# poly or steel?



## columbiaplower (Feb 16, 2000)

whatdo u all use? which is better? Pros and Conss? Brands?


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

Well i use steel on all my truck plows. This is because Fisher and Diamond only build steel blades. Diamond builds one or two polly blades but they are only 7.5 and 8'. If they build bigger polly blades i would go with ploy. Why? No repainting, snow doesn't stick, snow slides off, doesn't dent or ding.

I have polly blades on my loaders except for the Kubota 510 that has a 9' diamond steel blade. The polly blades on the loaders are tough and show no sign of ware.

Geoff


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## Vince Panaroni (Feb 13, 2000)

Geoff,

I know that Diamond buys a plastic moldboard and rolls it into a mold board that according to Diamond is a real b--ch to roll. they have to use heat guns etc, and Ken Fowler showed me several cracks where there was no give to that type of plastic. Some of the larger companies such as Gledhill use polyurethane sheets as the mold board and have no problems with their large highway plows. the company I work for MTS will have those same sheets available for next season. We see it as a way to lighten up the plows thus putting less weight onto the truck etc. You also mention your loader, is a poly bucket or edge. If it is an edge I can see how you can be so happy with it. We are currently finishing our testing with Deere and Cat for all their GET (Ground Engaging Tools) such as backhoes, graders, loaders etc. So far so good. Our cutting edges did real well this season. I've kept a open eye and ear on what all you guys have said and posted so far this year and I intend to keep up with all of you as to your ideas as to build better equipment. Guys like Dino who looked at our products will enter next season in reduced down time and breakdowns. Our Website is nearly completed and you can find it at www.mptek.com When its done we should be as complete a manufacturer as there is. By the way, central parts warehouse is a client of ours. you can reach me if you want at
[email protected] I'll do my best to use all of yours and anybodys ideas that make sense and reduces down time and costs.

vince


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

Thanks for the info.

The loader uses polly blades buy produced by Frink.

I don't own any diamond polly blades, but thanks for the heads up. Maybe you can sell them some of your new materials, and make them a better blade.

Only thats not the top thing on my mind today. I just found out that i have tickets to the winston cup race in july, in NH this year.

Geoff


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## n y snow pros (Jan 3, 2000)

Wait till Dino gets wind of this topic,he will set us all straight.Go gettum Dino!

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J PARKER
914-485-4200


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## Vince Panaroni (Feb 13, 2000)

J.Parker

Who do you think got Dino fired up? I agree with you, come on Dino, lets here what you got to say.

J. It wasn't hard to get him or anyone else fired up after using these edges and spinners for salt boxes.

We should have a real hot deflector ready for next season also.

vince


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

Well we all know what I think of poly edges, spinners and anything that MTS makes. However I dont think to much of complete poly moldboards. Why?
Well I was at a meyer dealer this fall and he had about 10 poly moldboard plows there for replacement. Seems that since the poly is bolted to the steel frame, and not a welded one piece deal as with a steel moldboard, it causes alot more stress on the steel frame. After about 2 yrs commercial plowing the frame is junk. And since it has a steel frame, it still needs to be painted anyway. the best of both worlds is a steel moldboard plow with a poly skin attached to the front of the steel moldboard. That way you get the strength of the one piece welded plow, and the benifits of non stick.
BTW poly moldboard plows weigh about 50-70 lbs more than a steel plow. Go figure.
A good coat of paint will flow snow just as well as a poly moldboard. As soon as those poly MB get pitted thgey drag as much as the steel mb. 
I dont know if any other brands have had the same problem as the meyer. Western doesnst make a poly over 8' and the boss poly v is new this season. 
Dino

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Professional Ice and Snow Management 
Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org


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## Lou (Jan 1, 2000)

Dino....hope you fwd a copy to Meyer...good idea. I have a modified 7.5. Meyer seems to have the old IBM attitude...hope they take the earplugs out.


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

whats IBM attitude?

Geoff


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## Vince Panaroni (Feb 13, 2000)

Hey Dino,

The poly moldboard that you mention is made of the same material that the "PLASTIC" edges are made of.UHMW which stands for Ultra High Molecular Weight either PP (Polyproprolene) or PE (Polyethylene) this materials have no resiliance and therefore crack and break and cause undo stress as you said on the steel frame. With Polyurethane as the moldboard compound, the material still reacts as a shock absorber for the entire plow thus giving the entire unit more life than shorten the life. Again as Geoff said earlier, the color is throughout the mold board, the urethane is resiliant so it wont't chip that will cause snow hang up, and you can save the money on paint and buy your local cop a donut and coffe at Dunkin Donuts!

vince Panaroni

by the way your article seems real good. call me.


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## plowking35 (Dec 21, 1999)

I think the IBM attitude is why spend the money on R&D when we can just skate by on the name.
Dino

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Professional Ice and Snow Management 
Products:Services:Equipment www.sima.org


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## Alan (Mar 2, 2000)

I'm running Sno-Way which uses a Lexan skin. I'm impressed with how rugged it is. Finally replaced one last week after 5 years abuse. Ran a steel fencepost through the old one and got a cut that kept growing.

I got "generic" polycarbonate cut to size for half the cost of factory replacement. 
With the skin being clear I have my phone number done in translucent vinyl on the back of the skin. At night the truck parking lights illuminate it enough to make the numbers show up and in the daytime there is this 7 foot wide red phone number for everyone to see. We've picked up a bunch of work by that little gimick. Folks call and ask "Are you the guys with those plastic plows?"


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## plowboy7.5 (Dec 9, 2009)

were can i order or buy a sheet of 4x8 poly i am going to remove the old beat up moldboard and want to put poly back in its place to make the plow a little lighter and not so ruff on my truck.


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