acorn vacuum collecter
- Thread starter mwatsonxx
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Just any old flymo. Mine is an old Flymo Hovercompact 350
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As I said, I recently used it's suction to suck up a lawn full of beach nuts. The beauty of it being a Hover is that you can use it on paths too, even with the blade attached. But it will still suck and be a bit safer if you remove the blade.
Because this is quite a small and light one, you can swish it around easily.
If buying a new one, avoid the massive/larger hover-mowers, these tend not to float as well and can be too heavy to move easily and manipulate.
On a path, you can use the down draught to "air sweep" stuff to a certain area (slightly lifting one side or the other controls the down draught) and then use the rear of it to suck everything up.
I basically use it like a brush and vacuum.
Similar to this:
As I said, I recently used it's suction to suck up a lawn full of beach nuts. The beauty of it being a Hover is that you can use it on paths too, even with the blade attached. But it will still suck and be a bit safer if you remove the blade.
Because this is quite a small and light one, you can swish it around easily.
If buying a new one, avoid the massive/larger hover-mowers, these tend not to float as well and can be too heavy to move easily and manipulate.
On a path, you can use the down draught to "air sweep" stuff to a certain area (slightly lifting one side or the other controls the down draught) and then use the rear of it to suck everything up.
I basically use it like a brush and vacuum.
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The hover mower lift and suction is provided by the fan disc beneath the blade. The blade has no impact on suction and/or lift.
The fan draws (sucks) air in from above, and blows down providing the air cusion (hence lifting the mower). The fan inlet is a hole at the back of the mower (on one side) and the suction from this is quite powerful.
So as it draws air in, it sucks up all the grass that has just been cut. The grass is trapped in a perforated grass collection box. The air however can pass through the cut grass and perforated grass box, through the fan and this provides the cushion of air that keeps it floating.
In your case the acorns would end up in the removable grass collection box. It is pretty much the size of a large sink washing up bowl and can contain a lot more than you think.
Performance drops slightly as the grass box gets more and more full, as less air can easily pass through. But, this just tells you when to empty it.
A wheeled lawnmower is different, in that type the blade provides the grass collecting facility by shoving the grass into the bag. It would not have the ability to act like a vacuum and cannot suck up things.
The fan draws (sucks) air in from above, and blows down providing the air cusion (hence lifting the mower). The fan inlet is a hole at the back of the mower (on one side) and the suction from this is quite powerful.
So as it draws air in, it sucks up all the grass that has just been cut. The grass is trapped in a perforated grass collection box. The air however can pass through the cut grass and perforated grass box, through the fan and this provides the cushion of air that keeps it floating.
In your case the acorns would end up in the removable grass collection box. It is pretty much the size of a large sink washing up bowl and can contain a lot more than you think.
Performance drops slightly as the grass box gets more and more full, as less air can easily pass through. But, this just tells you when to empty it.
A wheeled lawnmower is different, in that type the blade provides the grass collecting facility by shoving the grass into the bag. It would not have the ability to act like a vacuum and cannot suck up things.
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D
Doggit
The acorns would end up in the grass box under the lid, but having looked at how they work, I'm not sure how good the idea is. You can take the blade off, but it's the small section at the back that's hoovering up the grass cuttings, not the cutter underneath. Now if the blade is left on, and the acorns mashed up, then the smaller particle might then get sucked up.
Now if the acorns are left whole, then air will travel through the gaps easier than it can through grass, but at some point, the acorns may get too heavy of the machine to work.
Now if the acorns are left whole, then air will travel through the gaps easier than it can through grass, but at some point, the acorns may get too heavy of the machine to work.
I have never had any issues picking up beachnuts.
As I said, the amount and comparative weight of the acorns is another matter. You may just have to empty it more often. An small acorn weighs about 9g. A beechnut probably weighs half that. I could imagine that a grass box full of acorns would get a bit heavy.
But, the suction is powerful enough to pick up small apples.
So it does work, in my scenario at least. I have been using it like this for 10+ years on the garden, drive and path. Although I do get odd looks every so often when people see me mowing the path!
As I said, the amount and comparative weight of the acorns is another matter. You may just have to empty it more often. An small acorn weighs about 9g. A beechnut probably weighs half that. I could imagine that a grass box full of acorns would get a bit heavy.
But, the suction is powerful enough to pick up small apples.
So it does work, in my scenario at least. I have been using it like this for 10+ years on the garden, drive and path. Although I do get odd looks every so often when people see me mowing the path!
D
Doggit
It was the difference in the weight that I felt might be an issue. So you mow the path; we each have our little peculiraties, but it just shows how unobservant they are; unless they think it's odd hoovering up the beech nuts of course.
Yes, the weight could be an issue, I'll have to find an oak tree to test it out on....
In theory, you would just have to empty it more often i.e. when half full. You can always tell when it needs emptying as it becomes a bit harder to push. So if it needs emptying, full or not, it will tell you.
I guess it also depends on how dense the covering of acorns is ...
In theory, you would just have to empty it more often i.e. when half full. You can always tell when it needs emptying as it becomes a bit harder to push. So if it needs emptying, full or not, it will tell you.
I guess it also depends on how dense the covering of acorns is ...
[QUOTE="dishman, post: 3974267, member: 103999"
A wheeled lawnmower is different, in that type the blade provides the grass collecting facility by shoving the grass into the bag. It would not have the ability to act like a vacuum and cannot suck up things.[/QUOTE]
The fact that it shoves grass into the box means there is positive pressure above the blade so there is a vacuum under it which will suck things up . My mower will collect wet leaves and ram them them into the bag , enough to fill a wheelbarrow full at a time.
litl
A wheeled lawnmower is different, in that type the blade provides the grass collecting facility by shoving the grass into the bag. It would not have the ability to act like a vacuum and cannot suck up things.[/QUOTE]
The fact that it shoves grass into the box means there is positive pressure above the blade so there is a vacuum under it which will suck things up . My mower will collect wet leaves and ram them them into the bag , enough to fill a wheelbarrow full at a time.
litl
True - there is some positive pressure which aids in the grass and leaf collection. But, it certainly does not have the level of suction required to vacuum up stuff. That is all I was getting at.
I am always disappointed at not being able to use the power of the suction when I have used my bothers wheeled variety (petrol and electric).
I am always disappointed at not being able to use the power of the suction when I have used my bothers wheeled variety (petrol and electric).
Actually - I will do an experiment..........I shall collect a bag load of acorns - throw them on the lawn, and report back....
Thanks Dishman, bought one of these http://www.argos.co.uk/product/2953131. Does the job effortlessly and very quickly, 15 minutes for half a barrow load. Thanks again, from my knees and back.
Whoop! Feels nice to have offered an idea/solution that works really well. Thank you for the update.
1600W is a good motor power for a small hover. Mine is only 1300 I think, so yours should, in theory (depends on the design), have more suction.
Glad it worked!
And the Americans went to all that trouble in that clip......haha, they always over engineer (although it does not require electricity).
Plus I do not have to collect a bag of acorns now!
1600W is a good motor power for a small hover. Mine is only 1300 I think, so yours should, in theory (depends on the design), have more suction.
Glad it worked!
And the Americans went to all that trouble in that clip......haha, they always over engineer (although it does not require electricity).
Plus I do not have to collect a bag of acorns now!
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What product did mwatsonxx buy. I can't seem to get the link to work. Thanks
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Yeah, it's not for sale any more, but you can use the "Wayback Machine" to look at old web pages that have since vanished...
https://web.archive.org/web/20171005203054/www.argos.co.uk/product/2953131
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