Owners of private households keep the house area clean. This is an indicator of the status and accuracy of a person. Lawn grass needs special attention, since it needs to be able to not only be grown correctly, but also maintained in a neat manner. It is not difficult to purchase a lawn mower of the necessary configuration and power.
A do-it-yourself mower will be appropriate for owners who want to save money. If you have an engine and available tools, you can assemble the electric braid yourself in a short period of time.
1 General structure and variety
There are several types of lawn mowers:
- gasoline units;
- electric;
- mechanical;
- rechargeable.
The advantages of the former are work efficiency.
These are universal mechanisms for grass care. Range of home use and utilities. The advantage of the second is ease of use, compactness. They are powered by electricity, which limits the possibility of operation. Simplicity of construction is an advantage of the third types.
The disadvantage is the need for physical effort, which limits the use in areas of more than 100 square meters.
The advantage of the latter is mobility and lack of cable. A possibility of application on the areas from 200 square meters.
Having assembled this equipment yourself, you can study the relevant information. Assembling this unit from improvised materials will not take much time and save your family budget. A mower from a chainsaw, in power, will not be inferior to finished products. Do-it-yourself mower consists of the following parts:
- knife;
- control knob;
- wheels
- engine of sufficient power;
- protective case;
- power cable.
Frame. metal sheet, 3 mm thick. The sheet is reinforced with a frame of metal corners. The engine is located on top, and the protective cover is on the bottom. On the side are axles for wheels and a handle for controlling the mechanism.
Engines for lawn mowers use two types: flanged or conventional. In the case of the first, the fastening takes place to the sheet by means of holes matching the flange. In the second, two racks from the corner are welded (should coincide with the legs of the engine). The cutting unit is the centerpiece of the mechanism. Consists of a frame on which knives are placed.
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1.1 How to make a lawn mower with your own hands?
As a basis, a finished metal frame is used. The electric motor is used from a household appliance. The main selection criterion is a power of 500 W and a speed of 3000 rpm. The higher the number of revolutions, the more mowing the grass occurs more evenly.
For this purpose, an engine from a chainsaw, a washing machine or from an old vacuum cleaner will serve. When fixing the motor, make sure that the shaft is in the central part of the chassis. The standard handle length is 90 centimeters. Depending on the height of the employee, its height may vary.
1.3 Knife
The next manufacturing step is the knife. It is made of sheet steel. The width of the segment is 20-50mm. The knife should be thin but durable. It can be of two types. The first is in the form of a strip attached symmetrically to the axis of the mandrel. The length of the knife is equal to the width of the grip, which is 30 cm. The ends of the strip are sharpened. The second option. fastened at the edges at an angle of 180 degrees relative to each other.
80mm long knife. To prevent grass from wrapping around the shaft, the cutting edges should be slightly bent down. The knife is bolted to the disk. One-bolt mounting allows the cutting mechanism to fold under an obstacle. Deformation and breakage are excluded. The second is more reliable, but there is a risk of damage to the cutting mechanism. To prevent unscrewing during fastening, a washer is used. a grover and a lock nut.
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1.4 Shaft
The diameter of the shaft is equal to the diameter of the hole. The holes are symmetrical with respect to each other, and cut in advance. A protective cover (casing) is also made of steel. It is a circle with a diameter of 530 mm, a hole located in the middle (the diameter exceeds the circumference of the shaft by 5 mm).
It is welded to the body so as to overlap the shaft end by 2.5-3 cm. It is necessary to protect the shaft and motor from mechanical damage and pollution. Holes are made in the cover to cool the engine. The electric lawn mower from the angle grinder is not inferior in functionality and power to the industrial one.
1.5 Wheels
The number of wheels is selected individually. Ability to choose 3, 4, 2 wheels. The two-wheeled electric scythe is more maneuverable and fights grass in the most inaccessible places. You can use the existing ones or do it yourself. As raw materials, plywood or bearings are suitable. The larger the diameter, the better the mower moves around the soil.
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1.6 Engine
For this purpose, any serviceable unit is suitable. Drill, vacuum cleaner, chainsaw, washing machine will come in handy. The ideal power is one kilowatt. This makes it possible to sharpen the knife less often. The main principle of choice is the area of grass capture. The larger it is, the more powerful the engine should be.
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2 Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of a home-made electric lawn mower is its cost, the ability to construct it yourself from improvised parts. In the event of a breakdown, repairing a lawn mower with your own hands will cost less and take less time than it will be done in a specialized workshop.
The disadvantage is the threat of electric shock and injury by the cutting mechanism. Precautions must be taken to prevent the latter.
