Ice Making Equipment
Band Saw
This tool is great for trimming ice, splitting ice and will help you create simple and perfectly cut bases for logos. Another great feature is that it will cut a slab of ice less than one inch thick! If you do a lot of ice bars than this tool can simplify your life by making perfectly cut slabs and more. Each cut is so thin you lose very little ice when slabbing. Another nice feature is the tilt lift option.
Trim Saw
Great for trimming ice and making slabs. This too will help in creating ice bar tops. The benefit to this machine is you load the ice with a simple hand truck, no lifting. One difference to the band saw is the cut is a chainsaw bar and chain that eats about 1/4” of ice for every cut. the machine is smaller and consumes less space for those smaller size shops. Fully automated.
Block Hoist with lifter bar
Used in ice harvesting. This lift will make it easy to pull blocks from your block maker and gently set them down on your band saw or lift cart.
Clear Ice Block Makers
This machine has two wells that makes two blocks every 3 to 4 days. Each block has 35 to 40 gallons of water and uses pumps to circulate the water during the freezing process. This makes crystal clear ice measure 40” x 20” with a varying width of around 10”. Approximate weight 270 - 300 lbs.
If you know of a tool that should be listed in this section please contact us. You can take a picture of the tool write a brief description and tell us if you recommend or do not recommend it for other carvers. Email it to me and I will be happy to put it on the site.
Circulating Pumps
Various pumps are available with clips that can be attached to the wells of the clear block makers. Circulating water causes the ice to freeze clear.
Freezing Brackets
You can us angle iron and create the H bracket. With all the holes this jig becomes very versatile. We use threaded rods that hang down (adjustable depth) with a half of PVC pipe to hold down bottles or cans. This sam bracket can be used to freeze in coil (spiral) luges.
Block Clips
The first clip is frozen into the ice and allows the ice to be lifted out by the second clip that is attached to the lifter bar. Made of stainless steel and heavy duty design.
Cardboard sleeves for ice blocks
Protects the ice from corrosion in the freezer and on deliveries. Leave the plastic liner on the block from the machine to keep the ice from freezing to the cardboard (or use a trash bag for more complete coverage). Completely re-usable with the open top and bottom. Cost less than boxing all the way around and are easy to slip on and off after harvesting and delivering.
Chain fall
A Chain fall is a handy tool used primarily in harvesting ice. You can also use it to lift blocks when constricting a large sculpture. Stack up scaffolding over the point you would like the block & hook the chainfall to the tongs. It is surprisingly easy to lift a whole block onto the pile.
Can Ice Makers
This machine has multiple can wells that make blocks that range in size and weight (approx. weight 325 lbs.). Can measures 45” tall x 21” wide and 10” thick and has a trapezoid or tapered shape. Pumps or bubblers are used to agitate the water. This ice has a feather in the center and is not crystal clear.
Lumber Mill
Another method for trimming and slabbing ice. Deffinately the most cost efficient. It is adjustable and you can trim ice from 1.5” to 10” thickness. Good traveling tool. The stihl E220 with a 28” bar works well with this mill. Use a heavy gauge extension cord.
Plastic Liners
This product is placed inside the well of the clear ice block maker to hold the water in. Ask your supplier what thickness plastic they use? The thinner liners are cheaper however they freeze into the block and tear easily. The thicker plastic will be more durable and are less likely to freeze into the block.
