Grass cutting in the household is a must. Such a shredder can minimize manual labor, quickly and efficiently process grass and straw for compost.
Not everyone can buy a new device. Therefore, we will tell you how to assemble a homemade chopper from the engine of the washing machine. Process brushwood, grass, straw productively and quickly, clearing the yard of debris and fertilizing the soil.
Varieties of shredders for grass
There are two types of grass cutters:
- Petrol. A powerful installation is not tied to an electric network, so you can work with it in any corner of the site. It allows you to quickly process large branches, effectively chop grass.
- Electric. Unlike gasoline, it is lighter and more compact, but less powerful. A device with a capacity of 1.5 kW is suitable for processing a small amount of waste. For long and time-consuming work, opt for a device that produces 4 kW. 6 kW motors recycle even large branches.
The choice must be made based on upcoming work.
The design is easy to use. The principle of operation of a garden grinder does not differ from a food processor. It consists of the following parts:
- a shaft equipped with knives;
- engine;
- protective cover;
- metal frame;
- cable;
- receiving capacity;
- container for cutting.
For ease of movement, the grass cutter is equipped with two wheels. The engine contributes to the rotation of the device shaft, grass and straw are thrown into the tank, which are crushed by knives. The crushed waste is poured into the prepared container.
What you will need to make a grass chopper
You will need tools:
- Bulgarian;
- drill;
- screwdriver;
- pliers;
- a hammer;
- bolts, nuts, washers.
And also accessories:
- a tank, preferably of a cylindrical shape, from an old washing machine;
- electric motor with power from 180 W;
- wire with plug;
- hay collection container;
- metal corner - from it you will weld the frame for the device;
- start button;
- knives.
If you need to process not only grass, but also thick branches, it is better to install a more powerful motor. It is recommended to use a gasoline engine.
How to pick up knives
Depending on the design of the knives, you can get either pieces of 10 cm or small dust at the output. In professional units, these types of cutting elements are used:
- A disk-shaped product will allow chopping grass and small branches.
- The milling device processes dry brushwood 8 mm thick.
- The milling and turbine design can handle even large and wet branches.
For home installation, knives from a hacksaw or circular knife are suitable.
DIY assembly
It is advisable to prepare detailed drawings before manufacturing the device. On them it will be easier for you to observe the accuracy and sequence of assembly.
How to do the job:
- From the bottom of the tank you need to make a rectangular hole where the knives will be installed. The size of the hole is 20x7 cm. It is recommended to place the knives above the hole.
- Next, make a protective cover. Close a hole with a sheet of metal, fix it with bolts. So the grass will not scatter during operation.
- Make a stand using the welding machine. The height of the stand will depend on the choice of container that you use to collect the waste. In addition, wheels can be mounted on the stand for convenient movement of the grass cutter.
- Prepare the motor. Using a drill, make holes on the shaft and install a hub made on a lathe on it. The sleeve length must be at least 50 mm. Mount the motor to the bottom of the tank. Secure it with studs.
- Before installing the knives, they must be sharpened correctly. Perform one-sided sharpening to chop wood. Make diamond-shaped plates for chopping grass. Make sure that the length of the knives is optimal, and they do not touch the walls of the tank.
- Make holes in the center of the knives and put them on the motor shaft. Secure with a nut.
- Weld the finished structure to the stand.
- Connect the start button and wire to connect to the network.
- Make a cover for the engine that will protect it from the weather. A metal sheet can be used for this.
We wrote about how to connect an electric motor correctly in previous articles.
How the grass cutter from the washing machine works
Grass is loaded into the connected grass cutter, but do not immediately fill up a full tank. The capacity for the crushed silo is substituted, and the device is connected to the network.
Be sure to follow safety precautions when working with the chopper. Try not to load wet branches, otherwise the device will jam. In the future, it is enough to sharpen the knives so that the grass cutter works normally.
Grass cutters are easy to make and also easy to care for. Therefore, if you have an old washing machine, you can find a worthy application for it.