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The title of this section in the Forum has amazed me. It says, "Build-It Yourself"

I need to ask this. Has anyone built his own mower? What kind of mower is it? I am very curious. If you tell us how I'll be very thankful.

Yes i have. if you take interest,reply, and i'll give more. anyway i took a 3.5 horse four cycle, and cut a slaught inbetween the bottom of the shaft, and the slaught for the key chuk, and slid a blade adapter on. then i put the motor an a old yardman mower deck i had laying around. then i bolted the blade onto the adapter.

Well I have a 2002 rer that has recently had a 5.5hp briggs installed off of an old 1996 snapper bigwheel auto drive. It involved cutting the circular motor mount from the big wheel and being precision welded to the rer. I do not have pictures at the moment but can upload some later tomorrow.


"edit" I also had to cut and old square blade adapter off the 5.5's crank shaft , and for the record use a cutting wheel not acetaline.

Here are the pictures of the old power built and the new 5.5 and the mower I took it from.
Please forgive my weld as it is a bit sloppy to the right but it has been a while.
I eventually plan on purchasing some fuel line to plumb in the original 3 gal snapper tank.

Lotsa potential there!

That walk behind could use a LOT of TLC.....I'd recognize that drive system anywhere!

Great pics, lots of detail, I am pretty handy with mechanical stuff but have never attempted something like you are doing. Good work!!!:thumbsup:

thanks for the compliments. I am kind of surprised nobody noticed the vaccum cleaner pipe stack. Anyway the 5.5 performs far better than the old 9hp. There is no bogging at low rpm when the clutch is engaged, and uses less fuel. I still need to reinstall the cutting deck. I suppose that will be the real test.

Not exactly a mower, but my 317 "Special" started out as (what was left) of a parted out JD 317 garden tractor;

I built it as a parade unit to tow other tractors &/or Lawn carts. ~~ grnspot

Before the 317 "Special" the came the L/60 "Custom"! I t came into my life as a JD 60 lawn tractor with a blown replacement engine (6 HP Tecumseh). Since there is no 'direct replacement' engine available, I decided to make it look "somewhat" like an early JD model "L" or "62" farm tractor. Installed an 8 HP Briggs from a "flea market" JD R72, RER. It, too, is used for shows & some light duty towing around the yard. ~~ grnspot

Nice ammo box. Is that for easy access while mowing?

I sure haven't and I'm not too sure I have the skills to do something like that. Call me crazy, but I prefer to buy one so I know it's working properly lol.

grnspot110,

AMAZING! Great job! Hey! You get your mowers like I do - out of the weeds! (or before they go to the dump)

Wish I had more "after" pics, rather than just "before", and "......in progress" (probably means I need to finish something) :laughing:

That 317 turned out really nice.......nice touches throughout.

rer said:

Nice ammo box. Is that for easy access while mowing?

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That's the battery/switch box.

twall said:

grnspot110,

AMAZING! Great job! Hey! You get your mowers like I do - out of the weeds! (or before they go to the dump)

Wish I had more "after" pics, rather than just "before", and "......in progress" (probably means I need to finish something) :laughing:

That 317 turned out really nice.......nice touches throughout.

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Thanks!

The little 60 I bought to restore, by the time I got to it (two years later), there were no new engines available. So I decided to customize it!

The 317 was built to pull a parade unit, Line of tractors, carts, etc. I paid $40 for the "rolling chassis", $200 for a salvaged 18 HP Kohler Command from a Miller welder. From there on, I was afraid to keep track of the expense! ~~ grnspot

grnspot110 said:

Thanks!

....From there on, I was afraid to keep track of the expense! ~~ grnspot

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I hear THAT....LOL :laughing:

Too bad about the 60 - I mighta tried a restomod. With my Simplicity, it's simmilar. Not gonna find that 7horse. But, I have all the old pieces (fan shroud/air filter, and everything else), and will put all the old stuff on a newer, slightly larger engine. I'll keep ya posted on how it turns out.

This spring, I'm gonna work on finishing my started projects. After that's done, I'm gonna tackle the Broadmoor.

Next year I'll tackle the RX75, and whatever I aquire this year :wink:

I need to find a RER for a winter project I have in mind, would prefer JD, but anything with a good engine would work. ~~ grnspot

grnspot110 said:

I need to find a RER for a winter project I have in mind, would prefer JD, but anything with a good engine would work. ~~ grnspot

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I'm kinda the resident 'rer guy' here. :laughing: Should I be cringing?

