I Made a Remote-Controlled Snowblower

[@dav1dsm1th]

Why do I get the feeling that the planning phase will begin next winter around 3 days before the big storm hits (plus or minus 2 days)... 🙂 Thanks for the videos. Stay safe out there.

[@seatac9365]

Sounds about right!

[@cranktowncity]

Hahaha I simultaneously feel so seen and so called out

[@BenNawrath]

Either way you're validated. @@cranktowncity

[@someonesaveus]

"Use a grinder instead of a wrench to take things apart, then you can't go back!" - Brilliant.

[@alttabby3633]

Cortés vibes

[@abitofabitofabit4404]

@Wintergatan vibes

[@SeanTaffert]

best KZbin DIY line ever!

[@BenNawrath]

"To increase productivity..." lol

[@erikslagter3231]

Short description of the video: man with smallest driveway ever, spends whole weekend building a remote-controlled snowblower instead of shovelling snow for 30 minutes

[@behindthemistakes]

Just go to show how boring shovelling snow is 😂😂

[@daylen577]

If the mk2 doesn't have an FPV camera on a stick so you don't even have to look out the window we will all be very disappointed

[@Vikingwerk]

8:20 “Option Delete” is one of the main features of my projects also! Sometimes so many features get deleted, the entire project disappears in a puff of apathy scented smoke!

[@marcgoodman4862]

That's better than the insulation scented smoke that comes out of the motor driver when you over-amp it.

[@joedingo7022]

@@marcgoodman4862One must always contain the magic smoke in the electricity hoses, it's what makes the motors work.

[@herzogsbuick]

"here's hoping 100 bad welds equal one good well" -- god i love this channel

[@MadScienTEST]

Genius level.

[@tinker-craft]

“Wow! Thanks shop Jesus!” 😂 Great work man, can’t wait to see Mk2 👍

[@MattDunlapCO]

Any day Cranktown City posts a video is a good day.

[@lrussell851]

I honestly don't get why you don't have way more subscribers. You're great at putting together videos and actually fun to watch.

[@tenet-rotas]

i think I'd lose my mind if i saw this thing clearing my neighbors driveway 😂😂 cool project man!

[@korneliuswiessner5451]

every single video you uploaded is so cool! Keep on creating forever please

[@timderks5960]

One of the reasons for the bad traction is the rear castor wheel. When the snowblower hits a slight dip in the surface, it'll rest on the skid shoes at the front and the castor in the back, so the tracks don't have any grip. I'd suggest removing the castor wheel and simply adding some weight up front if it's still tippy. Pushing the weight around doesn't seem to be an issue for the motors. Looking forward to V2.

[@ScamstinCrew]

Weight is a huuge factor for snow blowers. It leaning back caused some of the issues from what I could see. MK2 should have added weight. Id also say On the fly adjustable skid plates. So if it take too big of a bite you can raise its front up some. Also Id say add speed control too. Travel speed can make up for allot. But wet snow is also the hardest to get a good throw on. So a more powerful motor for the tines and thrower could help too. Cant wait (I can and will) to see the next iteration. Its crazy how functional you got it Kit bashing it together so fast.

[@amogusenjoyer]

Yep this, the weight distribution needs to be front heavy!

[@stevebabiak6997]

Also the chute needs to adapt it’s angle to get the throw to toss snow a bit further.

[@JohnJaggerJack]

I too felt bad when I took a FB marketplace 3D printer apart to make a SCARA robot for a college project. The printer was mint and the previous owner simply didnt had use for it anymore. Still helped me get that college degree, although it was all for nothing since I can't find a job in my country. Anyway I digresse and this video is about your project, which I find it super cool and am rather amazed you went with the grinder option, that's commitment. Loved the memes.

[@trag-air]

Funny enough, there's a wheelchair that uses this concept called the Action Trackchair! You built a mini one minus the chair part 😂 Those things are badass, and plow snow like a champ. I think you need those batteries lower to bring the center of gravity down and spread the load. Since you're giving yourself a year to build it try making the track system with snowmobile tracks - more surface area = more traction!

