So did you end up buying that billy goat?
Craftsman leaf vaccum
- Thread starter 01rangerxl
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No, it wasn't self propelled and would be a bit much to push up my driveway.
I feel kind of dumb that I didn't mess with this more before looking into a dedicated machine, but FZ1's recommendation to lower the deck height on the Toro to get a better vacuuming effect helped a lot. Going to look into bigger bag options or a bigger mower like you suggested.
This year I just stuck the bagger on the back of my mower and used that to pickup the leaves.
Maybe rent something and see if you like it first? Rent from robin rents or Home Depot…. Try out a few solutions and buy in a year or two? I have come to appreciate the rental stuff for seasonal tasks because I don’t lose space storing low-use items.
My parents had one and it didn’t do too well. Too many leaves perhaps. I would entertain a Billy Goat brand vacuum. As mentioned above, rent one and see before purchasing.
I would think you’d be better off mowing and bagging the leaves though IMO.
I would think you’d be better off mowing and bagging the leaves though IMO.
The leaves have been crazy this year.
As I've mentioned elsewhere we have been using SIL cheap mower at the TN house thinking that we would sell the GA house and bring the Honda HRX here. This year the leaves were just too much - there was not any reasonably priced leaf muncher in stock anywhere and we figured if we wanted to sell a Honda mower would always be easy to sell, so we picked up an HRN. Ms Duckryder blew the leaves up in to mounds and mulched the mounds up with he HRN. Then bagged the remains even then the bag fills quickly. However if we had been mowing/mulching with the HRN or HRX all along it would have been no issue...
Still interested in other options / leaf mulchers and vacs - But the Honda twin blade mower is a very good mulcher. The 170 is surprisingly powerful and the smart drive in surprisingly ergonomic - I say surprisingly because i did not think i would like it, but it is very natural - i suppose i shouldn't be surprised from Honda.
As I've mentioned elsewhere we have been using SIL cheap mower at the TN house thinking that we would sell the GA house and bring the Honda HRX here. This year the leaves were just too much - there was not any reasonably priced leaf muncher in stock anywhere and we figured if we wanted to sell a Honda mower would always be easy to sell, so we picked up an HRN. Ms Duckryder blew the leaves up in to mounds and mulched the mounds up with he HRN. Then bagged the remains even then the bag fills quickly. However if we had been mowing/mulching with the HRN or HRX all along it would have been no issue...
Still interested in other options / leaf mulchers and vacs - But the Honda twin blade mower is a very good mulcher. The 170 is surprisingly powerful and the smart drive in surprisingly ergonomic - I say surprisingly because i did not think i would like it, but it is very natural - i suppose i shouldn't be surprised from Honda.
The little chipper on those leaf vacs can be handy for small branches you come across. I don’t know why Billy goat doesn’t have that feature.
I did a leaf job the other day and the lady said there’s no way I’ll get them all in one truck load. I blew them all into a rough rectangle, shredded them up with the mower after blocking the discharge, and then bagged up the leaf confetti with the same mower. Fit it all into 3 green garbage bags. The job probably would have been faster with a big leaf vac but it can be done fairly efficiently with just a mower and blower.
I did a leaf job the other day and the lady said there’s no way I’ll get them all in one truck load. I blew them all into a rough rectangle, shredded them up with the mower after blocking the discharge, and then bagged up the leaf confetti with the same mower. Fit it all into 3 green garbage bags. The job probably would have been faster with a big leaf vac but it can be done fairly efficiently with just a mower and blower.
Owen Lucas
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I just run over leaves with my HRX217 when its time to mow and let nature do the rest. I refuse to go clean my lawn 3x a week like some of my neighbors do daily. But then again I am not inundated.
Some models do have that feature. Mine certainly does and I use it a lot, especially after a big storm or when felling trees.
Good idea and something I will look into.
The one I was thinking about did have the chipper, but was not self propelled. The chipper was a big plus, because I've wanted one anyway, but I really need something self propelled on my driveway.
Good tip on mulching with no bag and the chute covered first.
I usually just mulch on the grass anyway, though I might need to do some removal this year. My "yard waste processing area" is becoming overwhelmed too, so I may actually need to do a dump run or a few. The rain this year was nuts and it seems all the old trees around here used it to make leaves.
Oh yeah, this is just management so the grass won't be killed and the Ranger can get up the driveway.
I have a Bear Cat leaf vacuum and its well built and works fine for vacuuming leaves. I does not however chop up the leaves very much. I wait until the unit almost tips backwards and then empty the bag.
But most of the time I just chop up the leaves with a lawn mower. It's beneficial for the lawn. Mulching blade is best but any blade will work.
My riding mower has more power and does a better job. But you need to go over the lawn 2x or 3x times.
But most of the time I just chop up the leaves with a lawn mower. It's beneficial for the lawn. Mulching blade is best but any blade will work.
My riding mower has more power and does a better job. But you need to go over the lawn 2x or 3x times.
