Snow plow skid shoes

[JDSnyder]

I realize this is an odd time of the year to be discussing snowplows. It wouldn't be difficult to make snowplow skid shoes. All one would need is a welder, bolts and the concave steel disk that is the foot. Some guy in Dayton, Ohio makes them for sale on Ebay and gets about $15.00 apiece for them plus shipping. Does anybody know where a source for the concave disks might be? Thanks, Jeff Snyder [url]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20544&item=2317721815&rd=1[/url]

[Stoneheartfarm]

I don't know for sure, but those look like salvage. They look like the piece that is left over after a machine punches a hole through steel. My guess would be that they are coming from a factory somewhere as scrap. Steve

[thedaddycat]

You could weld up some flat stock and then grind it down to bevel the edges.....

[JoeJ]

Jeff, As said they sure look like punch outs. A manufacturing plant near you would most likely give you a couple handfulls, a lifetime supply. I got creative, cutting mine out of plate, making a simple fixture, and bending them with a small hyd. bottle jack. [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/uploaded/JoeJ/joej_sig2.gif[/img]

[JDSnyder]

Joe, Interesting suggestion. How thick of plate did you use, and what did you press agianst with the bottle jack? Thanks,Jeff

[JoeJ]

Jeff, I think the first ones were 3/16" thick. I did those on the garage floor. I used about a 1" long piece of about 3" pipe. putting the pipe on the floor, my cut pieces on the pipe, a spacer, then jacking against my truck frame. It worked well, but later made a press from from heavy chanel. Be very carefull lining it all up, as steel against steel is like greesed lightning. And you want this all plumb before jacking. Then just weld your bolt or rod in the center, as vertical as you can get it. [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/uploaded/JoeJ/joej_sig2.gif[/img]

[thedaddycat]

Balcksmithing tip, heat it cherry red, put it on your pipe "die", and either just whack it with a large ball pein hammer(if you have good aim) or lay the ball of the hammer(or a very large ball bearing) on top and hit that instead of the plate directly. The center should then be concave, if it isn't dished enough hit it again. Reheat if you have to, but you can form some pretty thick plate when it's up to those heats........

[JoeJ]

Yup, That's works too. I'm just never sure that other folks all have the same tools and such. But for what that fella was selling them for on e-bay, I'd sure find a way. I always wanted to make a forge, Smitty work always interested me. [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/uploaded/JoeJ/joej_sig2.gif[/img]

[thedaddycat]

I built a forge once in one minute..... Granted it wasn't much of a forge, but it worked. I laid a scrap section of 3"pipe that had a 90 elbow on the ground. It looked like an "L" about 2'X 8". I piled a few rocks around it to hold the short end upright, then set an old brake drum on top and threw a grate over the hole. Done. I use an old blower for air, piled some wood charcoal in it and lit her off. Not pretty but it worked........

[JoeJ]

Great idea!! I like the K.I.S.S. theory!! And it usually works the best. [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/uploaded/JoeJ/joej_sig2.gif[/img]