Building my own Leaf/Grass Vacuum system

[SkunkWerX]

I am now into the next project, a Trac Vac" style tow behind leaf and grass Vac system.

Found new blowers and motors on Ebay.

eBay - easy rake, Outdoor Power Equipment, Home Garden items on eBay.com

I already have a Yard cart, 4' x 6' bed, and it tilts.

I plan on using leftover metal siding from my pole building to make a "take apart" box unit for the open trailer. Will try to make it easy assembly so it can be stored flat and out of the way.

Will get Hose from Wynn or Mcmaster.

Fabricate my own Discharge chute for the MMM and Box flange for the output to connect to.

My lawn sweeper is on "life supprt" right now, gear is stripping out, frame suffering, and I think it's about time to shoot it and put it out of it's misery.

Will post pics as parts arrive and plans come together.
Blower/Motor is scheduled to be delivered today, giving the long weekend to plan and ponder.
I am thinking the metal siding from the Pole Building is going to make for an excellent collection box.

 

[hagman]

SkunkWerx,

I am considering doing the same thing. I will follow your thread closely about this with great interest. So far from what you described your project sounds exactly like what I envisioned doing. Good luck with it.

Hagman

 

[Mud Dr.]

I've been pondering about building one of those myself. The live oaks are beautiful, but they drop a ton of leaves. Keep us posted on your progress. Sure be nice to shred them too before putting them to the compoct pile.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Hagman and Mud Dr. ,

After looking at the various angles of the plan, the real money is in the Motor/Blower. After that, decent hose is gonna run about $10 p/ft. plus shipping. Even using a standard tow behind Craftsman style garden Cart, they can be had used for $50, and even less if you have time to shop.

So, with that, I decided not to mess around with the heart of the system, I spent the Bucks to get a unit designed to do the job. I've been using a sweeper for many a year, and while it beats raking, I think the Vac unit is going to be way better.

PS: it arrived!! Shiney /Brand spankin new, with Owners manual and ful B&S manual.

Here is a pic of the Motor end of things:

And here is the Blower unit, 7" inlet and outlet:

Finally, a close up of the impeller, quite beefy, looks to be 1/4" thick steel.
(It's really cleaner than it looks, the white stuff is styrofoam from packing).

 

[zzvyb6]

I built my own, too. Only needed 5.5 hp though. Turns out hose diameter is biggest factor in thruput with a 72" mower deck. I finally settled in on 12" obtained from a local lawn & garden shop (by the foot). I can probably get some pix if you are interested. It will suck up a brick via any mower deck that will pick it up. I hook it up to my 48" front mower or the 72" mmm.

 

[SkunkWerX]

I built my own, too. Only needed 5.5 hp though. Turns out hose diameter is biggest factor in thruput with a 72" mower deck. I finally settled in on 12" obtained from a local lawn & garden shop (by the foot). I can probably get some pix if you are interested. It will suck up a brick via any mower deck that will pick it up. I hook it up to my 48" front mower or the 72" mmm.

I have been reading about hose size, and was considering bumping this one up from 7" to 8"??

Question: Does the inlet have to match the outlet?

The reason I ask is that the air leaving the impeller is compressed and velocity is increased, so, could I have , say, an *" Inlet from the mwoer deck and keep the rigid 7" outlet??

 

[Mud Dr.]

Skunk, those impeller blades are a lot heavier than I woud have imagined. They should generate a good bit flywheel momentum. I am curious to see how much chipping or shredding they do to reduce the volume of bagged leaves. Some of the manufactured units I looked at had some serrated teeth on the impellers to aid in the shredding process. I have been using a typical rear bagger to pick up my leaves, but with 5 live oaks in my yard and the neighbors 2, that's a lot of trips to the compost pile.
How are you going to attach to your mower deck?

 

[SkunkWerX]

Skunk, those impeller blades are a lot heavier than I woud have imagined. They should generate a good bit flywheel momentum. I am curious to see how much chipping or shredding they do to reduce the volume of bagged leaves. Some of the manufactured units I looked at had some serrated teeth on the impellers to aid in the shredding process. I have been using a typical rear bagger to pick up my leaves, but with 5 live oaks in my yard and the neighbors 2, that's a lot of trips to the compost pile.
How are you going to attach to your mower deck?

Good thought! i have seen some serrated teeth, and it looks like I have a couple of inches to mount some "teeth". Was thinking about 1/8" x 2" flats, with "V" teeth ground into them??

Mounting to MMM deck by making a metal discharge chute.
Removed my plastic stock chute, and am now fabricating a discharge chute.

pics will follow this eve.

 

[SkunkWerX]

Update:

I did get the discharge chute built to fit the BX2350.

Decided I didn't want to dedicate a trailer for nothing but collection, given the Motor/blower would have to mounted on the tongue. Instead, i have opted for a 3 PH set-up to hold the Motor/Blower.
Then a trailer will tow behind.

The 3 PH attachement is compact can be easily stored, leaving the trailer for other duties year round. Mounting and removing the motor/blower from the trailer tongue wasn't too appealing.

Fabricated an 8" Inlet Adapter, which allows an increase on the intake side from 7" to a 8" hose.

Here it is, so far.

 

[sandman2234]

I purchased a couple of new impeller blades to do the same thing you guys are doing, then came across a deal where I purchased not one, but two of these blowers. I put the one without the storage bin on ebay after seeing one sell that was just like it. I guess there was only one person willing to pay that amount, so I still have it. I don't use either of them, since my Steiner has a blower on it and I just blow the leaves into a side ditch I have. However, after the accident and my termination, I may be putting both of them on ebay along with the extra impellers.
David from jax