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DELETED (Inactive)
18 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 15 2003 : 09:57:29 AM
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Hi,
I want to make a mulcher.
Probably using an electric motor.
Please tell me more about the one
you made before.
Like how far down is the blade?
Is it a normal lawnmower blade?
John.
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2003 : 10:49:31 AM
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The blade is bolted directly to the engine, exactly how it would have been in a stock lawnmower configuration. It is a standard mulching lawnmower blade.
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DELETED (Inactive)
18 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2003 : 11:21:04 PM
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Thanks for replying so soon.
I doubt if i will be using an engine,
i intend to use an electric motor.
The arrangement looks simple enough,
if it doesnt 'stir' it up enough
i suppose i could shovel it back in the top.
I assume you shouldn't let it get too full
or it wont work ?
John
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2003 : 12:03:36 PM
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I normally use it until it fills up enough to stall. Though I doubt it would be very easy to stall a torquey electric motor.
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n/a
DELETED (Inactive)
18 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2003 : 6:04:04 PM
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I will be putting this together over the next few months,
i'll come back and let you know how i get on.
It will be a 'synchronous' type motor, with a capacitor
start, arranged just as you have arranged the engine.
I dont know what a mulching blade is, i guess its got
fan like make up to stir it all up.
The end of a fity gallon drum about a foot deep will
be the main chamber. If thats too big or too deep
i'll have to find something else.
Cheers, John
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2003 : 2:08:38 PM
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The drum would work great.
The "muching blade" is normally sold by almost any lawn care or yard store. It is a blade designed to be bolted in place of a standard lawnmower blade so you can plug up the grass chute and mulch while you mow. They work very well, and eliminate all raking. They guys/gals as the parts counter would know what you mean.
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2003 : 9:48:09 PM
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cannibalize an elecric lawnmower
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kenmce
Member
35 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2003 : 10:04:46 AM
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[quote]
I will be putting this together over the next few months,i'll come back and let you know how i get on.
(/quote)
I would like to suggest that you have two "slap switches" on opposite side of the machine so that if it jams or there is a problem, you can just smack the switch and turn it off in a hurry. Red is the traditional color for such a switch.
(quote)
I dont know what a mulching blade is, i guess its got a fan like make up to stir it all up.
(/quote)
A "mulching" blade is kind of like what you guessed. It's shape is tweaked so that it will will make a breeze to pick up the grass repeatedly and have another chance to slice it each time.
(quote)
The end of a fity gallon drum about a foot deep will be the main chamber. If thats too big or too deep i'll have to find something else.
(/quote)
Put your assembly up at the top of the can, not the bottom. That way you can chop 55 gallons at a time and not have to stop and empty it all the time.
If you want to get fancy you could have secondary choppers above or below the blade so you have the chance to chop it twice as it falls in. A pair of counter-rotating blades would have a high geek pride factor, or even just wire rods or chains like heavy duty weed eaters.
I would like to reccommend you build in some kind of anti-kickback door so that pebbles and bits of twigs don't come shooting back out at you at a hundred miles an hour, that gets old real fast.
I would also also suggest you design it so that no one can reach in and touch the blade while it's working. A shredder is a great machine to have around, you should make it safe enough that you could lend it to somebody and not have to worry about them. |
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Nov 17 2003 : 9:47:45 PM
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Yes, anti-kickback is a very good idea. Trust me on this. My mulcher will throw debris 30 feet into the air. As for a method to prevent dismemberment, the long chute on my design basically serves that purpose. Would take LONG arms to reach the blades.
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Topic |
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Making a mulcher
