Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

[64osby]

There are many creative people among the ranks here at iboats. I thought would be nice to start a thread that would allow some of the members to show off their backyard creations, inventions or re-engineering non-boating efforts.

Fall here in SW Michigan has always brought the challenge of leaf pickup at our house. We have about an acre that we try to keep mowed and clean. We have lots of trees and seemingly millions of leaves.

Years ago I used to burn the leaves, fill the drive way in the front yard, 250? long 8? wide about 6? high and light it up, this was done about 4 times a year. In the recent past I have mowed and blown leaves to the tree line of the yard, but the piles would build up and create a high ledge. It has always been a time consuming task and a real PITA.

This year I am trying some thing different. I had an old work wagon, 5 sheets of 2?x5? plywood, some screen material, and some hinges lying around. I built a leaf collection bin. Large vents on the top covered with screen.

I went to one of the big box stores and found a 4" -6" rubber plumbing boot that fit the outlet of my Toro leaf blower, picked up 3 sections of 4? x 10? flexible tubing and a couple of eye hooks. Cost about $30 bucks.

I cut a couple of plywood left over?s to fit the inlet to the blower. In the inlet and the wagon I cut a round hole with notches the let the hose slide in and lock in place.

Here is the set up that I ended up with.

The pictures show our fenced in area where the dog hangs out. I mow the leaves in to strips or runs and then vacuum them up into the wagon. The wagon is hauled to the leave dump area and emptied.

The fenced back yard, about 40?x60?, took just over an hour. To rake the edges, mow and take 2 loads on a slow trip over 400 feet away.

I?m pretty happy with the result. I feel like once the leaves are mowed and hauled away they are not coming back in the yard and clean up seems to go fast. I will still have to do the yard 3 or 4 times.

It has a couple of minor glitches, it clogs up every now and then, it doesn?t like twigs and it can suck up too much sometimes. The hoses will pop out every when twisted, and the wagon needs a wider wheel base, it likes to tip over every now and then.

I can tell when it gets a clog or the wagon is full when the hum or whistle it creates stops. Then I check for a full wagon or a clog.

So there my creation for leaf pick up.

If you have something that you?ve created or improved why not share it with your fellow iboaters.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

Well, I built up my leaf collection system this summer. Still waiting for the leaves to start falling here. I gave $75 for the chipper/ shredder and $125 for the hoses. All the rest was material I had at hand. I've tried it while cutting grass and it worked well so I'll see how it does w/ leaves.
The discharge hose slides out of the tlr so I can dump it. I also moved the tlr axle back so the bed would be steeper to dump. I used it quite a bit chipping limbs and I like it because I can usually take it to the limbs instead of having to haul the limbs to it. I plan on putting all the chopped leaves in the veg garden and tilling them in along w/ a little nitrogen fertilizer to speed decomposition.
Mike

 

[64osby]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

Mike, That looks great. I think the chipper shreader is a key component.

Did you have to widen the wheel base of the trailer? I talked to one guy who made one like yours and he said it was too tippy.

I tried to fit mine up to my little John Deere which has a shoot, the leaves plugged above the blower about every 3 feet of travel when I tested it. My Bolens doesn't have a shoot.

I may have to look for an affordable chipper shreader for next year.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

A 2 ton engine hoist works pretty good for pulling small stumps and recently a bunch of rebar that was driven in about 3 feet to hold up an old fence. It'll also pull out fence posts and even those ones set in concrete if you dig a little first. It also works to lift and manuever a sheared wall when you're framing and don't have a buddy around to help you lift it. Seems like I look to it a lot more now that I think of it as something other than and engine hoist. 200.00 at O'Reily's and it's paid for itself several times over. Don't go for the 5 ton unless you really need it because it's too hard to manuever on uneven ground.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

Thanks, I liked the chipper 'cause it makes one heck of a draft so I think it will suck up the leaves real good. I didn't widen the tlr track, just put the front tires off an old rider I junked out. It seems pretty stable w/ a full load of wood chips. I don't have any hills or steep ditches around so I think it will be OK. What surprised me was it didn't seem to take much weight off the front tires even w/ the tlr fully loaded. I was prepared to make some front weights if that came to pass.
I think I see your plugging problem. The discharge hose needs to be the same cross sectional area as the dicharge on the blower. Just a suggestion, I'd make the discharge as short as possible and add the extra length on the suction hose. Just throwin' those out for thought.
Mike

 

[64osby]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

sschefer - great idea on the engine hoist. I was just looking at some scrub trees I want to get rid of and that might do the trick

I have heard a strap or chain and an old rim work good also.

