Franken-mower

[JohnRoberts]

This is what I did yesterday instead of watching the political theater.

My big dog 44" mower does not handle mowing my rain ditches very well. Especially when the ground is damp/muddy (MS normal). The fat back tires spin while the front wheels dig into the soft ground... My solution is it pull a modest sized mower along side, safely some distance away from getting stuck in the soft muddy rain ditches.

Yesterday was its maiden flight and it completed one pass around my ditches as successful proof of concept.  This looks like it can save me some wear and tear on my arthritic knee, that hurts after mowing the ditch by wrangling the small mower by hand.

I have several refinements in mind, but this worked surprisingly well for a first cut .  ;D ;D

JR

 

[Scodiddly]

Glad to see you're still coming up with some sharp ideas, John.

 

[pucho812]

as hang hill would say  "that's a fine looking mower I tell you what. "

 

[JohnRoberts]

as hang hill would say  "that's a fine looking mower I tell you what. "

“BWAAAAHH!”

JR

 

[pucho812]

“BWAAAAHH!”

JR

;D

 

[boji]

Omg that is like something out of a video game.  Are your plans to add some kind of pivot or hinge so the pushmower will  stay level with gullys and such?

 

[JohnRoberts]

Omg that is like something out of a video game.  Are your plans to add some kind of pivot or hinge so the pushmower will  stay level with gullys and such?

The small mower is pulled by a single length of wire rope looped over each front wheel axle. It already is relatively self leveling and self centering. The wire rope is looped through a pulley (left over from the last time I repaired my weight machine) , but the wire rope does not stay in the pulley, so I will probably lose the pulley.

It worked better than expected for first cut implementation....  I will rotate the pull bar over to other side so small mower muffler is not blowing into my ear, and it doesn't get tangled up with grass catcher chute. You can't make sharp turns in the direction of small mower, but it tracks wide turns well.

I have a rope tied to the back, so I can literally back up, and to prevent it from falling down into the steeper ditches. 

This is still a work in process and early days.

JR

 

[boji]

pulled by a single length of wire rope looped over each front wheel axle.

Ahh you did say ditch.  After zooming in I see hint of the wire.  I figured it was more stiffly attached to the signpost type metal. 

You DO need a straight jacket!  ;D

 

[JohnRoberts]

Ahh you did say ditch.  After zooming in I see hint of the wire.  I figured it was more stiffly attached to the signpost type metal. 

Here is picture today of rev 2 from behind

You DO need a straight jacket!  ;D

Perhaps...  Rev 2 works also,,, while flipping the small mower over to the other side is quieter... now the grass discharge chute is blowing right at me, so next week back it goes to the right side. I rather wear ear plugs than pick sticks and rocks out of my teeth.

This is a little dangerous, so boys and girls don't try this at home...  I am also having to learn how to steer the combined contraption... If I steer based on where the small mower is the big mower can still get in trouble... :

But this too can be learned and managed. So far a very encouraging success... There is a kink in the wire rope pulling the small mower so perhaps not the best choice.

I will soak this design in beer for another week.  8)

JR

 

[midwayfair]

This .... might actually be the weirdest thing someone's posted here.

It's like it's got a little side car.

(It's the proper color for a motorcycle, too.)