PTO leaf blower

[Donman]

I made this leaf blower from stuff I had laying around yesterday. After I took this pic and tried it out, I made two changes, (1). made a shroud to direct airflow better, (2) made skid at front so it wouldn't cut lines in the grass from angle iron runners. My Yanmar has 540 and 1000 rpm pto so I have a choice on blow power. Works good!

 

[leslie428]

What a wonderful idea, and I have an old air blower like this in the garage. I was going to throw it out. Now I can recycle. Thanks for your idea. Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

 

[jgbanshee]

Donman
Have you thought about adding gauge tires rather than skids to your blower?

 

[jimmer2880]

About how far does it blow them?

I have an old blower also that I amost tossed out today. Looks like it may have a new life what an awesome idea.

 

[Grrrr]

Great idea, I could do with one of them.

Where did the blower come from originally? Was it still a leaf blower in its previous life?

 

[Donman]

jgbanshee - I like the guage wheel idea! I think I'll try that.

Jimmer2880 - When the leaves are nice and dry they will blow 15 to 20 feet and clean up totally about 8 feet.

Grrr - The blower started life as a furnace blower. I had a couple of them but used this one cause it had a 3/4" shaft with enough shaft sticking thru for a pully on the back side which I needed for the thing to turn in the right direction and not stick out too far behind.

One more tweak that needs to be done is make a screen or shield so stray leaves don't suck in the intakes and clog it up.
The pto pulley I bought at an auction for $3. It was a flat pulley with tiny grooves for a flat belt. I chucked a rubber covered bolt in the drill press and set it up so it would turn this pulley slowly and allow me to cut the v-pulley groove with my 4" angle grinder.

 

[Huskerplowboy]

That green pulley looks like the ones that come off some PTO pumps on pull-type ag sprayers. We had a pump with a green pulley just like it that used a flatter type belt...

Cool project!

 

[Licklog]

Not being as creative or as handy as many in these groups I have stooped to mounting my hand held and back pack leaf blowers on my carryall and using them to clear my driveway of leaves and light snow.

I would like to use a PTO driven blower but the ones I have seen are pretty pricey for my limited use. Does anyone know of an "economical" source for a blower?

Licklog

 

[TobyH]

Check around your local furnace installer. They usually have a metal bin full of old furnaces you could probably swipe one off of.

 

[3RRL]

Great idea!
I've seen blowers used on golf courses to clear fairways of leaves. They are towable units run by separate engines. But I'll bet they paid a bundle for them.
I like your idea, it's very clever.
The wheels are a great idea too.