Looking at a STIHL 500 backpack leaf blower (I have a 2 acre wooded lot). Does anyone know if these are any good? Are there better ones out there?
gas backpack leaf blowers
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My neighbor has a backpack leaf blower, orange or red and white, dont know brand, and he has had the same one for like 10 years. He uses it many times in the season.. Still kicking, and boy, do they blow out some air!
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I have the stihl hand held blower and all my stihl equipment has been very good.
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
I have the stihl hand held blower and all my stihl equipment has been very good.
+1, although I've only had mine for 1 season so far. The gutter cleaning attachment comes in handy, too.
I have the stihl hand held blower and all my stihl equipment has been very good.
+1, although I've only had mine for 1 season so far. The gutter cleaning attachment comes in handy, too.
I use the Shindaiwa EB802 and it's an excellent blower. The blower is not used as often(maybe twice a month) as the EB2510(used 4+ times a week) but they do not compare. EB802 tears away at things with ease but for finesse the EB2510 has excellent power and gets the job done quick.
You need to explain how much you intend to blow(leaves), what distant, how much ... small piles or large piles.
You need to explain how much you intend to blow(leaves), what distant, how much ... small piles or large piles.
Yes, the
Stihl is a very good blower. I'm also partial to Echo. I have a friend who owns a lawn/garden shop and he reallly know his stuff (he also sells ATV's, snowmobiles, PWC's etc) He repairs them and also goes to tech training every year. anyway, Stihl/Echo are just fine. I've also heard good things about the Shiawa?? and also Red-something; but I prefer to stick to stuff that I know and trust.
Stihl is a very good blower. I'm also partial to Echo. I have a friend who owns a lawn/garden shop and he reallly know his stuff (he also sells ATV's, snowmobiles, PWC's etc) He repairs them and also goes to tech training every year. anyway, Stihl/Echo are just fine. I've also heard good things about the Shiawa?? and also Red-something; but I prefer to stick to stuff that I know and trust.
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
Yes, the
Stihl is a very good blower. I'm also partial to Echo. I have a friend who owns a lawn/garden shop and he reallly know his stuff (he also sells ATV's, snowmobiles, PWC's etc) He repairs them and also goes to tech training every year. anyway, Stihl/Echo are just fine. I've also heard good things about the Shiawa?? and also Red-something; but I prefer to stick to stuff that I know and trust.
What Echo backpack blower would you recommend and any feedback on real usage?
Yes, the
Stihl is a very good blower. I'm also partial to Echo. I have a friend who owns a lawn/garden shop and he reallly know his stuff (he also sells ATV's, snowmobiles, PWC's etc) He repairs them and also goes to tech training every year. anyway, Stihl/Echo are just fine. I've also heard good things about the Shiawa?? and also Red-something; but I prefer to stick to stuff that I know and trust.
What Echo backpack blower would you recommend and any feedback on real usage?
I have a 2 acre wooded lot all lawn with the original 60 foot oak,maple, white birch and ash trees still there plus another 30 trees I have planted 11 years ago now 20-25 feet tall.(it is really nice and private because I also have 45 blue spruce trees mixed in) So I have about 100 trees dropping leaves and will leave a pile about the size of maybe a 40 yard dumpster. The city comes by with a big sucker vacuum truck and picks up any leaves on the curb so I have curbs on 3 sides of the lot. So I have to move leaves about 200 feet in 3 directions. I have been having a landscaper doing the job but am sure their cost in labor is equal to the price of a blower in a year. But my real motivation is getting the leaves off the grass as my lawn is now 11 years later (since I built the house) nice and lush and the leaves kil off the lawn. If I hit it 3 times the lawn will stay perfect. So that is what I am planning to do. I considered a mulching mower but way too much volume to mulch. I also considered making a compost pile but live on the Cuyahoga National Park and the heat from the compost attracts skunks and possums which attract coyotes we now have in packs everywhere who have moved in to feed on the deer population. (yes we have deer, turkeys, turkey buzzards, canadian geese, hawks, owls, and coyotes roaming free around here). So a leaf blower is in my future.