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2.1 Safety
Carefully insulated wire connection points are a basic safety rule. The insulation must be intact. A cable with double insulation is used to power the motor. The mower must have a grounded housing.
A home-made lawn mower is used in good condition, the worker is in protective clothing and shoes. This will eliminate injuries. Operation takes place in dry weather. Adhering to the safety rules, the mower will allow you to keep your lawn in order without endangering the health of the user.
A home-made lawn mower will benefit the owners if the mechanism is made taking into account the requirements of safe operation.
Lawn mowing Echo will ensure order on your favorite lawn in the yard and beyond. A mechanical lawn mower is the most efficient way to treat a territory. Making a lawn mower with your own hands from a washing machine, the owner saves money through the use of improvised materials. Do-it-yourself lawnmowers from a chainsaw are an alternative to branded units.
Necessary parts for assembling a makeshift lawn mower
Lawn mowers are not among the most essential devices. But its presence makes it easier to mow the grass stand, as well as increase labor productivity. Homemade lawn mowers are quite simple to make on the basis of an electric motor. They consist of the same basic parts and assemblies as the factory devices:
- a drive mechanism (electric motor) that provides rotation of the cutting nozzles;
- a frame designed to fix on it all the other structural elements of the mechanism;
- protective cover;
- a handle that allows you to control the device while harvesting grass;
- knives
- from two to four wheels;
- electrical control system: on / off buttons connecting the elements of the wire circuit;
- power cord with plug;
- grass catcher.
It is necessary to ensure the safety of mowing grass. To do this, it is recommended to connect the equipment through a residual current device (RCD).
All electric lawn mowers work on the same principle. When voltage is applied to the electric motor, its rotor begins to rotate. As a result, a knife fixed to the shaft develops high speed, while cutting off the grass stems.
Choosing the right electric motor
As a drive, you can use an electric motor, previously extracted, for example, from such devices:
- from a vacuum cleaner;
- from trimmer;
- from an old washing machine;
- from angle grinder.
If you need to mow small areas, then even an unnecessary power drill is suitable. It does not need to be disassembled, but only fixed in an upright position.
A Soviet-style washing machine and vacuum cleaner contain almost all the necessary details to assemble a simple mower on its own.
The best option if you need to mow the grass over a large area is the use of an asynchronous electric motor (there is little noise during operation) with a capacity of 0.5 kW or more. Recommended speed is 3000 per minute. The higher the rotational speed of the rotor of the electric motor, the faster the blades rotate, providing a more even and high-quality mowing of the grass cover.
The longer the knives are installed (the wider the grip of the working area), the lower the number of revolutions you can use the engine due to the increase in the linear speed of the blades. Only its power, on the contrary, should increase in order to overcome the growth of the load. Home masters in practical ways have shown that a device with a power of 1 kW with a rotor speed of 1500 rpm will turn out to be fully operational. At the same time, the capture of the mowed strip is 0.5 m. If you use a small electric motor, you should constantly monitor the sharpness of the blades, regularly sharpening them.
When only available three phase electric motor, it will need to be connected together with starting and phase-shifting capacitors. They must be appropriate in terms of engine power capacity. Wiring diagrams can be easily found on the Internet or in specialized literature.
Necessary materials for the manufacture of other structural elements
Knives. this is the working part of the tool that provides mowing grass. To make them yourself, you will need continuous strips of solid, high-quality tool steel up to 50 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide, 2-3 mm thick. Thin work tips mow better; thicker ones are more durable.
Homemade knives for lawn mowers perform in different design options.
- In the form of one strip, 30 ÷ 50 cm long, balanced relative to the center, with ribs sharpened on the right side and a drilled mounting hole.
- A prefabricated structure consisting of 2 blades 5-8 cm long, which are fixed on a steel strip with one or two bolts.
- In the form of a disk.
Drawings of knives are presented in the photo below.
Wheels with handle can be taken from an old baby stroller. In fact, it is a ready-made frame for a makeshift lawn mower. Also, pens can be made of metal tubes.
When choosing wheels, it must be taken into account that the distance of 5 cm is considered the optimal height of the knives from the soil surface. If you put 2 knives, then the maneuverability of the created unit is improved, and if 3-4 pieces, then the stability is higher. The wheels can also be cut out of plywood and mounted together with bearings on the planting shafts.
Protective cover for an electric motor, it can be made of tin, plywood or a part of a washing machine, a suitable model of which is shown below in the photograph. At the same time, holes are made in it to ensure normal air cooling of the working electric motor.
From the cover of the washing machine, you can also make a casing around the knives. The platform for installing the motor is made of plywood or sheet metal. The power cord with the plug is selected from old household appliances, taking into account the power of the installed electric motor.
