Random Projects that aren’t garden tractors

So, a relative recently gave me 6 (yes that's correct) push mowers. Apparently what happened is they bought a new MTD/AYP cheapy push mower annually and put the old one in the barn. Nothing fancy, just Yard Machines/Weed Eater/Poulan etc. So I think selling 5 push mowers might make some coin for White Lightning and maybe a future project, who knows. (And I need a welder and shop in the worst way, so probably something like that too. Problem is though, they are 2 1/2 hours away, so I can't pick them up any time soon. Only got a couple pictures which were kinda quick but I thought I'd show y'all. But, we should get started sometime within the next couple months so I thought I'd start a thread and we'll bring it back when I pick em up. I have my pictures on another device so in a couple hours they should be added in to this post. Thanks for reading this!

Heck yeah! People will be looking for push mowers here shortly.

Well it’s update time! I got the weed eater in the last picture and now it runs. Not well, but it runs. Apparently what happened is the flywheel screen (which was steel by the way) exploded or something, creamed the air vane governor (plastic) and chipped the flywheel (blades? louvers? Anybody here know the term?) and now this thing runs wide open, bogs down easy and shakes like a Floridian in the snow. Worse yet, I’m pretty sure the rings are bad. But I wanted something to trim up spots that the mowing tractor can’t get to so this will suffice.




Hmm…pretty sure somethings missing lol.

End of this thread for a while. I'll get another next spring but this thing is deader 'en a possum on the side of the freeway. Pile 'o parts. Going to use the deck for another, albeit non-mower related project though. More to come on that later.

Need a compost shredder? I saw post somewhere where a fella turned one into a shredder and apparently it works pretty well!

Hhhmmmm... that might be good on my leaves. I'll keep that in mind.

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

Hhhmmmm... that might be good on my leaves. I'll keep that in mind.

I wouldn’t risk “converting” a push mower to a chipper shredder when you can buy a used chipper (made for the purpose) for anywhere from 50-200 bucks.

I bought a chipper shredder a couple years ago for 125 bucks. Brought it home, cleaned the carb, sharpened the chisels and it absolutely destroys anything dropped in it. And no worries about spinning blades in a bodged up housing.

Last thing you want is a homemade jobbie flying apart while feeding it some twigs.

Just my .02

TourMax wrote:

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

Hhhmmmm... that might be good on my leaves. I'll keep that in mind.

I wouldn’t risk “converting” a push mower to a chipper shredder when you can buy a used chipper (made for the purpose) for anywhere from 50-200 bucks.

I bought a chipper shredder a couple years ago for 125 bucks. Brought it home, cleaned the carb, sharpened the chisels and it absolutely destroys anything dropped in it. And no worries about spinning blades in a bodged up housing.

Last thing you want is a homemade jobbie flying apart while feeding it some twigs.

Just my .02

True. I’ve cut up my fingers (and consequently wound up in the ER) so many times to the point where I probably shouldn’t be trusted with sharp things so yeah… I might be the next one armed wonder if I build something.

Safety is my number one priority! After I get through with my other priorities…

In all seriousness I will probably just wind up using the thing the way I did the last one… trimming between trees and stuff.
Thank you for the insight. I will keep my eye on marketplace.

I'm not willing to risk my safety either, the guy that built THIS one did a pretty darn good job! I have a old mower I'm planning on doing it with but in my plan I'll put a removable plate on the bottom, use a mulching blade and make the hopper feeder/flap thingy manual.

Brianator wrote:

I'm not willing to risk my safety either, the guy that built THIS one did a pretty darn good job! I have a old mower I'm planning on doing it with but in my plan I'll put a removable plate on the bottom, use a mulching blade and make the hopper feeder/flap thingy manual.

E-yipes!

I’m not trying to be condescending, but if you do build that, I’d advise not putting anything through it heavier than grass clippings or leaves. The guy writing the article talks about it as a compost shredder, he only posts “chipper shredder” in the title. Compost is very different than sticks and/or branches.

His “design” is actually pretty poor. There isn’t even a “kickback stop” in the feed chute. Without a mechanism to prevent kickback of material, you run the risk of turning a stick or twig into a projectile. I’ve seen the kickback flap on my chipper’s chute catch more than one stick that tried to make a break for it. You can tell from the force of the impact on the steel trap that it would go right through you and keep on going. Scary stuff…

Sticks or bigger will probably cause most of it to fly apart or, more likely, chuck a rod through the block. One look at the “blade” in an actual chipper shredder and you’ll see why a lawn mower blade can’t hold a candle to it. Its a big heavy flywheel with chisel heads in it and metal flails on its edge to pulverize what the chisel/blades have already chopped up.

Push mowers are meant to basically spin with no resistance. Think of what happens to one if you’re moving the grass and hit a rock or thick root.

But, your call. Build it if you want. Just be good and clear from it when its sucking in material.. .

Please refer to my original post:

Brianator wrote:

Need a compost shredder? I saw post somewhere where a fella turned one into a shredder and apparently it works pretty well!

Please note I said "compost" and never said chipper nor would I use it as one, not only would that be ridiculously dangerous but it wouldn't work. I do however like the idea of shredding leaves.

Wouldn't be hard to add a "kickback chute" out of welded wire to be safe, that's the beauty of invention! If I ever do get around to it I'll post it in action, I have far bigger fish to fry for the time being.

