Cutting edges

The government trucks (transportation, towns) have gone to carbide cutting edges, they come in 4 foot lenghts and could be adapted to most plows, but at 3 or 4 times the price but I'm told 10 times the wear, as most of my customers want black lots I'm thinking of giving them a try. ANYBODY TRIED THEM?

 

we are trying polyurethane edges this year. ABout twice the cost but 4 times the wear i am told. Since we have had no snow at all yet, cant tell you how they work, but looks promising.<br>Dino <p>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org

 

Dino you tell'n me polyurethane (plastic) cutting edges will out wear steel? I can see them not wearing concrete or paved surfaces down, but I'm looking for a longer lasting cutting edge then high carbon steel.<p>Bill

 

My buddy had some poly or lexan cutter edges and said they were okay when it was really cold. They plowed when the temp was 33 or so and melted them right off in a single trip.<p>We don't use carbide, but we do have 3/4&quot; cutter edges on our pick-up trucks. They give more strength than 3/8&quot; or 1/2&quot;, but they do weigh more. They seem to last twice as long as the old ones we used and the never crack.

 

Ok then, these are not plastic. Polyurethane is a synthetic rubber type compound. When people replace body and suspension components they will use polyurethane because it stretches and absorbs loads better then even rubber. this is the type of material I speak of. the hard plastic type that fisher uses on smaller blades are a hard type plastic(probably ABS or the like) not urethane.<br>Well anyway it is tough stuff, for one they are about 2&quot; thick and that trnsferes the load over a large contact area. Next it is pliable yet tuff to cut. I needed a skill saw with an agressive tooth blade to cut it, and even then it bogged way down. A hack say and saws all did nothing.<br>the firm I bought them from are evn using them for ground engaging equipment(loaders,graders) and are getting very long life out of them.<br>Now since we have seen no snow, I cant say how they work, however I did on a 50 degree day drive with the blade down for about 1 mi and saw no evidence of wear whatsoever.Plus I get sqeegee like action on wet surfaces and no curb or pavement damage.<br>I will be better able to tell how they work if we ever get snow. However dont be so shocked about this, Virginia DOT has done long term testing and found the blades to be very reliable and cost effective. Just because it is new, doesnt mean it is junk. Think outside the box.<br>Dino <p>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org

 

Dino, you've got my attention. Got an address of a supplier , or brand name?<br>Bill

 

The name of the company is MTS<br>Material Technologies & Sciences Inc.<br>113 Crosby Road Unit #6<br>Dover, N.H. 03820<br>Telephone 603-742-5180<br>Fax 603-743-6463<br>Ask for Jack Hill or Vinie Panaronie<br>tell them that Dino referred you.<br>They will be speaking at the 2000 snow and ice management symposium in Portland Maine june 1-3<br>Polyurethane Plow Edges, How they work and how to select the correct edge - Speaker John E. Hill Jr., Material Technologies & Sciences - This session will detail the technology of polyurethane edges, covering angle of attack, abrasion resistance, coefficient of thermal expansion, and other related properties. A discussion of the various methods of manufacturing will be included. Also discussed will be methods of mounting the edge onto various blades.<p> <p><br>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org<br>

 

Dino, this cutting edge should be good for brick driveways then too. Sounds like a good investment.<p>----------<br>Eric@ELM<br>http://pages.prodigy.net/eric.erickson/index.html

 

Yes Eric they would be great on concrete. In fact what we did was run the blades 3&quot; past each side of the moldboard and that will act as a curb protector. they say snow maybe on Thurs so I will let everyone know how they do.<br>Dino<p>----------<br> Professional Ice and Snow Management <br>Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org