Why Push When You Can Play? DIY Remote-Controlled Lawnmower

[@aCo0kie]

Schatz wach auf, es gibt ein neues Max Macher Video!

[@wuzzflyz]

NO WAY THIS LEGEND UPLOADED!!! edit: Thanks Max! (and everyone else!)

[@renevile]

i built one with tank treads about 8 years ago also with wheelchair motors, however i used standard RC drivers and remote, so i didn't have to write a single line of code, just set up the remote. super easy and it was quite fun to mow the lawn with... people actually stopped and asked if they could try it, so even less work for me...

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Thanks for sharing! I wanted the code so in the future I can access the controlls and make it follow waypoints.

[@renevile]

@@MaxMakerChannel do you know about Ardupilot, that's a planning tool for waypoints?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

@@renevile Yes! Thats what I had in mind.

[@ameggs]

@@MaxMakerChannel Will you be updating and sharing this project in the future here on YT?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

For now I will focus on building the workshop.

[@gustavgnoettgen]

My brother built an rc mower with a 400 ccm Briggs & Stratton, a car alternator and two windshield wiper motors as well as servos. Works a charm.

[@Mr.Donahue]

Mulch the leaves. As long as you don't have to many leaves mulching is really good for the soil.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I tried that for some time, but we get too many leaves. The mulch would suffocate some of the grass every winter.

[@GuidedElectrons]

What a nice project! Loved seeing that you used almost the exact same electronics as i used for mye 1:1 RC car, they are very affordable and works like a charm! 🎉 Everything left to do now is equipping it with OpenMower! 🔥

[@cookedaudio]

Ha, fun to see your two mowers having fun together!

[@StephanPluemer]

Der Mäher sieht wirklich gut aus, ich habe selbst einen Husqvarna PF 21 AWD und noch einen Husqvarna Zero Turn, bei dem das Mädeck ziemlich rostig ist, jetzt hatte ich ein V2A Mähdeck bekommen, dass ich eigentlich unter den Zero Turn bauen wollte, ich war jetzt schon am überlegen(vor Deinem Video) ob ich den mit 2 Hydraulikmotoren zu einem Selbstfahren Mähdeck mit 120cm breite und 3 Messern Umbau, da würd eich einen LFP Batterie mit 48V benutzen wollen die den auch 4-6kw/h Kapazität hat und der Mäher kann den wären seiner Mähfreien Zeit als Solarspeicher dienen ;) auf jeden fall ein schönes Projekt! Gruß Stephan

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Also ferngesteuerte ist auf jeden Fall super. Macht viel Spaß und funktioniert gut!

[@vb5666]

You should add your mulch to the bush area and garden. It is good for the health of your trees and bushes and reduces co2 of placing mulch in a landfill

[@MaxMakerChannel]

It doesn’t go to landfill here. It gets collected, then its composted and sold to businesses again. I just don’t have space or a need for compost.

[@kameljoe21]

Really like this. I have been keeping my eye out for broken ones in my area. I would love to take several of them and build a frame to pull behind the large zero turn. This would cut my mowing time down from a few hours every couple of weeks to a super short time.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

That would be cool!

[@improprietary1]

Quick tip: When you design teardrop holes you can cut off the tip and have the overhang be ~two layers taller than the tangential, then you can still use rubber washers against the hole

[@MysterianX]

Very nice build! I recently built one myself with the same type of motors and sabertooth 2x32. It was really fun and works quite well. Planning to do some upgrades with more convenient height adjustments.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I saw a lot of people use the sabertooth. But I found they are quite pricey. The BTS7960 is only about 8€ a piece and doesn’t even get warm.

[@MysterianX]

True it was pricey, but I'm not familiar with arduino and coding so it was a really convenient and reliable option for me. But you got it working really well and yeah saved lots of money for sure! Keep up with these projects man.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

@@MysterianX Either way we got nice toys now.