Sticks as projectiles are pretty dangerous. Eons ago when I was in elementary school I threw a stick at a tree to try and break it, but it came back and hit me in the left eye. (Had it been thrown from a yard implement I’m sure my eye would have been a pulp.) My vision was permanently damaged after that to the extent I needed vision therapy for a good while after. After a great deal of thought, I think I won’t be doing any diy shredder project. I appreciate the suggestion, and I always like hearing and reading about fabrication projects but I really can’t gamble on another eye injury. Again, all the ideas and insight is appreciated greatly, and I thank you all for stopping by and reading.

A new project begins. Two actually.

More info coming soon! (cackles mischievously as a mad scientist lol)

Welcome back to really blind rusty’s body shop! Yesterday’s victim was this repurposed gizmo.

So what sort of maniacal stuff am I up to anyway?

Well about a year ago I found this picture.
Where? I don’t remember. At first I thought “pfft. That’s just nuts.” But I thought some more and it’s actually decent enough of an idea. For those of you that don’t know what this is, this is a clay pigeon thrower for trap shooting, which I do a lot of, as does my father. So I had this deck that was never going to mow again because of several cracks. So I built the top plate and the idea is to bolt the thrower he has to it as a Father’s Day gift. I’m building storage for some clays and it’s easier to move around since it’s wheeled, and it can fold down nicely.

Now the other project is another spare parts thing. I took the bad engine parts (flywheel, piston, and head, which was fine but I’m 99% sure that I won’t need it for anything else) and I’m building a lamp. My uncle owns a marina and he did the same with some parts left over from some long gone outboard and I thought it was super cool. So the idea is to do something dirt cheap for both of these just as a winter project. I’ll be temporarily jacking the thread to discuss these (normal flipping talk will pick back up this spring and I may divert into another thread for these at that time)

*Ack* *Cough* *Clears throat* Sorry, allergic to the cobwebs in this thread. Anyway, if y’all remember the briggs in that weed-eater (hey it’s legal in NY now )

Well I got bored so evidently in addition to my other projects it’s also getting rebuilt cause reasons. Here it is now.

Happy memorial day! Thank you out there to all who served and fought for freedom, most of all to those who paid the ultimate price.

In regards to this thread, some of you may noticed the title has changed. This is to accomodate the other goodies I'll be puttering with here, and pretty much everything will be staying in my possession.

Today I was gifted an ol model 048 AV stihl from my grandfather which was super nice of him!
I don't know yet if it runs, but it needs to probably have a new coil put in, a new plug, clean the carb, and I need to look at the chain brake. It should be a good saw, pretty much the entire thing is cast aluminum and he used it for many many years in his buisness tapping trees. It turns over and has compression so it should come back to life no problem! I'm looking forward to reviving it and putting it to use, it should last me a long time.

The briggs I talked about in my last post here may be getting made into an outboard, but I'm not sure. I'm considering using a weedeater gearbox and shaft and I can probably redneck something together. If it's not terribly heavy at the end I may try and mount it on my kayak just for the heck of it.    

Got another push mower in yesterday and got it running today. Just needed some rust primer on the deck to protect it, an air filter (need to order still), fuel line, fuel filter, spark plug, and a governor adjustment. Runs great now and I have less than $20 invested once everything is done. It’s dated December 1st of 2000.

Got this generator at an auction today for 25 bucks. Runs like a top! Going to put a couple new seals in, check the voltage, quick tune up and put it up for sale, probably ask 250 for it.

Auction got me again! Came home with a pair of used 2 stroke toro snowblowers for 10 bucks. One is “supposed” to run, the other apparently has issues with the gas tank. The one that has gas in it has a horrifically dirty carburetor, and that snowblower has since been chopped for scrap, save for the engine, handlebar, and gas tank. # 2 will be torn down and the tank inspected when I feel like it, but not today. # 1 was a S620 that had a hole torched in the side to access a fuel shutoff. So not worth anything as a snowblower, realistically. # 2 is a power clear, 3hp. Pulls over, decent compression.

Engine on 1 is cherry, no bore scratches, good compression, and still has original honing marks. Definitely a good engine.

My plan is to build a 2 stroke mud motor to mount on my kayak. Why? Cause I’m a redneck and things that are weird and kinda stupid appeal to me. Also because it’d be a lot nicer than paddling a 1/2 mile out to the good spots where the fish are. Probably a lot faster too.

Going to use 1 1/4 conduit, a chain clutch and a 5/8 shaft and bearings to create the “lower” unit. Propeller will be sourced from an aftermarket Yamaha 3 hp. I’ll have to turn the end of the shaft down to 10mm but that’s fine. Going to probably be a quick build, but I’m looking forward to it.





Motor removed, carburetor torn down, and long block/shroud painted. Going OD green and flat black. Carburetor was a diaphragm feed which was cool. Can run this motor upside down with no consequence. Spark is good. Think it’ll run fine.

I wonder how many RPMs one of these can take. Already a relatively bulletproof engine; no compression release to snap off or counterbalance to come loose. Just the piston, rod, crank, and reed valve.

Two strokes aren’t my strong suit lol.

Best thing about buying scrap snow blowers, is if you fix them and then sit on them until a blizzard, you can usually make a good profit without a lot of bickering. When there are no more at Home Depot and you have to shovel 18" of snow, a used one for $400 starts to look like a pretty sweet deal.

I used to like the rubber bladed paddle type Toro/Ariens (?) with the two stage. You can get right to the pavement without having to salt afterwards.