Gotta love the plow!

[BlownL67]

I finally got around to the leaves at the old lady's house this morning. Its a relatively small yard, but trees surround it and there is a deluge of leaves and not a lot of sunlight. My 8 horse Ransom leaf blower did an awesome job, but when they started to pile up, it was a lost cause. I tried to walk and kick them in a pile but that got very tiring so I figured I'd try my quick hitch dozer blade on the Gravely. Needless to say, it worked like a dream and got myself 2 massive piles in the yard.

Here are some pictures of the adventure

I picked up the Ransomes / Bobcat commercial leaf blower from a local gentleman who's father had a landscaping business but passed away soon after he bought it. Needless to say, the unit is mint, and was a steal at $170.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/BlownL67/Picture066-1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/BlownL67/Picture067-1.jpg

[oldtimer]

That was a heckuva deal ! The plow served a purpose that most would never consider. Well done ! :thThumbsU

[BlownL67]

That was a heckuva deal ! The plow served a purpose that most would never consider. Well done ! :thThumbsU

It was a deal. There is a small leak on the gas tank if its more than 1/2 full, so I have some aircraft fuel tank epoxy to take care of that. The carb does need some help too because it will sputter shut down if its running for a long time, but overall, she runs like a ***** ape! As for the piles of leaves, I'm wondering if my W-W Grinder / Shredder is worth taking out and running the leaves through. Anyone ever use a Kemp or W-W with leaves only ?

[LilysDad]

You know that leaf blower reminds me of an old furnace fan I have sitting around. I bet I could hook it up to a B&S 5 horse pretty easy. Good idea!!!

[js5020d]

I was kinda thinking the impeller unit from an old square shoot snowblower would make a dandy leaf blower?

[BlownL67]

With some parts and ingenuity, I'm sure a leaf blower can be made very easily! There is a video on youtube with a guy shredding leaves with his snowblower which sounds kind of weird, but seemed to work pretty good. Maybe I will do some experimenting this week!

[Tractor-Holic]

Lily's Dad!:

--I built one with an old hot air furnace blower squirrel cage fan,and it works great..probably BETTER than the factory built one I had similar to the one pictured here..I let my friend borrow that one,and he still has it!--told him I wont need it back,seeing my home brewed one worked out so well..

One thing to remember,those squirrel cage fans wont take too much RPM's before they fly apart,I learned that the hard way with the first one I made--it had a HUGE blower about 20" in diameter,so that may have been a factor why it eventually failed..plus I redlined the motor a few times to blow stubborn wet leaves,it didn't like that..the housing on it rotted away,so when I scrapped my old rusted out hot air furnace,I snagged the blower from it to use as a replacement..it's only half the size of the first one,but seems to work even better,IMO...keep the blower under 2500 RPM,they are designed to run slower than that,but can take 2500 rpm without damage,in my experience..

I just welded a motor mount plate off an old reel mower right to the top of the blower housing,and I used the 5 hp engine off my brush chipper that has a V-belt centrifical clutch on it..(probably dont need the clutch really,if you dont have one)..

I mounted the blower on a plywood platform,used two big wheels on one side,smaller on the other,to help the air get direceted to the ground..I'd have just put it on an old push mower deck,if I'd had one at the time,but I didn't..I used a chrome "trim rings" off a car to make a screened cover to keep the leaves from getting sucked into the blower wheel's "intake"too..

You must make a restriction plate to block off most of the air outlet,that will let the blower get more RPMs and throw more air than it would witout one--it also overloads the engine if you run it without any restriction..as long as you keep the RPM's under 2500 or so,and use a 4" or 6" pulley on the blower,it'll survive just fine.

I like the Gravely idea,using the plow on leaves!..I've used my plow on my tractor to move brush piles,pine needles,leaves,dirt--works great on a lot more than just SNOW!.pushes cars good too!..

Robert

[stonykill]

I like the Gravely idea,using the plow on leaves!..I've used my plow on my tractor to move brush piles,pine needles,leaves,dirt--works great on a lot more than just SNOW!.pushes cars good too!..

Robert

big heavy firewood logs also. I used my 4wheel gravely with plow yesterday to move a couple of 30 inch oak rounds to the splitter.

[Ingersoll444]

ya, and if only you had forks on it, and it lifted higher, you could have lifted them right up there.

[stonykill]

ya, and if only you had forks on it, and it lifted higher, you could have lifted them right up there.


the splitter is horizontal or vertical. I run it vertical for the massive pieces so I don't need to lift.

but forks would be handy

[Ingersoll444]

Ive been thinking of adding some to a old plow I have. .... Kinda got to work on the welding skills first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stonykill]

Ive been thinking of adding some to a old plow I have. .... Kinda got to work on the welding skills first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:ROF :ROF :omg: :hide: