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Tell us about yourself:“Cabinetmaker, retired Skilled Trades teacher. Since retiring I have started my business Seaside Woodworks building furniture, rebuilding and repairing boats. I work in just about any material, wood, composites, steel, fiberglass and plastics. With retirement though I like to get time with our grandkids and get out sailing as much as possible.”
What is it? A snowblower I made for a 1974 John Deere Tractor. It’s articulated in the middle, which makes using it like backing up a trailer (but going forward). I used a MDT 42 in. blower, a 17.5 HP engine from an 1990s lawn tractor, and wheels off of a salvaged snowblower frame.
What is the main power source for your project? (e.g. electric motor, gas engine etc.) A 17.5 HP Tecumseh engine from an 1990s MTD lawn tractor, while the tractor has a 10 HP Kohler cast iron engine.
How do you control your project? (e.g. hydraulic control valve(s), electric switches etc.) I used a windshield wiper motor to control the rotation and a seat motor for adjusting the deflector shield. The engine cover from the lawn tractor and the fuel tank cover were made along with a 1.5 in. box steel frame.
What components are used to perform the work for your project? (e.g. hydraulic cylinder(s), hydraulic motor(s), sprockets, pulleys etc.) The wiper and seat motors came from Surplus. The switches and harness connectors (to separate the machines) came from the Trailer area. Front lights were on sale, while various wiring lugs, ties and things were purchased as needed.
What design/build challenges did you overcome? This project came out of the need to have a snowblower after I broke the original MTD tractor. The biggest (and still ongoing) issue is the steering system. I have stops that keep it from articulating too far but if you have ever backed up a trailer, you will understand the issues. Mounting the engine and blower wasn’t too difficult, once I figured out distances and gearing ratios. A lot of parts were salvaged from the MDT so that meant there was less design problems to overcome.
If you had to build it again, what would you do differently? Not too much to change, just need a better way to steer. Either that or buy a Kubota Tractor with all of the bells and whistles.
Which Princess Auto location do you visit most? Saint John, NB