Does it count if you have taken 3 and made 1 that runs by modifying the parts? That is about as good as I get, I am not sure I could build it from complete scratch.

I have noticed a problem through trial and error. my flywheel rubs on the chain box when i try to shift to reverse. So I Might have to take some picures of drilling a hole. I will say thank you for all the great comments. When my 5hp blows up I will try to attach a 50cc 2 stroke, I think it will push it. I guess it will be the real test of snapper gearing.

I just finished off my winter project, it is an offset mower that I built to pull behind the lawn tractor. The engine, deck, gas tank and rear tires came off an old Snapper LT16 lawn tractor I have. The front casters came off a Toro fairway mower that I found at a local salvage yard. Everything else was built from scratch. Once I get a new belt, it will be ready to go. I can't wait to try it out.

Well, I've used the offset mower twice now. It has cut my mowing time nearly in half!!! So far so good though, nothing has broken or blown up yet. :thumbsup:

Its good to hear it works, and cuts down on time. Also how much extra gas does it use?

Mullins, you are the MAN! Nice work. For most, that kind of project would generally be a "slap-it-together", but you really put a lot of attention into the details.

It's been a while, but for my most recent project I made two identical mowers from scratch, back in 1999. They came out great, but I've hardly used them at all - I hope to get them into service soon. They look a little goofy, but here they are:

rer said:

Its good to hear it works, and cuts down on time. Also how much extra gas does it use?

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It nearly doubles my gallons/hour rate, but it nearly cuts my time in half. The rider uses a little over a gallon/hour and the offset mower a little under a gallon/hour. I'd say in the end, I use about the same overall, or possibly a little less. If I were very concerned about fuel useage, I'd pull both motors and put a diesel on the rider with a PTO to drive the offset mower.

mystreba said:

Mullins, you are the MAN! Nice work. For most, that kind of project would generally be a "slap-it-together", but you really put a lot of attention into the details.

It's been a while, but for my most recent project I made two identical mowers from scratch, back in 1999. They came out great, but I've hardly used them at all - I hope to get them into service soon. They look a little goofy, but here they are:

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Thank you very much! I've got a couple of mowers similar to yours, one is a 1996 model while the other is a 2000 model. Mine are a little goofy too!! :laughing:

I built this tow behind a couple of years ago....Mainly used for tall grass and brush

poncho62 said:

I built this tow behind a couple of years ago....Mainly used for tall grass and brush

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Nice work Poncho! I need one of those for my field - I hate to run my tractor over it.

Picked up an engine for next winter's project the other day. Local radio station's "Trading Post" had an electric start, 12-1/2 HP Briggs for $75, When I got there it was still on the "tractor":confused2: so he could show it ran OK, I can probably use some other parts of it on my project. ~~ grnspot

Poncho, great idea! I have another 48" deck that would make a nice rough cut mower for those areas that are too tight and/or soft for the tractor and bush hog. I was looking at that deck a few days ago and wondering what I was going to do with it. You just may have given me my next project idea...well at least the next project after I build some brush forks for my front end loader bucket.

BTW: That's a nice looking Ford. I like that rear PTO.

grnspot110 said:

Picked up an engine for next winter's project the other day. Local radio station's "Trading Post" had an electric start, 12-1/2 HP Briggs for $75, When I got there it was still on the "tractor":confused2: so he could show it ran OK, I can probably use some other parts of it on my project. ~~ grnspot

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Spill the beans. What's next winter's project?

mullins87 said:

BTW: That's a nice looking Ford. I like that rear PTO.

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The PTO is for the tiller....did some plowing and tilling today

mullins87 said:

Spill the beans. What's next winter's project?

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The plan is a "scaled down" replica of a John Deere model 101 tractor. ~~ grnspot

poncho62 said:

The PTO is for the tiller....did some plowing and tilling today

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Drool, drool...

poncho62 said:

The PTO is for the tiller....did some plowing and tilling today

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I would sooo love to have a PTO tiller. I tilled our garden this afternoon as well, at least I have an old Troy Bilt.

grnspot110 said:

The plan is a "scaled down" replica of a John Deere model 101 tractor. ~~ grnspot

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Okay, I'm gonna show my ignorance here.....what's a 101? I'm sure I've seen one somewhere, but I can't recall one right now.

mystreba said:

Drool, drool...

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Wish mine had P.T.O..

mullins87 said:

Okay, I'm gonna show my ignorance here.....what's a 101? I'm sure I've seen one somewhere, but I can't recall one right now.

