Building my own Leaf/Grass Vacuum system

[sandman2234]

UHMW is good stuff too, never can remember what all those different plastics we messed with at the shop are and what each was good for. I figure anybody with any connections in plastic could get the right stuff advice from them. Even plastic signs like the two I tore down at the church would probably work well as long as you weren't too hard on it when it was used for something besides leafs and grass.
David from jax

 

[BTDT]

Might try some of those political posters/signs (corrugated plastic and free after an election, lots of sizes) glued to the bed and sides of your trailer with liquid nails or something. I bet they are slick enough for grass/leaves to slide out easily.

 

[SkunkWerX]

I found enough of the same metal to cut the whole top out and make the whole top the vent, performance was improved.

Exactly, if you look at a Trac Vac roof, you will see a Roof Vent, (hood scoop) it's wide open to let out the rushing air.
The solids are "barely" suspended in the air as it is rushing into the hopper, once you bleed off some of the air, gravity takes over, and the particulate matter falls into the hopper. When you are full, stuff starts blowing out the roof scoop, so you know it's time to dump.
It would be more perplexing if I hadn't used a Trac Vac a few times before this.

The thickness of my blower housing is better than 16 gauge. I'm using 16 gauge for some of my Inlet/Outlet flanges, and it's thicker than that. probably 14 Ga. ? Sturdy enough for me.

I am going to use metal siding leftover from my pole building construction to make a topper for the garden trailer. Was gonig to start with the 4' by 6' trailer, but, I'm wimping out and starting with the standard Craftsman dump Cart. I'll "Go Big" once I know I have working unit.

On the topic of easier dumping: I was going to re-paint the interior of the trailer with EZ Slide graphite paint. It is used on farms for grain conveyors and such.
Van Sickle Paint &#34EZ-Slide&#34 Graphite Based Coating, 12.8 Aerosol Spray, Model RB95120 (usahardware.com)
My dad used it under his mower deck to keep grass from clogging, it works well. I think using that on the floor and sides of the garden cart should do the trick.

I did make my "Quick connect" last night, where the hose hooks onto the blower Inlet. I palce small angle brackets, and a spring holds the metal hose connector onto the blower inlet. This way, should there be a Clog, the spring can be removed and the connector pulled off of the Inlet flange to clear the Clog. I may end up using this method for the connection at the Discharge chute, also.

 

[sandman2234]

Those signs might would work, but I don't think putting a bunch of them together is a good idea. The seam would tend to catch things and reduce the slide effect. If you can find one sign large enough, go for it.
I hadn't seen the graphite paint, looks like a good idea. The incline in my hopper is steep enough that dumping isn't a problem. All I have do do is open the rear door which is hinged at the top and drive away.
David from jax

 

[vaskeet]

for unloading what about puttin in a load handler like this.
Load Handler Cargo Unloader — 3000-Lb. Capacity, Commercial Grade | Hoists, Lifts, + Cranes | Northern Tool + Equipment
you would have to remember to unroll before you loaded the grass but it may work.

 

[sandman2234]

I think Berniep had a good suggestion when it comes to that. Don't try to over engineer it...
That looks like a lot more work that just a regular dump trailer or one like mine that has the angle built into the floor so the tailgate is the only thing stopping it from sliding out.
David from jax

 

[KentT]

I have a 30+ year-old cart & vac from Simplicity (who owns Giant Vac) that I've used for a long time... so, here's a few ideas to think about:

1. Make the input hose to the vac 1" bigger than the outlet hose to the cart...

2. There's a reason for the the deflector over the open roof vent -- it sends dust to the back of the machine instead of straight up in the air to fall back down on you... A vented tailgate, with the vent at the top of the tailgate, works as well...

3. Use a slick mat of some kind in the bottom of your dump cart (those blue poly tarps MIGHT work) -- then you can grab it (or tie it to something) and pull the cube of material out the back...

4. Gator Blades will allow you to put about 3 times as much stuff in your cart before you have to empty it -- if you can find them to fit your mower. But, they don't have quite the lift of normal hi-lift blades, so you need a lot of suction from your vac...

5. I made a short length of clear tubing (by rolling up and pop-riveting thin plexiglass) that I use between the mower deck and the vac. I can watch the clippings and see when I have a clog and nothing's going up the tube...

