AArdvark's Snowblower project

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Tom Servo? Really? OK!
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One of the pitfalls I wanted to avoid in this thread was getting into too much detail. Some of the How-I-did-it websites can get awfully tedious when they get right down to every nut and bolt description. I will not be that thread.

So to carry on...
This is the idler plate. It was almost rusted solid. I had freed it up enough to do my driveway last Sunday but it still needs help. This is after I sandblasted it and replaced all the plain steel hardware with stainless.

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Gonna buy primer and paint tonight.

Roody_Yogurt
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Post by Roody_Yogurt »

I just wanted to say that I have been enjoying this thread. I have basically no experience with fixing things so I find this very interesting. Plus, I live in a cold enough place to appreciate a working snowblower.

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Thank you for enjoying!


Annnnnnnnd, done!


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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

I also repainted a couple of the engine covers while I was at it.


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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Engine......Done

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These are the two engines side by side. I can make the other one work if I have to, but it won't be as pretty.

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Now to attack the body. I already have a theme but I'll save that for later. Right now it's time to get the rust off.


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I sometimes wish I had a big sandblaster. Or even warm enough weather so I could do this grinding crap outside.

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Ok the weather has been cooperating so it's time to paint the body. Dragged it up the basement stairs (again) this time with no help, ug! Bought the paint and other essentials. Here's how it came out so far:


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I got one of the new kevlar uber-belts on it. Gonna get the other one later.

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Tdarcos
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Post by Tdarcos »

AArdvark wrote:I got one of the new kevlar uber-belts on it. Gonna get the other one later.
What, it needs a bullet-proof belt? You expecting someone to take a shot at it? :)
Evil cannot create anything new
They can only corrupt and ruin
What good forces have invented or made.
- J.R.R. Tolkien

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Nah, 'sposed to last forever. When the apocalypse gets here I will still be throwing snow thanks to the miracle technology that is kevlar. (dum -da-dummmmm!! )




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SURE IT WILL
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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Update:

Changed out the factory muffler for a ridiculous style exhaust.

Nothing says 'bite me, blizzard' like 3/4 black iron.

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »




A short video....No crepes were harmed.

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Flack
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Post by Flack »

HAH! AWESOME!

It makes me wish it were snowing right now! Well that and the fact that it's 103 here right now at 8:25pm.
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

OK finishing touches are done. All the belts are on and tensioned. The factory muffler is back on due to it's availability again, I had loaned it out for a go-kart project that's never gonna happen. All covers are on. idle is close to nominal (won't know more until it actually throws snow) Sure blows the leaves like gangbusters. Now I have to wait and see how it does in real-world conditions.



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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Ah a snowstorm! (rubs hands together gleefully) How convenient.

First real test was successful! Last year was kinda lame snow-wise, I used it twice but didn't really need to.

Today I fired that thing up at six Am and did the whole driveway in ten minutes. Two foot drifts and all.


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Tdarcos
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Post by Tdarcos »

Two things:

(1) You mentioned you wish you had a sandblaster. That's really Old School and almost unheard of these days. Sand is way too rough for removing paint or rust on most metals, now they have much better abrasives available which are much softer and do little to no damage to the underylying metal. Walnut shells and now, powdered coal. Catch an episode of American Restoration on the History Channel for examples of this.

(2) Most of your posted pictures have been deleted by PhotoBucket. Can't you either get a reliable free hosting service or afford to pay the cost of a domain name at around $12 a year registration to get free storage from GoDaddy or someone else?
Evil cannot create anything new
They can only corrupt and ruin
What good forces have invented or made.
- J.R.R. Tolkien

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Tdarcos
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Post by Tdarcos »

AArdvark wrote:A short video....No crepes were harmed.
Are you sure? That toothy mouth painted on your blower seemed very crepee. (Okay, it's a really creapy pun. Sue me.)
Evil cannot create anything new
They can only corrupt and ruin
What good forces have invented or made.
- J.R.R. Tolkien

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AArdvark
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Post by AArdvark »

Re: sandblaster.
It's a generic term. At work we usually have between three or four types of media in use depending on the material to be blasted. Anything at my house would have been better then what I had (which was NO sandblaster).

Note: I have access to a non work sandblaster but it's out at my brother's place and the cabinet wasn't large enough for me to do the body.

Sand is still used but it's usually for the large (outdoor) types of sandblasting. Good for quickly removing rust on big hulking parts where finish is not an issue.

Re: photos.
I intentionally removed all those photos. Please stop climbing up a ladder and jumping to conclusions. Photobucket would still be hosting them if I wished it so.


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ALUMINUM OXIDE
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AArdvark
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Re: AArdvark's Snowblower project

Post by AArdvark »

Update! Six years later. Snowvark 2000 has been running flawlessly each winter. After we got dumped on by that 'noreaster last week the belts started slipping a bit. That heavy wet stuff, dontchaknow. Gonna replace the belts this summer. Tonight I noticed that the machine had very little oomph. Investigated and found the idler plate screw had come out. The motor is basically in idle mode with no way for me to open the throttle. Not enough power to actually blow snow. Engine was too hot to start taking covers off so I shoveled, first time in years. If the snow stays away for a couple more days I will do some small engine repair this weekend.

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Jizaboz
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Re: AArdvark's Snowblower project

Post by Jizaboz »

Interesting. What brand/make is this motor?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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AArdvark
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Re: AArdvark's Snowblower project

Post by AArdvark »

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The motor is a Techumseh 8 Horse (insert Canyon Man noises) The body is a a Bolens . I melded two different snowblowers into one monster machine. I took things apart after work today and fixed it up nice. Tightened up the...those long pieces of wire that go from the idler arm to the throttle. I'm too lazy to go downstairs and look in the manual to see what they're called. The factory puts these little plastic sleeves on the ends so they fit in the holes all snug. After a bunch of years the plastic rubs away and the wires get sloppy which makes the motor hunt up and down the revs until it warms up. All I did was bend them a little 'till they were a snug fit again.

Ok they're called linkages. I looked it up online and posted a picture

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