[@Rockport1911]

For big open lawn areas a standard wide ride- on- lawnmower is fastest in my case. But for all the little hard- to- reach areas I have a small electric Ryobi lawnmower that I can easiely shove near the house and trees and heges to mow. The downside to remote controlling a lawnmower is that you cant see everything from where the remote is, not good for precise german mowing action :) And a fully autonomous mower is expensive and requires either a cable to keep it in or good GPS signal.

[@jamesgregsy]

Nice to see some new content! How did you waterproof the electronics box? I agree, that it looks way cooler like this but with all the rain we get up here, I'd assume you wouldn't want to keep that print unprotected 😅

[@DFPercush]

This is the dream of every suburban kid who has to do chores lol. Nice build.

[@janjansen6263]

Very interesting I plan doing something similar but with self driving using ardumower / ardupilot

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Sounds great!

[@georgegibson707]

14:09 It looks like this zero turn design is difficult to steer in a really straight line remotely ?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Thats true. You constantly need to adjust. The wheels slipping on the grass make it even harder.

[@daylen577]

Next step, adding a telescoping PTZ camera to the top of it, so you can watch what it's doing without going outside and get a nice overview while still being able to tuck the camera in to go underneath stuff

[@jcbsrl]

What a fun project. Well done!

[@MattTester]

The first step towards a fighting robot. This is similar to something that would have been entered in the early UK Robot Wars competitions in the 1990s, without a cover on the blade of course.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

All I need to do I turn It Upside down.

[@slothonabike]

It needs googly eyes.

[@nordaki]

awesome! maybe add a sensor in the holding bag so a small light starts flashing and you know its full?

[@coffeepot3123]

It's still wild to me after all these years that we have SELF MOWING LAWN MOWERS.. I am actually offended by how "meh" people get with technology in their daily lives, i feel sad for them. Every time i see one of those automated mowers up early in the morning going about it's day it just makes me smile.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

They are nice when they work! The biggest problem for all manufacturers is the software. They never work right. Mowers suddenly stop, or they go in circles or they don’t find their base anymore. And the communication with the owner often doesn’t work. The second problem is that the hardware is often not very good. The Husqvarna ones deep discharge themselves and break their battery. Then the battery is software locked and only a dealer can replace them. There is a huge opportunity to build one that is actually smart and reliable!

[@dh510]

My first thought was: "What a stupid idea for an unnecessary project..." But seeing the end result completely changed my mind.. This is absolutely genius! Why isn't every lawnmower remote controlled nowadays? (Security reasons aside...) This would be way more convenient than a normal push mower and more acceptable for people that don't trust the autonomous mowing robots to do the job...

[@Rockport1911]

For big open lawn areas a standard wide ride- on- lawnmower is fastest in my case. But for all the little hard- to- reach areas I have a small electric Ryobi lawnmower that I can easiely shove near the house and trees and heges to mow. The downside to remote controlling a lawnmower is that you cant see everything from where the remote is, not good for precise german mowing action :) And a fully autonomous mower is expensive and requires either a cable to keep it in or good GPS signal.

[@MRLAW243]

take a look at a Razor Crazy Cart, it uses 2 caster wheels for simulated drifting effect by allowing the rider to adjust the angle of the casters.

[@erezklein5769]

You should have inverted the motors so they will be on the outside. Next build maybe?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I was thinking about that. That would have required new wheel hubs with the motors sticking into the wheels. Like brake callipers. the next build will probably be a snow blower with tracks.

[@markaabo]

Can't wait for more workshop vids, and new projects in new workshop!, please get them out faster we can't wait haha

[@GuildOfCalamity]

Cool project. BTW, you shouldn't bag the clippings. They should be allowed to fall back into the lawn and will eventually break down into fertilizer.

[@charliecharliewhiskey9403]

Oh I just looked you up to see if you'd done anything recently and there's a new video!

[@Juan-ey6bl]

You are a fabricating genius. Way to go!

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Wow, thanks!

