It isn't surprising, given that longevity, that Zamboni technology has
advanced about as fast as the machines move on the ice. Zambonis now are more
efficient and have had small refinements over the years, but the ones that
lumber out of the Paramount plant aren't radically different from those
produced 20 years ago. And the principal mechanism is exactly the same as the
one jury-rigged by Frank Zamboni in 1949 when he was looking for a fast,
efficient way to clean ice at his indoor rink in Paramount.
At that time, the only way to resurface ice was by hand. A tractor would drag
a scraper over the ice, and three to five men would scoop away the shavings
and spray water over the surface. Zamboni wanted to cut down on the 1 1/2 hour
time the job took.
He tinkered seven years with a Jeep chasis, a conveyor belt and a blade before
he came up with a workable prototype that shaved the ice surface, carried the
shavings to a holding tank and smoothed the surface with clean water and a
towel. Shortly after the machine debuted at Zamboni's rink, Olympic skating
star Sonja Henie ensured his lasting fame.
Henie, on tour with an ice show, came to the rink to practice and saw the
machine. She wanted one to take on the road, and Zamboni built No. 2 just for
her. The Zamboni -- the machine, not the inventor -- traveled with Henie
throughout North America and Europe, and every rink operator who saw it wanted
one for his own.
And the cult of the Zamboni was born. The first 16 machines were built by
Frank himself, all on four-wheel-drive Jeeps and all different. The last major
innovation was a dumping mechanism added in 1964. But while the machine hasn't
advanced much, its celebrity has.
The newest Zamboni technique is the two-machines-at-once approach, created by
Rasmussen and his partner at Met Center, Bruce Tharaldson. The two men use Met
Center's Zambonis simultaneously, cutting down the time needed to resurface
the ice and allowing the new surface to cure more before the players return.
Ice crews around the NHL are watching and imitating the North Stars' crew,
which is regarded as the best in the business. To Rasmussen, Tharalson and the
six other crew members, driving the Zamboni isn't just a job; it's an art that
requires a delicate touch and a craftsman's sensibility.
The Met Center ice is one inch thick. In order to resurface it, the Zamboni
driver must move the machine over the rink in a precise pattern, being careful
not to miss any spots and to get into the corners. He must set the blade at
the right height to shave about 1/16th of an inch of ice, and he has to
regulate the water flow so that it freezes properly and doesn't create slush.
"It's alot like driving a car," Rasmussen said. "The difficult part is all the
levers. One of the machines is throttled by hand; then you have the blade
adjustment and the water control. YOu have to be careful around the doors so
you don't catch the carriage on something. And with two of us out there, I
hope we never run into each other."
to be continued... Carol White U of MN GO Gophers!!!
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