Homemade electric mower deck. - Page 2

dh1 · 08-02-11, 08:45 PM

I got the 38" deck and have discovered that it is really a 42" deck.
Stripped it down, mounted the motors, blades and I have a problem.
Blades that came with the deck are 21" and n/g.
Blades on the cordless mowers are 19 1/2".
As you can see in the pictures the space between the blades is too much, this will leave an uncut strip down the middle. So the best thing to do is find another deck that is the right size.
The same guy I got the 42" off of has a 38" deck,tomorrow I go pick it up.
I could just buy longer blades for the deck I have but the cost is the same as buying the 38" deck and it would take more power to turn a longer blade, I don't think I have enough power to do that, something tells me I'm going to need all I can get to run the blades that came with the cordless mowers.
Pictures.

Daox · 08-02-11, 08:56 PM

Is there no way to fit the longer blades on the motors?

dh1 · 08-02-11, 09:04 PM

I think you can get a universal type blade to fit???
Blades will cost $20. each or more.
The 38" deck will cost me $40. + gas.

Blades for these cordless mowers are easily got at Canadian tire, there are a lot of the Yardworks brand mowers around the area where I am at.

Then there is the power issue, only way to know for sure is to try, but it's got to take more power to drive a longer blade.

Phantom · 08-10-11, 01:02 PM

I know you said that the blades that can with the deck are no good but that is no reason not to try. I would do a test mount and run the blades and see how it works, you could even test the difference in speeds and power needed by only changing one and observing the differences.

MetroMPG · 08-17-11, 09:31 PM

Subscribed to this thread. Neat project.

d3vi1d06 · 08-18-11, 08:27 AM

im subscribing to all threads related to this mower project.

you are awesome

dh1 · 08-21-11, 08:46 PM

I got the 38" deck stripped and cleaned up a bit, mounted the 2 electric motors with the blades and it looks like this setup is going to work.
It was easier to mount the motors to this deck as I did not have to enlarge the big holes where the spindles were but I did have to space them up a bit as they hang down to far, about 1/2" to low.
Blade clearance tip to tip is tight, I think I'm going to have to move the motors 1/4" away from each other, so each one 1/8" outward should do it. There is enough clearance all around between the blade and the deck to do this.
I powered up each motor individually first with 12volts then with 24volts, I used 2- 12volt, 34amp/hr lawn tractor battery's and I notice that they spin up to speed faster than the original battery's that come with the cordless mower.
I measured amps at 24volts and got about 20amps + draw running at full speed no load, just the blades turning. So the pair of them are going to draw 40-45amps together???
I bought a multimeter with a 20amp DC range on it but it's useless, the leads heat up right away the the numbers displayed make no sense.
I uses an old round amp meter I had, -15* 0* +15. The needle goes farther when the motors are stating up and levels off to what you see in the picture.

dh1 · 09-25-11, 08:09 PM

Got back to work on this thing today, picked up another Yardworks cordless mower, this one has the internal fan in the motor. Now both motors are the same with the fan. Decided to grind 1/8" off of each blade tip, gives 1/4" clearance.
Got both mounted, wired up, tested at 12 volts, with blades on, no problems, nice and smooth.
Started working on the 4 wheels, making the brackets, got 1 on and on the second ran out of wire for the welder, always something on this project.
I really wanted to cut some grass with it today.

Picture shows the difference in the motors, right one has the fan.

Wanna Beco · 10-02-11, 10:11 PM

wow, where are you finding these deals. I have been to goodwill and keep looking for one, but never find em! love this project.

nibs · 11-10-11, 06:48 PM

I now have one electric donor mower, and a line on another, when we get home in the spring will mount them on a deck that was given to me. I was planning on putting batteries on the deck to power the motors, and will either have to push or pull the deck because the tractor motor is where the deck originally went. Thinking I will push the deck, because twisting in the saddle, to watch the mower, is getting tough as the arthritis takes over.

