Shredder Vacs... Good, Bad or Ugly???

[ultrarunner]

It’s spreading to many San Francisco Bay Area cities…

I live in Oakland California and Fire Suppression is strictly enforced via fuel load reduction.

By the same token gas powered trimmers and brush cutters banned… so are blowers with the plan to expand.

I see crews with 2k Stihl backpack batteries chomping away but it’s not viable for most…

It’s not just SF as the State is moving in the same direction…

 

[TinkerToyz]

I have a JD X595 with a 3 bag shredder/blower attachment similar to this picture. Great for fall leaf cleanup. Will park my RTV with 4x6 dump trailer nearby to enable quick dumping bags every few passes.

 

[FriendwithTractor]

When I was landscaping several years ago, fall cleanups were a dreaded time.

We used a truck mounted Billy Goat lawn vac with a 5 hp gas engine. Blew in into the back of what we called "The Conestoga" a hooped 1 ton truck bed. When it worked, it was a monster. When it didn't, it was a bear. Someone broke a finger at the knuckle worrying with the discharge chute (It was a two part deal with a PVC pipe, and a piece of plywood. I believe the heavy PVC pipe caught his finger between the steel tailgate and itself) You had to remove it before you removed the vac to dump the load). It would jam if it sucked too many wet leaves at a time, requiring everything to stop and the four man team to stop doing the cleanup and unbolt the cover to remove the jam. (It was pretty heavy) Worst part was if it snowed, then you were in for an all around bad time.

At home, we use a lawn sweep pulled behind a compact tractor. Not 100% picture perfect clean, but plenty of pickup, especially after being mulched by a mower. I believe it's the Ohio Steel brand sweep. If you're looking for perfection, get a vac, if good enough will suffice, get a sweep.

Just thinking about that time makes me feel the backpack blower straps on my shoulders.

 

[Budweiser John]

Currently using/operating gasoline blowers and trimmer brush cutters banned in my city and several neighboring cities.

The powers that be are looking to expand but the blower and trimmer ban is law.

The flip side is mower shops have little in the way to offer as manufacturers can’t sell non California compliant in the state so the screws are being tightened on both sides… even affects generators.

It’s happening incrementally but happening.

I Think California has gone off the deep end

 

[caver]

I had one of these I bought lightly used from the neighbor lady. Random pic borrow from the interwebs. One pass on the yard and the bag was full. I'm talking walking one way maybe 30 feet. It did the job. You'll be digging out eye boogers the rest of the day from the dust. It had a chipper that when it was razor sharp it worked well but dulled quickly. Taking everything apart to sharpen that little blade got old. Before that I had a Kmart chipper shredder with a drop down pan. It worked better and unlike the Troy Bilt with 1 it had 2 blades that held their edge better.

 

[Elviscaretaker]

I've never tried the battery ones, the electric I found lacking but these worked pretty well for me. Can get a tad expensive and if they ban gas motors in your area.... DR Leaf Blowers and Vacuums| DR Power Equipment

 

[wmfamily]

Anyone have a shredder Vac and car to comment?

I know Stihl and Echo offer gas powered and others have plug in electric.

No battery offerings that I know.

It would seem a shredder vac would speed up my maintenance chores... especially in the fall.

Would like to hear the good and bad if you have or use.

I have a Stihl gas powered one that I've had for several years. I really like it for smaller jobs but you wouldn't want to use it for large areas. I does create a lot of dust so a decent dust mask and goggles are good options. It will reduce what was previously dozens of bags down to a quarter as many. It works better with drier leaves and can get clogged with wetter leaves if you try to suck up to many at once. I can deal with smaller twigs but bigger ones will clog it or block the intake.

 

[eriejake]

Anyone have a shredder Vac and car to comment?

I know Stihl and Echo offer gas powered and others have plug in electric.

No battery offerings that I know.

It would seem a shredder vac would speed up my maintenance chores... especially in the fall.

Would like to hear the good and bad if you have or use.

My shredder vac is so old it's a McCullough. That out of the way, after doing a lot of research, at least in PA, I have several Stihl chainsaws and stringed/bladed trimmers and I'm leaning towards the Echo now for they have a five year warranty vs two year at nearly the same price points. Don't mind spending money, but if you're gonna stand behind it longer with no compromise in quality, why not?

 

[nyone]

My shredder is my lawnmower with mulching plug. I blow everything out of the beds and mow it...no I dont wait until the leafs are 2' thick.

by the time things are growing in the spring you wouldnt know I mulched anything in.

 

[ultrarunner]

Me too except at property with no lawn…