[@cranktowncity]

I just looked it up, that is some supervillain shit hahaha

[@stevebabiak6997]

Looks like the action trackchair costs about fifty times what was paid for that used snow thrower. He’s gonna need lots more KZbin traffic to afford that ;)

[@weldeddaydreams]

Love it. Mark 2 just needs to be a box steel frame with the heavy bits mounted lower. Connect the motor to the blower full time, and use the actuator to adjust the blower height and angle to change your depth of cut.

[@OCDRex11]

FPV gear needed for MK.2 I mean, c'mon, you gotta feel like you are riding on top of it while on your couch! Great vidja!

[@newtome-jessegates6310]

This thing is awesome, I learned this year that snow blowing ends up being more work in the long run when you get it stuck several times, or repeatedly running start jam it into a snow bank, and then when you have to be a hero and do it all again for your neighbors. 😅

[@gydo1942]

I think part of the reason it got stuck so often has to do with the weight distribution. You want all the weight on the tracks, not on a tiny low-contact-area unpowered caster wheel.. I'm already looking forward to V2 next year!

[@Engineerd3d]

Dude! This is awesome! You should make a snow blower/lawn mower hybrid! This way you can have one remote controlled machine for winter or summer!

[@ben-jd8kk]

That's how the transmission works on all the old snapper rear engine mowers. They are great when they are adjusted correctly

[@ivprojects8143]

You have such a great style to your projects. Perfect mix of brilliance and stubbornness.

[@davidbuckner3038]

I appreciate the effort in keeping me entertained.

[@cranktowncity]

Thank you very much!

[@pete3897]

Whole lee phark - I can't believe you welded that housing :)

[@Rebar77_real]

Kickass! Needs some toothed angle iron bolted to the tracks though. Give'r a better bite, eh. Cheers and kudos for the world wide attempt!!!!!!!

[@Rebar77_real]

Stagger the teeth 1/2" or something like those wide ass trencher belts? hmm... not for next year. Too damn warm already.

[@rjm842]

awesome! such a fun build, i'm kinda glad in some ways that it didn't pan out and stick the landing, that way we get to see what you pull out the caldron for "RC-snow-muncherV2" made my evening dude

[@alessiocarlevaro6934]

you may be getting stuck due to the rear caster wheel. when the incline changes, the front scoop and the caster touch the ground but the treads are slightly lifted

[@hultaelit]

Can't wait for next winter to see a second attempt to rush together an improvised version of this!

[@biddinge8898]

That's so crazy. I've never seen one with tracks let alone remote controlled. Also there's a bunch of remote control models that can snow blow. They're small though so this is cooler.

[@dondywondy]

I love LOVE this channel! I'll be a 'Patreoner' soon (first gotta decide which channel to stop/reduce as I'm getting 'overpatreoned'). Thanks for the great videos!

[@jpdthe3rd]

Get higher speed motors and run a gear reduction to the tracks. You could probably better control your motors with a handful of relays and diodes (assuming brushed dc). Leaving your control system on a low voltage system(if you add some mosfets and transistors you can probably control it from a really cheap rc car). The back wheel you put on should also be on an actuator so you have some form of tilt control. Adding an alternator would probably not be a bad idea considering you have an engine and a pulley system ready to go, and should be geared down somewhat at least enough to drive it and charge a battery. Love the channel and the work you do.

[@cmac3530]

I think you need to push the front down more. Put a heavy spring on the mounting pole of the rear caster wheel. Or just add more weight to the front.

[@onesadtech]

"Let's hope that 100 bad welds equals one good weld" is a great motto. 😂 Also, my mind was equally blown when I first took a look inside a snowblower and saw how the transmission works!

[@matthewf1979]

Floating scraper on some actuators should help with getting hung up on the driveway. I haven’t used a blower in a decade, but I remember having to mess with the dang scraper part more than anything on these infernal machines.

[@mrd1323]

Great video. You need to post them more often. You are the most entertaining maker on KZbin.

[@tomasjosefvela1]

It was still pretty awesome, thanks for sharing!!And I called Mark for you...

