TractorGuy
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2013
- Messages
- 4,591
- Location
- N. FL
- Tractor
- John Deere 4310 CUT, Ford New Holland 575E Industrial Backhoe, John Deere F725 Front Mount Mower
This is my Home Made Mower
I built the prototype for this mower over 20 years ago out of junk lawnmower parts. It is ground powered via a 4:10 to 1 Volvo rear axle turned up 90 degrees with a pulley bolted to the driveshaft flange. The power transfers from the wheels to the driveshaft flange through a 14" pulley. It is connected by belt to a shaft with a 6" pulley on top and a 12" pulley on the bottom. That pulley drives another 6" pulley that turns the center blade. The center blade shaft drives the other two blades.
The original version was 3 push mower decks welded together with the engines replaced by some blade shafts cut from a riding mower deck. The first transfer shaft was 5/8" mounted on bushings and I didn't expect it to last two laps around the yard. I just wanted it to last long enough to see if it would actually cut grass. It held up for 4 years.
The current version is over 15 years old. I made the deck from 11 gauge (1/8") steel. All the frame work is 3" channel iron. All the shaft bearings are mounted in 1" trailer hubs. I made the shafts with 1" stainless steel. They are keyed and threaded on the blade shafts. The blades are made from 2"x1/4" flat bar. It has a 60" width cut. I have never had to replace anything but the two idler bearings. All other belts and bearings are from the 15 year old build.
The torque multiplication is reversed so it isn't good for rough terrain or heavy grass like Pensacola Bahia. It works fine on fairly level ground with centipede or other tender types of grass.
This picture shows all the working parts. The blade shafts were updated after this pic was taken and the tongue was upgraded to 3" channel like the rest of the frame.
I built the prototype for this mower over 20 years ago out of junk lawnmower parts. It is ground powered via a 4:10 to 1 Volvo rear axle turned up 90 degrees with a pulley bolted to the driveshaft flange. The power transfers from the wheels to the driveshaft flange through a 14" pulley. It is connected by belt to a shaft with a 6" pulley on top and a 12" pulley on the bottom. That pulley drives another 6" pulley that turns the center blade. The center blade shaft drives the other two blades.
The original version was 3 push mower decks welded together with the engines replaced by some blade shafts cut from a riding mower deck. The first transfer shaft was 5/8" mounted on bushings and I didn't expect it to last two laps around the yard. I just wanted it to last long enough to see if it would actually cut grass. It held up for 4 years.
The current version is over 15 years old. I made the deck from 11 gauge (1/8") steel. All the frame work is 3" channel iron. All the shaft bearings are mounted in 1" trailer hubs. I made the shafts with 1" stainless steel. They are keyed and threaded on the blade shafts. The blades are made from 2"x1/4" flat bar. It has a 60" width cut. I have never had to replace anything but the two idler bearings. All other belts and bearings are from the 15 year old build.
The torque multiplication is reversed so it isn't good for rough terrain or heavy grass like Pensacola Bahia. It works fine on fairly level ground with centipede or other tender types of grass.
This picture shows all the working parts. The blade shafts were updated after this pic was taken and the tongue was upgraded to 3" channel like the rest of the frame.