Necessary tools and materials
To make a lawn mower from an angle grinder or a washing machine at home, you will need to stock up on the following tools, accessories and additional materials:
- electric drill;
- angle grinder with metal discs or jigsaw with saws on different materials;
- a hammer;
- tape measure or ruler;
- pencil or marker;
- a vice;
- pliers
- a screwdriver;
- an abrasive stone or an emery machine;
- a welding machine and electrodes to it (if you make welded metal joints, not bolted ones);
- wires
- on / off button (taken from an angle grinder or washing machine);
- bolts with nuts and washers (preferably roving);
- metal corners or wooden bars.
Instead of an angle grinder or jigsaw, you can use a hacksaw for metal or a wood saw with small teeth. Also recommended in advance make a drawing improvised mechanism to have an idea of the final result, based on the available parts.
Algorithm for assembling a mower with a grass catcher from a washing machine
A lawn mower is made from a washing machine, performing actions in this sequence.
The mechanical part after the actions taken is assembled. After harvest mechanism circuitry:
- install the switch, fixing it in a convenient place to the handle;
- connect the power cable to the plug;
- set the RCD.
The final design will look something like the photo below.
If you use plywood, you get an aggregate, a possible appearance of which is presented in the photo below.
Lawn mower grass catcher set at the very end. It is made in the form of a box or bag. Some options are presented in the photos below.
Covering knives with a casing is mandatory. this will increase the safety of work. You can also cover the electric motor with a casing to protect it from debris or water.
How to make a do-it-yourself mower?
As stated earlier, you can create a lawn mower:
FROM AN OLD VACUUM CLEANER
Carrying out such a procedure is quite simple, the main thing is to be patient and with the following elements:
- wheels (suitable even from an old stroller);
- welding machine;
- hand saw;
- steel sheets;
- electric motor.
It is worth noting that for better maneuverability and cross-country ability of the final product, it is desirable to use large-diameter wheels. Thanks to them, the unit will not get stuck in each hole or brake due to small stones.
A special platform should be cut out of the steel object, because it will play the role of a mounting support for the engine, whose shaft should be placed in the lower region. After installation, as in the above video, you must create a reliable protective casing for the engine.
The thickness of the "shell" should be 1.2 mm, and as for the diameter of certain holes of this tread, it should have a larger coefficient than the shaft, literally 4 mm. The propulsion system must be marked at a distance of 3-4 cm from the ground, because otherwise the part will be damaged during movement and operation.
Particular attention should be paid to the metal disk, which is mounted on the shaft itself. Knives need to be created in several options. To do this, the master must cut a disk from an iron sheet (whose dimensional coefficient is 38–40 mm). It is placed on the motor end and is neatly welded with a welding machine.
FROM THE WASHING MACHINE
The following elements are ideal for creating a homemade mower:
- engine from an unnecessary washing machine;
- wheels from an old baby carriage;
- sheet of metal (thickness 2–4 mm);
- steel knives;
- thin water pipe (future handle)
- electrical cable;
- fork;
- switch.
The very device of the lawn mower cannot be called extremely complicated, because it contains a reliable body, sharp knives, a powerful engine and a conveniently located control lever. Therefore, everyone can quickly create a useful lawn mower with their own hands.
You should take a 180 W motor with a special start relay and a capacitor from the most ordinary washing machine. Even Soviet-style options will do, because the extra weight in this case will play a positive role.
An induction motor will be the best option, since it practically does not make noise. The wheels should allow the knives to be at a height above the ground (5-6 cm). Due to this feature, the mower is suitable for tall grass and uneven areas. It is advisable to install 4 wheels, since only then can maximum maneuverability and stability be guaranteed.
The metal sheet for the frame should be 30×50 cm wide, and as for the depth, in this regard it is necessary to make sure that the engine and the cover covering it do not "peek" beyond its borders. In most cases, the knives are made independently of steel sheets (2-3 mm thick and 20-50 mm wide).
It is also necessary to make sure that the cutting edge is slightly turned down and protects the motor shaft from the accumulation of plants. The handle is created from a water pipe, which the operator bends as he sees fit.
FROM A CHAINSAW FRIENDSHIP
The specified type of chainsaw has the necessary level of power, so it will be an excellent basis for the future garden assistant. To create you will need:
- the basic mechanism is the engine;
- the frame, which will play the role of a support for the installation of fixture nodes;
- protection casing;
- knives
- wheels
- parts and handles that are part of the control system.
Taking the engine out of the good old, but already unnecessary, chainsaw, it is important to simply install it in a mobile trolley without changing anything in the mechanism. And you can create a cart of the indicated plan with the help of corners 25×25, with dimensions of 500 mm and 600 mm. Then they must be connected by means of a welding machine in the form of a frame.
