Have you built a leaf vacum?

[Densleigh]

Hi

Found time to do the search for the duct fan data and how to build etc referred to in last post above

Link is Bill's Cyclone Dust Collection Research - BudgetBlower

I know its wood work but this site provides a lot of detail and instructions.
Also seems the guy is only just able to keep it going. If you find it usful he sure might need that $2 donation he talks of - I intend giving him some.

Hope you find it useful.

 

[TractorDale]

I have learned a lot about building leaf vacuums-the hard way.

One key difference between sawdust and leaf systems is the impellor inside the blower. On many dust collectors the veins in the blower do not extent to the hub, whereas with lawn vacuums they do(should)- at least if the blower will 'see' leafs. If the veins do not go to the hub then leafs and other debris gets stuck on the edges and the efficiency drops. I tried sharpening/tapering those edges to try to get the debris to either slide of or get sliced. Did not work so had to move the fan downstream of collection.

I made my leaf collector as a 4'x4'x3' plywood box on a wheels with a 5hp honda engine running a dust collector blower which hangs of the back of the box. The blower moves only air and creates a vacuum inside the box. A hose from the front runs to to the mower deck outlet. I bought the hydraulics and metal to build a tilting system but that project awaits.

Dale

 

[Donlin]

Heres a picture of the leaf vac that I built out of mostly parts I had laying around the barn. The trailer frame is made from an old steel shipping crate. The box is made from 2x4's, wallboard and plywood and is 3.5 x 3 x 5 ft. tall. I made the blower housing myself from 1/8" aluminum sheet after looking for 2 yrs. for a suitable one to convert. The 11 hp. motor I picked up on craigslist for 60 bucks and the 7" hose came from grizzly. I had a new 11" steel impeller that was for a sears/craftsman yard machine which I picked up on ebay and the axels are from an old murray riding mower. I mounted the motor on an old van seat pedistral and its welded to 2 steel supports that unbolt from the frame so as to make it more versatile. The hose from the blower to the box is plain old 7" furnace duct and the vent on top (not shown) is an old floor heater vent. The door raises up and down and runs on slotted rails and is held open with a tractor linch pin (an old bolt works just as good). I pull this rolling outhouse with my trusty 1968 snapper mower with a high vac blade.

 

[DJoseph]

Joe Laudi, regarding your Cyclone lawn vac, could you answer a question for me. Last year I purchased the DR top of the line unit but sent it back because it was: heavy, top heavy tippy, long, and occasionally plugged up. I have just assembled a new Cyclone XL unit and gave it it's first tryout. I found that it pushed a lot of debris on through the container to the outside plus, (worst of all) the screen keeps plugging up. I tried both screens that came with it but I cannot get more than 1/2 container full before the screen becomes so clogged the blower air is forced out the bypass opening. Before I send this one back as well tell me what's your take on the screen Cyclone uses. (For all its faults DR has the better container/seperator design in my opinion). Thanks,

 

[amashinga]

I am a woodworker and I am very familiar with Bill's excellent work. While I am sure that you would be able to build something that crosses over, the application of a woodworking dust collector is very different. With a dust collector, you are not interested in the chips, but rather the airborne particles that can cause health problems. The smaller the particle, the more important it is that you pick it up since it will remain airborne longer. A leaf vacuum would probably benefit from using a material moving impeller. Personally I think it would be easier in some respects. One of the problems a dust collector has is that in order to be efficient, the outflow needs to go through a tight filter. A leaf vacuum could use a screen which would restrict airflow a lot less, and remove some of the stalling issues you can have with impeller's.

 

[SkunkWerX]

I built a leaf vacuum last fall and agree with what amashinga is saying.

Some things I learned along the build:

-The inlet to the impeller unit should be approx. 1" larger than the output.
Mine is 8" going in, and 7" discharge.

-You need to have enough vent area (screen) to allow free air to move out of the container. This causes a sudden pressure/velocity drop so the particulates "fall out". Well most of them.

-Use a wider wheel base and/or weights to keep cart from being tippy when getting full. I'm using a standard craftsman tow behind cart, it had a 32" 5/8" axle. I bought a 36" peice of 5/8" stock and replaced the axle to gain a little wider track, which lowers the center of gravity and stabilizes the side-to-side play. I have thought about using weights, bolting to the bottom of the cart, or maybe makeshift wheel weights. Weights would be especially good if you are traversing inclines.

Lawn Vac Collection Box Interior

 

[andymil]

I cheated.

Last fall I found an old system on Craig's List for $150.00. It's only three horsepower. The homemade box didn't fit my cart and the frame didn't fit my tractor but after fabing a new frame and adding some expanded metal to the trailer it worked pretty well. It came with 3 or 4 different fittings for the mower deck and a couple of hoses.

I'm building a new box for the top of the cart for this fall and I could use some new 6" duct hose between the blower and the cart. It has several duct tape patches on it. The inlet and outlet on the blower are both 6".

When I burn the leaves I inject air into the pile using a leaf blower and a homemade rectangular tube with holes punched in it.

 

[keeney]

See this thread on a system I built for my JD4100 (with photos).

