Solar lights from a bottle.

Here is a nifty way to reuse bottles to make lightbulbs. They are using this in electrically strained areas around the world.

Lawnmower links and timeline

Lawnmower Conversion Links:
http://www.arttec.net/Solar_Mower/index.html
(the site that motivated me)

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Vehicles/LeeMower.htm

My Timeline:
2008- Gas lawnmower dies. Purchase adapter and blade, put new cord on electric motor, pull engine from the mowing deck, and mount electric motor to mower deck.

2008-2010- Graduate from college, change jobs twice, and move three times.

May 2011- Find bushing to fit blade adapter to drive shaft, put tin on underside of masonite, mount blade to drive shaft and blow several breakers on test run.

Electric Lawnmower Update

I have had some trouble with the electric lawnmower throwing breakers. I set it on the bare concrete the other day and plugged it in to see how long it would go before it threw the breaker. The answer is exactly 76 seconds. I assume there is something going on internally that is causing extra friction, and therefore too much Amp pull. I will need to take the motor apart and see what is going on. Because of this issue I have been using my old people powered Reel mower all summer, hopefully I can get the electric mower up and running reliably for next year. The one time I successfully used it, it worked like a champ. The grass looked like it had been mowed by a grass powered mower. Those who have used both rotary and reel mowers know the quality cut difference. For those who don't, it takes roughly 3-4 passes on a reel mower to get the same quality as one pass on a rotary mower.