Cutting Sea Ice

[Rotax Robert]

This question was posed to me and I offered to help this guy come up with some info for him from our resident experts.


Robert

A colleague of mine is trying to price a project involving cutting 7-8' thick sea ice for measurements. He's looking at the feasibility of a handheld or sled mounted chain saw. He's trying to source a guide bar approximately +8' long and a saw capable of driving it. Did you make your guide bar from scratch or was it a custom order from a manufacturer? He contacted me due to the Predator bar which he has seen the video clips of.

Anyway, lets hear what you all have to say.

Rotax Robert

 

[SmokinDodge]

Wow, this will be interesting. Is there a requirement to the width/shape of the final product? My knee jerk idea would be to use a core drill similar what the power companies use to put poles in solid rock. Might be a trick getting one 8' long though. How are they planning on moving/lifting the ice cube?

 

[Andy1234]

Doesn't Cannon make bars in any length you want??

They may be a bit expensive, but I would check with them first.


Andy

 

[ericjeeper]

an old gravely type setup.

keep the engine clear of the water and icecubes.
You could even build a trencher type guard for the bar too.

 

[chowdozer]

it's not very portable

 

[SmokinDodge]

Here's a power head for the drill, now ya just need a bit.


View attachment 43129


Might throw the balance off a little with an 8' bit thought.

 

[Urbicide]

it's not very portable

It sure wouldn't get stuck! opcorn:

 

[Woodie]

it's not very portable

Nice pic, chowdozer. You know, a 5100 WILL run with that...

 

[disandat]

it's not very portable

You got me going on that one.

 

[bcorradi]

Ice Drilling/Cutting

I know the guy fairly well that built and designed those 026 core drills. He has two different units that he makes one that is driven at crankshaft speed and one that is gear reduced 5 to 1. He has made quite a few custom designs based upon special customer needs. If you want his contact info feel free to send me an pm.

They also make regular ice augers that are real common in my neck of the woods for ice fishing. They drill anywhere from a 6" to 12" diameter hole up to 3 to 4' in depth. I don't see why you could potentially build a shaft extension for it so you could get down to your required 8' depth. If he is needing to extract the core of the ice this wouldn't work however.

I've cut holes in the ice up to 2' in depth many times for my spearhouse with a chainsaw and it works quite well.

 

[ShoerFast]

I'm with Smokin and the rest that want to drill it , on this.

Drilling a few 8' holes and rigging a few long wedges would maybe be faster then cutting an 8' kreft?

Making drill shaft in 4' sections would be faily managable.

A problim your going to have with cutting it is, buy the time you have cut from one side to were you want it, the other side will allready have re-froze

The weadges don't have to be 8' but a couple feet would get a good brake.

Edit: drill holes in all the weadges and punches, tie cords to them, you'll figger out why!

 

[ShoerFast]

I know the guy fairly well that built and designed those 026 core drills. He has two different units that he makes one that is driven at crankshaft speed and one that is gear reduced 5 to 1. He has made quite a few custom designs based upon special customer needs. If you want his contact info feel free to send me an pm.

They also make regular ice augers that are real common in my neck of the woods for ice fishing. They drill anywhere from a 6" to 12" diameter hole up to 3 to 4' in depth. I don't see why you could potentially build a shaft extension for it so you could get down to your required 8' depth. If he is needing to extract the core of the ice this wouldn't work however.

I've cut holes in the ice up to 2' in depth many times for my spearhouse with a chainsaw and it works quite well.

Having drilles hundereds of 2 inch holes just to drop in a lead waight through the ice to find sand-bars and drop-off in the winter ,( intell we figgured out how to use the Bird (Humming Bird) through ice.) It seems that a plain ol wood auger bit and a bit brace worked real well.

There is a good chance that a 5:1 026 would bore 2" of ice to 8' rather quickly!

 

[carvinmark]

it's not very portable

That is a monster!!!!!

 

[Scooterbum]

Industrial Laser.

 

[gene1605]

8 ft. bar

A chain saw will work well, Should make larger dog and if the weather is cold enough to freez 8 ft. you will have to restrick cooling air for engine.
Grampa

 

[Canyon Angler]

it's not very portable

Is THAT where you got your username? :jester:

 

[IchWarriorMkII]

it's not very portable

That looks an aweful lot like a Vermeer T 850, yea, they can get stuck...


Ran a T-650, a size or two smaller... its well over 20 tons! I'd be skeered to take that out on the ice

 

[chowdozer]

lol, no. I got my username cause in my younger years I could make a lotta food disappear. Things sure change as we get older.

Here's a couple more just for fun.

 

[cord arrow]

Google images search.....

Below is a picture of the “big saw”: a self-propelled chainsaw cart with a seven foot bar. They used it for precision cutting of the ice beams.

 

[cord arrow]

You'd think PPE would be required in this enviroment...