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Thread: I made a $9 brush hog!

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I made a $9 brush hog!

    I’ve got the idea after some internet research. My buddy donated the lawn mower. It was bought new and had only mowed two lawns and stopped running. I found Burlap wrapped in the blade and the carb clogged. I cost $2.49 for a new spark plug, $2.99 for some carb cleaner, and I had a $10 off coupon from eBay so I bought a throttle cable to rig up for $3 with Coupon discount. I cut off the front of the deck so the blade sticks out about an inch. It cuts down small trees like a knife through butter. I guess I’ll see how long it lasts. I mowed a couple hundred yards of trails the last two days about as wide a truck could drive down no my property. Towards the end of my mowing session it bogged down and killed a couple of times. I’m sure it was because I removed the air filter a few times being it was packed with grass and probably had some dirt or grass Get into the carb. I cleaned the carb and air filter. I also sanded the grey colored build up on my plug afterwards and it started right up. It ran ruff at low idle but when I reved it up it ran smooth. I believe it was from some of the carb spray was wet in the air filter yet after I sprayed it to try and clean. I removed the foam filter and washed it with soap and water. Once it dries I’ll test it again. I’ll grab a new spark plug as well. I’m sure reving it up is hard on the plug as well. Works pretty good. Hopefully it lasts a while. I noticed when I moved the blade back and forth With my hand I could hear some metal on metal...I removed It to re sharpen. Once running I can’t hear any metal grinding. Normal? I figured it might just be just some dust and dirt causing the noise between the shaft and seal. I have huge ant hills I can’t see in the chest high brush I’m cutting till it’s to late and end up running them over. I poured a little oil on the seal where the shaft comes out and it seemed quieter. Well, I already got my money out of it if not and I’ll just keep using it till it stops runnning.



    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-29-2020 at 09:22 AM. Reason: Spelling

  2. #2
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    I had thought about trying this. I have a walk behind string trimmer, but this might work better and Fall is coming when you can get all the cheap lawn mowers you want for next to nothing. Thanks for the right up, on my place here, keeping the brush back is a constant battle, I need to mow my little range when it stops raining long enough.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    That is awesome!

    I’ve been using a saw blade on a straight shaft trimmer, but now I’m going to go find a cheap mower!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    CPSC would love that! (keep up the good work!)

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Looks like the next contestant on Robot Wars!

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    Next time cut a jagged triangular row out of the front instead of a straight cut, fold them down, paint them white, SHARK teeth!!!!
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    OSHA approved???
    LOL...
    Necessity is truly the mother of invention.

  8. #8
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    swheeler's Avatar
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    I like it a lot, I may have to try this!
    Charter Member #148

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master WILCO's Avatar
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    Dang smart! Congratulations.
    "Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face!" - Mike Tyson

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    That look on your face, when you shift into 6th gear, but it's not there.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I reinstalled the air filter and put in a new spak plug a few minutes ago and she's running like a Top Again!!!! I believe the noise I was hearing might have just been the rings from the Piston going up and down the cylinder wall. The grinding noise I heard when rotating the blade by hand is not as noticable anymore but can still feel the and hear the scraping when moving the blade with my hand. I'm going to call it normal noise.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-29-2020 at 11:26 AM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The "push " mowers may have the blade bolted directly to the crank shaft of the motor so be careful how hard you cut with it. The blade limited to 1" sticking out helps to limit the cut on harder objects like small trees and such.

    One thing you might consider is straightening the "lifts" out on the back of the blade leaving a flat blade. Our heavy brush hogs dont have fits on the blades just the heavy bar sharpened on the front edge Its almost a square edge instead of the knife edge.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I sharpened the blade up this morning as well. The ant hills made the blade duller than a butter knife....but it still cut brush without
    an issue. Just make sure there is no one in front of you when mowing. It kicks everything out at a 45 degree angle in front of the mower to the right. I watched a chunk of wood fly a good 20 yards and land in a tree about 30 feet high.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DougGuy View Post
    Next time cut a jagged triangular row out of the front instead of a straight cut, fold them down, paint them white, SHARK teeth!!!!
    That was my plan...after I already cut it.lol...it got black marker teeth and eye balls...next time real teeth!

  14. #14
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    Anyone remember these, they were fine machines... ran one often. Talk about safe!
    Click image for larger version. 

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  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I tried one on an old mower I had. The problem for me was that mine was not powerful enough. It was I think a 3 hp. I ended up doing the same thing to a riding lawn mower with an 18 hp engine, and that really eats the stuff up. The only thing to watch for is you will start to shear flywheel keys if you hit bigger stuff. So if it starts to run weird, that is one place to look. A key is only 50 cents, so no big deal.

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    You guys frighten me
    Ready, fire, AIM!

  17. #17
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    Those old Bachtold mowers were gems. Mowed fence rows and water ways with one as a kid to young adult. They would cut things like cat tails and 5 foot tall brush like butter. Just never get in front of it while it was running, about 3 inches of blade out front of the guard. Really wish I still had it for wild roses and wild raspberry plants.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    Looks like a honda motor, you can't hardly kill them. Most mowers these days have a blade brake that wears out fast and rubs the shaft. Yrs ago neighbor just about got hit by a rock tossed by tractor pulled brush hog about 100 yds away. Ran over a gravel pile, rocks went through chain guard. She just ****** - had her infant in her arms - broke the door sidelight window and embedded in sheet rock inside the house. She was walking out the door. yup, 100 cal miniball. The light steel deck won't stop anything.
    Whatever!

  19. #19
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Cool project.

    I'd definitely cut the lifting edges off the rear of the blade, and get a spare flywheel key or two.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Day number three and I’m all done with mowing. Worked great again! That’s a good idea with cutting off the bent edges of the blade so It won’t kick debris up and away and just forward.

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