Homebuilt Ice Gouger Improves Traction

Homebuilt Ice Gouger Improves Traction SNOWBLOWERS Steve Ferrante doesn’t salt or sand his icy driveway He uses an ice gouger to rough it up for better traction His homebuilt tool fits on the 3-pt hitch of his Ford 27-hp tractor “We have a 500-ft long driveway that goes downhill to the main road and just walking on it to put down sand or salt was dangerous ” he says “I feel this simple and inexpensive-to-build tool could be a help to other FARM SHOW readers ” he says Like the stump grinder he built FARM SHOW Vol 31 No 6 the frame is an inexpensive 3-pt hitch carry-all that he purchased from a farm supply store To make it an ice gouger he used 3-in angle iron and five old railroad spikes with the heads cut off Two 1/4-in bolts secure each spike on the angle iron A wooden frame holds four cement blocks for added weight and pressure “It could be built heavier duty and with 1-in hardened spikes ” he says noting he sharpens the spikes a couple of times a season to make it through Gaylord Mich winters Two 3/8-in bolts secure the ice gouger’s angle iron frame to the carry-all so it’s easy to put on and take off When not in use Ferrante stores the gouger on one of his homemade dollies “I spent about 5 hours building it and it cost $25 not counting the carry-all that I already had ” Ferrante says “This is one of the simplest things I’ve made and it works well ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Steve Ferrante 4342 Whitehouse Trail Gaylord Mich 49735 ph 989-732-7924

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