Snow Plow

I guess it's been a little while since I updated. I finished the mower deck at the end of summer. I had to build an extension shaft and shaft coupler to mount the pulley which drives the blade. I used it to mow the last month of the season! It doesnt do so well with thick grass. It bogs down the blades and motor until it's not spinning fast enough to cut. But if I keep up on it it works great. I now wish I had a catcher for it, or make it mulch.



Winter showed up and we got some snow. I had built part of the snow plow last year, and having snow inspired me to throw something together. My brother helped me grab some plywood and strap it to the metal ladder under the mower. It worked well enough to plow my driveway, my neighbors drive way, and the sidewalk up and down my street. I would have happily kept plowing, but my brother was bored! I thought it was very clever, but I wanted one not made of wood. I looked through my steel pile and found a 4.5" diameter tube about 30" long. I cut it in half lengthwise and partially flattened it to make a 7" high plow blade. the two half were bolted to some angle iron which is welded to a square tube. the tube pivots on a 5/8" bolt and its angle is held with another bolt. It looks great, but we havent had any more snow for me to use it on! I may need to add some weight to it so it has some hold down force.

I had considered adding the spring system like commercial plows have but it was more complex than I wanted to figure out.