Then wheels are installed in the area of the corners, and a kind of chassis is obtained. The next step is to “rid” the old chainsaw of the tire and the “helm”. The handle is also made of a water pipe, as in the previous lesson.
The "steering wheel" should be screwed to the resulting handle, and then spend an increase in the length of the gas cable and fuel hose.
over, in order for the shaft to be located from below, it is necessary to scroll it onto the frame, using the special hole on the gearbox. It is also necessary to use two mounting studs for the flywheel housing located at the bottom.
After installing the cutting tool, you can start working with a lawn mower made from a chainsaw.
Video: How to Make a Lawn Mower
FROM angle grinder
The specified tool should be taken as universal, because of it you can make a chain saw for cutting wood, a milling and drilling machine, and, of course, a lawn mower.
To create it, you need to cut in half the disk of a passenger car wheel and use only one part. On the one hand it needs to be muffled with a metal sheet.
The wheels and handle should be welded to the resulting case. From above, it is necessary to mount the angle grinder in a quality manner, making sure that the enclosure on the tool itself is securely fixed. Since the working shaft of the angle grinder is quite short, a nut with an elongated thread should be screwed onto it. Now you can attach a knife to it. Naturally, such a unit is suitable for cutting low grass, which is why making a home-made mower from an angle grinder is quite simple.
How to make a mechanical lawn mower yourself?
Mechanical mowers are characterized by the absence of noise, they do not need a power source and can work in any weather conditions. But you can enjoy all these features in full after acquiring a factory object, because you need to try a lot with home-made objects.
Despite the simplicity of the mechanism, it is quite difficult to create a mechanical device with your own hands. After all, the main problem is the inability to pick up knives, the size of wheels and gears the first time without experience.
The mower includes two types of knives: some rotate and collect grass, while the other remains stationary and cuts the elongated vegetation. For the full-fledged operation of the mechanism, a sufficient speed of rotation of the knives is necessary, which is formed with the help of the gear movement from gears and wheels. Objective: how to make grass cut according to the principle of scissors? Since the working width, the size of the drum and the number of cutting elements are completely interconnected, the solution of the above problem has a mathematical direction.
This should be dealt with. The diameter of the drum is determined by the size of the wheels and the diameter of the gear mounted on one of them. If the wheels are planted on one axis, then the radius of the drum will be less than the radius of the wheel. If you analyze everything, you can create conditions for a methodical touch of the cutting edges, between which there is grass. It is important to understand that the knives must have a special curved shape that allows continuous cutting of grass.
In principle, the process of creating a homemade lawn mower will seem simple for people with experience in design. Those who have never encountered the creation of tools and do not really want to deal with this, but still worth a try, because the procedure is very exciting and informative.
Is it possible to make a lawn mower with your own hands?
But pricing is not always affordable for consumers. If the owner of a private home or cottage understands mechanical components, making a lawn mower yourself is not a big deal. It is especially nice to do a useful thing with your own hands using stale household appliances.
Home-made mowers can be of various designs and operating principles, which basically determines the degree of complexity of work. The main factor determining the feasibility of assembly of the unit is the presence of most of the components.
DIY do-it-yourself mower
Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade unit
The main plus of a homemade mower is saving money from the family budget. Other benefits include:
- the ability to carry out repairs and maintenance without the services of specialists and service centers;
- when assembling the structure, creativity is manifested;
- obsolete items gain a second life;
- deal with the design is much easier, because all the elements interrupted during installation by hand;
- over time, the unit can be upgraded.
Manual assembly lawn mowers
Getting to work, it is worth considering the existing shortcomings and trying to fix them. The main disadvantages of a homemade device include:
- low degree of protection (lack of a casing, weak fasteners, the use of worn parts, etc.);
- electrical models may cause electric shock;
- restriction of capture of a site because of cable length.
The scheme of fastening knives to the plate
Description of the principle of operation of the mower
The principle of operation for all home-made models is almost the same. When connected to the network, the output shaft starts to rotate under the action of the motor, which drives the knives. Power is supplied through the electrical network using a cable. The unit moves around the site using the wheels and the efforts of the operator.
How to make a lawn mower with your own hands?
The engine can be used from almost any old household appliance: a chainsaw, a centrifuge washing machine, an angle grinder, and drills. An ideal option is an asynchronous motor, the power of which starts from 500 kW (at 3000 rpm).
In addition to the motor, two pulleys and a belt are used to transmit rotation from the engine to the knife drive. The motor is mounted on the platform and connected to one phase.
