Home built leaf vacuum

nicky1

Forum Newbie
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Threads
1
Messages
5
I have needed one of these for years and when someone threw the engine/fan in the scrap metal hopper at the Cat dealership where I worked I couldn't resist the temptation to grab it. The engine had no compression and it turned out to be a stuck valve. After removing the head and cleaning everything it runs great. The body is almost all aluminum and the under carriage is steel with a widened MTD tractor front axle. The blower chute sides are made from excavator plexiglass windows, which is 1/4 in. or so thick and is tough stuff. It works great and will make the fall cleanup a lot easier. View attachment 31176IMG_2360.JPGIMG_2359.JPGIMG_2358.JPG
 
Last edited:

Pumper54

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Threads
19
Messages
819
Super nice find there. Is ain't free and easy a great thing?
Tom
 

nicky1

Forum Newbie
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Threads
1
Messages
5
Super nice find there. Is ain't free and easy a great thing?
Tom
The only thing that was found was the [ Motor/blower]. The rest of it I built out of salvage materials I had saved in my barn. The axle is a widened MTD lawn tractor front axle, the aluminum corner angles are from the slide out bunks on an old pop up tent camper. I probably have less than $50 in it. It was a fun build !!!
 

dezzywilliam1

Forum Newbie
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Threads
0
Messages
1
Thats the heartbeat of the machine. I plan to build a 16-20" impeller with 3" guides. I will belt drive it off a counter shaft
 

nicky1

Forum Newbie
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Threads
1
Messages
5
Thats the heartbeat of the machine. I plan to build a 16-20" impeller with 3" guides. I will belt drive it off a counter shaft

I have seen some homebuilt impellers on youtube. Some even made of wood. They seemed to work ok I guess. I think one of the main things is balance. The one I used was factory made [ MTD ] and it had quite a vibration problem. I hung the impeller on a plumb-bob to balance it as it would not fit on my mower blade balancer. I welded a little piece of steel on the back of the wheel and it now is vibration free.
Good luck on the build,
nicky1
 
Top