Leaf Blower Engine Powered Kids Bike From Trash

this project was really fun, I can ride it to school, and i made it in my high school shop class with all of the parts (including fresh tires) costing about $35.

Step 1: Find Old Power Equipment

My neighbor was selling an old leaf blower for $10, and it seemed to have compression and wasn't seized so I bought it. Any old power equipment will work, because you'll be extracting the engine. When I bought the leaf blower it didn't run, but with a new spark plug, fresh fuel, and some carburetor cleaning, it started right up.

Step 2: Find an Old Kids Bike

I found mine in a dumpster. Find one with a front brake cable because you'll need it for the throttle.

Step 3: Take the Engine Out

The next step is to completely remove everything that makes the tool (chainsaw, leaf blower, etc.) a tool. Just grab a screwdriver, a drill, and a pair of pliers and remove everything that isn't essential to making the engine run, even the throttle trigger. Don't forget to save your bolts! you'll need them later.

Step 4: Mounting Points

In this step you'll need to mark out all the mounting points where the bolts held down the plastic casing of the engine onto a piece of plywood. Mark all the holes closest to the flywheel side of the engine. Once you do that, you need to grab a hole saw and a Dremel tool. Mark out and cut a hole for your flywheel, and then dremel out a recess on the top side for the coil/ magneto. Drill a hole on the front fork of the bike, and bolt the bottom corner of your plywood mount to the front fork. This will pivot and allow you to use the engine mount as a clutch. You will need to remove the front wheel and the front brake to put the bolt in, and when you put it back together, leave the front brake off.

Step 5: Throttle Control

this was the hardest part of the build. But all you need to do is screw a piece of wood (strapping works well) to the plywood in front of the carburetor, then drill a small hole in it that the cable can run through but not the casing tube. Remove the cable from the front brake and cut the "Z' shaped end off of it with some pliers. Run it through the hole in the wood, and drill another small hole in the throttle lever for the engine. Then drill another small hole in a 1/2" long 1/4"x20 bolt, run the cable through that, through the hole in the throttle lever, and wrap it back through the hole in the bolt. Then tighten the bolt, so the cable won't slip. Adjust the cable tension from the adjuster on the front brake lever, and you should be good to go.

Step 6: Clutch

then attach the top end of the plywood to a long piece of strapping, put a bolt at the top attaching it to another piece of strapping, but don't tighten it all the way because it needs to pivot. this will be your clutch control. Find something to screw onto the engine shaft thats somewhat small in diameter for torque, and your almost ready.