Such an aggregate can easily cope with a large area of the territory. A low-power device is often collected for processing small areas with a short mode of operation. The selection of power depends on the general parameters of the mower and the diameter of the knife (larger grip area. higher power).
Mowing knives and handle
The result of the mowing depends on the parameters and configuration of the knives. As a cutting element, it is recommended to use high-quality hard steel (2-3 mm). The knife can consist of one strip (≈ 50 cm) with a hole for mounting in the center or two fragments connected by bolts or by welding. It is better if the cutter is in the form of a trapezoid, which will prevent the grass from being wrapped around the knife.
Lawn Mower Knife
As the cutting part is also used:
- saw blades for metal;
- one-piece round disc.
Wheels
The wheels are selected taking into account the location of the knives relative to the surface of the soil. The optimal height is 5-6 cm. The larger the diameter of the wheel, the more convenient it is to move the unit around the site. The number of moving elements depends on the design features and preferences of the master.
Lawn mower bike
Mandrel
As a frame, you can use the chassis of a wheelbarrow or pram. You can also make it yourself using metal tubes and corners. An all-metal sheet (3 mm) is welded on top of the frame, in which a hole should be made in the center for the motor shaft.
Some craftsmen use a shallow metal basin, a large diameter frying pan, or a strip of metal with a flange as a frame. The motor must be bolted to ensure safety during operation.
DIY assembled lawn mower option
Assembly principle
In order to take into account all the nuances and comply with the installation rules during assembly, you should adhere to this sequence.
- Using a metal corner 25×25 mm, weld the frame. At the edges, attach fragments of the same corner for the installation of wheels.
- From a sheet of metal to make a frame under the motor. To do this, cut the workpiece with sides 50×60 cm, making a hole in the center equal to the diameter of the shaft. Weld the platform onto the frame. Weld a protective strip from knives to its lower edge around the perimeter.
- Depending on the engine used, you should determine how to mount it. If it has ears, then additional fasteners are welded to the frame. In other cases, fixing is performed using bolts passing through the metal sheet and the motor housing.
- Attach knives to the shaft, check for distortions.
- Attach a handle to the unit platform.
- Connect the cable to the engine.
Scheme of a gasoline lawn mower
Safety precautions when using a homemade option
A home-made device, regardless of the power source, is dangerous during operation. This is due to the rotation of the knives at high speed. With improvised assembly, the risk of injury increases, so you should not ignore this factor.
Basic safety precautions:
- all connections of electrical wires are made using insulating tape;
- connection to the network is performed using an RCD (as an alternative, the case is grounded to one of the cable cores);
- cable for engine power is selected 3-core with double insulation;
- in the area of rotating knives, a protective casing must be installed;
- the upper part of the case should not be open (deformed fragments of knives often fly out through the open space);
- mow the grass after drying the dew to prevent electric shock;
- when working with the unit, boots should be worn to protect the skin of the legs from abrasions.
Before you start assembling a home-made unit, you should determine the relief of the site. This is necessary to comply with the structural lift of mechanical components above the ground and the selection of wheel parameters. It should be noted that devices for flat terrain differ from models that can be used in areas with slopes and depressions.
All those who have money for a factory lawn mower please by! This is for those who have AL-KO money for a lawn mower and for those who like tinkering. Here is my version of a lawn mower.
So. There is a courtyard covered not with tiles, not with paving stones but with grass, and in summer it grows and becomes unsightly. Taking a trimmer and mowing the grass, but either I can’t mow or something else, but not that. On the Internet I saw a lawnmower with my own hands from the motor from the washer. cheap and cheerful! For me the most. Having collected this miracle from the means of scrap metal I was delighted, everything works and mows smoothly, this is the result that I wanted. And the main thing is not killed. Here is my first option, so to speak for a trial.
The motor from the washer, put on the polypropylene fitting on the heating pulley and drilled through the hole, I wanted to put a bolt on, but it turned out so firmly, there is a groove on the pulley and plastic and it got stuck there. A knife made of a simple piece of iron 3-4 cm wide and 35 cm in diameter. The knife is off the floor at a height of 4.5 cm. The motor is enough for normal grass, it stops on very thick grass. But after the first time passed, the second time already never braked anywhere. The motor heats up, after a passage of 70 m2, let the motor cool down so that it does not burn out. Mowed once a week. When mowing, the grass breaks all and it turns out like mulching, you don’t even need to clean it. And yes, there are no stones in the area, so everything is fine.
And now the time has come to refine this and make a normal mower, since all the wooden wheels loosened on a wooden one. Having collected all the details on the metal receiver, the motor from the washer, the start button, wheels from the stroller, a saw saw 47050 mm, a cover from an iron barrel and a strip of iron, and from the existing profile 2020 mm and a piece of pipe dia. 16 mm built the next miracle.
