How Can I Build a Snow Shovel With a Wheel?

Obtain a Bicycle Fork and Wheel

• If you have an old bicycle lying around, you will need to remove its fork and front wheel. The fork is the part of the bicycle that attaches to the handle bars and suspends the front wheel. You do not need to remove the wheel from the fork though. First, loosen the brakes, which are located in front of the U-shaped part of the fork. Release the tension on the brakes by turning the tension screw (located directly in the center of the brakes) to the left. Then locate the hexagon shaped-bolt on the top backside of the fork and turn it to the left. Your brakes should now remove completely from the bicycle. Remove the fork from the steering tube by turning the screw in the middle of the handlebars to the left, then pulling the fork out of the steering tube with your hands. Now you are left with a bicycle fork and wheel that is unattached from the rest of the bicycle.

Connect the Bicycle Fork to the Shovel Shaft

• Find a shovel with a metal shaft. Hold the shovel on a diagonal with the handle close to your body, with the shoveling end on the ground. Place the shovel at an angle you consider to be a comfortable position to push snow. This will mostly likely be greater than 45 degrees, depending on your height. Place the bicycle fork exactly perpendicular to the underside of the shovel shaft, where the bicycle wheel touches the ground. Mark the spot where the two ends will connect. Put on a welding mask, gloves, apron and a long sleeve jacket. Use gas welding equipment to weld the two ends together, then let them settle until they are firmly connected.

Test Your Shovel and Wheel

• Wait until a snowy, winter day to try your new shovel. Simply push the snow while standing practically upright. Let the wheel do all of the work, and experience how easy shoveling snow is. It may have taken some time and effort, but you saved some cash, and your back won't hurt anymore--at least not from shoveling.