DIY mini tractor - review of diagrams, drawings and projects of homemade tractors (105 photos)
In the modern world, many people have country houses where a lot of manual labor is used. In order to make their life easier, many people decide to buy a mini-tractor. However, such a purchase can hit your budget hard.
In order to avoid this, many decide to make homemade mini-tractors. This will help to significantly reduce labor costs for working in the garden and save money.
Advantages and disadvantages
What are the pros and cons of such a product? Firstly, you can operate a mini-tractor even in very limited space - it will fit perfectly into a small garage in the backyard. However, despite the fact that the size of a homemade tractor is relatively small, this will not in any way affect the functionality and volume of work performed.
In addition, it will help cope with plowing heavy rocky soil, since in this case digging with a shovel will give almost no results.
In addition, you can independently make your own unique drawing of a tractor that will meet all your needs.
You can also modify the designs to help reduce the weight and stress on the ground being plowed. This will greatly increase the productivity of the process.
Possible problems
On the one hand, you can do everything completely for yourself, but, on the other hand, if it breaks down, you cannot simply take it to the service center and give it to a specialist. You'll have to fix everything yourself.
Problems may also arise if you need to replace a part - there may simply not be spare parts. In addition, such a vehicle will not be able to be driven freely without registration.
Manufacturing instructions
How to make a mini-tractor with your own hands? First, start planning. You should have drawings of the product, all parts and assemblies on hand.
Basics: power plant, transmission unit for synchronizing the operation of the engine and wheels, frame as a base for the entire structure, driver's seat.
The missing parts can be found in car repair shops or a broken car can be disassembled into parts.
Frame
The frame is the basic part of the structure to which everything else is attached. However, making it is not that difficult. Weld it from a channel or I-beam. In order to increase the mobility of your mini-tractor, you can make a frame from two and fasten them on the sides with hinges. This will increase the mobility of your vehicle, and it will be easier for you to take turns.
Engine
Start preparing the engine. Make sure it is powerful enough to perform all the required functions. But be careful not to overdo it, otherwise you may damage the structure.
You can make your own mini-tractor with a walk-behind tractor engine. In general, making a tractor based on it is especially convenient, because it already has almost everything - it only needs to be slightly modified.
Model 4x4
A DIY 4x4 mini tractor will be very convenient due to its versatility. It can be used for a wide variety of needs. This is a standard option that will suit everyone. In addition, this will be an ideal option for those who want to make a tractor with all-wheel drive.
Gearbox and transmission
In order to customize the operation of your tractor, you can use a gearbox from old Soviet machines. For example, GAZ-53. Also get a clutch system from them. To make the rear axle, take a ready-made assembly from a passenger car.
Steering
Use a steering wheel with hydraulic cylinders - this will greatly facilitate the process of driving a mini-tractor and increase your productivity. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to make a hydraulic booster yourself at home. Therefore, it is better to use one ready from the car.
The seat can be made from any suitable item.
The wheels must be made at least 26 inches in diameter - they are ideal for a tractor on which you plan to transport heavy loads.
If you plan on serious agricultural work, then you should give preference to wheels with a diameter of at least 48 inches. If you take a smaller size, the device can easily be damaged, unable to withstand such intense load.
Thus, now you know how to make a mini-tractor with your own hands at home.
Photo of a mini tractor with your own hands
Why are people trying to make an electric car themselves?
The question of why someone decided to make an electric car with their own hands has many answers. After all, everyone can have their own motives. Some people are simply interested in doing something on their own, others are trying to save money, others do not trust manufacturers, and so on. Therefore, the issue of making an electric car yourself is purely personal.
That being said, it's important to note one rather important factor: modern electric vehicles typically cost about 30% more than an internal combustion engine alternative.
The inflated cost is explained by the fact that electric cars are equipped with expensive batteries, as well as expensive electrical equipment (power plant with controllers). Therefore, when there is a rather old car in the garage, which, in principle, is no longer a pity, many decide to make a cheap electric car out of it, saving a significant amount on the body and most body parts, as well as on the chassis.