He put everything on the pulley with a soldering iron and the polypropylene fitting and put it on the pulley, having drilled through the hole with a bolt and locked it, as the disk turns like a flywheel. The saw blade is put on through a spacer of 50 mm. There is almost no runout in diameter, but the top-down spread is 7 mm, well, it’s not critical, then there is no turning. The height of the grass mowing was also 4.5 cm. The passage increased, and the mass was also 16-17 kg. Due to the circular saw, it works like a flywheel, even with dense grass the disk slows down but does not stop due to inertia. With this motor, everything went through 180 m2 and did not heat up too much. you can pass without a break.
The result is that I am satisfied, as well as a maximum of 500 rubles was spent. It works flawlessly and copes with its tasks with a bang. To break something is simply not realistic.
06/21/2017
Having worked as a lawn mower, I didn’t understand why it doesn’t turn out so beautifully as my old mower. In the end, I thought to try to make a knife like on the old one. He made wood hacksaws from the canvas. After mowing, the result pleased me, but it is not clear why the saw blade does not give such a result, it is not clear. As a result, I now use the knife as in the picture and the result is excellent, it unwinds in a split second, but it still stops on the large grass, since there is no inertia like on the disk.
A beautiful lawn near the house plays a decorative role, harmoniously combines different parts of the landscape composition and creates a comfortable atmosphere in the garden. It is impossible to maintain the attractiveness and “neatness” of grass cover without the use of a lawn mower.
The range of modern equipment allows you to choose the optimal type of lawn mower, based on the use of the site and its area. If you wish, you can assemble a lawn mower from improvised means. this is the best option if you want to save money and create a useful thing with your own hands.
- Why do you need a lawn mower
- The main types of lawn mowers
- Device and principle of operation of an electric lawn mower
- Lawnmower Features
- DIY lawn mowers
- selection of work units and parts
- electric mower assembly
- The pros and cons of a homemade lawn mower
- Lawn Mower Safety
Why do you need a lawn mower
The lawn mower replaced the traditional tool. a scythe. Mechanical, electric, and gasoline mowers are used wherever a neat and tidy lawn is needed: in parks, gardens, stadiums, and adjoining areas.
The use of lawn mowers gives a number of significant advantages:
- The device cuts the vegetation to the same height throughout the plot. When forming grass cover, the height of the haircut is the main parameter.
- Ease and speed of a lawn mowing.
- If you use a model of a lawn mower with a grass catcher, then after cutting you will not need to work with a rake.
In the garden, the lawn is used as a background for bright elements of landscape design, planted in front of group or solo plants. A perfectly flat emerald lawn is a great place for families and guests to relax.
The main types of lawn mowers
All lawn mowers can be classified according to three main criteria: type of food, method of movement and type of knives used.
Depending on the type of food, the following types of mowers are distinguished:
Cordless Lawn Mowers equipped with an electric motor that receives energy from a removable battery. A lithium-ion or lead power source is supplied. Such mowers are most convenient and mobile, well suited for mowing grass in areas with many obstacles: buildings, flower beds, shrubs, furniture.
Cordless lawn mowers are the best option for areas without power. A single battery charge may be enough to mow grass per 300 m2 (about 30 minutes of uninterrupted operation)
Gas mowers distinguished by high power and high performance. Used in large areas for lawn cultivation and grass mowing. A significant plus of such mowers is convenient handling and complete autonomy.
Disadvantages of gasoline lawn mowers:
- the mower makes a lot of noise during operation;
- the presence of exhaust gases.
Petrol lawn mowers are designed to work on the plains: a four-stroke engine stalls at a surface angle of 20 °, and a two-stroke engine can withstand 30 °
Mechanical (manual) lawn mowers work without the participation of the engine. the knives begin to rotate due to the movement of the mower. To mow grass with such an aggregate, a person will have to make a lot of physical strength.
The advantages of a mechanical mower include. affordable cost, saving consumables (gasoline and electricity), as well as noiselessness and environmental friendliness of work.
Electric Lawn Mowers are most popular among gardeners and gardeners. They have good performance and are relatively inexpensive. The only drawback of such equipment is the limited movement (cable length up to 60 m). Electric lawn mowers for summer cottages are self-propelled and non-self-propelled.
Mowers powered by an electric motor are used in areas up to 12 acres, however, in practice, the optimal size of the treated area is 8 acres
According to the method of moving lawn mowers for summer cottages are self-propelled and non-self-propelled. In the first case, the wheels rotate from the electric motor, and the user only directs the mower in one direction or another. When working with a non-self-propelled lawn mower, you will have to make efforts to control the device, since the engine transfers power only to the knives.