[@bowieinc]

First time seeing your videos. Really good. Code doesn’t appear to be in description or on Instructables. Thanks:)

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Its there now!

[@ku8721]

@@MaxMakerChannel WHERE?!?

[@howya111]

Lol i want to hear the story behind the extra forklift wheels!

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Its not a real forklift. Just a pallet truck. They always come with hard wheels. They are sturdy but incredibly noisy. So I change them for polyurethane wheels.

[@Mustafa_dimah]

Toll gemacht 👍

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Danke 🤙

[@alibal9810]

i did made my own version but without codes. 😆 it was a bloody battle for months from start to finish😆

[@LeonGames]

"looks like a spider".... Few seconds later "Let's give it a spin" 😂

[@Das_Carstel]

Maybe, I have a fun idea. You could add some cameras, like in the front and on at the top, for a bird's-eye perspective. So the u stir the robot not with the remote, instead you use a racing sim. Like a Logitech racing wheel. Now you can play from the inside. The connection would be the hard part, I guess.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Maybe Ill do a livestream one day!

[@StraightLineCycles]

Could have made it front wheel drive. Still can, swap the front and rear around

[@JEDSaje15]

just drive it backwards lol

[@StraightLineCycles]

@@JEDSaje15 wont pick up leaves backwards

[@WebCamCartmell]

man, a new max maker vid, just before bed too! perfect.

[@Mathis-p9n]

I've also always dreamed of building a DIY automated lawn mower for my downhill garden that my parents never mow, this might just get me to do it! Do you think you could create a list of parts so that I can copy this exact idea?

[@ThePostApocalypticInventor]

Hehe this must be one fof those projects that we have all thought about, but few have ever done it! I sure dreamed about this as a child, but I later solved this problem by having my girlfriend mow the lawn for me instead ;)

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Please do!

[@CharlieBaes]

Which drill is your yellow 12V that accepts the Bosch 12v batteries? I have never seen that model! Great video!

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Its exactly the one you are describing! I just spray paint all my drills in different colours. That way its easy to grab the right one. One typically hold a drill, a second one a countersink bit and the third one a driver with a bit.

[@AntonioNoack]

Complex code? Am I missing something?, looks quite easy to me... Inputs: forward [-1 .. 1], right [-1 .. 1] Output: left / right wheel speed [-1 .. 1] left wheel speed = forward - right right wheel speed = forward + right Handling speed above/below 1/-1 should be done with respect what the maximum values are (maybe -1,-1 inputs are impossible, idk). Maybe just divide both outputs by two.

[@SteffenEgal-p7e]

Very nice Video. I love to see how much fun you have

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Thank you 🤗

[@SkyfishArt]

Have you by any chance heard of the muppet «max mekker»? He was on norwegian childrens show «sesam stasjon». His catchphrase was «max mekker, mekker maks» it translates to max maker, makes the most» (or fixes maximally) I’m sure he would have loved your channel.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Haha! Thats cool!

[@Captintarget]

Max Can you add a link to your description for your automatic lawnmower

[@MaxMakerChannel]

What exactly? I don’t have a tutorial. But there are many out there.

[@SpaceShrimp]

Just discovered your channel, good video, I enjoyed it. subscribed :)

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Welcome aboard!

[@I_WinogronaCzerwone_Pl]

I love your videos, especially the trash train one

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Glad you like them!

[@prosaldozwiler4257]

Extrem geil!!

[@no-damn-alias]

How about a battery powered leaf blower?

[@OneHundredEnvelopes]

what about putting a wireless camera on the mower so that you can mow from your chair inside?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I could do a livestream!

[@janlaan9602]

if you plan to make it autonomous, please take into account hedgehogs. robot mowers are killing lots of them at the moment as hedgehogs don't get out of the way, they just ball up and get run over

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I have never seen a hedgehog in my garden. They only come out at night.

[@sebastianwalder2498]

Why not make compost?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

The city makes the compost.

