Any way to unbend an aluminum snow shovel?

I've got a terrific old snow shovel with steel handle and aluminum scoop. But somewhere in the sands of time, while in the posession of my mother, the scoop part of the shovel got a large fold in the aluminum! Now about a third of the scoop is creased up in the air and away from the ground.

I still like this snow shovel but would like to bend the aluminum back to its original position as well as possible. But is it possible, or will I end up snapping or cracking it?

I'd really appreciate someone's input on how to do the job if indeed it can be done. Please keep in mind, though, that I don't have any machinist tools or much of anything to work metal, other than a few pairs of aviation snips and the standard array of general homeowner's hand tools. So please tailor your instructions to the equipment I've got! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Scott,

Even if you could straighten out the crease, the scoop would always be weakest at that point and it would most likely bend again under normal use. I'm willing to bet if you do a search on the net you may locate a new scoop, possibly even in titanium! Now that would be a very strong and lightweight shovel! Try searching under coal shovel; I suspect that's the shape of your scoop.

Hope this helps!

Stay warm, I hear it's cold up there!
Dave

Fuelblender, thanks for the idea. I never would have thought to look for that.

With regard to the shape, it's more of a classical snow shovel shape: mostly flat (except for the darned crease!), very wide, almost nonexistent sides, and a raised portion in the back (the side near the handle) so snow gets "plowed" forward when the shovel's pushed.

Zero degrees Fahrenheit overnight! The weather reports were describing the temperature as a "meat locker." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif Very cold for NJ, though I'm sure folks in New England get those sorts of temperatures much more frequently.

Just gotta have a good hat, good gloves, a couple layers of outerwear, waterproof boots, and a good snow shovel. DOH! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

you need to heat it to some thousand degrees and bang it into shape..

A propane torch might help, but I'd consider it luck if you manage to save it.

I was going to say just stomp on it, but that might cause other parts of the blade (scoop) to become cockeyed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Only certain aluminum alloys can be straighten successfully (3003 comes to mind), most others work harden and will snap upon straightening or become fatigued. Sounds like you need another shovel. Besides, I've never seen a snow shovel with a steel handle. How do you keep your gloves (or worse yet, your hands) from freezing to it?

Dan

Create another parallel crease. That way, the original crease keeps intact whatever strength it has left. Then flatten both creases with a SLEDGEHAMMER.

If you torch anneal the aluminum first you can forge it back into shape with a mallet. I don't remember what the temp for annealing aluminum is but if I remember correctly it's pretty low and you can probably search it.


*edit* It seems to be around 650 degrees and supposedly you can tell when you reach relative temp as the metal surface will char a piece of pine.

Banging it back into shape will then work harden it into its former shape and if it had no cracking to begin with it should be stable.


TSG /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm afraid that every aluminum snow shovel I've ever owned bent at some time, and was completely ruined afterwards. I used to prefer steel shovels with wood handles, because they last seemingly forever, until road salt rusts them out. The current generation plastic shovels are the best now. My current shovel has a plastic scoop with plastic-coated steel handle, and it is both strong and lightweight. I think I got it at Wally World a couple years ago. The snow just slides off of it without sticking and it scrapes down to the pavement quite well. I'll never buy another steel or aluminum shovel again.

BF Hammer, I think I have exactly the same shovel as you, and bought it from WalMart. That's my other shovel, and it's very nice! But since I'm unemployed at the moment, I try to get the most mileage out of what I've got, hence the desire to repair the old one instead of running out to buy another. And the broken shovel truly is (well, was) a great one, and has seen me through many winters with ease.

BTW, they claim with that WalMart shovel that the scoop is made of some sort of graphite composite. Looks like plastic to me, too, but given the stiffness it certainly could be graphite.

We need at least two shovels around here so my wife and I can go outside and shovel the driveway together. Soon we'll need more shovels, too, for our two little boys! But not for a few more winters.

Hmm... or maybe someday the boys will use the two shovels and earn a little spending money... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

May I suggest a steel bladed snow shovel. They don't need the thick reinforcing bar at the end and, eventually, sharpen like a knife. There's nothing like a strong, sharp, steel blade to get under and loosen hard packed snow. I'm still using two shovels my folks bought in the 1950's! Aluminum is only good for light snow and will crease when trying to clear a plowed in driveway entrance.

Sounds like a souped up tabogin to me. I'd give her a couple runs down a hill before I took the sledge to her. I bet she's a real sleeper. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

[ QUOTE ]
tsg68 said:
If you torch anneal the aluminum first you can forge it back into shape with a mallet. I don't remember what the temp for annealing aluminum is but if I remember correctly it's pretty low and you can probably search it.


*edit* It seems to be around 650 degrees and supposedly you can tell when you reach relative temp as the metal surface will char a piece of pine.

Banging it back into shape will then work harden it into its former shape and if it had no cracking to begin with it should be stable.


TSG /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Be carefull, pure aluminium melts at about 660 degrees C, but depending on the alloy used it could suddenly get dodgy at any temperature from about 470 degrees upwards !

Try this:

SNOW SHOVELS

Brightnorm