or adults. Kinda evens out more with some less with others. Take the least amount of snow. To still make it look fresh. Sometimes that's a full load. You need to learn how to adjust properly. I can tell with the tension on the wheel and sound machines making. Different groups require deeper cuts. Public skate is the worst. You can get full load of snow. Just from power snow on the ice. I run thicker ice 1.5 to 2in. 24 to 26 degrees normal operations. 21 23 at night morning. Glycol refrigeration system. 30% relative humidity. Edge 3 days week. Blade changes once week. Cross cuts, figure 8 once a week. 2 rinks all yr.
Right on, appreciate a different perspective from another rink. Seems like pretty good rules of thumb to me.
What’s your opinion on this............I was taught, that when you back the Zam on the ice, before you turn your water on, you put the conditioner down and start both augers, and look behind and see if you have 3 to 4 inches of space on either side of your cut. At least that way you know if you have a good start on your ice make, of course you can make adjustments during your cut, but at least you arent cutting too much and fill your bucket up after one or two laps. I’m a perfectionist and I want my ice to look damn good when I’m done.............thanks in advance for your reply, you know your stuff man!!
Yes that is a good practice. To verify the shave lines before starting the water. Ensure they run the full width of the conditioner.
I manage the ice at an ODR with a roof and one wall (facing south). It’s located in Pennsylvania and we run late October through early March. I like to try and keep our ice around 17-20 degrees. Do you have any suggestion ice thickness? I try to keep it between 1.25” and 1.75’ but sometimes the corners get up to 2 or even 2.25’ before I have a chance to get out there with the edger and bring those corners down.
One thing I do to keep the level down where the Zam comes off the ice is shave it down with the edger like you do but I also keep a big blow your h right by the door that runs off a 5g propane tank and at the end of the night I just melt it down a bit and squeegee off the water. That has seemed to work well and leaves it really clean, as opposed to going at it with an ice chipper.
We don’t do much blade changing while on the ice, at least as far as moving it while going over overlap points, we just pay attention to the snow coming out of the auger into the tank and look at the ice and maybe we will adjust it depending on that. Generally we try to do most of the adjusting blade before cuts depending on the group that’s out there and how much the ice has been used.
My last 3 blade changes I have had a high spot in the middle of the blade. Everything looks good and set properly on the wedge tool and the angle sticker but when I go out there the high spot in the middle is always there. I’ve tried bringing bringing the side flairs up and down but I can’t seem to get it perfectly flat. Do you have any advice on which direction I should go in the adjustments?
Bad sharpening
@@chrisgough4518 could be.
We send them out to get sharpened so I have no control over that
Took me 8 years to find out you can set the speed like that with the pedal all the way down hahah. Never went back to the old way
Why would an unlevelled concrete floor have any affect on what you do to your blade? The ice would level itself out with hose floods. The only reason the floor would be an issue is during ice maintenance an having low spots in your ice.
If you have a high spot in your concrete at times you may have to raise your blade up. Just something to be considered. As I said if you keep on your ice maintenance it should not be an issue. I think I explain it better in the concrete elevation video. But you are right, it is nothing to worry about if your ice is think and beefy.
Fair points. Thank you.
Edit: I am guessing your are the thumbs down. Ouch
what do you mean "setting the clutch" on the zam so that your foot is to the floor? im super green to driving the machine (like 2 weeks)
With fuel powered machines, I will check if this applies to electric models, but first perhaps clutch was not the right word to use. It is recommended that once the throttle / RPM's are set then adjust the foward / reverse lever called the "Transmission Control Lever" so that when the foot pedal is floored it is the speed you want to drive and make ice. You do not want the transmission control lever all the way forward because then you would have to back off the foot pedal to reach the desired speed. Which is harder to maintain a consistent speed. Going into the corners you can slow down by backing off the pedal. Then pressing the pedal down again as you come out of the corner with the foot pedal all the way down for the passes up the middle. Great question as I did not explain that well. Perhaps I will do a separate video clarifying it.
@@YourLocalIceMan thanks for the reply, I've been watching all your videos and it's all been very helpful! I get what you mean I didn't know that that lever would control my speed, I'll mess around with that on my Graveyard shift tonight!
My ice is 16 degrees and used mainly for hockey. We do have public skating, and I know what you mean about them skating in circles.
With a fresh blade, I can’t set the blade using the Zamboni tool. I’ll fill my hopper about half way through a resurfacing.