[@BucketmanAnimations]

Put a little orange flag on the top!

[@henningschaferhoff1533]

Wie stellst du sicher, dass keine Ausgleichsströme zwischen den parallel verschalteten Akkupacks fließt? Aktuell muss man immer sehr aufpassen, dass die Akkus eine exakt gleiche Spannung haben, bevor man sie einsetzt. Idealerweise sollte da noch eine/zwei Sicherungen dazwischen.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Hmm, da hab ich noch garnicht drüber nachgedacht. Aber die verbrauchen extrem wenig. Meistens nur 25%.

[@henningschaferhoff1533]

@@MaxMakerChannel Du kannst ja Mal messen, wie viel Strom aus jedem Akku entnommen wird und dann eine etwas größere Sicherung in Reihe dazu schalten. Autosicherungen sollten da reichen. Sie sollten auf jedem Fall kleiner sein als die im Akkupack verbauten Sicherungen da es sehr aufwendig ist die auszutauschen.

[@wsd5559_roblox]

Bro is the best engineer that solves every problem 1:25

[@davidk-w5322]

Hätte man nicht die Motoren nach außen legen können, damit die Räder näher am Mäher sind?

[@infty5829]

Gibt es einen Vorteil gegenüber den Rasenmäher einfach per Hand zu schieben? Wenn man ehrlich ist nicht. Aber ist es verdammt cool? Ja! Und überlege ich gerade ernsthaft mir auch son Ding zu bauen? Well…maybe 😂

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Auf jeden Fall. Das Ding ist viel schneller als man laufen könnte. Außerdem kann es ruck zuck wenden. Wenn man hinterher läuft muss man immer vor und zurück manövrieren. First world problems.

[@Paul-xt1qn]

Love it!

[@Rockport1911]

Most commercial mowing robots just dont have that kind of torque in the mower blades to really mulch grass. They are useless for the first cut in the year or for really fast growing periods. My electric Ryobi push mower mulches better than my large ride- on- mower with its good torque...

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Yeah I see that. But I get my my running in march. So the grass is very short to begin with. Its amazing how much grass it cuts every weak. The blades are only sticking out 1cm.

[@CoedCasualties]

any geek who has seen Honey I Shrunk the Kids has had this idea, not shaming I'm just jealous. xD

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I probably have, but 25 years ago.

[@Handleyman]

You’re very clever. Wish I was…

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Not clever, just driven.

[@benjaminmellingen5340]

who are you and why do you make this stuff? are you a janitor or are you the owner of the building? don't get me wrong I love your channel, but I have no idea why you do what you do 😂

[@MaxMakerChannel]

My parents own the building. I just pay rent and do maintenance. Its like owning it without owning it.

[@JordanMalan255]

Wo ist der Code?

[@MaxMakerChannel]

pastebin.com/jXYjha2X

[@lucascollins1407]

Who are you German colinfurze ?

[@doubledarefan]

Yes. And a bit less crazy. And just as awesome!

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I think my stuff is more practical. 😅

[@dertobik9856]

warte auf den tag wo er ein Pool baut.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Hab hier ne Badestelle um die Ecke. Kein Bedarf.

[@hillppari]

ill stick to a robot mower. let the AI do the slaving

[@bekim137]

Next time make it run automatic

[@NigelMarston]

Looks almost identical to the DeWalt mower I recently bought. Bet I paid a lot more for mine. 🙄 Great project. I'm now eyeing mine up with a growing parts list in mind. 😊

[@MaxMakerChannel]

Go for it!

[@MaxMakerChannel]

I think they must be all made in the same factory but with customised plastic parts and features.

[@steffiiizh]

Face reveal!!!!

[@Luca_na-freilich]

mach doch deutschen videos ist für diech entspanter auch wen du evtl am anfang weniger clicks habs aber sonst super videos

[@womacko]

Only germans pronounce TH as F, like in "Freaded Rod" 😂