Convert lawnmower into lawn / pavement vacuum (?)

[Home Guy]

Would this work:

Take a lawnmower, mount a plate (steel, plywood, etc) under the entire deck, effectively creating a sealed cavity inside which turns the mower blade. Seal around the edge where the deck meets this plate.

Cut a slot across the center of this plate, from left to right. Maybe an inch wide.

Take a brisle broom that's as wide as the mower, and mount it to the underside of the plate, just in front of the slot. A broom with short bristles - say, 1" long. Possibly add second broom on the back side of the slot - or a rubber flap in contact with the ground to act as a seal to help concentrate the vacuum effect.

Take the mower blade and give it more of a twist - make it look more like a fan blade.

Adjust the deck height so the broom is in good contact with the ground, but you can still push the mower reasonably well across the ground (or pavement).

Main purpose: Clean pavement and nearby grass of small sand/gravel put down over the winter to combat snow and ice.

Secondary purpose: Pick up debris on grass left behind after a brutal winter. This includes a ton of sunflow shells, bird seed, other "grunge".

A lawn mower aught to be able to generate quite a vacuum given a properly-constructed housing.

Would this work as imagined?

PS: Lowering the mower so that the deck skids across the pavent does pick up road sand, but it's very messy, throws a lot of it back at the operator, must wear face shield and long pants, etc.

I've not seen anything like this on youtube.

[philoÂÂ]

Not a good idea. You'd have to put ten locks on your garage door to keep the neighbors from stealing something that utterly amazing.

Sheesh

[Stormin Mormon]

I've experienced the sand thrown every which way. Perhaps a leaf blower would work better? Push the dirt and debris in one direction. Broom and dust pan when it's more localized.

I've seen folks at store parking lots using a ride on vac cleaner, but that would be a bit pricey for one residence.

[Home Guy]

Is that your insightful analysis on the aerodynamics of such a construction?

[philoÂÂ]

Yes.

The blade way too fast to use it the way you had planned... plus...sidewalk sweepers exist that were specifically made for that purpose.

The range from $50 to $2000

[Home Guy]

The blade is not in contact with anything.

All the blade does is generate the vacuum.

Go back and read the description.

I have an old lawn mower. It ranges from $0 to $0 in cost for me.

[philoÂÂ]

You don't have to do anything with the mower, it will work as-is to blow debris off the sidewalk etc.

[philoÂÂ]

Then get to work and build it.

The whole idea of cleaning up the outdoors seems a bit weird to me.

[Home Guy]

I don't want to blow the debris.

I want to collect.

To VACUUM it up.

Walk-behind lawn mowers (with bag attachment) are collection devices - not blowers. But their efficiency at picking up dense material (like sand, grit, gravel) is dependant on how much (or little) space there is between the deck and the ground surface. Too much of a gap, and even with a bag attachment they will throw more of the sand/gravel to the side instead of picking it up and putting it in the bag.

[Stormin Mormon]

Walking mowers and salt or sand, tends to throw much out from the center. From what I read, HG wants to send it all in a specific direction.

HG, did you want to bag the debris, or just move it aside?

[Stormin Mormon]

I should read the next message, eh?

I suspect your grass catcher bag will rapidly be clogged with dust, and that will choke off the air flow.

If you get the mower deck too close to the ground around the edge you won't have any air coming in.

The sealed bottom deck (with slot and brush as you describe) might allow air inflow, while reducing scatter.

I've never built one, but it sounds like it's got merit.

[Tim Paige]

replying to philo , Tim Paige wrote: Man why you giving this guy beef he's got a ligit question and he may just be wanting to be creative . I made a redneck air conditioner just because . I've made a lot of things just because. Hes looking for advice not some dumb jerk that doesn't even understand the purpose of his project .you must be really stupid if you don't understand the reason for his design

[Tim Paige]

replying to Home Guy, Tim Paige wrote: I completely understand what your Trying to do .I was concidering the same thing .I first thought maybe just modify a buffering pad or an actual sweeper pad to fit on the mower instead of the blade creating suction . Maybe open the front of the mower more and close off the rear and both sides useing some kind of rubber and then modify the bagger pick up section so that the debree is just swept into the bag rather then sucked into it . Maybe find a cheaper push sweaper and see how its designed to sweep it into the container take some pictures and stuff then go home and put it to work . I belive it could be done a heck of alot cheaper then what a powered sweaper would cost you . Dont let smart ass idiots discourage you from putting your ideas to work.many many inventors have been laughed at. Because others were to stupid to see the usefulness.

[bb]

replying to Tim Paige, bb wrote: I think it might be a great idea. I'm considering something like that also, but I would first go to a retail store and look underneath a lawn vacuum that looks similar to a mower, just to note the differences. Good luck.

[Popeye]

replying to philo , Popeye wrote: You could turn the throttle way down to almost idling, but I like your idea better.

[Rhonda Webster]

replying to Home Guy, Rhonda Webster wrote: I agree, I have dropped my John Deere Tractor Mower deck to low position to blast sand off sidewalk and it does work but I agree, it IS a very dirty process for the operator. I suggest you go look at a few vacuum type sweepers and stay creative! :)