Inverted

ChesapeakeBoy · Apr 20, 2020

I have read everything I can find. I have a 150 yard land, and I do the neighbors land that is 1/4 mile. My current set up is an 8' blade on the back and 6' hydraulic blower on the front. I use the blade when it is up to 4-5" deep , and the blower when it is deeper. Snow patterns... inconsistent.... 2019/20 winter was pretty light on snow... In 2018/19 we had quite a few 6" snows.. and a few 10".

PILOON · Apr 20, 2020

ChesapeakeBoy said:
Most of the used ones seem to have paint flaking off and very rusty. That typically is due to paint prep process.. or lack there of... Or do you thin it is just that they have been used hard with salt?

Today most manufacturers have gone to powder coating process which IMHO is like old undercoating, It flakes then traps water and the corrosion starts.
Good preparation, followed by a good primer and then an enamel coating would be the best but then just too costly so they simply give it a 'protective coating' knowing as being equipment it will chip scratch and wear anyway. It is up to the owner to maintain his gear.

On my blower , purchased used, I sand blasted and primed same day followed by a good enamel top coat.
That was 8 years ago and 90% of it still sports my original paint, and I have sand/gravel drive.

My 'hint of the day' is spray any color whatever on all the polished (sand blasted) parts so as to prevent deep rust from forming B4 you store your blower in the spring

Paystar · Apr 20, 2020

Or just do like me on my 2013 blower..anywhere the paint got sandblasted off, I just spray the blower with Krown, put it away, then next year all the bare metal is still shiny.

I'm too busy to have to prep and paint every year.

fishhead · Apr 23, 2020

when you say land, do you mean yard or field?
Pull blowers and most blowers work best on paved surfaces, they are tricky house on unpaved until an ice layers forms. Their much greater weight than a rear push blower means they usually scrape better which is good unless the surface is not firm. To me the ideal set-up would be a front blade for sub 2 inch snows or slop or for making berms where desired and a rear pull which would be used on most snowfalls.
You don't mention deep drifting, that is the one condition that rear push blowers have it over a rear pull.

ChesapeakeBoy said:
I have read everything I can find. I have a 150 yard land, and I do the neighbors land that is 1/4 mile. My current set up is an 8' blade on the back and 6' hydraulic blower on the front. I use the blade when it is up to 4-5" deep , and the blower when it is deeper. Snow patterns... inconsistent.... 2019/20 winter was pretty light on snow... In 2018/19 we had quite a few 6" snows.. and a few 10".

ChesapeakeBoy · Apr 27, 2020

Sorry.. auto correct... LANE... not land. but I am not asking about the ability of the inverted or pros or cons.. only about the paint.

airbiscuit · Apr 27, 2020

Why are you so focused on paint? To me functionality is most important. If the paint stays good - no problem. If it chips or fades, take an angle grinder and a wire brush to it and paint it yourself - problem solved. If an implement is in the snow and has rotating parts, sooner or later a little rust will appear.

ChesapeakeBoy · Apr 27, 2020

The used units that I have seen have lots of rust that are not scars or scrapes. I have spent 20+ years in mfg and seen paint come off in sheets... When you are paying $8k plus for a new Normand, I think it is a fair concern.

razor · Apr 29, 2020

Perhaps because most Normands and Pronovost blowers are mainly used by contractors, I would think most see a lot of road salt compared to average homeowner only doing their own driveway. More salt means more rust. Just a guess.

fishhead · May 2, 2020

Razor has a lot of experience with normand commercially and I am sure pronovost anecdotally. I would trust what he has to say. As for myself i cannot speak first hand about normand but have read great things.
I will say that i feel my pronovost is very well constructed and the paint application/quaity is good. The only places where paint has come off are where rocks, sand or grit have taken it off.
I will say that the apparent quality is much higher than the kubota and frontier blowers i have seen or used or the erskines i have seen locally- really no comparison at all.

QUOTE=ChesapeakeBoy;5722740]The used units that I have seen have lots of rust that are not scars or scrapes. I have spent 20+ years in mfg and seen paint come off in sheets... When you are paying $8k plus for a new Normand, I think it is a fair concern.[/QUOTE]