Has anyone built his own mower?

[mullins87]

When you finish that mower, we want pictures!!! :thumbsup::biggrin:

 

[Alasdair]

Thanks for your interest, I built a beast of a mower to cut
paddock edges and a creek edge appx 300m long. I found
a 1960's rover 21" side chucker at the tip, with a near dead
5 hp Briggs on it, I fitted a Chinese 6.5 hp which I modified
by shaving the head 0.030" and porting it a little, and balancing
as best I could. I think I get close to 8 hp as it is almost un-
stoppable. It still runs sitting on the blade. I put 4 customized
blades on it which I hard faced the cutting edges, re-tempered
and balanced as a unit. I made extended axles and fitted 10"
pneumatic golf caddy wheels all round, which by extending the
lift arm length, gives me huge height range. The deck did have
a couple of minor cracks, so I laminated 4mm aluminium checker-
plate over the skirts, made up a heavy rubber rear curtain to save
shins, and connected the side deflector hood to a locking handgrip.
It cuts anything anywhere I can push it, I slam it into blackberry bushes
button grass, weeds a metre tall, and it soaks it up. I have many other
project mower type creations, but they are probably too much for this
page. The latest is a leaf vacuum from a standard electrolux rear catcher,
it even amazes me.
Cheers.

 

[Blakesan]

I just built my first lawn mower , Never had a need for one in the past but I just bought my first house and this was on the side of the road down the street. looked like this

By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

I spent a week at night after work and hanging out with the kids a few hours every night striping , and repainting , mechanical work. I found another 18 hp craftsman engine that was new and working perfect and threw it in there.

Got up early this morning to finish and throw the deck on it to do some mowing.

By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

IMG]http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/6684/1000000223.jpg[/IMG]
By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

 

[Snapperfreak]

The closest I've come to building my own mower was pieceing together a couple of snapper walk-behinds to make one good mower. I have taken apart a couple of old self-propelled snappers, cleaned them up and put them back together. That was more work than I expected...good thing I had one assembled to look at to make sure everything was going back together right.

 

[mullins87]

The closest I've come to building my own mower was pieceing together a couple of snapper walk-behinds to make one good mower. I have taken apart a couple of old self-propelled snappers, cleaned them up and put them back together. That was more work than I expected...good thing I had one assembled to look at to make sure everything was going back together right.

Hey, taking two or more nonworking mowers and making one good mower out of the parts is only the beginning. Combine what you know now with some basic fabrication skills and you too can build your own custom mower! :thumbsup:

 

[Snapperfreak]

I guess it's possible but i don't know how I could improve on the old snappers. IMHO all the parts and pieces are in the right spot, the controls work good, of course they look good. As un-creative as this sounds, I guess the best I could do is just take the best things from different snapper models and put them into one unit. Man I'd love to come across an old Wisconsin-Robin engine...2 or 4 cycle.

 

[Snapperfreak]

Blakesan that tractor is awesome! How bout a pair of KC lights up front?

 

[Dangeroustoys56]

Ive built a few 'modifeds' over the years - still have a couple in works currently actually.

First few were 'hot rods' - meaning fast machines - learning in progress each build, my last one was a 94 murray , i had it around 30 plus MPH, but was too unstable for any faster speeds ( had plenty more power/gears to go).

Building a 'go kart out of a 80's MTD wizard- initally using a 6.5HP horizontal motor ( go kart clutch and chain to rear axle)- with an eventual twin cylender upgrade.

Another is a 80's agway ( murray) that will get 4 atv wheels/rims , and outfitted for trail riding/offroading - a 4x4 setup is a future upgrade.

Last will be a rat rod tractor, using MTD and 69 wheelhorse parts - will be fast, low and unpainted .

 

[SS16 diesel]

I made a diesel tractor with a sears ss16 the engine is a lombardini 6ld435 with a metric tapered shaft I cut the tapered part off and had a 1" id pulley bored out to 28mm and I had welded it on but overall it's a real fuel sipper "its a real fuel saver!!!" and it will pull anything a diesel repower is totally worth it my grandfather gave me the engine. I'm 14 and I made it all my self except the pulley boring and welding. Shes a real black smoker

 

[mullins87]

I made a diesel tractor with a sears ss16 the engine is a lombardini 6ld435 with a metric tapered shaft I cut the tapered part off and had a 1" id pulley bored out to 28mm and I had welded it on but overall it's a real fuel sipper "its a real fuel saver!!!" and it will pull anything a diesel repower is totally worth it my grandfather gave me the engine. I'm 14 and I made it all my self except the pulley boring and welding. Shes a real black smoker

Pictures, we want pictures!!!! As some on another forum I use say; "No pics = it didn't happen!"