Eh 100 trees on 2 acres..you grew yourself a forest...hmmm.
Well there is a Shindaiwa dealer 3 miles from my office so I'll be calling them tomorrow. The EB3410 hand held looks like it could be just the thing for me. Very powerful for a hand held so maybe I'll skip the backpack. I see that Shindaiwa and Echo merged operations.
Thanks for all the replies. I'll let you know what I find.
Thanks for all the replies. I'll let you know what I find.
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My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
He wants me to try that before I buy one. He said it will do my yard in one hour.
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I don't think you could go wrong w/ any higher dollar blower, be it Stihl, Echo, Shindawa, Tanaka, Redmax, etc.... Backpack is the way to go if you've got lots-o blowing to do. My 10yr/old refurb'd Homelite hand-held starts on the 2nd pull every time, but after 10min your arm goes numb from the weight and vibrations.
Joel
Joel
Originally Posted By: PT1
My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
He wants me to try that before I buy one. He said it will do my yard in one hour.
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
This might be the way to go. You have and extreme amount of leaves. If not this, you want to go with a backpack model, not hand held. Regardless of brand, the most important things is that you have a good dealer to service it.
My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
This might be the way to go. You have and extreme amount of leaves. If not this, you want to go with a backpack model, not hand held. Regardless of brand, the most important things is that you have a good dealer to service it.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: PT1
My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
He wants me to try that before I buy one. He said it will do my yard in one hour.
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
Well heck, you can go up to 13hp and higher with walk-behind commercial untis. This one's got a 13hp Honda engine. Might be uncomfortable strapped to your back though.
Joel
My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
Well heck, you can go up to 13hp and higher with walk-behind commercial untis. This one's got a 13hp Honda engine. Might be uncomfortable strapped to your back though.
Joel
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I have a Stihl BR400 back pack blower I bought new in 1997 , I run there little orange bottles of 2 stroke oil, its been great,
I just put my first plug in it last year , only because I felt guilty,the things been awesome, not one problem ever !
I just put my first plug in it last year , only because I felt guilty,the things been awesome, not one problem ever !
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: PT1
My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
He wants me to try that before I buy one. He said it will do my yard in one hour.
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
Well heck, you can go up to 13hp and higher with walk-behind commercial untis. This one's got a 13hp Honda engine. Might be uncomfortable strapped to your back though.
Joel
LOL...yeah but maybe the wife can run that thing while I sit in my lazyboy....
Originally Posted By: PT1
My neighbor just emailed me and he has a 8hp walk behind leaf blower?
I didn't evern know they made a 8hp blower.
Well heck, you can go up to 13hp and higher with walk-behind commercial untis. This one's got a 13hp Honda engine. Might be uncomfortable strapped to your back though.
Joel
LOL...yeah but maybe the wife can run that thing while I sit in my lazyboy....
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Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
Eh 100 trees on 2 acres..you grew yourself a forest...hmmm.
That's true but I can sit on my deck in back and nobody driving by on the road behind my house 500 feet away can see my house. None of the neighbors can see in our back windows...nice natural privacy. Worth cleaning leaves once a year.
Eh 100 trees on 2 acres..you grew yourself a forest...hmmm.
That's true but I can sit on my deck in back and nobody driving by on the road behind my house 500 feet away can see my house. None of the neighbors can see in our back windows...nice natural privacy. Worth cleaning leaves once a year.
Well I tried the "Little Wonder" 8hp model. Cleared 1/2 acre of leaves in 90 minutes moving all of them 250 feet to the curb. I want one....
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I slapped the mulch plug on the deck of my Cub 2544 and 'eliminated' 1/2 acre of leaves in 20min!
A Little Wonder would be great for my patio and driveway though. I think you gotta have one PT1.
Joel
Joel
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