what to build

[gary5687]

I have two old Honda lawn mower engines (3hp and 5hp) they both run perfectly (found at local dump and saved before being crushed) but now I am wishing I didn't as they are taking up space.

I am wondering what to build with them. I refuse to sell them.....I could need them in 20 years time.....

They are both vertical shaft not horizontal so a go cart is out the window.....

Any suggestions

[OilyFingers]

There is not alot you can do with a lawnmower engine. You could build a lawnmower racer and terrorise the neighbours with it or clean them up and mount them on plinths as ornaments.

[fha772]

Why not build a go kart?
Just mount the engine above the axle and use a ring and pinion drive...
It'd make it compact, and shorter behind the seat. (more chance of it doing a wheelie!!)

[Relentless Rob]

Hovercraft?

Just need a sheet of Marine Ply and an old paddling pool.

[Renrut]

Hovercraft?

Just need a sheet of Marine Ply and an old paddling pool.

+1

Use the bigger one for lift and the smaller for drive. You don't even need a paddling pool, strong dust sheets would do with plenty of tape. Connect the big one up to an old vaccuum pump mechanism from a household vaccuum cleaner. They can give enough lift when operating off mains (about 2kW) for about 6 people so from a 5 bhp (3.5kW) motor should be plenty. The smaller one combine with a large metal desk fan unit and ideally duct it and cage it so people don't lose fingers.

My experience on this comes from a science project at school, we had to build working hoover crafts using a selection of household materials...

[OilyFingers]

I had an idea whilst walking the kids home from school. I'm not sure of the legalities of it but if you have bottom output motors there is no reason why it won't work .

Mount one to the rear triangle on a bike and have it drive the rear wheel. Instead of a complicated chain drive just mount it so the drive output is pressed agains the sidewall or the wheel rim with an old rubber suspension bush and off you go. Just make sure you put it on the correct side or you'll go smartly backwards through the doors of your local A&E.

[Renrut]

Massively offset weight balance?

[OilyFingers]

For the speed your doing it wont matter that much and if you do come over all Chris Boardmanthe weight can be ofset by a bag on the other side.

[Relentless Rob]

Would be easy as well just mounting a base plate to a carrier rack. Like the old Raleigh bikes that used to race in the 50's they had Stumley Archer power to the rear wheel and a Suffolk Punch motor mounted where the postman kept his sack to drive the front wheel. You pedal up to balance speed and let the engine take over. The only issue was the front drive mechanism would get in the way of the brake so you'd only have a pedal back brake on the rear wheel. With modern disc technology it would be a lot safer.

[Relentless Rob]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trojan-Mini-M ... 830wt_1356

A twin engine two wheel drive version would be interesting.