How To Build a 'Remote Control Snow Blower'
- Find a Snow Blower - Craig's List - $200
- Build a Base - I used 80/20 and Faztek so I can easily convert between attachments! - $75
- Find some Motors - I hacked this Power Wheel Chair. These type of motors work best! - $200
- Buy some Batteries - Deep Cycle last really long! - $200
- Buy a Radio Control Transmitter and Receiver - Phil's Hobby Shop - $100
- Buy a Robotics Controller - Dimension Engineering - $125
- Follow the awesome instructions publish in Make Magazine or by Robert Smith - Free!
my Other Creative versions
Remote Control...
Lawn Mower - the original form of the snow blower
Twinkie Tank - a crowd favorite, Twinkies fly over 300 feet!
Sled Puller - pulling sleds or Bar Stool Skis
Cooler - every man's nessessity
Candy Crusader - take Halloween to the next level
Power Wheels Jeep - my daughters' favorite toy
Lawn Mower - the original form of the snow blower
Twinkie Tank - a crowd favorite, Twinkies fly over 300 feet!
Sled Puller - pulling sleds or Bar Stool Skis
Cooler - every man's nessessity
Candy Crusader - take Halloween to the next level
Power Wheels Jeep - my daughters' favorite toy
Other Remote Control Snow Blowers
RoboBlower - for sale - $10k
Blizzard Bot - for sale - $5k
Yuki-taro - $8k - poops snow bricks!
SummitMowers - for sale - $9k
Ford Perfect - $5k - school project
ROBOPLOW - one of my favorites!
Dual! - Plow and Blower
Dan Mower
Blizzard Bot - for sale - $5k
Yuki-taro - $8k - poops snow bricks!
SummitMowers - for sale - $9k
Ford Perfect - $5k - school project
ROBOPLOW - one of my favorites!
Dual! - Plow and Blower
Dan Mower
snow pro 2.0
Upgraded, Maximized, Optimized the Remote Control Snow Blower
Tracks, Remote Start, GoPro
Check Out the Video
Tracks, Remote Start, GoPro
Check Out the Video
Very Detailed Instructions!
SUMMARY
Every man NEEDS a Remote Control Snow Blower. You shouldn't HAVE to go outside to clear your driveway every time it snows. Sure, you could buy one for $5000 or you could make one for under $1000. With the right parts list and a simple plan, you can have this built in just 8 hours. But wait, there's more. This can be easily converted into a Remote Control Lawn Mower, Cooler, Candy Crusader, or Power Wheels Jeep for your kids!
Every man NEEDS a Remote Control Snow Blower. You shouldn't HAVE to go outside to clear your driveway every time it snows. Sure, you could buy one for $5000 or you could make one for under $1000. With the right parts list and a simple plan, you can have this built in just 8 hours. But wait, there's more. This can be easily converted into a Remote Control Lawn Mower, Cooler, Candy Crusader, or Power Wheels Jeep for your kids!
PARTS LIST
- Snow Blower - Craig's List - $200
- Base - I used 80/20 and Faztek extruded aluminum so I can easily convert between attachments! - $75
- Motors - I hacked this Power Wheel Chair - Invacare Pronto M51. These type of motors work best! - $200
- Batteries - Deep Cycle last really long! - $200
- Radio Control Transmitter and Receiver - DX5e - $100
- Robotics Controller - Dimension Engineering Sabertooth 2X25- $125
- Other Hardware - Chains, Fasteners, Wire, On/Off Switch (SPST), Hobby Box, Battery Boxes, New Tires
PROJECT STEPS
1. Build a Base
Keep it Simple - Build a rectangle to fit the snow blower in the front and carry the batteries in the back. I used 3" x 1.5" for the main supports. I used 1.5" x 1.5" to encase the batteries. Everything bolts together with the custom fittings. The beams cut easily with a carbide tipped blade.
1. Build a Base
Keep it Simple - Build a rectangle to fit the snow blower in the front and carry the batteries in the back. I used 3" x 1.5" for the main supports. I used 1.5" x 1.5" to encase the batteries. Everything bolts together with the custom fittings. The beams cut easily with a carbide tipped blade.
2. Mount the Motors and Wheels
Wheel Chair Motors - Make a simple bracket (purchased from Metal Supermarkets) that bolts onto the existing mounts and drill two mounting holes to bolt onto the extruded aluminum. Also, install washers on the hub to space the tire away from the frame so the chains have clearance from the frame. This would be a good time to install the chains...
Swivel Wheels - Bolt the front swivel wheels from the wheel chair directly to the frame of the extruded aluminum.
3. Install the Snow Blower
Front - Drill through the housing on each front corner and attach bolts. Mount two brackets on each corner of the extruded aluminum. From here, drill mounting holes for the snow blower housing bolts and attach the blower with two lock nuts.
Back - Use a simple hose clamp to anchor the handle to the frame to keep the back from kicking up when plowing the snow.
Handle - Engage the blade by tying back the handle with a simple zip tie. If anything goes wrong, it's easy to stop the blades by sliding off the zip tie.
4. Batteries - Mount them in the back (they help give more weight to the wheels) and wire them in series, creating 24 volts of power.
5. Control System -
Sabertooth 2X25 Motor Controller - Wire the receiver, batteries and the motors to the controller per the instructions on Dimension Engineering's website. Configure the switches per their DIP Switch Wizard Tool.
Enclosure - Mount the Motor Controller, Receiver, Power Switch, and Antenna in a neat arrangement. Attach the enclosure to the frame.
Radio Communication - Bind the receiver to the transmitter and test the direction of rotation for each motor. Position the two antennas 90 degrees to each other.
Accessory Functions - If you want to expand further, add a BattleSwitch! This works well on the gear channel.
6. Enjoy clearing your driveway from the comfort of your own home! Be careful not to burn your tongue on the hot chocolate!
BIO - AARON MAKIN
Engineer by day, Nerd at night.
I love crazy creative projects and find a way to do them on a tight budget and as simple as possible. I use my hobbies to develop the skills I use at my day job. My favorites: Rube Goldberg Machines, Pumpkin Chuckin 14 Foot Trebuchet, Belt Sander Racing, Bed Racing, Raft Racing, Tall Bikes, Remote Control Lawn Mower/Snow Blower/ Cooler/ Candy Crusader/ Power Wheels Jeep.