08-02-11, 08:45 PM	#11
dh1 Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ont. Canada Posts: 99 Thanks: 14 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts	I got the 38" deck and have discovered that it is really a 42" deck. Stripped it down, mounted the motors, blades and I have a problem. Blades that came with the deck are 21" and n/g. Blades on the cordless mowers are 19 1/2". As you can see in the pictures the space between the blades is too much, this will leave an uncut strip down the middle. So the best thing to do is find another deck that is the right size. The same guy I got the 42" off of has a 38" deck,tomorrow I go pick it up. I could just buy longer blades for the deck I have but the cost is the same as buying the 38" deck and it would take more power to turn a longer blade, I don't think I have enough power to do that, something tells me I'm going to need all I can get to run the blades that came with the cordless mowers. Pictures. Attached Thumbnails

08-02-11, 08:56 PM	#12
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Is there no way to fit the longer blades on the motors? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

08-17-11, 09:31 PM	#15
MetroMPG Infrequent noob Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 402 Thanks: 37 Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts	Subscribed to this thread. Neat project. __________________ . To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

08-21-11, 08:46 PM	#17
dh1 Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ont. Canada Posts: 99 Thanks: 14 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts	Update I got the 38" deck stripped and cleaned up a bit, mounted the 2 electric motors with the blades and it looks like this setup is going to work. It was easier to mount the motors to this deck as I did not have to enlarge the big holes where the spindles were but I did have to space them up a bit as they hang down to far, about 1/2" to low. Blade clearance tip to tip is tight, I think I'm going to have to move the motors 1/4" away from each other, so each one 1/8" outward should do it. There is enough clearance all around between the blade and the deck to do this. I powered up each motor individually first with 12volts then with 24volts, I used 2- 12volt, 34amp/hr lawn tractor battery's and I notice that they spin up to speed faster than the original battery's that come with the cordless mower. I measured amps at 24volts and got about 20amps + draw running at full speed no load, just the blades turning. So the pair of them are going to draw 40-45amps together??? I bought a multimeter with a 20amp DC range on it but it's useless, the leads heat up right away the the numbers displayed make no sense. I uses an old round amp meter I had, -15* 0* +15. The needle goes farther when the motors are stating up and levels off to what you see in the picture. Attached Thumbnails

09-25-11, 08:09 PM	#18
dh1 Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ont. Canada Posts: 99 Thanks: 14 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts	Update Got back to work on this thing today, picked up another Yardworks cordless mower, this one has the internal fan in the motor. Now both motors are the same with the fan. Decided to grind 1/8" off of each blade tip, gives 1/4" clearance. Got both mounted, wired up, tested at 12 volts, with blades on, no problems, nice and smooth. Started working on the 4 wheels, making the brackets, got 1 on and on the second ran out of wire for the welder, always something on this project. I really wanted to cut some grass with it today. Picture shows the difference in the motors, right one has the fan. Attached Thumbnails

08-02-11, 09:04 PM	#13
dh1 Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ont. Canada Posts: 99 Thanks: 14 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts	I think you can get a universal type blade to fit??? Blades will cost $20. each or more. The 38" deck will cost me $40. + gas. Blades for these cordless mowers are easily got at Canadian tire, there are a lot of the Yardworks brand mowers around the area where I am at. Then there is the power issue, only way to know for sure is to try, but it's got to take more power to drive a longer blade.

08-10-11, 01:02 PM	#14
Phantom Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 101 Thanks: 13 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	I know you said that the blades that can with the deck are no good but that is no reason not to try. I would do a test mount and run the blades and see how it works, you could even test the difference in speeds and power needed by only changing one and observing the differences.

08-18-11, 08:27 AM	#16
d3vi1d06 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: NC Posts: 13 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	im subscribing to all threads related to this mower project. you are awesome

10-02-11, 10:11 PM	#19
Wanna Beco Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phoenix Posts: 69 Thanks: 10 Thanked 12 Times in 9 Posts	wow, where are you finding these deals. I have been to goodwill and keep looking for one, but never find em! love this project.

11-10-11, 06:48 PM	#20
nibs Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 206 Thanks: 1 Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts	I now have one electric donor mower, and a line on another, when we get home in the spring will mount them on a deck that was given to me. I was planning on putting batteries on the deck to power the motors, and will either have to push or pull the deck because the tractor motor is where the deck originally went. Thinking I will push the deck, because twisting in the saddle, to watch the mower, is getting tough as the arthritis takes over.