[@newmonengineering]

I would have mounded the battery over the front to balance it. The rear caster takes some of the traction away from the tracks. It would be better balanced on both tracks for maximum traction. Yes it might look funny but it would have better traction for sure. Cool project keep up the awesome content

[@CreeewDeeeTaaay]

I was glad to see someone wearing their Safety Crocs to avoid toe crushes 😝

[@ibrahimkocaalioglu]

Good job done. Maybe it is better to design a blower from scratch. The traction is not good with 2 heavy 12V battery you may have the weight. And for traction you may use metal parts. Blower part can also be dc motor driven. Use a higher rating motor driver (higher wattage) so at 24 volts it wouldn't burn that easy.

[@RubenKelevra]

I love how there's zero progress on this project after 8 month. :) Btw: I think it would be best if there's either an electronic or mechanical *depth* sensor which can look or *feel* through the snow, so you're not cutting over, but through the snow. You can either use dull blade disks on both sides, so you cut through the snow and thin ice with something pretty pointy, and if it's soft enough it won't damage the surface of the driveway (that much). The best material would probably be aluminum for this. Then add springs on the cutter, so they are pressed down on the ground and ride on a center wheel in the back and on those cutting disks in the front. So you got a 3 point system which keeps the cutter level with the ground, regardless what the tracks are doing. There's also no reason why you can't use two motors: One in the front one in the back, so you could for example rewire some washing machine motors, to run off of 12 V and direct drive the shaft of the tracks, one in the front and one in the back. And I guess it would be nice to put instead of two batteries just a small, light battery and a charger on the engine, so you don't drain the battery on each run. Just make sure you run two thick cables to the motor and the alternator. Do not rely on negative ground of the chassis, as it's probably not a good conductor and any connection isn't really water-resistant as a proper insulated terminal connection would be. If you want to up the game, you could use PID-Controllers for the tracks, so you spin the tracks at exactly the right speed, without needing a motor driver or motors with feedback. Just put some magnets in a disk mounted to each shaft as feedback. And in the end it probably makes sense to correct drift automatically via a gyro / accelerometer. So, if you point forward, it will drive in a straight line and command turning of the tracks exactly as needed to keep it in a straight line. This should help a lot on uneven ground, slippy ground and uneven pressure from pushing through snow. Hope this helps! :)

[@bowieinc]

Kindred spirit, On projects like this, I often work tirelessly at figuring out how to work less.

[@TeslaFactory]

7:45 love the safety crocs 😂

[@cdsmith]

I think blower version two needs a much better blower. You should be able to send the snow flying out the chute so fast it lands in the neighbors yard. Don't want it landing on an area you still have to clear and make that area even more difficult.

[@davidbuckner3038]

I used the same approach for the remote control lawnmower I built, a pair of mobility scooter drive motors was more than enough power . I used ESC’s from the jungle website. They claim 160A but they aren’t enough. What kind of drivers were those ?

[@cranktowncity]

They were bts7960, they're usually pretty good, not sure how I burned one lol

[@gabrielhacecosas]

You should take that thing to batlebots

[@mattsan70]

What software did you use to make the gears on? Always entertaining - keep doin n goin

[@cranktowncity]

It was the spur gear plugin for fusion360

[@mully006]

I have also thought about this project. My plan was to use hydraulic motors for everything and just have the engine run a hydraulic pump. This may be easier than dealing with motor drivers and whatnot.

[@icmpeko]

Nice work, buddy. Phase 2 (or 3 or 4 - I forget which one we're on here): Need a beer holder for the remote 🍺🤔👍💥

[@TommyG_0311]

this is 100% the definition of "work smarter, not harder." lol i love it.

[@BeenThereDundas]

Time to make a roomba snowblower mashup

[@kpogatchnik]

Really great video. Can’t wait to see Mark 2 next year. Don’t give up!

[@DOCTOROCTAGONAPUSS]

I can't tell if you're saving yourself time or causing more headaches by half-assing everything lol. I love the content, never stop!

