This Leaf Vac Really Sucks
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Mike Nowak’s homebuilt street vacuum can do something expensive manufactured models can’t do – suck up wet leaves. He built it about 10 years ago for less than $10,000 for the city of Elmore, Minn., where he works as street and maintenance operator. Other cities have expressed interest in using the vacuum.
The secret of its power and versatility is its pto system. Purchased self-propelled vacuums use 1,000 pto systems. Nowak’s vacuum has two ptos on a two-piece drive shaft – a 1,000 pto on the Deere tractor that pulls it, and a 540 pto on a 65 Deere silage blower. The purpose is to be able to add the 540 pto’s extra power where needed like picking up wet leaves, for example.
Nowak designed and built the chassis and box from scratch. He removed the auger, the wheels and the hopper from the silage blower, covered the hopper opening with a plate, and cut an 8-in. hole into it. He sealed it, so air could not be sucked in around the band and the cover plate. The chassis is 6-in. channel iron with 3-in. square tubing cross members on two 15-in. implement tires. The 8 by 10-ft. box with 4-ft. sides holds about 6 yards. The top has a 2 by 8-ft. screen for air release, and Nowak mounted a ladder on the outside of the box for access to the hatch for cleanout, etc.
He purchased a hoist from a local manufacturer and mounted it to the chassis and the box. He built a spring-loaded boom to carry an 8-in. vacuum tube coming off the blower with an 8-in., 90-degree pvc elbow with a handle to vacuum leaves.
One of Nowak’s favorite features is the auto-locking end gate, so the operator doesn’t have to get off when dumping leaves. The locking mechanism is mounted on the chassis so when the box raises, the arms fall down and the end gate opens. When the box is empty, it drops back down and the arms automatically go up and relock.
“Someone drives the tractor, I just ride on the vac and guide the hose,” Nowak says. Before it was built, workers used a loader with brooms and shovels to clean the gutters. Now city workers use the vacuum for 4 to 5 weeks in the fall, and the street sweeper can keep the streets clean after that.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mike Nowak, 113 N. Stockman St., Elmore, Minn. 56027 (ph 507 525-0549).
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This Leaf Vac Really Sucks FARM HOME Miscellaneous Mike Nowak’s homebuilt street vacuum can do something expensive manufactured models can’t do – suck up wet leaves He built it about 10 years ago for less than $10 000 for the city of Elmore Minn where he works as street and maintenance operator Other cities have expressed interest in using the vacuum The secret of its power and versatility is its pto system Purchased self-propelled vacuums use 1 000 pto systems Nowak’s vacuum has two ptos on a two-piece drive shaft – a 1 000 pto on the Deere tractor that pulls it and a 540 pto on a 65 Deere silage blower The purpose is to be able to add the 540 pto’s extra power where needed like picking up wet leaves for example Nowak designed and built the chassis and box from scratch He removed the auger the wheels and the hopper from the silage blower covered the hopper opening with a plate and cut an 8-in hole into it He sealed it so air could not be sucked in around the band and the cover plate The chassis is 6-in channel iron with 3-in square tubing cross members on two 15-in implement tires The 8 by 10-ft box with 4-ft sides holds about 6 yards The top has a 2 by 8-ft screen for air release and Nowak mounted a ladder on the outside of the box for access to the hatch for cleanout etc He purchased a hoist from a local manufacturer and mounted it to the chassis and the box He built a spring-loaded boom to carry an 8-in vacuum tube coming off the blower with an 8-in 90-degree pvc elbow with a handle to vacuum leaves One of Nowak’s favorite features is the auto-locking end gate so the operator doesn’t have to get off when dumping leaves The locking mechanism is mounted on the chassis so when the box raises the arms fall down and the end gate opens When the box is empty it drops back down and the arms automatically go up and relock “Someone drives the tractor I just ride on the vac and guide the hose ” Nowak says Before it was built workers used a loader with brooms and shovels to clean the gutters Now city workers use the vacuum for 4 to 5 weeks in the fall and the street sweeper can keep the streets clean after that Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mike Nowak 113 N Stockman St Elmore Minn 56027 ph 507 525-0549
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