Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

Phisherman wrote:
Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

For leaf pick-up, a yard vac with a pick-up tube will work much better
than a blower-vac that's light enough to carry. And if you're not going
to vac them up, a rake is twice as fast as blowing them. For cleaning
grass clippings off of the pavement, what's the matter with a broom? A
broom is faster, too.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Celebrate Christmas with The Simpsons
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/simpsons.html

"Warren" wrote in message
news:3VEtb.165408$ao4.538609@attbi_s51...
Phisherman wrote:
Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

For leaf pick-up, a yard vac with a pick-up tube will work much better
than a blower-vac that's light enough to carry. And if you're not going
to vac them up, a rake is twice as fast as blowing them. For cleaning
grass clippings off of the pavement, what's the matter with a broom? A
broom is faster, too.

Many years ago I had a job picking up leaves. We used two types of blowers.
The backpack blower (essentially a hand blower) was used to get leaves out
of the corners, under bushes, away from the fence, etc. The other blower was
a big puppy on wheels. One person would "cut in" the back end, then the
other would start using the big blower to do the larger open areas. Two of
could do a good sized yard (1/4-1/3 acre) in under an hour.

I would agree that using only a hand blower is slower. However, if you're
willing to spend the bucks, you can use it for the edges (much faster) and
blowing the driveway.

Tip #1: Cut your grass short at the end of the season - makes picking up
leaves easier.

Tip #2: Use your mower and mulch them (if it's not too thick and you have
grass). I always did that and let my clippings drop, too. Never fertilized.
Rarely watered. I always had the first and last green on the block.

Hi,

These blowers are also so noisy more so than a lawn mower. I could
understand the use if they did not have to pick the leaves after blowing
them. We have one that picks the leaves and put them in bags. This year I=

use the rake; no noise just the pleasant noise from the leafs.

Fran=E7oise.

Warren wrote:

Phisherman wrote:
Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting on=
e
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets=

from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

For leaf pick-up, a yard vac with a pick-up tube will work much better
than a blower-vac that's light enough to carry. And if you're not going=

to vac them up, a rake is twice as fast as blowing them. For cleaning
grass clippings off of the pavement, what's the matter with a broom? A
broom is faster, too.

--
Warren H.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Celebrate Christmas with The Simpsons
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/simpsons.html

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 04:45:34 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers?

They're all noisy

Dan

"Phisherman" wrote in message
news
Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

I have an electric blower which is fine for cleaning walks and driveway. I
assume gas powered blowers like trimmers or chain saws require all clothes
to wash and you to shower after using.
Frank

Phisherman wrote:

Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?



They have their uses, but don't throw your rake away. The blowers are
quicker than a rake for getting leaves out of restricted places (window
wells, under bushes, corners, etc.). Once you have a large pile of
leaves, the blower doesn't work well. At that point you're better off
with a rake, but at least by that time the piles are consolidated
somewhat.

Also, the rake works better on wet leaves and pine needles in moderately
tall grass.

I have a Stihl backpack blower. My only complaint is that until the
engine warms up a half a minute, a sudden pull on the throttle can stall
it. Once it stalls, you can't start it without taking it off your back
(unless you're into those strange yoga positions). To put it on is not
really all that easy unless you have a pickup truck and can put it on
the tailgate. A 4wd with a higher tailgate is better. (However, it's
probably not worth buying a 4wd truck just for your leaf blower.) I've
been using it about 5 years without any other problems.

If you have only a small area, the hand blower is probably what you
want. Electric models are cheaper, but you're limited by the extension
cord. I have one of those also, and it's great for cleaning out the
garage.

Frank Logullo wrote:

...I
assume gas powered blowers like trimmers or chain saws require all clothes
to wash and you to shower after using...



Depends on what you're blowing. They don't spray debris in all
directions like trimmers and don't aim oily chips at you like chain
saws. The leaves are being blown away from you and the engine exhaust is
directed away from you (although my wife has a sensitive nose and can
sometimes detect that I've been using the blower).

On the other hand, whenever you're blowing leaves, the wind will be
blowing toward you, so you will get covered with bits of leaves.
However, that can happen when you're raking also.

As far as the noise comments, they are noisy. Wear hearing protection if
you're going to be using it for more than 5-10 minutes.

Blowers 10 years ago were about 92 decibels and today they are around 67
decibels with better mufflers and more efficient engines. =


Phisherman wrote:
=

Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

-- =

Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal

"Phisherman" wrote in message
news
Anyone comment on gas-powered blowers? I'm thinking about getting one
for leaf pickup, and more importantly, to clean driveways and streets
from grass clippings. Any comments on Stihl blowers?