[@yutub561]

I like your solution better but i think you could have made the engine and everything else work from "stock" using some linear actuators to press the pads the same way the manual levers do. granted im only 4:20 (lol) minutes into the video so im excited to see the rest needs better tracks for concrete! your tracks are good for digging in offroad but once they hit the concrete they have no contact patch. when youre snowblowing manually you are helping overcome that loss of traction by pushing. edit i see you tried some stuff. looks like youre on the right track also i would consider this far from a failure, its a proof of concept. youve earned my dinger!

[@ChrisBigBad]

And what a wonderful journey it was :) Dinger was left!

[@jimday6244]

This is what Cranktown was made for! Next year!

[@NormanHumal]

I’ve been away for 2 months and I see 4 uploads. Time for a solid binge session

[@user-lx9jm1wo3h]

You need to add a little scraper flap that you can adjust the angle of it. Also you need a way to increase the RPM on the motor for the thicker snow.

[@DemetryRomanowski]

Funny I've been kicking this exact idea round for the past couple years.

[@behindthemistakes]

Now, it's just to fit the side/belt mounted "anti stuck" flame thrower. Maybe even an automatic gravel dispencer at the back....the possibilities are endless 😁

[@wva5089]

Your failures are always way better than my non attempts. Keep up the good work and thank you.

[@linecraftman3907]

what about using ground warmness to warm up the driveway? put a heatexchanger into the ground and pump water around a patch of the driveway as proof of concept.

[@quazorgemash]

Find an old 20lbs exercise plate and bolt it to the auger housing. Also, if you attach thick rubber to the impeller blades to "fit" it to the case it'll throw the snow further

[@mymagicsigns]

Dude I love your chanel, you just don't give a damn, if it has to be done, you do it, with what you have, and if you don't have it, make it, so many people give us hate for that, but it's refreshing seing someone else that makes stuff and does not have a cult or religious mentality to the craft! Anything goes!!!

[@jeffpkamp]

When you tipped that thing up I was thinking it was one of your more ambitious projects due to size constraints. I am honestly surprised you had any issues with traction with two deep cycle batteries and the motor on it.

[@AlbertFilice]

I bet they design it so that you're helping push it along and the tracks are just for assist. Cool idea though!

[@memejeff]

Sweet video man. Could really use one in Oslo. Just fyi about the rubber wheel genius gear thing. They used similar technique in some old vinyl players. I have one that uses a rubber wheel and has two spots for 2 different vinyl sizes. Very cool stuff. Don't sell yourself short. It was at minimum a partial success.

[@Hellsatanx]

wait that disk transmission is awesome! ive seen it demonstrated before but i didnt know it was actually used outside in the wild like this

[@redsquirrelftw]

Look into a Greenworks 80v or Ego snowblower, would make a good base to work off of as everything is already electric drive. I think one challenge is to figure out how to slightly lift the auger to get a good clear path. When using a snow blower by hand you kind of do it subconciously but the RC version just leaves it steady the whole time so it means getting caught up everywhere or not scraping down enough.

[@hans429]

Wire the 10 Amp Engine alternator (you need a charge regulator and a different coil!) into the battery, let it idle to warm up, and you can drive around blowing snow. Saves you charging the Battery every time, Just dont have the bright idea hooking the regulator up to the Lamp output, you need a different charge coil for that.

[@BertMaker]

Amazing! Your channel deserves more views

[@StripeyType]

Whenever you say "sprocket" my dog (whose name that is) sits up a little prouder. (and waits for me to give him a treat)

[@cranktowncity]

Sprocket is such a great dog name!

[@StripeyType]

@@cranktowncityhe came to us with it from the rescue! It's a great name for a great dog. :D

[@AlanW]

Love it, excited for Mk II! I feel like, maybe don't start with a clapped out blower, I feel like you got the chops to do it from scratch! That said, it can't be an easy problem, I think there's at least one failed company that's been attempting to do this for years. But they may be held back by safety regulations, something you may be able to skirt.