Is it worth making an electric car yourself?
The answer to the question of whether it’s worth creating a homemade electric car depends on whether you have free time, free finances, and sufficient motivation.
No matter how hard you try to save money, even if you have a car suitable for conversion, you will need to seriously spend money on the purchase of components (mostly for the electric power plant)
And if there is interest and funds for this event, then it is quite possible to create a car with an electric drive, with a good power reserve and driving characteristics. Moreover, driving performance will directly depend on the selected “donor” (the car for conversion).
Making it yourself: the simplest models of electric cultivator
Any owner of a garden plot knows how tedious and painstaking the work associated with cultivating various crops can be.
Moreover, such work is most often carried out by elderly people, for whom it is not so easy to cope with the loads associated with cultivating the soil before planting and during the cultivation of garden plants.
To simplify this difficult process, there is an electric cultivator, which you can easily make with your own hands at home. Below are the simplest models of such structures.
Cultivator: concept, scope of application
An electric cultivator is a device equipped with an electric drive and designed for cultivating land. Thus, it can be a full-fledged analogue of manual labor and will cope perfectly with the task of loosening the soil, applying fertilizers, creating beds and weeding them. In simple words, an electric cultivator is a mechanized chopper.
Attention! The device in question is not at all intended for cultivating large agricultural areas. But it is perfect for caring for a small flower garden, vegetable plot, etc.
The main task of the cultivator is to give the soil the necessary structure (it removes a layer of earth no more than 30 cm deep), thus preparing it for fertilizing, watering and other manipulations with the area planted with crops.
Among the main advantages of an electric cultivator are the following:
- Ecological cleanliness. Since the cultivator runs on electricity, it is completely safe for the environment and humans. That is why it can be safely used even in closed areas (in greenhouses, for example).
- Light weight of the device. Thanks to its lightness, even people who do not have significant physical abilities (for example, old people) can handle the device.
- Compactness. The cultivator can be easily moved around the site and, if necessary, can be easily transported by car.
- Easy to operate and maintain. To work with a cultivator and maintain its working condition, it is not necessary to have special skills.
- Low manufacturing costs. It is quite possible to make a cultivator from parts that everyone has on hand, so it is accessible to a wide range of gardeners and gardeners.
Making an electric cultivator with your own hands
With the help of simple devices, which can be found in almost every home where a man lives, you can make a simple, easy-to-use and, most importantly, practical cultivator that runs on electricity. Below we present to your attention the simplest models of such products.
Starter design
A cultivator from a starter can be made if you have a starter from a car in your home garage. In our case, we will talk about a starter from Gaz-51. In order for the part to perform its functions effectively and over a long period of time, you will need to perform some manipulations with the starter to improve it.
It is necessary to shorten the starter shaft slightly, after which it will be necessary to replace its front cover and make many holes with a diameter of about 5 mm in both the front and rear covers.
Through these holes the air will be blown efficiently by a fan, which can perform this function using the shaft of an electric motor, for example, from some old truck.
Cultivating cutters should be installed at the ends of the working shaft.
Engine
The semi-finished unit is mounted on a pre-prepared power platform made of sheet steel.
Advice. Since the design will be quite bulky, care should be taken to strengthen the base for the cultivator. For this purpose, longitudinal stiffeners are used, which are welded to the load platform.
Construction from an angle grinder
From a grinder you can make a compact cultivator of low power. It is quite enough for weeding rows in the garden or on a vegetable plot. The grinder in this design acts as an electric drive.
All other components for creating a cultivator can be taken from an old motor cultivator. The average power of an angle grinder is 600 rpm. Therefore, a cutting wheel will not work for it. The best option is to use a pulley with a groove for the V-belt.
The angle grinder suspension unit is welded to the frame of the old cultivator. To connect the finished product to the mains, you can use an extension cord on a reel.
The finished product will be quite light, compact, and highly productive (the cutters of the device will produce about 300 rpm).
Advice. To make it more convenient to work with an electric cultivator and to prevent your hands from feeling overexertion, you can put small pieces of rubber hoses on the handles of the product that match the diameter of the cultivator pipes.
