Billy Goat KV series leaf vacuum

[Donald]

I have enough oak trees in my back yard that I cannot use my mower to mulch them all. I have tried a gas operated leaf vacuum with a shoulder held bag but it's not optimal.

Looking at a Billy Goat KV series leaf vacuum. Probably used. The company says the shredding rate is up to 6:1 but you can get a screen and then get up to 12:1.

I had a BearCat leaf vacuum that would pack the leaves in the bag but not do much mulching. 5

Unsure if I need a self propelled.

A few have Honda engines but most have B&S engines.

 

[tbm5690]

What is your issue with the leaf vacuum, capacity? I use a hose kit that pumps the leaves into a 50 gallon can instead of the useless shoulder bag. I use that to clear all the landscape beds, and then I either blow/rake combo the grass for collection and dumping elsewhere.

 

[Donald]

What is your issue with the leaf vacuum, capacity? I use a hose kit that pumps the leaves into a 50 gallon can instead of the useless shoulder bag. I use that to clear all the landscape beds, and then I either blow/rake combo the grass for collection and dumping elsewhere.

I don't have any real place to dump leaves other than some planting beds. So they really need to be shredded very well. Then I can dump them into the back planning beds. I will mulch some into the lawn but just too many in the back with several large oak trees.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Is there a question in there? I used a Billy Goat KV years ago. Work great, be ready for a dust bath. They roll easily on hard surfaces, tall grass would get pretty tiring and self propelled would help. Not much goes wrong with them unless you arent paying attention and hit a boulder or something.

 

[gman2304]

Cyclone Rake.com, I’ve had mine for 20 years and it does a great job on my wooded 1.5 acres.

 

[tbm5690]

I don't have any real place to dump leaves other than some planting beds. So they really need to be shredded very well. Then I can dump them into the back planning beds. I will mulch some into the lawn but just too many in the back with several large oak trees.

You don't have a dump site somewhere in town that accepts yard waste? My city vacuums them up at least twice every fall so all I need to do is get them to the street but I assume that's a rarity as far as services go.

 

[Donald]

You don't have a dump site somewhere in town that accepts yard waste? My city vacuums them up at least twice every fall so all I need to do is get them to the street but I assume that's a rarity as far as services go.

The state has a transfer station where you can bring yard waste but there is a minimum and you get charged by weight. But unless the leaves are shredded you will bring a ton of leaves to the transfer station.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Normally I chop the leaves with the lawn tractor first and blow them into a smaller area before following up with the Billy Goat. That works very well for me. I have the self propelled model with the Honda GSV-190 motor. It wouldn't be easy to manually push with a full bag. The shredding isn't that impressive if you just run it over unprocessed leaves.

 

[Donald]

Normally I chop the leaves with the lawn tractor first and blow them into a smaller area before following up with the Billy Goat. That works very well for me. I have the self propelled model with the Honda GSV-190 motor. It wouldn't be easy to manually push with a full bag. The shredding isn't that impressive if you just run it over unprocessed leaves.

Is yours a KV model. That apparently does a better job of shredding than other models. And you can buy an optional screen to have it shred into finer pieces.

The company told me the key is to have really dried out leaves. Not just fallen one that still have some moisture.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Is yours a KV model?

Yes.

This what the leaves look like after my two step process.

 

[Donald]

I picked this one up. Bag is in truck. Not used very much. Self propelled l. A little hard to start because of huge flywheel.

 

[B6_Dolphin]

When I lived in CT many years ago, I had an 1 1/2 acre lot that had oak trees, maple trees, etc., and I needed a lawn vacuum/shredder just to keep up. No longer made, but I used this beast from Cub Cadet:

https://www.purplewave.com/auction/...CSV260-Lawn_and_Garden-Lawn_and_Garden-Kansas

Since the town picked-up leaves that were piled by the curb, the zip-out bag made it easy to dump the leaves. The impeller provided a 10-to-1 reduction.

 

[Astro_Guy]

I picked this one up. Bag is in truck. Not used very much. Self propelled l. A little hard to start because of huge flywheel.

