He Rests In Lawn Chair While Mowing Grass
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When a doctor told Wayne Ledbetter that he couldn't ride his 1982 Snapper mower any more because of a back injury, the 70-year-old inventor didn't sit around feeling sorry for himself. He decided to modify the mower so he could still run it from the comfort of a lawn chair in the shade.
He got the idea for his remote-controlled mower while watching his grandson fly a remote-controlled airplane. A machinist friend, Mike Pointer, helped modify some of the parts needed.
Ledbetter used parts from dishwashers, a microwave and off old cars. The mower is powered by a DC electric motor driving a Sears washing machine pulley.
Ledbetter ordered a robotic, electronic steering system that has its own air compressor and tank to control the blade. He can do everything with his modified airplane remote - engage the blade, go forward and backward, push in the clutch, accelerate and of course, turn it off.
"It's complicated," Ledbetter admits. "I altered all of it. I did it one step at a time."
He's made many modifications since he started using the mower. For example, there was the time a power company truck went by when Ledbetter was mowing, and the radio in the truck was on the same frequency as Ledbetter's system.
"The mower went crazy," he recalls. "The two-way radio caused everything to turn on."
He remedied the problem with a little used frequency, which passed the test at a Christmas parade that included fire trucks, ambulances and other radio-equipped vehicles.
Many passersby have taken photos of the riderless riding mower, and it's worked fine to mow his lawn every week. But Ledbetter isn't quite through with it.
"Someday I want to put a camera on it so I can watch and control it via the TV inside," Ledbetter says.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wayne Ledbetter, 20033 Alabama Hwy. 9 S., Piedmont, Ala. 36272 (ph 256 447-7898).
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He Rests In Lawn Chair While Mowing Grass FARM HOME Lawn Mowers 31h 38 When a doctor told Wayne Ledbetter that he couldn t ride his 1982 Snapper mower any more because of a back injury the 70-year-old inventor didn t sit around feeling sorry for himself He decided to modify the mower so he could still run it from the comfort of a lawn chair in the shade He got the idea for his remote-controlled mower while watching his grandson fly a remote-controlled airplane A machinist friend Mike Pointer helped modify some of the parts needed Ledbetter used parts from dishwashers a microwave and off old cars The mower is powered by a DC electric motor driving a Sears washing machine pulley Ledbetter ordered a robotic electronic steering system that has its own air compressor and tank to control the blade He can do everything with his modified airplane remote û engage the blade go forward and backward push in the clutch accelerate and of course turn it off It s complicated Ledbetter admits I altered all of it I did it one step at a time He s made many modifications since he started using the mower For example there was the time a power company truck went by when Ledbetter was mowing and the radio in the truck was on the same frequency as Ledbetter s system The mower went crazy he recalls The two-way radio caused everything to turn on He remedied the problem with a little used frequency which passed the test at a Christmas parade that included fire trucks ambulances and other radio-equipped vehicles Many passersby have taken photos of the riderless riding mower and it s worked fine to mow his lawn every week But Ledbetter isn t quite through with it Someday I want to put a camera on it so I can watch and control it via the TV inside Ledbetter says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Wayne Ledbetter 20033 Alabama Hwy 9 S Piedmont Ala 36272 ph 256 447-7898
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