Blower vs. Plow

[Glowplug]

I was wanting to get some opinions on which would be better for clearing snow. I know there have been a million threads on snow clearance this time of year but I figured, what the hey, let me start another!

My specific question is which would be the preferred method of snow clearance. . .a blower or plow? I have a 300' asphalt driveway to clear and probably often about 3/4 mile of private one-lane asphalt road. Of course I do live in Kentucky and we do NOT get a ton of snow. However, a few years back we got a 20+ incher that didn't melt off for quite a while. If I lived in the location I do now with a big snow like that I would be completely incapacitated. We usually get a handful of 3-7 inches yearly. With my profession, it is absolutely necessary I am able to get out.

I had always thought about getting a front-end mounted snow plow such as Curtis or Meyer. I always just assumed that would be the best way of snow removal for these long stretches since that's how the pros do it. However, recently I have been considering a 3ph mount PTO-driven snowblower. Previously I just felt that driving backwards and looking over your shoulder would be annoying. But the more I think about it the more I feel that this method of snow removal may actually be a blast. I have been looking at the Woods snowblowers. Particularly, the SS84.

This will most likely be used on a Kubota M8540 (75hp PTO) if I ever get it.

I would LOVE to get both but that's not really the answer I am looking for. I also don't necessarily just want to get the cheaper one but the one that would be better (more fun)!

Merry Christmas to all out there in TBN-Land!!!

 

[billbill1]

If you can swing it, the blower would be hands down better. A blade is what I use but have a blower for an old Wheelhorse and it really moves the snow to an area that is out of the way. Of course it blows gravel very well too, but on blacktop, it will cleans down to a smooth surface.

 

[Glowplug]

If you can swing it, the blower would be hands down better. A blade is what I use but have a blower for an old Wheelhorse and it really moves the snow to an area that is out of the way. Of course it blows gravel very well too, but on blacktop, it will cleans down to a smooth surface.

I'm kinda thinkin' a blower may be better even though you have to drive backwards. It would basically act like a plow but also suck up the snow a sling it out!! Anybody have any idea approx what one of these blowers goes for? The Curtis plow I was looking at is $2,500. I have no clue what the 8' Woods (SS96) snow blower would go for. I mean, if it's like 12 grand it would probably be out of the question. But even if it's more expensive than the plow, if it moves snow that much better, it may be worth it.

Happy Boxing day for the day after tomorrow for all of you from the great white north, eh.

 

[Knotbored]

You have the perfect opertunity to convince your wife that you absolutely positively "NEED" a snowmobile.

 

[cp1969]

Well, with the MUCH less expensive rear blade, you can move dirt, rocks, etc. if ever the need arises. Snow blower does a much better job on snow but pretty much worthless for anything else. I would say a blower would make sense for someone near Buffalo, where they get dumped on from lake effect snow all the time. For the rest of us, blading snow a few times a year doesn't justify having a specialized tool for it. But if you can afford it, what the heck.

 

[radman1]

I have both. If it was me, and with the relatively limited snow you have, I would go with the snow plow. Plow would be cheaper and faster at removing snow. IMHO, with a tractor that big and your limited snow, the plow would be the way to go. There isn't too much a tractor of that size won't push through. I bought the blower 2 years ago after a bad snow storm which left 4' drifts around my storage shed and driveway. Took about 3 hours with loader and rear blade to push it out of the way using Kubota 3710. Bought 66" blower during the following summer and haven't used it yet. If I had that size of tractor it would be snow blade only. In Nebraska, most people with tractors use rear blade and loader. Few have front snow plow and very few use snow blowers any more. On farm sales, the large snow blowers don't bring much.
Blowers rule where snow is deep and size of equipment is more limited. Blowers can also blow/move the snow a good distance away from the road. Blower would do the job but I think probably overkill. You have nearly a mile of road to clear and the blower would be slower and driving backward not much fun. Your bigger problem with large snows is once your road is open, how will the public roads be? Snow removal in your region is somewhat limited and slow.

 

[Tig]

So as I understand it the criteria for the "preferred method" is
1 not necessarily cheaper
2 more fun
3 method of snow removal that may actually be a blast

Well then this is what you want.

http://www.techepics.com/files/street_legal_vw_powered_6.jpg

Merry Christmas and happy boxing day too.

 

[Glowplug]

So as I understand it the criteria for the "preferred method" is
1 not necessarily cheaper
2 more fun
3 method of snow removal that may actually be a blast

Well then this is what you want.

http://www.techepics.com/files/street_legal_vw_powered_6.jpg

Merry Christmas and happy boxing day too.

Totally LOL!!! Now THAT may take some convincing with the wife! I'll have to look into it though! You could roast marshmallows and burn the brush pile all while getting rid of snow!

I'm leaning toward the plow now once again.

 

[Doc_Bob]

The double augur two stage snow blower that is 7 feet wide will move anything. Especially on asphalt. It will throw it 20+ feet.
Bob

 

[Glowplug]

The double augur two stage snow blower that is 7 feet wide will move anything. Especially on asphalt. It will throw it 20+ feet.
Bob

Thanks Bob. I see you found the thread. I'll bet that double-auger blower would sling dry power a hundred feet.

You have the perfect opertunity to convince your wife that you absolutely positively "NEED" a snowmobile.