View attachment 308097

MIne has the Honda GSV-190 that starts on the first pull if it has been run within the last 10-14 days. Looks like you got one equipped with a B&S. It should serve you well. Mine throws the drive belt a lot so I don't keep that chain cover on. It threw off the belt again today...

 

[Donald]

So I gave it a try today and while it did a good job on the vacuum end it did not do a great job shredding leaves. They say up to 6:1 for dry leaves. Mine are dry. I am looking for little bits of leaves not halves of leaves. They sell a add-on shredder screen but mixed reviews. It cuts back the vacuum suction and clogs.

As others have suggested I make need to mulch with mower and then vacuum with BillyGoat.

Not looking for a manicured lawn. Just need to vacuum some of the mulched leaves so the lawn is not overwhelmed with little bits of leaves. I want the lawn to benefit from the mulched leaves. But not go crazy.

 

[RBT]

I have enough oak trees in my back yard that I cannot use my mower to mulch them all. I have tried a gas operated leaf vacuum with a shoulder held bag but it's not optimal.

Looking at a Billy Goat KV series leaf vacuum. Probably used. The company says the shredding rate is up to 6:1 but you can get a screen and then get up to 12:1.

I had a BearCat leaf vacuum that would pack the leaves in the bag but not do much mulching. 5

Unsure if I need a self propelled.

A few have Honda engines but most have B&S engines.

I have one. Reliability has been disappointing. Self propelled feature is not reliable - chains slip the sprockets - carb has been replaced numerous times (used original Honda carb, luckily not expensive), and hard to start. Maybe because mine was made during Covid. When the machine is running it is useful - I use the mower to mulch the leaves to maximize capacity.

 

[Fordiesel69]

I have enough oak trees in my back yard that I cannot use my mower to mulch them all. I have tried a gas operated leaf vacuum with a shoulder held bag but it's not optimal.

Looking at a Billy Goat KV series leaf vacuum. Probably used. The company says the shredding rate is up to 6:1 but you can get a screen and then get up to 12:1.

I had a BearCat leaf vacuum that would pack the leaves in the bag but not do much mulching. 5

Unsure if I need a self propelled.

A few have Honda engines but most have B&S engines.

The billy goat models I have been around are just that, vacuums! They will suck the leaves up, jam them into a resivoir for you to dispose of. They do not do a good job at shredding them. To do that you will need a mower deck that is excellent at mulching and you should slow down the ground speed.

 

[Donald]

The billy goat models I have been around are just that, vacuums! They will suck the leaves up, jam them into a resivoir for you to dispose of. They do not do a good job at shredding them. To do that you will need a mower deck that is excellent at mulching and you should slow down the ground speed.

I keep trying to find an better way to deal with leaves. I have a 30" Timemaster mower, BillyGoat leaf vacuum, backpack blower, handheld cordless blower and hand held with shoulder strap leaf vacuum.

I have given up trying to find and easy way.

And many oak trees. Which I love. Backyard is kind of like a park.

 

[Fattylocks]

I keep trying to find an better way to deal with leaves. I have a 30" Timemaster mower, BillyGoat leaf vacuum, backpack blower, handheld cordless blower and hand held with shoulder strap leaf vacuum.

I have given up trying to find and easy way.

And many oak trees. Which I love. Backyard is kind of like a park.

Fire?

 

[meep]

I keep trying to find an better way to deal with leaves. I have a 30" Timemaster mower, BillyGoat leaf vacuum, backpack blower, handheld cordless blower and hand held with shoulder strap leaf vacuum.

I have given up trying to find and easy way.

And many oak trees. Which I love. Backyard is kind of like a park.

The simplest I found was to use a bagging mower, dumping every other stripe. Once I no longer had the bagger, I’ve tried everything from blowing and bagging to mowing and vacuuming with the ryobi 40V leaf vac, to running the rider in circles after leaving the grass a little high and grinding it into the ground. The mow-in-circles in taller grass worked this year. The ryobi leaf vac is an ergonomic nightmare and really doesn’t have the power to chew what it pulls up, making it both unwieldy and very persnickety to use. Whatever the method, pre-mulching is probably a good move.

 

[Donald]

Fire?

Not allowed to burn leaves