How to justify the cost of a Cyclone Rake?

[TXChinook]

I would like to get a CR but am having a hard time with the potential unit cost. If I use it for 10 years (about max at my age) and use it one day a year, that's about $250 per use, not counting consumables, maintenance, etc. So the question is, if I had one, would I use it more than one day per year? Right now, we wait until the leaves are all on the ground and then do one big raking; manually picking up the leaves and moving them with a trailer (no mulching). We hate the job but it's only one day a year. I don't have a place to keep something this big assembled so disassembly and reassembly would be needed for each use. Most users seem to have large yards; we have about an acre with grass and leaves. We also have lots of "character" (ups/downs) in our yard and LOTS of trees and gardens. So back to my question, do CR users get more than one day's use per year? Is it used for anything else? How can I justify this purchase? Thanks

PS. I know threads must exist on this topic but I'm a new user and can't seem to do an effective search...

 

[Zick]

Doesn't sound like it would be worth for you then with that size of yard.
I would think you'd be better off getting one of those cheaper tow behind leaf sweepers that are around ~$200-300. They work fairly well and easier to store as some of them fold up.

 

[smstonypoint]

You surely have days when you wonder how you will ever justify the cost of a Cyclone Rake. Invariably, you come back to the same old realization: "I need the advice of an economist. An economist would know how to solve my problem."

How do you value your time (i.e., what is the opportunity cost of your time)?

When you say "we" do you mean two people? Let's say so, and that it takes the two of you 16 hours to clean up the leaves by hand.

Suppose you can reduce that time by 50% with the Cyclone Rake. Is your time worth $31.25/hour?

Suppose you can reduce that time by 75% with the Cyclone Rake. Is your time worth $20.83/hour?

There are other niceties concerning the calculation of ownership and operating costs, but the opportunity cost of your time is going to be the most important, IMO.

Steve

 

[two_bit_score]

You surely have days when you wonder how you will ever justify the cost of a Cyclone Rake. Invariably, you come back to the same old realization: "I need the advice of an economist. An economist would know how to solve my problem."

How do you value your time (i.e., what is the opportunity cost of your time)?

When you say "we" do you mean two people? Let's say so, and that it takes the two of you 16 hours to clean up the leaves by hand.

Suppose you can reduce that time by 50% with the Cyclone Rake. Is your time worth $31.25/hour?

Suppose you can reduce that time by 75% with the Cyclone Rake. Is your time worth $20.83/hour?

There are other niceties concerning the calculation of ownership and operating costs, but the opportunity cost of your time is going to be the most important, IMO.

Steve

So if he saves 50% of the time in one use and he uses it twice does that mean that the next time it will do the job by itself?

:laughing: Just kidding…..

I think its probable that once he has it he will use it more than he thinks he would. But, I don't own a CR.

My issue with CR is that I don't want to incur the cost of a unit without really knowing that it will work for me. If I knew it would work for me I'd probably buy one.

 

[TXChinook]

I would think you'd be better off getting one of those cheaper tow behind leaf sweepers that are around ~$200-300. They work fairly well and easier to store as some of them fold up.

Some users like these and some don't. My neighbor does not like his as it does not pick up sweet gum balls and he has to make pass after pass after pass to get leaves. I have observed this. Another neighbor says hers works good but I have not seen it.

Can any users who have used a vacuum collector comment on how many times the unit gets used? Is it truly only once a year?

 

[lostcreekranch]

We have about 8 acres around the house, at the ranch, that we consider the "yard" and keep it cleaned up and mowed. We run Gator mulching blades on our JD Z820A zeroturn that do a great job chopping our big oak leaves up into very small pieces. It doesn't take long before they are completely decomposed back into the soil.

We wait until all the leaves are off the trees and chop them up. Do it again in the spring around the live oaks when they start dropping.

 

[smstonypoint]

My issue with CR is that I don't want to incur the cost of a unit without really knowing that it will work for me. If I knew it would work for me I'd probably buy one.

Perhaps the OP and you should considering trying out Cyclone Rake by renting one for a day (if possible).

Steve

 

[TXChinook]

We run Gator mulching blades on our JD Z820A zeroturn that do a great job chopping our big oak leaves up into very small pieces. It doesn't take long before they are completely decomposed back into the soil.

This is a good point and we have friends who do the same. My problem is my wife wants to collect leaves for her (sizable) compost and also to put around her raised garden beds (also sizable). She won't let me "mulch and leave"... :-( They must be collected...

 

[TXChinook]

Perhaps the OP and you should considering trying out Cyclone Rake by renting one for a day (if possible).

Another good idea. Unfortunately, no one in my area rents one. My usual rental agency says he wishes they had one so he could use it... Apparently, his bosses are not sympathetic to his (or my) desires...

 

[smstonypoint]

This is a good point and we have friends who do the same. My problem is my wife wants to collect leaves for her (sizable) compost and also to put around her raised garden beds (also sizable). She won't let me "mulch and leave"... :-( They must be collected...

Then the solution is simple -- have her do all of the collecting.

Steve