I think they have heated shovels? Or you could just move to Florida :-)

Maybe the word “shovel” is inappropriate. How about a “portable microwave snow melter”.

hahahahahahaha :)) COME ON DOWN!!!

Mark,

Take a cup of snow. Put it in your microwave. See how long it takes to melt. I think you will talk yourself out of it. :)
Oh… and watch out for people with pacemakers.

Personally, I’m intrigued by the idea….of course, I’m frozen in Erie PA and we’ve had almost 130" of snow for the season and still expecting much more!!! We’re running out of space to put it all so it would be neat to find a way to just melt it all! Keep working on that idea Mark…I don’t know how many you could sell, but I’ll try one!

If you are melting snow, you need to get rid of the water. Once night time hits, it will re-freeze then you have a layer of ice.

I had a snow shovel invention. I dropped it once I saw how many patents have been issued on snow shovel devices. Out of the many, many patents issued, I only know of 2 improvements that are on the market: The ones with the ergonomic bend in the handle and shaft; and the one with a big wheel, turning the whole shovel into a lever. Surely not all the other patents were owned by lazy inventors. I think that area is too saturated for my idea. Then again, I compare the saturation with, “how different is my invention?”. It wasn’t different enough, in my opinion. Now, if my inventions differences solved the problems caused by another inventors attempts at solving the original “problem”, then I might have pursued it.

Not trying to steal the thread here…but try Handi-Straps with an ergonomic shovel. It is like shoveling air and you can throw snow across a street if you want.

That’s probably what’s needed for the end of the driveway AFTER the plow has come through on a low-priority dead-end street. It’s like a concrete wall that you either have to try to baha (sp?) over or take a day to remove it. lol.

OK Ron the inventor of Handi-Straps, you have convinced me, I live in New England and I could go for shoveling air instead of snow. Got any good deals for us EN’ers?

Yes I do Cheryl…but I try not to make any comments or influence anyone to buy here. You can call the 800 number on the website and tell them Ron said to give you the EMS price which is $45. that is for anyone here…but again…not here to sell…that’s done out there in volumes.

The hooks are an accessory and an extra $15 but they don’t work for shoveling but most other objects. For shoveling you want the rubberized strap end to wrap around and grip the shovel.

There is also a shipping charge. We charge what it costs us. If for any reason you want to return…you can, but trust me…you always have to lift something, pass it around the family, let them borrow it…and it will help everyone for many years.

Maybe too late for snow shoveling though…season is almost over.

Like I said, an ergonomic bent handle is best. With a regular shovel and on top of a heavy jacket the shoulder pads slipped off me a few times because of the jacket. An ergonomic shovel it does not.

Thanks for your interest!

Mark…don’t know about a microwave snow shovel…but keep thinking of ways to remove snow. Nothing has changed in years…there’s gotta be something. I had an idea once for sort of an electric blanket like tarp for specific spots like just a set of stairs…maybe you can develop something like that…don’t have to be too hot…don’t know if it will work though.

Ron, how about a piece of stiff tubing shaped like the end of a windshield wiper blade with small little holes in it every 6 inches around 3 feet long attached to a telescopic pole that is connected to a hot water system that is placed on the peak of the roof and pull the pole down towards yourself. This will warm the snow on the
roof and remove it easier from the roof.

Hmmm… I’m not too sure what microwaves do outside the box. Sounds dangerous at first but maybe not… Now some Minature jet engines and some good tennis shoes and ear plugs, who knows??

the easiest shovel is called a 2-stage, 24", 8hp Yard Machine :-D

Actually Mark – you will have a little problem getting around safety issues (you know there will be some dummy out there looking for a Darwin Award and will try and cook his toes while moving snow)…

however, if you are transmitting the microwaves straight down or at least at a sharp forward angle, then you would potentially be able to melt some snow – of course then you have to drag a wet-vac behind to suck up all the water so you don’t have a refreeze problem.

Microwaves can be outside but there not usually at ground level. We used them in the USAF for communications between sites but they were on towers – between that and the radar we only cooked a few birds.

The power consumption would just be to great for a portable snow melter and besides you will have an ice skating surface shortly after the melt. Althought nothing is impossable its just your idea is telling you to go in a different direction, so please continue to think about it. Mark Stark is correct.

I have never ever had to shovel snow, so i’m no help..