Washing machine design
If you have an old, completely useless (but still working) washing machine lying around your house, don’t rush to throw it away: try making a wonderful small electric cultivator using its motor.
To create it you will need a simple set of parts:
- An ordinary wheel with a diameter of about 1.5 m, which will perform the simplest function - propulsion.
- An electric motor from an old washing machine (even a Soviet version will do).
- Metal corner about 3 m long.
- Twin wire.
- A drum and a piece of tin to create a protective casing.
- Springs from a car (they will make excellent knives).
- Gearbox, toggle switch and start button.
Now you can proceed directly to assembling the structural parts. The first step is to complete all welding work. Then comes the preparation of knives for the cultivator. For them to really work, you need to follow a simple rule: each of the knives must have its own trajectory of movement, and it should not intersect with all the others.
The motor will need two windings: working and starting. The first will be connected to the network in a permanent mode, while the second is necessary exclusively for launching a ready-made garden power tool.
These are all the subtleties that you should know to create a simple cultivator design that works effectively on the site. Good luck!
How to make an electric cultivator with your own hands: video
Let's sum it up
It is extremely difficult to indicate exactly what is required to convert a car into an electric vehicle, as well as how much money it will require. But we can say with complete confidence that it is quite possible to do this, and the end result (with the right approach) will have a lower cost compared to a new electric car from the manufacturer.
Of course, this requires appropriate knowledge in electrical engineering, radio electronics and auto mechanics, as well as enough free time and funds. Whether it's worth doing is up to you.
This is a very painstaking task, which may be better left to experienced specialists. Moreover, in our time, electric cars are becoming more widespread, their prices are gradually decreasing, making them affordable.
Do-it-yourself homemade electric tractor - Metalworker's Guide
Local power grids are not always able to fully provide electricity to homes, especially when it comes to country houses and mansions. Interruptions in the constant power supply or its complete absence forces us to look for alternative ways to obtain electricity.
One of these is the use of an electric generator - a device capable of converting and storing electricity , using the most unusual resources (energy from the sun, wind, tides).
Its operating principle is quite simple, which makes it possible to make an electric generator with your own hands. A homemade model may not be able to compete with a factory-assembled analogue, but this is a great way to save more than 10,000 rubles.
If we consider a homemade electric generator as a temporary alternative source of power supply, then it is quite possible to get by with a homemade one.
How to make an electric generator, what is required for this, as well as what nuances will have to be taken into account, we will find out further.
The desire to have an electric generator in your use is overshadowed by one nuisance - the high cost of the unit .
Whatever one may say, the lowest-power models have a fairly exorbitant cost - from 15,000 rubles and above. It is this fact that suggests the idea of creating a generator with your own hands.
However, the process itself can be difficult if:
- no skill in working with tools and diagrams;
- there is no experience in creating such devices;
- the necessary parts and spare parts are not available.
If all this and a great desire are present, then you can try to assemble a generator , guided by the assembly instructions and the attached diagram.
It is no secret that a purchased electric generator will have a more expanded list of capabilities and functions, while a homemade one can fail and fail at the most inopportune moments. Therefore, whether to buy or do it yourself is a purely individual question that requires a responsible approach.
How does an electric generator work?
The operating principle of an electric generator is based on the physical phenomenon of electromagnetic induction. A conductor passing through an artificially created electromagnetic field creates a pulse, which is converted into direct current.
The generator has an engine that is capable of generating electricity by burning a certain type of fuel in its compartments: gasoline, gas or diesel fuel.
In turn, the fuel, entering the combustion chamber, produces gas during the combustion process, which rotates the crankshaft.
The latter transmits an impulse to the driven shaft, which is already capable of providing a certain amount of output energy.
What is an electric car
Before moving on to the issues of building an electric car, you should understand what it actually is.
