Human Powered -cycle Tractor

Joined
Apr 20, 2019
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Maine
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www.openstreetmap.org
What would be interesting is a sturdy tractor that can be peddled around to move reasonably heavy objects around the yard.
Depending on the functionality you could have the tool ran by a hand-crank or attached to the foot-crank that moves the tractor (with the ability to disengage it).

With foot-crank engagement you could add attachments that mowed/clipped the grass around the bike, or a tiller that would dig into and till the ground.
With hand-crank engagement you could have a plow or scoop that could move stuff like a small amount of dirt or snow.
Without any tool engagement it should be powerful enough to lug trailers full of dirt or wood at a reasonable speed.

Depending on load tolerances I don't see the tools doing too much without some hydraulic assistance but I could be underestimating creative engineering.
Since it'd be designed for heavy duty work the weight of the bike would actually be beneficial to a certain point in order to make sure the tools don't just push the bike around instead of doing what they are supposed to do. (although strategically placing the weight is always optimal)
 

Radical Brad

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Ok, did Kat put you up to this?
If not, you just did a one in a zillion post fluke, and killed my newsletter surprise!

The "Yard Mule" is what I am working on now as DIY Plan #2 for 2019.
I really want to keep the rest until the newsletter, but if somehow you DID just happen to post this now...

The Yard Mule, a Human Powered Tactor and Dumptruck capable of moving and dumping 1 ton easily under human power.

That's all I am saying for now!
Please guess the lottery numbers next for me will ya?

Brad
 
Joined
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Messages
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Maine
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I'll have to assure you that my post was quite incidental. When you mentioned you'd be working on new designs for the yard along with workout machines earlier this year it was one of the first things I thought would be useful and fit the bill. Too bad I've always had middling luck with the lottery or else I'd be glad to share the bounty. 😁

While my family has a four wheeler we use on our property, it's hard to get in and out of when we want to lug around heavy loads. Our smaller carts and wheel barrow are all having tire issues or are not made to handle some of the heavier loads (dense logs, bunch of sand/dirt), and if they could it's still difficult to move them even a third full of dirt. I figured a high powered low speed device would allow a leisurely pedaling pace while ensuring the hardest part of the job is the loading/unloading and ensuring you have enough grip for what you're hauling.

Motorized yard tractors are way too expensive for those smaller use cases aside from getting a mower that can double as a tractor, but then you get locked into their ecosystem until they retire your model (which is what happened to my parent's nice mower, which could use a replacement sometime). A mower attachment to a bike-tractor would definitely make a good workout while also trimming the yard.
At least if you build your own tractor you're not legally locked out of the technical equipment that is necessary to run the thing.

I'll have to re-evaluate my list of plans once it's released. Can't wait for the newsletter!
 
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Radical Brad

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We both had a good chuckle at how coincidental your post was!
A bit more info on my project... there will be a half ton truck differential and some interesting ultra low gear reduction involved.

Brad
 
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Axedale, Victoria, Australia
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axerail.coffeecup.com
We both had a good chuckle at how coincidental your post was!
A bit more info on my project... there will be a half ton truck differential and some interesting ultra low gear reduction involved.

Brad
So many projects. What happened to the roving remote controlled bear scarer you were working on a few years ago? Buried under snow?

I wondered what had happened to that differential with the hand-made splines. "If in doubt, don't throw it out!"
 

Radical Brad

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That project is called "The Sentinel Yard Robot", and it is alive and well! Did some work on it last week actually.
I intend to add it as a BLOG very soon. I am just redoing some of the site right now to support my ongoing Build Logs.
By the end of the week it should be up, and it is the same project that I did the hand carved spline on.

Brad
 
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