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/68938-leaf-vac.html#post765969

I am contemplating ditching the trash-can concept and fabricating a rectangular box with a simple hatch on the back for dumping instead. A lawn service guy I saw showed me how he simply backs his system up the ramps of his trailer and dumps everything in the front of the trailer. Sounds easier than lifting the full cans off and dumping them manually.

I probably wont get the rebuild done in time for this season, though. leaves are almost too thick to simply mulch already this week.


- Rick

 

[bbsnow]

Rube Goldberg or Dr. Seuss might chuckle. My "system" is certainly not pretty, but it's effective if you manage your expectations and take it a little bit at a time. My neighbors on either side have a Craftsman multi-hopper catcher and an Agri-Fab trailer vacuum, so I received some odd stares as I tested this one-of-a-kind contraption.

I've taken a humble little 1996 MTD 14.5 HP/ 42" deck lawn tractor and forced it into leaf duty, with the help of a surplus 95 gallon curb cart typically used for garbage pick-up. Many modifications of my "system" and ideas for evolving the design came from the US Patent Office online database to adapt successful concepts to what I wanted to accomplish.

The deck discharge adapter mounts quickly with a wing nut and heavy-duty rubber shock cord used for truck tarps. I do not need an auxiliary fan since I'm using two high-lift blades at a high RPM engine setting. The adapter was a rescued trash bin piece from an unknown size of tractor, but it is a close enough fit that I don't lose a lot of debris under or around the sides.

The conduit between the deck adapter and the curb cart is a heavy corrugated rubber 10" diameter hose. I experimented with 7" and 8" diameter hoses but clogs were a big problem. The cart end of the hose is forced through a tight-fitting opening in the upper corner wall of the curb cart with rubber floor matting screwed in place for sealing around the hose. The hose end is held in place with a hook and eye bolt combination. The deck end of the hose slides over the end of the discharge adapter with an internal rubber "one-way" flap to create an effective seal and prevent loss of debris.

I have experimented with various venting methods for the cart trying to compromise between excessive dust and too much back pressure which cause clogs. I settled on reversing the original lid's orientation, cutting a slot and rectangle out of it facing the rear and attaching wire mesh to the inside of the lid openings to knock down the bigger pieces of debris. Stick-on rubber gasket material helps minimize escaped air and dust and the lid is secured tightly on each side of the cart with window latches. Back pressure is not an issue and the cart will fill fairly quickly if the leaves are deep. If I keep up with them every two or three days, I get few clogs and the cart doesn't need emptying as often. Making the deeper passes while facing into the wind helps keep me out of the middle of the dust cloud.

The cart attaches to the tractor with a large open steel hook that is mounted to the rear sheet metal of the tractor with a mounting plate and ring. The hook engages the cart at its lifting bar and gives enough lateral travel to make tight turns despite almost being butted up against the rear of the tractor. A swivel caster under the bottom front edge of the cart under the lifting bar would help prevent occasional gouging of the lawn while passing over uneven ground and will hopefully be my last significant modification. This "system" has been three years in the making with plenty of trial and error along the way. For a 0.71 acre treed lot, it gets me through the fall and beats raking and blowing, provided the leaves are dry and not allowed to accumulate too deep.

 

[nosleep05]

Hi Sandman - I am embarking on a similiar project as my current 5HP trac vac; which I purchased for a song...just isnt big enough power wise. Tomorrow I pick up a 20HP single cylinder wisconsin engine for the handsome price of $60.00.... I would be interested in purchasing a fan blade should you still have one to sell. I can be reached at Nosleep05@aol.com

Best,

Rich

If Toolguy's is a one yard capacity, then mine must be... maybe 8 or 10??

If your looking for something to pick up the leaves and put them in bags, one of the best things I can think of is a snapper mower. Get one of the 28 or 30 inch high lift units, with the bagger that has the twin garbage bag holes, and go to it. You can pick up one of them reasonably and they will pick up leaves. That is what I used at the other house. However, out here where I live now, I could fill the Snapper bag by just going to where I dump them, and back, never making a pass around the yard. I finally started parking the truck in the middle of the yard, and dumping the leaves into it, so I could get the yard done.
Anyone who thinks they can pick up leaves and not stir up dust, is using a piece of machinery I want to see. My Giant Vac creates quite a dust storm, but there is a reason for it. The cover that keeps the dust down has several holes in it, and really needs replacing. I think it will slow the dust a little when that is replaced. Picking up leaves on a good solid grass bass will keep the dust down, but sparse grass with open areas of dirt (or sand) allow for quite a dust storm. One good thing about my Giant Vac is the dust is quite a distance behind me while pulling it with my Steiner. The tongue length in addition to the blower are ahead of the leaf catching hopper, and where the dust escapes. Probably at least 4 to 6 feet to it from the trailer hitch pin.

Ductape,
I wasn't offering to let you copy my impeller, I was going to send you one. I have a couple I purchased when I decided I needed a vac, and the impeller getting balanced was the part I was having trouble with. So I bid on a couple on ebay and won them. If you decide to build it from scratch, let me know and I will let you pay the shipping.
However, unless you are a good metal worker, I would shy away from building a complete unit, even with the impeller furnished. The housing alone is a job.
David from jax