 

[SkunkWerX]

I have a 30+ year-old cart & vac from Simplicity (who owns Giant Vac) that I've used for a long time... so, here's a few ideas to think about:

1. Make the input hose to the vac 1" bigger than the outlet hose to the cart...

2. There's a reason for the the deflector over the open roof vent -- it sends dust to the back of the machine instead of straight up in the air to fall back down on you... A vented tailgate, with the vent at the top of the tailgate, works as well...

3. Use a slick mat of some kind in the bottom of your dump cart (those blue poly tarps MIGHT work) -- then you can grab it (or tie it to something) and pull the cube of material out the back...

4. Gator Blades will allow you to put about 3 times as much stuff in your cart before you have to empty it -- if you can find them to fit your mower. But, they don't have quite the lift of normal hi-lift blades, so you need a lot of suction from your vac...

5. I made a short length of clear tubing (by rolling up and pop-riveting thin plexiglass) that I use between the mower deck and the vac. I can watch the clippings and see when I have a clog and nothing's going up the tube...

Kent, thanks for the info, all good stuff!!

1. I converted the input to 8", leaving the output at 7" , thinking of suction on one side and velocity on the other made me do it.

2. I am going to make the TracVac style vent, but was also considering vents at the back, up high. Will go fwd with that based on your input.

3. Going to use the graphite paint on metal pan.

4. When I had use of the Trac Vac, I tried to do "free mowing" first, then come back a day later for a Mow & vac session. This tended to chew up more material. But, will take Gaotr blades into accoutn when i do need new blades.

5. AWESOME idea!!! I like it!!

again, Thanks, this is the stuff that helps everyone.

 

[sandman2234]

My leaf vac is a little different than what you are building. It appears your putting yours on the discharge side of the mower, to pick up clipping and things. Mine is kind of like a "Billy Goat" vacumn but much larger with a very large storage compartment. It is pulled behind my mower, or even a golf cart and picks up loose leaves, grass clippings, sticks, pine cones, sand, rocks, gravel, bricks (just kidding on the bricks). Mine has a top hinged door that is spring loaded that once lifted allows everything to just slide out onto the ground. Pull up a little and close your door and back to work. I have never filled it completely up, but can imagine it would be extremely heavy when fully loaded. A couple acres doesn't even come close to filling it up.
I know I still need to post pictures of this one...
David

 

[SkunkWerX]

My leaf vac is a little different than what you are building. It appears your putting yours on the discharge side of the mower, to pick up clipping and things. Mine is kind of like a "Billy Goat" vacumn but much larger with a very large storage compartment. It is pulled behind my mower, or even a golf cart and picks up loose leaves, grass clippings, sticks, pine cones, sand, rocks, gravel, bricks (just kidding on the bricks). Mine has a top hinged door that is spring loaded that once lifted allows everything to just slide out onto the ground. Pull up a little and close your door and back to work. I have never filled it completely up, but can imagine it would be extremely heavy when fully loaded. A couple acres doesn't even come close to filling it up.
I know I still need to post pictures of this one...
David

David, yes mine is hooking to the discharge chute, but, I have enough 8 foot hose to hook up an alternate "Billy Goat" style vacuum, as well. After getting the system up&running, then I was thinking about making a sweep collection point that could be hooked up, using sheet metal and short peice of 8" hose. This way , it could be used like a floor Inlet in a Dust collection system, where you sweep or rake to the Inlet point.

My experience with the TracVac I was loaned taught me to do the Mow job first, grind up what I could, then come back for the MOW&Vac session, if possible the next day. Dry grass doesn't tend to clog and you get the added benefit of fitting more ground up material per load.

In the fall I have always used a home-made discharge block-off plate, which allows the mower decks to really re-grind the leaves several times before they slip out underneath the deck. (Caution: only use a block off plate when it is dry, with sharp blades). The block-off method doesn't quite give me the 10:1 reduction of a true shredder, but probably gets a good 5:1 grind on the material. Enough reduction that it goes straight into the compost pile.

The best decomposition is that fine mix of dried leaves and the last few lawn mowings of the year. Add some water, 10-10-10 and lime and it "bakes" down real nicely. I have ben using composted horse manure from down the road as a compost additive, wow, it supercharges the whole process.