Homeade "High Wheel" Trimmer-Mower

Homeade "High Wheel" Trimmer-Mower FARM HOME Lawn Mowers (31h,38) 21-4-11 "It works as well as expensive commercial units," says John Krueger, Blanchard, Okla., who used old mower parts to build his own "high wheel" string trimmer-mower. The heart of the unit is an old push lawn mower and its 4 hp gas engine. Krueger re-moved the deck and blade and front wheels and replaced the small rear wheels with 14-in. high wheels off another push mower. A length of nylon cord that does the cutting is attached to a blade spindle assembly off an old riding mower. The spindle is belt-driven off the engine and extends out the front. He cut off part of the spindle and drilled a hole in the bottom of the shaft, then welded on a homemade cutterhead that he made from 1/4 in. thick steel plate. The heavy nylon cutting cord attaches to the plate. "I use it to mow around trees and along fence lines - any place that my 72-in. mower can't reach," says Krueger. "It'll cut a 12 to 14 in. swath. When the cords get too short I simply replace them. I use the mower's original controls to start it and to regulate speed. I use a lever attached to an idler pulley to tighten the belt and activate the cutterhead. A 14-in. sq. plexiglass deflector mounted on the deck keeps gravel and rocks from kicking back at me. However, I still wear safety glasses whenever I use it. "I got the idea when my brother bought a 7 hp, electric start commercial trimmer-mower. He paid $800 for it. I used it a little and liked it, then decided that I could save money by building my own. The 14-in. wheels I use had worn-out tires so I replaced them with new heavy-duty tube tires that look similar to a bicycle tire." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Krueger, Rt. 1, Box 539, Blanchard, Okla. 73010 (ph 405 392-4796).

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