• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Nancy Reading
  • Carla Burke
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Liv Smith
  • Leigh Tate
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Maieshe Ljin

Leaf grinder chamber for mower

 
Posts: 6
5
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I made a chamber that goes under my mower. I lower the mower deck down on it and I feed leaves into the chamber from the opposite side from the grass catcher.

The first iteration was made with cardboard and pink foam pieces. It sustained damage from bits of flying debris requiring a remake with plywood, lumber, and aluminum plate.

The concept was proven with the first iteration. That day the leaves were dry. They got sucked into the chamber easily. The latest collected leaves are wet and I haven't used the new chamber yet. I hope the wet leaves will still get sucked into the new chamber.

The pictures are of the first iteration plus one picture of the new version. The ground leaves end up in the grass catcher bags. It worked very well. I did 15 bags of leaves the first time I used it. Those ground leaves are in the metal screen thing in the picture.

I'm going to make leaf mould with the ground leaves. After learning about leaf mould, I dragged leaves out of a pile that wasn't really composting and mowed over them creating a wonderful rich dark material that is almost like soil. They say leaf mould only takes about 6 months to make. We will see.

My soil here is heavy to clay and rocks so my garden is in raised beds. I made two no-dig beds with those ground leaves from the pile. They had lots of worms and worked very well.
Screenshot_20210916-182845_Gallery_copy_1440x810.jpg
First try
First try
Screenshot_20210916-183004_Gallery_copy_1440x810_1.jpg
Chamber is under mower
Chamber is under mower
Screenshot_20210916-182923_Gallery_copy_1440x810.jpg
[Thumbnail for Screenshot_20210916-182923_Gallery_copy_1440x810.jpg]
Screenshot_20210916-183004_Gallery_copy_1440x810_1.jpg
[Thumbnail for Screenshot_20210916-183004_Gallery_copy_1440x810_1.jpg]
Screenshot_20210925-162010_Gallery_copy_1440x810.jpg
New version
New version
 
master pollinator
Posts: 4987
Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b
1351
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Haha, that's awesome. The three blades in series would probably shred the leaves much more finely than just running over them. (Though I find that getting a few fresh grass clippings mixed in speeds up decomposition.)

You should submit this for a BB Oddball point.
 
steward
Posts: 15505
Location: Northern WI (zone 4)
4846
7
hunting trees books food preservation solar woodworking
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I love the safety rock
 
Douglas Alpenstock
master pollinator
Posts: 4987
Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b
1351
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Personally, I would set up safety rock so it would "tilt" if I bumped the frame.
 
David Culver
Posts: 6
5
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I ground up 15 bags of leaves yesterday. It sucked in wet leaves easily. It was a success. I have a video of it in action but I couldn't include an mp4 here to show you.☹ Best wishes to you all.
David
 
These aren't just sunglasses. They are a coolness prosthetic. For this tiny ad:
Learn Permaculture through a little hard work
https://wheaton-labs.com/bootcamp
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic