use for lawn mower engines?

getoverit · January 17, 2006, 11:37:36 PM

I have been looking around the farm and noticed that I have quite a few old lawn mowers, grass edgers, a tiller, and other things that are basically worn out, but still have good running engines on them. One of the engines I have is a 16hp Briggs cast iron industrial engine that is on a self propelled walk behind brush cutter. The deck and frame are worn out, but the engine is still running strong and has electric start.

If there is any way to convert them to horizontal shaft by using a heavy duty gearbox, I'd love to see and hear about that too.

It's a shame to not make some use out of them.

Has anybody came up with a good use for vertical shaft engines like this that could be a good project for me to work on? I'd love to see some pictures of these things if anybody has them.

Thanks,
Ken

Woodcarver · January 17, 2006, 11:45:39 PM

This might be a possible use for a lawn mower engine: http://www.zena.net/.
I believe they say a minimum of 14hp is needed.

Tom · January 17, 2006, 11:48:12 PM

Put a sheave/pulley on the shaft and give the belt a half twist to a horizontal shaft with a sheave.

getoverit · January 18, 2006, 12:03:35 AM

I have wondered about the half twist to the belt too. Does this cause you to go through belts like crazy or is it like any other belt wear?

Tom · January 18, 2006, 12:17:04 AM

Given enough distance so the belts don't wear on the sides too much and don't rub at the cross in the center and they will last a long time.

woodbowl · January 18, 2006, 12:27:05 AM

GOI, have you seen an E-Z mo self propelled lawn mower? There are some really extreme belt twist and direction changes between the motor and drive pully. Seems like a Yazoo may have some too. I've entertained thoughts of a swingblade using belt twist, and direction change, instead of a gearbox.

jon12345 · January 18, 2006, 12:38:35 AM

Mount a blade on the drive shaft and build a 'monster garage' style tree felling unit that can be customized to fit your vehicle of choice :D :D :D

Rockn H · January 18, 2006, 12:46:43 AM

You could build a well drill like one of these. Link A friend of mine has one and aside from the gearbox to slow down the drill stem it's pretty simple.
You could always make yourself a pull behind rough cut mower.

iain · January 18, 2006, 04:03:19 PM

I like the look of that there welder woodcarver 8)

iain

Murf · January 18, 2006, 04:06:57 PM

Amongst the things we've done over the years with old mower motors are, run-abouts (like a golf cart), pressure washers, generators, portable welders (made from truck alternators) and water pumps.

We used a little old 3.5 (?) hp lawn mower motor as an electric supply for our cabin years back when it was first built. There was no electricity there, so Dad wired the place for 12 volt lighting.

Real spiffy too, 1157 bulbs all 'round, every room had a high/low light. :D

We even had a high beam / low beam yard light to see to get to the two-seater outhouse at night, and a Packard car horn to call us kids for a meal. ;D

The engine belt drove an alternator to recharge the car batteries that powered the system. It was "fully" "automated" even. It had a 2 pint gas tank, when it "automatically" ran out of gas the batteries were "fully" charged. :D :D :D

Hooked up to a big blower unit a 16hp engine would probably vacuum all your sawdust into a truck or trailer for moving too. ;)

jrokusek · January 18, 2006, 04:12:12 PM

I have an antique Moz-All lawnmower that uses a single twist belt. It's only 3 HP but the belt will last for years.

getoverit · January 18, 2006, 06:05:10 PM

The portable welder made out of a truck alternator sounds like something I could use, but they want too much for them on that website. I wonder how I could gather all of the stuff together and make one myself? I've got the engine and the alternator, but how does one regulate the amperage?

I was kinda hoping somebody had come up with a good useful hydraulic gizmo or a 4 head planer or something along those lines...

Does anybody know if a fuel oil pump for a fuel oil fired heater would make a hydraulic pump? I've got several of those, brand new, left over from my last business...

Weekend_Sawyer · January 18, 2006, 06:13:23 PM

I used a vertical shaft 12 hp Briggs to drive a log spllitter hydraulics, worked real good. I made it in 93' and a buddy of mine still has it.

Jon

wiam · January 18, 2006, 08:15:32 PM

I run a 20 Vertical shaft Briggs IC on my mill. I run a 105" B v-belt with a 4" pulley on the engine and about a 15" on the drive wheel. I have not had slippage problems and belt life does not seem to be an issue.

Will

woodbowl · January 18, 2006, 08:56:14 PM

Quote from: Tom on January 18, 2006, 12:17:04 AM
Given enough distance so the belts don't wear on the sides too much and don't rub at the cross in the center and they will last a long time.

Quote from: jrokusek on January 18, 2006, 04:12:12 PM
I have an antique Moz-All lawnmower that uses a single twist belt. It's only 3 HP but the belt will last for years.

QUESTION: I don't remember how the cross over looks on some of the belt twist configurations. Do they touch? If they do touch, I'm wondering how much it wears the belt. It seems like a thin wear plate may help.

wiam · January 18, 2006, 10:27:11 PM

My belt does not rub. I do not see how a belt turned 1/4 of a turn would rub.

Will

Tom · January 18, 2006, 11:23:43 PM

Some will if they get to slapping. I suggested that just as something to look out for. Perhaps you are right. That would be a good thing.

Woodwalker · January 18, 2006, 11:43:41 PM

I was too young to remember this, but have been told by the culprits (a couple of my cousins) that they attached a chain saw engine to a bicycle. Got the sprockets off and belt pulleys attached to saw and bicycle. Had to steer with one hand and tension and throttle the engine with the other. Story goes that they never found out how fast the thing was, didn't have a car that could keep up with it.

LeeB · January 19, 2006, 01:35:25 AM

I gotta know where Pine Valley is. LeeB, fellow Texan

Rockn H · January 19, 2006, 02:03:58 AM

There's one between New Waverly and Huntsville. ???

Woodwalker · January 19, 2006, 09:16:41 AM

Lee, Pine Valley is a suburb of the metropolis of Evergreen. (Got a flashing light there a few years ago) I'm just about half way between Coldspring and New Waverly. Those will be on the maps.

slowzuki · January 19, 2006, 09:28:28 AM

Could build a hovercraft! ;D

Murf · January 19, 2006, 01:01:37 PM

Quote from: getoverit on January 18, 2006, 06:05:10 PM
Does anybody know if a fuel oil pump for a fuel oil fired heater would make a hydraulic pump? I've got several of those, brand new, left over from my last business...

They do, but you'd need to hook about eleventeen of them together to get any kind of flow rate.

They're sorta designed to pump very little fluid or they get real spendy. ;)

Modat22 · January 19, 2006, 02:27:26 PM

Small briggs engine make pretty good power hacksaws and power filing machines. Take the head off the motor and mount a blade or file to the piston head, drive it with an old washing machine motor or something.

Murf · January 19, 2006, 03:00:22 PM

Quote from: Modat22 on January 19, 2006, 02:27:26 PM
Small briggs engine make pretty good power hacksaws and power filing machines. Take the head off the motor and mount a blade or file to the piston head, drive it with an old washing machine motor or something.

Wouldn't it just be easier to leave the head on, and mount the saw to a big ecentric cam on the crankshaft and let the engine do the work? :