Build your own RC lawnmower -- intimidate neighborhood dogs

Sure, you could be boring and just buy a remote control mower all primed and ready to go, but where's the fun in that? Friendly hacker Terry is sharing his instructions for building your very own Destroyer of Lawns, and it doesn't sound too terribly hard as far as awe-inspiring hacks go. The lawnmower cannibalizes parts from a powered wheelchair, requires a bit of electronics knowhow to get the RC bits to interface with the wheelchair control, and the rest is pretty much welding. The Hack-A-Day folks recommend recommend a failsafe for shutting off the mower if it loses radio communications, but they were always worrywarts like that.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

[izzyb412 @ Feb 13th 2007 2:53AM]

This is OLD news, anyone remember honey I shrunk the kids?

[Eliot @ Feb 13th 2007 3:19AM]

Yeah, worrywarts with flamethrowers :) http://misc.hackaday.com/2005/08/16/diy-flamethrower/

[embee @ Feb 13th 2007 7:36AM]

File this under "good way to get sued"

[Theo @ Feb 13th 2007 8:36AM]

The first three posters are wusses.

I want one of these things, the neighborhood kids will be clamoring to mow my yard for free.

[JD @ Feb 13th 2007 9:12AM]

Theo, think larger man.. add some cameras and interface this sucker with your computer and charge per-minute to allow the same opportunity to kids stuck inside or in areas where mowing the lawn isn't necessary. Imagine making 20-30 bucks a week by allowing kids to mow your lawn. You could charge more to allow them to mow through hazardous areas, or areas known to have kids toys or small animals present.

[Rick Lyon @ Feb 13th 2007 9:34AM]

This might work on the Cali golf grass carpet stuff, but won't even move on St Augustine. I have a self propel and I have to use almost equal leg power to get it to move across my lawn. Besides, there's been a Roomba type lawn mower for years now so this hack is an old concept.

[strider_mt2k @ Feb 13th 2007 10:09AM]

This so needs a stabilized video camera and a WiFi link.

You could sell folks the chance to mow your yard from the net!
Get on board while you can folks, and bring your PayPal.

Next step is to drop 'em on the moon and do the same thing to turn a profit, but Larry Niven and a bunch of other bright folks thought of that years ago.

[Gordy @ Feb 13th 2007 10:17AM]

A few issues:

Vibrations alone would render this mower useless after a couple of mows. This is a gasoline mower (5HP)? I see screws flying everywhere.

Current robomowers cut too close to the ground, say, 3.5 inches max. Too low for my tastes. I'd already have one otherwise, to go with Roomba and Scooba.

I can't say that I'd enjoy mowing a lawn. Even if I could do it from the deck. I wouldn't trust anyone else anywhere near it.

[James @ Feb 13th 2007 11:43AM]

"Vibrations alone would render this mower useless after a couple of mows. This is a gasoline mower (5HP)? I see screws flying everywhere."

Hey stupid... How do you think mowers a put together? Besides, ever hear of loctite?

[Gordy @ Feb 13th 2007 11:50AM]

Lay off the coffee.

Anyway, I doubt the electronic wheelchair and RC folks are tightening their screws to Snapper specs...too much plastic involved, ya know? Locktite wouldn't help much, unless the screws (internal & external) were tight to begin with, which I doubt.

Don't get me started on heat & gasoline.

[macona @ Feb 13th 2007 1:05PM]

Kubota already makes a remote controlled lawn tractor. It is intended for mowing steep inclines where is may not be safe to ride a mower. And this was like 10 years ago.

[Lonin @ Feb 13th 2007 6:07PM]

I can't figure out why someone hasn't hooked up a GPS or route-memory computer to one of these. Just program the points in and let the mower do it's own work. For safety just add an obstruction detector on the front.

[Bryan @ Feb 13th 2007 6:27PM]

Controlling that thing with the Wiimote would be fun. :p

[robodude @ Mar 13th 2007 10:14AM]

I don't see the point of making a remote controlled lawnmower when there are very capable robotic lawnmowers. Robotic lawnmowers go out and mow the lawn without you needing to be around to watch. They come out on a schedule you set and some even program themself based on how fast/slow your grass is growing. Self charging, save, no gas... no brainer. You can research them at http://www.lawnbotts.com