They don't even have snowmobiles in Kentucky. But I could see myself going to work at the hospital on a snowmobile!!!

 

[RoyJackson]

With the amount of drive and private road, I'd go for a pick up with a plow rather then a tractor. With three-quarters of a mile to plow, I'd rather be in a heated cab.

 

[Glowplug]

It doesn't seem like there's snow anywhere on this Christmas day. So it seems kind of strange to talk about snow removal. Instead, everyone check out this nice Christmas Thread.

 

[Justaplain]

A 3PH blower only turns at 540 RPM, unlike the walk behind blowers that turn a 2000 +, so don't get the idea that a 3PH will throw wet snow more than 6'. A 3PH blower works best in long stretches and are great on drifted powder. bcs

 

[Doc_Bob]

A 3PH blower only turns at 540 RPM, unlike the walk behind blowers that turn a 2000 +, so don't get the idea that a 3PH will throw wet snow more than 6'. A 3PH blower works best in long stretches and are great on drifted powder. bcs

Okay, I could not pass on this one. A 3ph blower will launch snow 20+ feet with ease. The PTO may turn at 540, but that means nothing when it comes to how far it will throw snow. I have posted pics in the Montana section
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/montana/91730-montana-4944hst-action.html

This was compacted, icy and heavy snow that had been piled up with a truck mounted plow. I am sure a walk behind snow blower will work just fine, but it will take 5-10X as much time to do the same work as a 540 RPM PTO driven 3PH snow blower.

Pump 65 HP into a double augur 2 stage 7 foot wide blower just once and you will understand. Here is my setup
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/91318-new-snowblower.html


Bob

 

[HTWT]

I have a front mount blower for my NH 1620 and a backblade. When the snow is only 3-4" it is difficult to load up the blower to blow snow so I use the BB to create a windrow and then I can blow snow easier. I am leaving for Florida 12-28 and my son said "don't put the blower on this year" so he will use the BB and FEL. I live in W. Mich. and we usally have snow but it has been in the 40's.

 

[WayneB]

I live in New Hampshire and no snow so far! I use a woods RB-72 and FEL to move snow around. We have a 900 foot driveway down hill with a couple curves that are difficult to snowblow with a 3-point hitch snowblower.

Normally, I pull the rear blade down and up the hill then in some areas I use the bucket to move the banks back.

I checked on a front mounted snow blower and the cost was right around $3,000 for my Kubota. For the three or four times a year that I could use a snowblower I just cannot justify the cost.

Wayne

 

[RalphVa]

ONE TIME, I HAD to use my Gravely snow blower. It was to clear away a 7" SLEET accumulation that I couldn't even touch with the 4' snow blade. Now, I'm quite sure that I could move such a fall with the FEL on my JD; whereas, the back blade wouldn't touch it, like the snow plow on the Gravely. However, it would take a long time with the FEL.

So, if you don't have forever and occasionally get a deep snow or sleet fall, the snow blower would be good insurance. A friend of mine in Winchester, Va has a 3ph snow blower that he uses on his old Kubota. There's a bunch cheaper than a front mount one. I'd only get a front mount one if I regularly got heavy snow falls.

Ralph

 

[Glowplug]

A 3PH blower only turns at 540 RPM, unlike the walk behind blowers that turn a 2000 +, so don't get the idea that a 3PH will throw wet snow more than 6'. A 3PH blower works best in long stretches and are great on drifted powder. bcs

That's insane. Don't you think the gearing and fan size have something to do with it. Sure the PTO spins at 540 RPMs but that doesn't mean the fan has to spin at the same. Now, as far as if they do or not, I can't say. But I just can't see a double auger snowblower with a 34" fan tossing snow aside at only 6'. When I was looking into these snowblowers I did a search here. One of the threads from a couple of years ago talked about how the casing around the fan would affect the throw. One person had commented that the casing had worn some on his and there was a slightly greater distance between the tips of the fan blades and the casing. When this happened his blower would only throw snow 75 feet! He put a liner in the casing to decrease the distance and once again he could throw snow 100'! I think that was a 3ph PTO-driven Provonost blower.

Also the size of the fan would be a factor I imagine. A walk-behind snowblower, even though it may be turning at 2,000 rpms would have a very small fan (something like 4-6" I would guess). The bigger the fan the faster the blade tip speed would be. Where are those engineers out there?

Right now the blower is pulling ahead of the plow.
I just wish I knew a price.

Merry Christmas!

 

[WayneB]

I think you will find that a 3ph snowblower will certainly throw snow further than 6 feet. You will have banks, but most will be anywhere from 20 to 50 feet away from where you are at.

 

[Glowplug]

That's pretty impressive Wayne. I'd bet if the chute was directed a little more horizontal and not so vertical that snow would be flung close to 100'.

I have a couple of concerns/questions now:

1. The probable higher cost of the blower.
2. The very slow ground speed of the blower.
3. The ability of the blower to handle wet, icy snow.

I really don't need to get the snow far from the road/driveway. But just get it off of it. Like I said earlier, we don't get a massive amount of frequent snow so huge banks on the sides of the driveway would probably not be an issue. So, once again there's a change in the leader. The plow is now pulling ahead. My, this is an exciting race!!