How do you like the air that we breath? The sounds [of nature] that we
hear?

"According to the Lung Association, a leaf blower causes as much smog as 17
cars . "
. . .

.. . . "This paints a bleak picture for the power blower. It is perhaps the
most over and inappropriately used landscape tool . Autumn's tremendous
amounts of organic debris that requires collection might be considered
appropriate use of this tool. However, the weekly routine of blowing abuses
the soil and damages landscape plants while the noise generated creates ill
will from neighbors and clients alike. Leaf rakes deserve a renewed interest
in the maintenance of landscapes."

http://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm
Some pretty interesting reading there . . .


Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen Magoc wrote:

..."According to the Lung Association, a leaf blower causes as much smog as 17
cars . "
. . .

. . . "This paints a bleak picture for the power blower. It is perhaps the
most over and inappropriately used landscape tool . Autumn's tremendous
amounts of organic debris that requires collection might be considered
appropriate use of this tool. However, the weekly routine of blowing abuses
the soil and damages landscape plants while the noise generated creates ill
will from neighbors and clients alike. Leaf rakes deserve a renewed interest
in the maintenance of landscapes."




There are appropriate uses for this tool. The blower gets into corners
and under porches and bushes much better than a rake. It gets leaves out
of window wells.

There are inappropriate uses for this tool. Weekly use is overkill. My
blower gets used only once or twice a year for leaves. (it's also a
sprayer, so it gets used during the summer also). The blower does not
handle wet leaves or large piles of leaves as well as a rake. The rake
is infinitely superior when gathering leaves into a compact pile.

I recommend both tools, used appropriately. Being male, I have to say
that "more tools is better".

As far as pollution goes, my car gets used much more than 17 times as
much as my blower.

Shepherd wrote:
My car is used about 1000 hours a year. My leaf blower is used less
than 10
hours a year.

What's your point?


People buy Kellogg's Corn Flakes 100 times more often than store brands.
By your logic it would be okay if the store brands included 17 times as
much toxins. But in reality, it's irrelevant if Kellogg's is used 100
times as often. The public interest is served when both are held to the
same standards.

The fact that you use your car more often than your leaf blower is
irrelevant. Per minute, the leaf blower produces 17 times as much
pollution. That's as unacceptable is it is for some goofy little car
with a smaller market share being allowed to not meet standards simply
because people drive other cars more.

Would it be okay for you to disable the pollution controls on your car,
and justify it by saying for every 10 hours you drive it, the other cars
in the neighborhood are driven 1000 hours? Of course not. So why would
you think it's relevant that you drive your car 1000 hours for every 10
hours you use your leaf blower? It doesn't make the leaf blower one iota
cleaner. It's not a logical justification.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Celebrate Christmas with The Simpsons
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/simpsons.html

"According to the Lung Association, a leaf blower causes as much smog as
17
cars . "

Because it's a 2-stroke engine, of course.

My gas leaf blower recently expired (possibly prematurely). I went to Home
Despot to look at new ones, and all of them had "engine life 100 hours" on
the price tag. Screw that!

Now I use my mulching mower to chop up the leaves. I also bought a Shop-vac
that came with a blower attachment, which I use to clear off the sidewalk.
The electric Shop-vac is cheaper, quieter, more versatile, more robust, and
easier to start than a gas blower.

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.

Warren wrote:

The point is that a leaf blower puts out a disportional amount of
polution for it's size.

When it can be easily replace by a more healthy way to gather the leaves.=

There is the rake. There is also the electric aspirator, which is a lot l=
ess
noisy and a lot more healthy.

Fran=E7oise

--
Warren H.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Celebrate Christmas with The Simpsons
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/simpsons.html

Good for you. Good for your hears as well. Apparently there is a permanen=
t
diminution of hearing for the user with each hour of use of a gas blower.=


Fran=E7oise.

Spud Demon wrote:

"According to the Lung Association, a leaf blower causes as much smo=
g as
17
cars . "

Because it's a 2-stroke engine, of course.

My gas leaf blower recently expired (possibly prematurely). I went to =
Home
Despot to look at new ones, and all of them had "engine life 100 hours"=
on
the price tag. Screw that!

Now I use my mulching mower to chop up the leaves. I also bought a Sho=
p-vac
that came with a blower attachment, which I use to clear off the sidewa=
lk.
The electric Shop-vac is cheaper, quieter, more versatile, more robust,=
and
easier to start than a gas blower.

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.