He Improved His "Cyclone Rake"

He Improved His "Cyclone Rake" FARM HOME Lawn Mowers (31h,38) 32-1-14 Rick Marley, Decatur, Ill., likes his Cyclone Rake leaf mulcher (www.cyclonerake.com) but says the canvas-covered hopper that comes with the unit leaves something to be desired. "The mulcher does a great job and has saved me many hours of labor. But the hopper consists of a big canvas bag on an aluminum strut frame that mounts on a 2-caster wheeled trailer. The bag is designed to open from the back by pulling on a flap, and then you tip the bag back to dump the leaves out. However, the bag is made in such a way that it's difficult to get all the leaves out - they pack in so tight that they don't want to dump." To solve the problem, he removed the bag and frame from the trailer and replaced it with a homemade box made from 3/8-in. thick plywood. The box measures roughly 3 ft. square but is slightly narrower at the front end to keep leaves from packing so tight. It's completely smooth on the inside with no obstacles. The box is hinged at the bottom and has a door on back that opens to the side. "Now when I open the door and pull the box back, all the leaves and grass clippings slip out right away," says Marley. "My only cost was for two 4 by 8-ft. sheets of plywood and some hardware, which included three metal hinges and three hasps and pins to keep the door shut. I also installed a square metal screen on top of the box to let air out, and I cut an opening into the front to accommodate the blower chute. The bag came with a plastic collar that hooked up directly to the blower chute. I removed the collar and mounted it inside the box." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rick Marley, 3340 S. Mount Zion Road, Decatur, Ill. 62521 (ph 217 424-0045; rick npeg @insightbb.com).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.