 

[64osby]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

Mike - I don't have a level spot in my yard, if I get to the self contained pull behind I still might do a 4 wheel trailer.

My plugging problem happens in two places, the inlet tube, I have 10' piece of PVC that clears it and the outlet just above the blower, it curves and then the tube is smaller. I was looking at it today and was thinking of making a straight outlet to replace the curved one. But for $30 bucks and 3 hours of work I can't complain too much.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

I hardly ever touch a rake anymore at my current house. I mulch all of my leaves by covering the discharge of the mower deck with some hardware cloth or a couple of layers of metal window screen. A couple of passes and the leaves disappear back into the grass.

If you want to collect the leaves, try making one pass mulching them and then use your regular collection method. I'll bet you get less clogs in the hoses, and don't have to empty the collection cart as often because the pieces you're vacuuming are a lot smaller. The mulching method works even if you rake. At my old house where I raked them it used to take 4 to 5 trips to my dumping spot with the leaves in a 12 X 12 tarp. I found if I made one pass mulching them I only needed to make 1 or 2 trips to dump them.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

I use the side discharge to blow the leaves into natural areas in my yard w my mower and mow the leaves also. It's way faster than raking. I recently had the idea of hanging deer to skin/butcher at home from my 28' fiberglass ext. ladder. It works great. I lean it against the brick chimney, hook a pully on a rung, and can back my Toyota truck right to the ladder. Then I can hook up the gimball w the rope wrapped around 2 rungs and hoist half the deer up easily by myself, and tie the rope off on the lower rungs. Then just pull it off the end of the tailgate and its hanging at the perfect hight. A clamp on, cheap round shop light clamped on the ladder or rungs puts light right where I need it for nightime work.

 

[64osby]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

I use the side discharge to blow the leaves into natural areas in my yard w my mower and mow the leaves also. It's way faster than raking. I recently had the idea of hanging deer to skin/butcher at home from my 28' fiberglass ext. ladder. It works great. I lean it against the brick chimney, hook a pully on a rung, and can back my Toyota truck right to the ladder. Then I can hook up the gimball w the rope wrapped around 2 rungs and hoist half the deer up easily by myself, and tie the rope off on the lower rungs. Then just pull it off the end of the tailgate and its hanging at the perfect hight. A clamp on, cheap round shop light clamped on the ladder or rungs puts light right where I need it for nightime work.

I have so many leaves that fall that if I try to mow them to the edge I get big piles that create problems. The mower lifts off the ground and won't steer or the discharge gets plugged up the blades stop turning and the belt burns up.

Nice Idea on the ladder. I have taken a rope and tossed it over a low thick oak branch that I have and hung it using my garden tractor, wheel weights and chains on. Tied it off and the deer laid against the tree. It was easy to gut like that.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

I mow/blow the leaves starting about 10 ' from the edge of the natural area, and wider on the next pass, until i've blown most of them, then from the outside in, then rake the piles further into the NA. I try to do it before they get too thick, maybe every week for a while and it works well and fast If the leaves are dry. The ladder trick is neat to me because I never really lift half the weight of the deer. Standing at the tailgate, under the ladder, I grab the inserted gimbrel and lift just the hams/legs up as I pull the rope from the pulley, wrapped twice around the 2 round rungs, towards me w the other hand,and cinch and tie it off. My truck bed is 42" off the ground, and when I pull the deer off the tailgate, its at the perfect height to stick its head in a 5 gal bucket. Now I need to find a way to get them IN the truck w/o lifting the whole thing!!! Thats a beeauch by yourself!!!

 

[64osby]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

Now I need to find a way to get them IN the truck w/o lifting the whole thing!!! Thats a beeauch by yourself!!!

How about an engine hoist?

 

[mommicked]

Re: Show us you creative backyard creation or invention

I need one of those swiveling pole, reciever hitch game winches, or remove the tailgate. it does'nt help.