Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/501801
ASK STAR You have rink questions, STAR has rink answers Send your rink questions to: INFO@STARRINKS.COM 46 / MAY.JUNE.2015 RINKMAGAZINE.COM WE WILL BE TAKING OUR ICE OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS THIS SUMMER. WHAT'S THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND EASIEST WAY TO DO THIS? MY RINK CURRENTLY HAS VINYL LOGOS, LINES AND GOAL CREASES. I KNOW I WILL HAVE TO MELT THOSE OUT BECAUSE I WISH TO SAVE THEM. You have several options. Here's a general guide: 1. Shave the ice surface down the week before you plan to remove the sheet. When ice time is available, take a couple of buckets off, and even when you don't need to shave, just shave anyway. Remember, "stealing ice from the IMPT class?" Use any time you have but do not go below the industry best practice of 1" minimum for any scheduled on-ice events/programs. 2. After the last event, turn off your refrigeration equipment. Use the IR to shave over the logos you want to save. Don't get too close to damage the logos. Leave the ice sit overnight. It probably won't melt much, but the bond will release. 3. The next morning (Day One), you should be able to shave more over the logos depending on how much the sheet melted. It might just break up when you drive the IR onto it. Don't worry, this is good. To get the logos out you will need a hose hooked up to hot water. 4. Once the logos are all out, you have several options: A. Use the ice resurfacer to shave out more ice. This will put a lot of wear and tear on the IR (manufacturers say up to one year of wear taking out ice). You can only shave down so far. Do not let the conditioner runners touch the concrete. B. Rent a bobcat/skid loader to take out the ice. It will all break up into chunks. Your snowmelt pit won't be big enough to hold all the ice, so you will need a place outside. I would get a large amount of sand, spread it out about 12" thick and dump the ice on top of the sand. The sand will filter and hold the ice paint. This area should not be accessible to the public. Properly dispose of the sand and paint. C. Use or rent four large fans, if needed. Put one in each corner facing the same direction to create air movement around the rink. This will melt the ice quickly. Option B will be the quickest and best option, but after that, Option C, then A. The IR is an ice maintenance tool, not an ice removal tool. You can do a lot of damage to the IR if you are not careful. 5. Once your ice is out, I cannot stress enough how clean your floor needs to be. Jokingly, I say, "Clean enough to eat from." The cleaner your floor, the better the bond. A product called TSP or the more environmentally acceptable TSP substitute is a good product to use. J A: Q: PHOTO: COURTESY OF TJ TURNER PICTURES Ice Rink Consulting Design Services Construction Management MMD and US Arena Supply 603.686.0423 mmd.consultants@comcast.net Contact Us www.rinkpros.net