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Not ignorance, they were never put into production! They were an early design to be used mostly as a cultivator tractor. Other models won out over the 101, the "M" & "L" series. Two are known to still exist, one is owned by John Deere Co. The other, last I knew was in Ohio (if I remember right). ~~ grnspot

The real R.E.R very cool old deer:thumbsup:

grnspot110 said:

Not ignorance, they were never put into production! They were an early design to be used mostly as a cultivator tractor. Other models won out over the 101, the "M" & "L" series. Two are known to still exist, one is owned by John Deere Co. The other, last I knew was in Ohio (if I remember right). ~~ grnspot

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Okay, I feel better now. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that. Sorry "rer", but I'm not a fan of rear engines riders...or tractors for that matter. However, as a dedicated cultivator tractor, that 101 looks perfect. That thing doesn't look too hard to build, the sheet metal around the engine would be the hardest part for me.

Man, you guys inspire me too much. My wife rolls her eyes every time I start talking about my next build.

mullins87 said:

Okay, I feel better now. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that. Sorry "rer", but I'm not a fan of rear engines riders...or tractors for that matter. However, as a dedicated cultivator tractor, that 101 looks perfect. That thing doesn't look too hard to build, the sheet metal around the engine would be the hardest part for me.

Man, you guys inspire me too much. My wife rolls her eyes every time I start talking about my next build.

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Me too , on the sheet metal!

There was an article about them in Antique Power magazine some years ago, I have that issue. Also an article in Two-Cylinder magazine on the restoration of the one JD owns, which I have. The JD one was restored, but left in it's "rusty" look, as an older tractor would look. The pictures I have show some different "test" versions, so I have some leeway on the build.

If I get it built, I might even make a mounted cultivator for it. :biggrin: ~~ grnspot

mullins87 said:

......Sorry "rer", but I'm not a fan of rear engines riders...or tractors for that matter......

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To each his own, (see avatar) mullins, to each his own. :biggrin:

Hehehehe, it must be due to my childhood spent on a Snapper Hi-Vac. That thing was built like a tank and lasted more than thirty years with the original engine.

Before I had an ReR I wasnt a fan either. I thought of them as Forrest Gump mowers. Untill the day I Purchased and mowed 4 foot weeds. The thing must have ran forever with the Old power house:thumbsup:, and is still running today thanks to the 5.5:thumbsup:

The ReR is a mow all its own.

My neighbor built his own mower way back in the 70's. It had 3 hyd powered reel mowers on it and two front wheels drove it and a single rear wheel turned it. It may have been a cannibalized something or other, but it was all hand built from welded tube steel and sheet. He was a machinist that had his own shop.

zsqure said:

My neighbor built his own mower way back in the 70's. It had 3 hyd powered reel mowers on it and two front wheels drove it and a single rear wheel turned it. It may have been a cannibalized something or other, but it was all hand built from welded tube steel and sheet. He was a machinist that had his own shop.

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Any pictures????

Ive built a tractor to mow my grass if that counts? I will be making the mower deck itself shortly.

Yes, that counts. Nice work!! Give us the specs.

mullins87 said:

Yes, that counts. Nice work!! Give us the specs.

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Thanks, It has a 5.5 hp honda motor, powering a hydraulic pump, with drive through the rear wheels from a hydraulic motor. The direction and speed is controlled with a pedal. There is also three extra hydraulic services, and im currently making a front attachment for the mower deck, this will be lifted hydraulicaly. the mower deck will have its own motor

That looks like a perfect platform for all sorts of attachments! You've got the mower deck covered, and I can see a front end loader and three point hitch in your future. :biggrin:

mullins87 said:

That looks like a perfect platform for all sorts of attachments! You've got the mower deck covered, and I can see a front end loader and three point hitch in your future. :biggrin:

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Oh yes! the mower will be mounted on a front end loader/front linkage type attachment (working on this currently) It will be used for cutting grass, ploughing snow, cultivating the veg plot, splitting logs and who knows what else! plenty of Kubota orange paint left yet!