An electric car is the same car, but it is driven by an electric drive, and instead of a tank for liquid fuel, electric cars have batteries that power an electric motor. But this is just a superficial idea. After all, appropriate controllers and drivers are used to operate the electric drive. Controllers are also used to regulate battery charge/discharge. The changes also affect the design of the body, chassis and many other parts of the car.
Homemade mini tractors with your own hands - homemade options
A mini tractor and a motor tractor are agricultural equipment that helps in the process of cultivating land, planting and harvesting crops, and caring for a personal plot.
Thanks to a wide selection of attachments, you no longer have to do everything yourself, thereby ruining your health.
In addition, you will have much more free time, and the quality of plant care will be much higher.
Mini tractors and motor tractors are quite expensive today. Not everyone can afford even Chinese models.
However, there is a way out - you can assemble a homemade mini tractor from scrap materials. It is important to have the necessary set of tools, as well as the time and desire to craft.
Diagrams and drawings, as well as a step-by-step description of the entire process, will help you make homemade products at home.
Where to start making homemade stuff?
To make any homemade product, you must first study the operating principle of a mini tractor, its types, features, applications, and capabilities. This is necessary so that you can decide for what purpose you need this equipment.
A mini tractor is a fairly powerful piece of equipment that performs any task of cultivating any type of land, as well as caring for crops, killing weeds, fertilizing, harvesting, transporting goods, and much more. A homemade minitractor, in its essence, will not differ in any way in its technical features from a full-fledged unit from well-known manufacturers.
To build a homemade mini tractor with your own hands, you first need to create a detailed diagram of the future unit. It is by this that you will be guided in calculating dimensions and the location of working units.
You can make a homemade mini tractor yourself, using the following cars as a basis:
- DIY mini tractor assembly from UAZ. The components of a UAZ car are very cheap, so you won’t need to spend a lot of money. However, the technical characteristics of the machine are perfect for upgrading it into a mini tractor. All-wheel drive makes the car more convenient and functional;
- Homemade from LUAZ. A mini tractor from LUAZ can be made all-wheel drive with switchable rear wheel drive. You can take the entire chassis and gearbox from the car;
- Homemade from Zhiguli. A homemade Zhiguli is the best option, since this car, which has already outlived its usefulness, will always be found, as well as its components. The only drawback is that it runs on gasoline, which is quite expensive today, while modern models of mini tractors run on diesel;
- Homemade from Oka. This car will have an excellent engine that will allow the future mini tractor to fully cope with its tasks;
- From a walk-behind tractor engine. The most common and simplest homemade option. In fact, you will only need to upgrade the walk-behind tractor by adding a frame and a cabin.
In addition to converting from different cars, you can make individual elements for your homemade mini tractor, such as:
- hydraulics. A mini tractor with this device has many advantages. Such equipment will be much more convenient to operate, you will be able to install hydraulically driven attachments, and significantly improve the braking system. In general, your tractor will be more durable, and its capabilities will increase significantly;
- beam/bridge You can make your own front beam for a mini tractor. Often, factory models have a weak device that often cannot withstand the load. This can be corrected by improving the part with your own hands;
- cabin. A mini tractor may not have a cabin. However, working for long periods of time under the scorching sun can have a negative impact on your health. You can make a cabin that will protect you from direct sunlight, as well as from rain and wind;
- PTO (power take-off shaft). Necessary for transmitting rotation from the drive to attachments. There are three types - dependent, independent, synchronous;
- the frame is easily made from metal pipes with a diameter of 4 centimeters. To make the structure more durable, special corners are welded into the side parts;
- The gearbox will fit from a Skoda car. Other similar options will work, but keep in mind that you must have several forward speeds and at least one reverse speed;
- traction can be made from a motorized stroller;
- The steering column can also be taken from a car of a domestic manufacturer.
Among other things, you can make a mini tractor with your own hands with different types of engines, such as ZID or UD 25. The first is a four-stroke single-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine, the second is a four-stroke carburetor gasoline engine. Both are great for making your own agricultural machinery, in particular a mini tractor.
