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I tend to want to "fix" things as opposed to junking them. Saves money (sometimes), and it's fun to do. Also tends to drive the wife bonkers.
This is the story of FrankenBlower, and how it came to be.
We live on a corner, which means two sidewalks to keep clear along with the driveway & sometimes the approach (even though all 3 of our vehicles are 4WD). And, as both of us are getting up in years, we decided many years ago to find a small snowblower that either of us could use; one that wasn't too difficult to move up & down the 3 steps at the front of the deck. Picked up a small gas-powered one, and it worked fine for many years. But it tried once to gobble up a small-ish rock, and it broke the plastic shroud surrounding the impeller (single-stage blower). I fixed that, and in the process I upgraded some areas that were questionable. All good.
About 3 years ago, the machine decided to try to eat itself. The city's sidewalk isn't perfect, and when the blower hit a place that wasn't quite level (offset), the discharge chute tried to keep going forward while the impeller shroud stopped. Damage ensued.
Not to worry, off to the internet to buy the Ryobi 40-volt blower that we'd been thinking about getting. (Awesome unit, BTW)
But I just couldn't bear to part with the gas-powered one, since it started first pull every time I needed it. Off to the basement laboratory (inside shop) it went.
Several key pieces of "plumber's roll" (that metal strapping that has holes everywhere), along with some angle-iron bracing, plus a little creative work to the plastic shroud (fused back together with a soldering gun prior to strapping) and it's alive!!!! The birth of FrankenBlower!
Of course, it needed some slight decorative upgrades (similar on the other side).
This is the fastener count for the re-birth.
While I was at it, I made a new choke lever handle.
It's now a "backup" unit, in case the Ryobi should fail.
This is the story of FrankenBlower, and how it came to be.
We live on a corner, which means two sidewalks to keep clear along with the driveway & sometimes the approach (even though all 3 of our vehicles are 4WD). And, as both of us are getting up in years, we decided many years ago to find a small snowblower that either of us could use; one that wasn't too difficult to move up & down the 3 steps at the front of the deck. Picked up a small gas-powered one, and it worked fine for many years. But it tried once to gobble up a small-ish rock, and it broke the plastic shroud surrounding the impeller (single-stage blower). I fixed that, and in the process I upgraded some areas that were questionable. All good.
About 3 years ago, the machine decided to try to eat itself. The city's sidewalk isn't perfect, and when the blower hit a place that wasn't quite level (offset), the discharge chute tried to keep going forward while the impeller shroud stopped. Damage ensued.
Not to worry, off to the internet to buy the Ryobi 40-volt blower that we'd been thinking about getting. (Awesome unit, BTW)
But I just couldn't bear to part with the gas-powered one, since it started first pull every time I needed it. Off to the basement laboratory (inside shop) it went.
Several key pieces of "plumber's roll" (that metal strapping that has holes everywhere), along with some angle-iron bracing, plus a little creative work to the plastic shroud (fused back together with a soldering gun prior to strapping) and it's alive!!!! The birth of FrankenBlower!
Of course, it needed some slight decorative upgrades (similar on the other side).
This is the fastener count for the re-birth.
While I was at it, I made a new choke lever handle.
It's now a "backup" unit, in case the Ryobi should fail.
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