I will be finishing up my leaf/lawn vac project this winter. I see quite a few posts on the subject and was wondering if anyone else here has built one. Always looking to share ideas. My vac project started out from a rear pto leaf vac from an older Simplicity lawn tractor that i found in shed when i bought my house. It sat there for about 3 years until i figured out what it was. I mounted the turbine up to an 11hp Honda i bought used on Ebay for $300.00. Turbine housing even has a long arm with handle for the clutch.I mounted them to a 1/4 of plate steel $15.00. Im probably going to use aluminum in the spring (same dimension in alum is $65.00,expensive). I met a few others that have made these and all said to mount it to the rear of tractor instead of to the cart tongue. This way you dont have to deal with a swing arm and overhanging hose. The hose that moves is the top discharge going into the cart which is out of way being behind and above me.Narrows the width too. I bought the discharge boot on ebay, it way from a bluebird vac system,paid $30.00 for that. I mounted 4 swivel pneumatic casters from northern hydraulics to plate steel so it is rigid with tractor. The trailer tongue of the trailer hooks up to plate steel (drop pin).Oh yea, i bought a 17 cu ft cart at Home depot and am currently making canopy for it. There are lots of materials you can use to cap it.(wood,canvas,alum,sheeting ect..) Well i havent used a retail one but i can tell you that this thing is an absolute monster. I put my hand in the hose and it wants to take my whole arm in. BTW ive seen the same turbine as mine occasionally on ebay if you dont want to buy one new. I dont think any of those retail vac can stack up to my new toy but im open for ideas. It was definately a fun project if you are patient. Im going to borrow a digital cam and post photos.
Homemade Leaf vac
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