Homemade mini tractor and everything for it - the advantages and disadvantages of a prefabricated structure
Homemade mini tractors have a lot of advantages. As mentioned above, the main one is low cost. All components can be taken from old cars, and some can be made from scratch from scrap materials. There are other advantages of this design:
- In terms of their functionality, homemade products are no different from factory models. They have the same power, the same abilities;
- Large agricultural machinery is designed for large areas, and small walk-behind tractors are designed for small areas. A homemade mini tractor is an excellent option for medium-sized fields where the use of other equipment would be impractical;
- While creating a homemade mini tractor, you will study your technique inside and out. So in the future, when you might need another upgrade, you can easily handle this task. If a breakdown suddenly occurs, you can quickly find its cause and fix the problem.
Of course, there are also disadvantages. You will have to look for all the constituent elements yourself. You should not use rare parts, because in the future it will be very difficult to find a replacement for it. Also, you should not use homemade equipment to travel on the roads, so as not to receive a fine for modifying the car.
Electric tractor HTZ "Edison"
Among the most popular models of such units, it is worth noting the Ukrainian-made version of KhTZ “Edison”.
It has a power of 40 hp. s., has rear-wheel drive and 24 kW batteries. KhTZ Edison was developed jointly with the serial KhTZ-3512 and today has no analogues in the world.
To fully charge the batteries, it takes from 2 to 4 hours from a charger and from 8 to 10 hours from a 220 V power supply. In driving mode, the Edison electric tractor can operate for up to 8 hours; if the traction unit is used by additional loads, the battery charge will last up to 4 hours of work.
Kinds
Electric motors are classified according to the type of drive power supply, the design of the brush-commutator unit, and the number of phases for power supply:
- By drive power type. The devices are divided into AC and DC motors. DC motors are capable of providing more accurate and smooth speed control and high efficiency. AC motors come in handy when high overload capacity is important. This is a good option for material handling machines. However, there are also universal motors that operate on alternating and direct current.
- According to the design of the brush-collector unit. Brushless and commutator motors are available. A brushless motor operates due to the movement of a rotor with a permanent magnet. The design does not have a brush-collector unit. The solution provides decent torque, a wide speed range and high efficiency. Important advantages of a brushless motor are reliability, the ability to self-synchronize, and the ability to be powered at alternating voltage. The life of a brushless motor is limited solely by the life of the bearings. Commutator motors have an alkaline collector unit. The convenience of the solution is due to the fact that it can be used both as a current switch in the windings and as a rotor position detector; there is no need for a controller. The problem with collector models is that they depend on permanent magnets, which, as is known, unfortunately, lose their properties over time.
- By the number of phases for power supply. Depending on how the winding is powered, electric motors can be single-phase or three-phase. Three-phase solutions have become widespread in the automotive industry, this is due to a number of technical characteristics (power, overload capacity, idle speed).
Preparing the coils
Ideally, you need to make a detailed calculation of the coil parameters. But, for a low-power generator operating at low speeds, an approximate calculation can be made. For this device, there are enough coils in which the total number of turns will be in the range of 1000-1200.
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To increase power, the number of poles should be increased. Make the coils using thick wires to minimize resistance and therefore increase the current.
After assembling the generator, it should be checked. To do this, it is not necessary to attach the unit to the windmill. Just connect your measuring instruments to it and try turning it by hand.The internal diameter of the coil is selected in accordance with the dimensions of the magnet or may slightly exceed it. The coil shape can be round, but it is better to make slightly elongated designs.
Brakes and steering
The steering and braking system determine the comfort and safety of using the machine. In electric cars for older children, it is necessary to install a durable, reliable steering structure. There are two options for the mechanism. You can borrow the design from pushers, consisting of a rigid axle with wheels and a bushing located under the steering wheel. A more complex system is one that replicates a car trapeze. It will provide the electric car with several advantages:
- The turn will have a smaller radius.
- Wheels can be mounted on suspension.
- The steering will be more compact.
The trapezoid has greater strength than the first option. This is important if the electric car will be driven by an older driver who will use all the possibilities of speed and maneuverability. Installing bearings in rubbing joints will ensure quiet running of the machine and extend its service life.