The mower drive (front or rear) affects the operation of the self-propelled lawn mower. Front-wheel mowers are maneuverable, but devices with rear-wheel drive are preferable, since the rear axle is heavier during mowing.
In different models of lawn mowers, two types of knives can be installed:
- rotary. one knife with two blades is attached to the shaft; such mowers do better with weeds and tall grass;
- cylindrical. several knives are used at once; such models cut grass cleanly, without damage. optimal for caring for a decorative lawn.
Device and principle of operation of an electric lawn mower
Electric lawn mower has a fairly simple device. The product consists of the following basic elements:
The electric motor is mounted on a platform with wheels. A knife is installed at the bottom of the case, some models of mowers have a grass catcher at the back. A handle with a control lever is also attached to the platform.
Most lawnmowers work on a single principle. An electric motor rotates the output shaft, which in turn drives the knives. Lawn mowers are washed down with electricity through a cord, which limits the path of the device in the area.
In factory models of lawn mowers, you can choose the mowing height, adjusting to the type of grass and the relief of the site.
Lawnmower Features
When choosing a lawn mower, the technical parameters of the device are of decisive importance.
Power. Electric models, on average, have a power range of 0.75-2 kW, the power of gasoline mowers can reach 8 kW. For a well-groomed ground grass you can choose devices with low power, but with a high, dense and unevenly planted grass, only a high power gas mower can handle it.
Lawn Mower Width. Mechanical and electric lawn mowers have a small mowing width (30-45 cm). they are convenient to use in compact areas “overloaded” with plantings and decoration elements. Gasoline lawn mowers with a mowing width of about 55 cm effectively cope with areas of more than 10 acres.
Cutting height depends on the type of lawn. Lawn mowers usually have several mowing modes, the most common. 30/45/60 mm. this range is enough to care for the ground, decorative and meadow grass.
Body material. The market includes models made of plastic (polypropylene, reinforced plastic), aluminum and steel. Aluminum housing is the most preferred, as it has good resistance to corrosion, impact and high temperatures. A lawn mower with a steel platform will cost less than a plastic and aluminum model, but the service life of such an aggregate is less, since the steel undergoes corrosion.
In addition to the listed parameters, the following criteria affect the durability and usability of the mower:
- The mode of operation determines what happens to the grass after mowing.
- throw to the side or back. after work, the grass will have to be collected with a rake;
- grass catcher. the grass is collected in a special container;
- mulching. a special knife is used, which after mowing cuts the grass; mulch is evenly distributed on the lawn, nourishes and protects it from drying out.
- Material and shape of the wheels. The most reliable metal wheels, it is good if they are covered with a tread on top.
- Lever. comfortable models with folding and adjusting handles.
DIY lawn mowers
Selection of work units and parts
Before proceeding with the manufacture of the lawn mower, we will determine what parts and improvised tools can be used as working elements of the device. So, it is necessary to choose the following main nodes:
- frame or ready-made chassis for assembling and securing all parts of the mower;
- Electrical engine;
- knives
- wheels
- control handle;
- components of the control system (power cable, plug, switches, RCD).
Wireframe. An all-metal sheet (thickness 2-3 mm) is suitable for the manufacture of the frame. The sheet is “cut out” in the shape of a lawn mower, and a hole is drilled in the center to install the motor shaft.
You can take any moving mechanism as the basis of the lawn mower: chassis from a wheelbarrow, old baby stroller, etc.
When choosing a platform, you need to pay attention to its width. For private use, lawnmowers with a width of not more than 50 cm are sufficient
Engine. For a home-made lawn mower, you can use any induction motor (power from 500 kW, speed. about 3000 rpm).
Important! The quality of grass mowing is determined by the linear speed of the incisors, and not the speed of rotation of the knives. With equal engine speeds, the linear speed of the cutting edge will be higher where there is more grip on the knives
Good performance is shown by the following combination of work nodes:
- mowing (diameter of the circle of rotation of the cutting edge). 50 cm;
- the number of revolutions per minute. 1500;
- engine power. 1 kW.
A three-phase motor lawnmower circuit should contain a working and starting capacitors. The capacitance of a capacitor for an engine with a power of 2 kW is 200 μF, and for an engine with a power of 600 kW it is 60-80 μF.
For a lawn mower, you can take an engine with a conventional electric drill with a speed of not more than 3000 rpm. Such a lawn mower is useful for caring for a small area of lawn, if you need to mow a large area, it is better to install an induction motor. it will work continuously longer.
