Walk-Behind "Concrete Buggy"

Walk-Behind "Concrete Buggy" MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 33-1-19 John Bontrager made a self-propelled "concrete buggy" by cutting down the frame of a Deere 111 hydrostatic riding mower and mounting a wheelbarrow tub on back. "I own a business installing residential fencing and mix batches of sack crete to set the fence posts. I dump material from the concrete mixer drum into the my homemade buggy. It saves a lot of time," says Bontrager. "I modified the machine so I can stand behind the steering wheel and put the transmission in reverse to drive it." He cut 13 in. off the back end of the mower frame, removing the seat and hood but keeping the steering wheel. The wheelbarrow tub was then bolted to the frame. The machine's hydrostat speed lever, throttle and brakes were rerouted so Bontrager can operate them by hand. "It works good and didn't cost much to build," says Bontrager. "I paid $150 for the mower. The original engine was worn out so I replaced it with a 12 hp Briggs & Stratton that I bought for $75. My total cost was less than $300. "I added a 4-in. high plastic splash guard on the back side of the tub to keep the concrete from splashing onto me. I use a shovel to scoop the material out into post holes." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Bontrager, 218 Reading Rd., East Earl, Penn. 17519 (ph 717 445-9484; johnbon @frontiernet.net).

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