Braking will be provided by rubber bands or brake pads installed on the rear wheels. It is advisable to use a two-stage contact system with resistance with smooth pressure. If you are building an electric car for a young driver who wants to participate in racing, it is worth installing disc brakes designed for mountain bikes.
Device
How does an electric car engine work? When describing the operating principle of an electric motor, it was already mentioned that the main components of an electric vehicle engine are the rotor and stator.
- The rotor is the rotating component of the engine.
- The stator is stationary. It is responsible for creating a stationary magnetic field.
Rotor
A classic car rotor consists of a core, a winding and a shaft. Some electric motors also have a commutator included in the rotor.
- The core is a metal rod on the periphery of which the winding is located. The magnetic circuit of the electric motor is closed directly through the core. The core is made of round steel plates. The structure is similar to a layer cake. In the production of cores, insulated sheets of steel with silicon additives are used. In this case, an increase in the efficiency of the electric motor, the lowest specific losses in the metal per unit mass, and a decrease in the magnitude of demagnetizing Foucault eddy currents that arise due to magnetization reversal of the core are ensured. There are longitudinal grooves on the surface of the core. The winding is laid through them.
- Shaft is a metal rod that directly transmits torque. Also made of electrical steel. Serves as a basis for inserting the core. At the ends of the shaft there are threads, recesses for gears, rolling bearings, and pulleys.
- The collector is a block mounted on a shaft. It is a system of copper plates. Isolated from the shaft. Serves as an alternating current rectifier, automatic current direction switch (depending on the type of electric motor).
Stator (inductor)
The stator consists of a frame, a core and a winding:
- Stator frame – stator housing. As a rule, the body is aluminum or cast iron. Aluminum frames are popular for electric motors in passenger cars, while cast iron frames are popular for special equipment that is forced to work in conditions of high vibration. The frame serves as a mounting base for the main and additional poles.
- The stator core is a cylinder made of profiled steel sheets. Fixed with screws inside the frame. Equipped with slots for winding.
- Winding. Creates a magnetic flux. When the rotor conductors intersect, it induces an electromotive force into them.
We connect the controller to the transistor correctly
All that remained was to correctly connect the transistor to the controller. I did it somewhat incorrectly, through an optical pair, directly. But this circuit fails when working with low voltages; at high operating voltages, the transistor gate constantly burns out, and a push-pull driver is needed for control. The normal diagram is shown below. But nevertheless, the circuit with an optical pair was enough for one time, by some miracle it worked during the test drive, and began to burn out immediately after it. Here is a diagram of the “correct” driver, only in my version there was also an optical decoupling from the controller. Picture taken from Drive2:
Mast mounting
Ideally, the mast should be as high as possible. Therefore, pay attention to ensuring the strength of the base.
A wind turbine is mounted on top. It is optimal to construct it from PVC pipe with a cross-section of 160 mm. By cutting the pipe into longitudinal parts, you can make light and strong blades.
One pipe is enough to construct a propeller with 6 blades.
To ensure optimal torque at low speeds, the shape of the blades should be determined experimentally. Make the tail part of the windmill so that it does not turn around in strong winds.
To store electricity, connect a battery to the wind generator. If the parameters of the received electricity do not meet the requirements for the charging current for the battery, a converter should be additionally included in the circuit.
Rotary wind generator
The design of a rotor-type wind generator is the simplest, so it is the best option for self-production.
However, it is not suitable for powering a large house with a lot of electrical appliances. But, this is a good solution for the house and the area.
Attaching magnets
The magnets should be fixed on the rotor disks. For a standard hub, 20 magnets of standard size 25x8 mm will be sufficient. Magnets must be positioned with alternating poles.
It is better to make a paper template, which you attach to the disk, and place magnets on it.Ideally, rectangular magnets should be used. Before applying, mark each magnet by pole to avoid confusion when alternating.
The attracting sides are “+”, the repulsive sides are “-”. Magnets must be secured with reliable glue. For additional fixation, they should be filled with epoxy resin on top.