[@ThePCPitStopInc]

Why not add a salt/sand spreader to add grip for the tracks and also add weight in the center like a Snowraider sidewalk machine

[@dylanhackbarth6390]

you could put an alternator or other charging method on the engine to extend the range of your batteries. my eyes see that the castor on the back is causing your traction/ getting stuck issues it lifts the tracks off the ground between it and the blade of the blower, id try to balance the weight or counterweight the thing like a tractor with some steel plate on or near the front, this would probably also help the blade get down into the snow better/ scrape the pavement

[@Ludiks]

Great content and fun, as usual !

[@simontillson482]

So, FPV remote snowblower next year?

[@lumotroph]

Man I love this show.

[@ShootLuckGaming]

I hope you plan to build upon this and add other features, Its super cool!

[@dkraft]

Cranktown never disappoints.

[@Tommygunn776]

If you put the weight further forward, you'll get better results. Also, your engine looked a little underpowered, so that could also be improved.

[@BlueJeebs]

Put an alternator on the engine, charge (or supercharge) the batteries, then install a couple of cameras for 3D vision and use OpenCV to automate the whole process 👍 Also I'd rather make the whole thing front rather than back heavy lol. Aside from that, that's pretty dang good for a day and a half of shack prayers

[@Fourby]

Mk2 needs a pov camera and an internet connection so you can do your driveway while sunbathing on the beach on holiday.

[@cranktowncity]

Oh hell yeah

[@billwoehl3051]

Definitely needed a bigger gas engine, wasn't blowing the snow very far. Or maybe it wasn't full throttle or regear the blower impeller to spin faster?

[@elesjuan]

LMAO @ That oh so subtle Ace Ventura When Nature Calls reference.

[@masterofnone3760]

Yaaaassssssss

[@thorgraum1462]

this really hurts my brain to watch. the motor mount flexing under use, the way you tried to put that pulley on the motor, the welds xD. love the idea though

[@bloho_design]

Those gears cut on the plasma are looking great, as did the laser cut cardboard - was that from the diy cutter? That’s a double success. Agree the thing isn’t done but you got a proof of concept that shows the idea is good. Great video.

[@DeathTempler]

My back would happily pay for something like this. But, ya know, without the shorting spaghetti. Not like my spaghetti is any straighter.

[@AllSawedUp]

I'm no snow thrower expert, but shouldn't that thing be spinning faster and spitting snow farther? Looked like it was just dribbling it out of the snoot.

[@fouzaialaa7962]

i hope snowblower Mk II has an alternator to propup the voltage, you have an entire gasoline engine ,you can surely increase the power just a tiny bit and siphon some power for the tracks i dont think it gets stuck becoz of the tracks or chassis ,i think it gets stuck becoz its too heavy for the power that its got , those battery's are way too heavy for the drivers to move with the motors

[@drewgossage8842]

Another great upload bro, doing great stuff, keep'r up mi'ol'mate 👍👍

[@gazebodp]

I've been wanting to do this for a while now, and this just gives me hope.

[@oilio5465]

If you had rails either side of the driveway you could make a winch driven plow to clear your driveway in one pass

[@Chromevulcan]

Lol, I live in south Texas where we rarely, if ever, get snow. I just looked on FB Marketplace for snowblowers. They range in price from $80 to about $220 for the LARGE ones. There's a Toro 518 ZE for $200! And if you rewatch the scene where the motor housing snapped, it looked like it was cracked the moment you applied pressure. Maybe it was already broke?

[@BenKDesigns]

Honestly, I feel like a bunch of your issues could just be solved by adding more batteries and bigger motors. More batteries == more weight, which you're gonna need for it to get under the snow, versus over it. The bigger motors, obv, because you've added more weight. And maybe toss in a speed controller or something so it's smooooth.

[@Aquafbody]

Thank you for not editing out your screw ups. Helps us learn too.

[@JD2jr.]

If you've got a whole year for V2, you have time to make it be able to run autonomously. Either pre-measured based on your driveway, or full on Roomba-style brute force.

[@vongprajarnyang993]

Damn you just make a future snow blower

[@originaljamestown]

Looking forward to Mark II

[@noanyobiseniss7462]

Always entertaining! :)