When you finish that mower, we want pictures!!! :thumbsup::biggrin:

Thanks for your interest, I built a beast of a mower to cut
paddock edges and a creek edge appx 300m long. I found
a 1960's rover 21" side chucker at the tip, with a near dead
5 hp Briggs on it, I fitted a Chinese 6.5 hp which I modified
by shaving the head 0.030" and porting it a little, and balancing
as best I could. I think I get close to 8 hp as it is almost un-
stoppable. It still runs sitting on the blade. I put 4 customized
blades on it which I hard faced the cutting edges, re-tempered
and balanced as a unit. I made extended axles and fitted 10"
pneumatic golf caddy wheels all round, which by extending the
lift arm length, gives me huge height range. The deck did have
a couple of minor cracks, so I laminated 4mm aluminium checker-
plate over the skirts, made up a heavy rubber rear curtain to save
shins, and connected the side deflector hood to a locking handgrip.
It cuts anything anywhere I can push it, I slam it into blackberry bushes
button grass, weeds a metre tall, and it soaks it up. I have many other
project mower type creations, but they are probably too much for this
page. The latest is a leaf vacuum from a standard electrolux rear catcher,
it even amazes me.
Cheers.

I just built my first lawn mower , Never had a need for one in the past but I just bought my first house and this was on the side of the road down the street. looked like this


By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

I spent a week at night after work and hanging out with the kids a few hours every night striping , and repainting , mechanical work. I found another 18 hp craftsman engine that was new and working perfect and threw it in there.

Got up early this morning to finish and throw the deck on it to do some mowing.


By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13


By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13


By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13


By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

IMG]http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/6684/1000000223.jpg[/IMG]
By blakesan1 at 2011-08-13

The closest I've come to building my own mower was pieceing together a couple of snapper walk-behinds to make one good mower. I have taken apart a couple of old self-propelled snappers, cleaned them up and put them back together. That was more work than I expected...good thing I had one assembled to look at to make sure everything was going back together right.

Snapperfreak said:

The closest I've come to building my own mower was pieceing together a couple of snapper walk-behinds to make one good mower. I have taken apart a couple of old self-propelled snappers, cleaned them up and put them back together. That was more work than I expected...good thing I had one assembled to look at to make sure everything was going back together right.

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Hey, taking two or more nonworking mowers and making one good mower out of the parts is only the beginning. Combine what you know now with some basic fabrication skills and you too can build your own custom mower! :thumbsup:

I guess it's possible but i don't know how I could improve on the old snappers. IMHO all the parts and pieces are in the right spot, the controls work good, of course they look good. As un-creative as this sounds, I guess the best I could do is just take the best things from different snapper models and put them into one unit. Man I'd love to come across an old Wisconsin-Robin engine...2 or 4 cycle.

Blakesan that tractor is awesome! How bout a pair of KC lights up front?

Ive built a few 'modifeds' over the years - still have a couple in works currently actually.

First few were 'hot rods' - meaning fast machines - learning in progress each build, my last one was a 94 murray , i had it around 30 plus MPH, but was too unstable for any faster speeds ( had plenty more power/gears to go).

Building a 'go kart out of a 80's MTD wizard- initally using a 6.5HP horizontal motor ( go kart clutch and chain to rear axle)- with an eventual twin cylender upgrade.

Another is a 80's agway ( murray) that will get 4 atv wheels/rims , and outfitted for trail riding/offroading - a 4x4 setup is a future upgrade.

Last will be a rat rod tractor, using MTD and 69 wheelhorse parts - will be fast, low and unpainted .

I made a diesel tractor with a sears ss16 the engine is a lombardini 6ld435 with a metric tapered shaft I cut the tapered part off and had a 1" id pulley bored out to 28mm and I had welded it on but overall it's a real fuel sipper "its a real fuel saver!!!" and it will pull anything a diesel repower is totally worth it my grandfather gave me the engine. I'm 14 and I made it all my self except the pulley boring and welding. Shes a real black smoker

SS16 diesel said:

I made a diesel tractor with a sears ss16 the engine is a lombardini 6ld435 with a metric tapered shaft I cut the tapered part off and had a 1" id pulley bored out to 28mm and I had welded it on but overall it's a real fuel sipper "its a real fuel saver!!!" and it will pull anything a diesel repower is totally worth it my grandfather gave me the engine. I'm 14 and I made it all my self except the pulley boring and welding. Shes a real black smoker

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Pictures, we want pictures!!!! As some on another forum I use say; "No pics = it didn't happen!"

IF your want some morre ideas for build your own tractor or mowers, you should go to youtube
a JD 317 with tracks, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Q5...he general chat forum that web site does work

i have a nice possibility of a upcoming project for my LE116 JD. try doing the same as what they did with that 317

mullins87 said:

Pictures, we want pictures!!!! As some on another forum I use say; "No pics = it didn't happen!"

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I will have some some day so you guys can see how I made it!!!