Some craftsmen install an electric motor on a lawnmower from an old Soviet-style washing machine (from a drive for a centrifuge for drying clothes). The power of such an engine is small. about 200 watts, but due to its weight the engine has a significant moment of inertia. With a well-sharpened massive knife, this will even mow thick, dry grass and young growth of trees.
Photo of a lawn mower from a washing machine
Knives. Strips of tool steel with a width of 20-50 mm and a thickness of 2-3 mm are suitable as knives for lawn mowers. Steel for the knife must be selected solid, but not fragile, otherwise the knife may break off and injure with a flying piece.
Practicing amateur craftsmen recommend making knives for lawn mowers from a blade of hacksaw wood (thickness. 2 mm)
The shape of the knives can be performed in two versions:
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One long knife (30-50 cm) attached to the frame. The ends of the knife are sharpened, and act as incisors.
The cutting edges of the knives can be slightly bent down, like a factory lawn mower. With this form of grass is not so much wound on the motor shaft.
Wheels. The size and location of the wheels must be selected so that the knives are above the ground at a distance of about 5-6 cm. this is the optimal cutting height for the garden.
The choice of the number of wheels depends on the preferences of the manufacturer. Two wheels allow the device to be more maneuverable and work at different angles, three or four wheels provide an even mowing of grass.
Wheels can be taken from the same car, an old baby carriage, or made independently from thick plywood and bearings.
Electric Lawn Mower Assembly
After the work items are selected, you can proceed to assemble them. Consider the order of the work:
- From a metal corner (2525 mm) weld the frame. A platform for installing the engine and knives will be attached to it.
- At the corners of the frame, weld small racks from the same corner. The racks will be used to secure the wheels of the mower. If a three-wheeled device is made, then two wheels must be mounted on the side of the control handle. it will be easier to raise the front of the unit for a turn.
- As a result of the work done, it should look like a trolley, if you use a ready-made chassis from a stroller or a wheelbarrow, then the previous steps do not need to be performed.
- From metal pipes, make a U-shaped control knob, picking its height in height.
- Weld the handle to the mower platform.
- Drill a hole in the platform.
- It is advisable to weld a protective arc from the front of the frame. It can be made from a metal pipe of square section 1010 mm. The protective frame limits the mower’s movement, protecting trees, flowers, shrubs from accidental mowing.
- “Cut out” the knife and sharpen the cutters. Drill a hole in the middle of the knife (diameter. about 8 mm).
- Install the electric motor on the platform so that the motor shaft exits into the prepared hole.
- Install the knife on the motor shaft.
- Center the knife. scroll manually and make sure that the knife rotates smoothly, without distortions. If the knife is not installed smoothly, then it can be balanced by cutting off excess metal from one end of the knife (the total length of the knife cannot be changed).
- Connect the cable to the engine.
- On the handle, fix a piece of wire with a switch and a plug. For ease of use, an extension cord can be connected.
The pros and cons of a homemade lawn mower
Practice shows that lawnmowers assembled with their own hands have their own advantages and disadvantages, like any other device.
Advantages of a home-made lawn mower:
- significant savings on the purchase of a new device (prices for electric lawn mowers range from 5,000 to 50,000 rubles);
- the ability to use old, unnecessary things to good use;
- own made lawn mower can be repaired by yourself;
The disadvantages of such a lawn mower are:
- the cutting height cannot be adjusted;
- sometimes the power of a home-made mower is not enough for mowing too grown or thickened grass;
- lack of grass catcher;
- very often, a hand-assembled lawn mower is heavy. this makes the lawn maintenance difficult.
Lawn Mower Safety
When planning the manufacture of a lawn mower, you must be aware of the danger that the use of a poorly assembled device can pose. There are two main threats: injury by rotating knives and electric shock. Both risk factors are very serious, therefore safety measures must be taken very responsibly.
- All places of the electrical wires (on the engine, on the control parts) must be carefully insulated.
- To power the engine, you must use a cable with double insulation, having at least three cores.
- The lawnmower must be connected to the network using an RCD (protective shutdown). The RCD de-energizes electrical appliances that are energized due to inadequate insulation.
- The mower cannot be used without a protective cover.
- Work on the site must be carried out when there are no people or animals nearby. A broken knife flies at a very high speed.
- Mow the grass in closed shoes.
- The work is carried out in conditions of good visibility. in the morning or afternoon.
- If the mower’s engine appears in the area of children, it must be switched off immediately.
- Wet grass should not be mowed.
- Before turning on the device, you must check the condition of the knives, case and electric cable. Particular attention is paid to the strength of the fasteners of the working units of the mower.