He Built His Own 5-Ft. Radio-Controlled Mower

He Built His Own 5-Ft. Radio-Controlled Mower MOWERS Mowers (31H) 25-6-27 Jeff Parker, Bloomington, Minn., built his own heavy duty, 5-ft. mower that he operates entirely by remote control. The mower rides on three 17-in. wheels and has front wheel drive and steering. Power is supplied by a V-twin, 18 hp Vanguard gas engine. The engine belt-drives two hydraulic pumps - an Eaton hydrostatic pump that drives a hydraulic motor in the front wheel, and a Bosch gear pump that drives the Toro deck. A double acting hydraulic cylinder turns the front wheel. The cylinder is controlled by hydraulic valves that are operated by electronics inside a metal box on back of the rig. An air tank, also mounted on back, provides air pressure to stroke the pump that drives the front wheel. All of the rig's components are mounted on a homemade steel frame. Parker uses a radio controller designed for model airplanes to control all mower operations. "It turns a lot of heads when people drive by my front yard and see me operating it from my driveway," says Parker. "I don't have to walk up to the machine for anything. I can start and stop the mower, control the throttle, and engage the deck using the remote. The front wheel is smooth so it doesn't tear up the grass. It's not a zero turn mower, but it does turn fairly tight. "I plan to mount a video camera and transmitter on the mower someday so that I'll be able to operate it while sitting on my couch watching TV." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jeff Parker, 8618 Clinton Ave. S., Bloomington, Minn. 55420 (ph 952 884-4326).

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