Check out this homemade leaf mulcher bagger that Greg built! Using a free wood crate and an electric leaf mulcher, Greg made a rig for almost free that would cost big bucks at the store. How cool is that?
Here's the how to make the Homemade Leaf Mulcher Bagger
From Greg's email:
I love the show.
You show the world that it's (usually) pretty easy to do a lot of useful things. You let everyone know that it's okay if you don't get everything perfect on your first try. The fact that the dogs continually pester you to play make your projects that much more realistic to me. Because that's how it works at my house.
I currently work in a machine shop. We get a lot of pallets and shipping crates. They end up throwing them in the dumpster. So, of course, I have to find a use for as much as I can. It is nice that we get a lot of them all the same size and in new condition.
Attached you can see that I got tired of emptying the bagger. I adapted one of the crates by adding a base with wheels. I had some hinges around, so I hinged the old top back on but to what is now "the front". I cut a hole and strapped a spare electric leaf blower/vac to the back side. I mounted it as high as I could in order get maximum fill.
I connected my gas blower/vac to the electric blower/vac via a 4" hose, This is the the hard plastic kind that you would redirect a downspout with. Well this is the longest one I could find. When I "accordion" out the entire length of it, its about 25 feet long. I'm sure there is something better suited for this task, but this was only for proof of concept.
A word of warning. When the hose is in it's expanded state, it is subject to damage from our four-legged playmates.
Well, I tell ya. The thing works pretty darn well. Well enough to give my Dad a try at it.
I maintain a few properties and this whole rig fits into the hatch of my car. With a 100 foot extension cordon the base, I don't need to stop until I run out of gas, I can make a nice batch of leaf mold. I hinged the door in a manner that allows me to dump the contents right into the waiting compost pile.
Though you might get a kick out of this.
Greg has sent a few other projects our way, here is his pallet compost bin setup. Again a big thanks to him for taking the time to show us his homemade leaf mulcher bagger. What have you made? Let me know in the comments.
Bobby G
Put the crate on tires so you can move it. Not limited to 25’ then.