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I have been poking around this forum for a while and have ended up here numerous times while searching for mower advice. My apologies if this is not the correct place to post this thread. I thought his was a good crowd to judge this idea of mine though. The idea is for a push mower which would easily convert to a walk-behind leaf blower. The mower would look just like any push mower but the discharge chute would be 90 degrees to the push direction instead of 45 degrees like most mowers. You would then take the blade off and put on an impeller and a shroud over the main opening that has a smaller diameter epening in it. This would turn the deck into a centrifugal fan, just like the ones used on a standard walk-behind blower. It seems like if you were buying a new mower and there was one that had the ability to turn into a high powered leaf blower with a (roughly) $75 add-on, that most people would purchase it over a standard mower. So...would you buy it? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. This is not a product that I am trying to sell, just an idea at this point.

Sure sounds like a good idea to me. Would I buy it no, but I don't blow my leaves I cut them up.

I agree with reynoldston, Sounds like a good Idea. Depending on price. The only problem would be competing with the Back Pack blowers.

Ric said:

I agree with reynoldston, Sounds like a good Idea. Depending on price. The only problem would be competing with the Back Pack blowers.

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Someone wanting to buy this just as a blower would be a tough sell against a backpack blower. The main target would be a person who needs to buy a new mower and has the option to buy a standard mower or this mower with the blowing capability. At the point when they know that they are going to have to buy a mower, the only cost difference would be for the $75 add-on to convert it into a blower. Then you would be comparing $75 to a $500 backpack system. I think that the high production would make this something that you could get for $350 for the mower and blower conversion which would be good competition for the walk-behind types.

I have blown leaves and debris commercially before. We had a walk behind blower.

Your idea sounds OK, but I am not a fan of using a walk behind blower, having done so repeatedly for years commercially. Wind is your enemy, and those leaves can and usually do blow right back at you, unless you are going to corral them and burn them or bag them. Personally, I am a mulching guy. Then I bag the mulch remains and compost them.

The price is good, and if you want to give it a try, go for it. Keep us posted.

clint357 said:

Someone wanting to buy this just as a blower would be a tough sell against a backpack blower. The main target would be a person who needs to buy a new mower and has the option to buy a standard mower or this mower with the blowing capability. At the point when they know that they are going to have to buy a mower, the only cost difference would be for the $75 add-on to convert it into a blower. Then you would be comparing $75 to a $500 backpack system. I think that the high production would make this something that you could get for $350 for the mower and blower conversion which would be good competition for the walk-behind types.

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Hey I agree with bt3 give it a shot. Really what's it gonna cost you to try. Somebody had too come up with the ideas for all the equipment we now use. I mean seriously you could end up making a bundle of money.

Ric said:

Hey I agree with bt3 give it a shot. Really what's it gonna cost you to try. Somebody had too come up with the ideas for all the equipment we now use. I mean seriously you could end up making a bundle of money.

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Thanks for the input. As for cost, it has cost me about $6,000 so far to apply for a patent. I have also hacked together a rough prototype and I'm pretty impressed with what it can do. My neighbor just bought a $170 Stihl handheld blower, and it's not even in that same ballpark as my prototype.

Here is a video of my prototype at work. Obviously it's pretty rough, but it works well. The leaves in the video are obviously wet and it still piles them up quickly. at 2:00 I show how I constructed it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZeS38lsHLI

Looks pretty cool! Very nice idea on the impeller under the mower with the cover under it.