PTO Leaf Blowers?

[bjepple]

My plan is to use a large squirrel cage fan out of an HVAC unit. The fan I have must have been out of something pretty good sized as it has grease zerks on the shaft. I have already procurded the correct size pulleys to get the same RPM out of the fan at 540 PTO RPM as when it is running with an electric motor. There won't be an option to adjust the direction as such but I could probably bend some sheet metal to change direction if necessary. While some of those commercial units are really impressive, I don't need the ability to blow stuff 50 ft. I'm considering making a hose attachment out of some 4" black drain tile like a straw blower would have to get into small areas rather than the handheld blower. Not sure that will be worth it though. Don't know when I will get to this project. It has been on the list for several years and just hasn't made it to the top yet. I have an old Billy Goat sidewalk vac that I modified as a blower only and until it dies, I won't have a huge incentive to get workin on it. I just fill it up with oil and check the gas and it keeps on blowing. The other thing I have considered is mounting it to an old pressure washer frame I have where the pump siezed up but the Honda motor is still good. Then I could push or pull it depending on which direction I want to blow. That would make it easier if I wanted to use it when I seal driveways.

 

[Code54]

Watch Craigslist and places like that for blowers, I got an old golf course model (needs 50hp) dirt cheap. All it needed was a new PTO shaft (the one on it was from something else and didn't look too good). Now I got a great PTO blower for what a new mid range backpack one would have cost me!

 

[Depmandog]

I ...........

I underestand that your deciding factor may be to base your decisions on the Air Volume or Air Speed and if that is your only deciding factor I can only give you thanks for your time spent here on this Forum and hopes that if you ever decide to compare our unit to any other unit on the market I will be happy to schedule a demonstration through a local Authorized representative.........

I haven't a dog in this race...(no interest in purchasing); but find it really odd that repeated requests for basic i.e. "relevant" information goes unanswered.

If I were in the market for a PTO driven blower - there is no way in H%LL I would purchase a unit from this outfit.

I half expect the next post to state that their unit produces SOOO much air volume and speed - that it is classified as Top Secret information that cannot be divulged.

 

[aczlan]

Exactly. How is one to compare this to other blowers on the market without specs to compare with?
Knowing that it will produce XXX CFM of air at YYY MPH with ZZ HP of input would allow you to compare it to other "inferior" blowers who publish such information where it belongs, in the PUBLICLY AVAILABLE SPEC SHEET.

EDIT: The video in post 41 refers to the air speed as "Hurricane Force". If they are following either the Saffir–Simpson scale or the Beaufort scale rather than using a figure of speech, that would imply winds of at least 74MPH.

Aaron Z

 

[TimberXX]

Buffalo, with the sub cut market hot, why not built a lighter duty unit?

I know this was brought out before, but I just noticed your on the forum formally now.

 

[Buffalo Turbine]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your inquiry. Since 1945 Buffalo Turbine has Produced a 14 inch Turbine Style Blower. W have many different options for these blowers with the Cyclone PTO being one of many. We have a Scaled down 14 hp Gasoline model which is our Cyclone 8000 Debris Blower. We do not currently offer a unit with a smaller fan.

We also encourage anyone who is possibly interested one of our blowers to give us a call so we can assist with any questions that you may have about our blowers or a local dealer near you.

Please also contact us through info@buffaloturbine.com and leave a number and we will be glad to contact you to answer any questions you may have.

 

[RoyJackson]

Good Morning,

Thank you for your inquiry. Since 1945 Bufflao Turbine has Produced a 14 inch Turbine Style Blower. W ehave many different options for for these blowers with the Cyclone PTO bsing one of many. We have a Scaled down 14 hp Gasoline model which is our Cyclone 8000 Debris Blower. We do not currently offer a unit with a smaller fan.

We also encourage anyone who is possibly interested one of our blowers to give us a call so we can assist with any questions that you may have about our blowers or a local dealer near you.

Please also sontact us through info@buffaloturbine.com and leave a number and we will be glad to contact you to answer any questions you may have.

That's a reasonable post...
Too many people seem to expect all the answers on the internet...I'd wager a large percentage wouldn't know how to interpret the specs...or would misinterpret them.

BTW, since you're a business...use spell check or finish that first cup of coffee next time...

 

[aczlan]

That's a reasonable post...
Too many people seem to expect all the answers on the internet...I'd wager a large percentage wouldn't know how to interpret the specs...or would misinterpret them.

If you have a web presence, why not make the specs available?
If I am comparing a Buffalo front mount vs a 3 point vs a tow behind, there is NO way for me to look at their site and see how much air each of them will push or to compare them to a competitors product for an initial "which shall I request more data on" comparison.
I understand that their competitors are probably giving "XXX CFM at YYY MPH" numbers with the air coming straight out of the blower (not through a elbow) but it gives me someplace to start with and lets me get a ballpark figure on how much air they push.

Aaron Z

 

[Buffalo Turbine]

Thank you Roy

I was in the process of editing when you replied and I was a little to quick on the send button.

I believe that consumers should make decisions based on the facts. We also might agree that some manufacturers may not be accurate about the information they are providing. I have two examples:

#1 Over the last decade the design of PTO blowers have not changed very much, however there are manufacturers that boast the huge increases in Air Volume. There are blowers out there right now stating CFM ratings of 12,000 to 16,000. Ten years ago this same manufacturer might have listed a very similar, if not the same blower, utilizing the same horsepower, with the same weight, blowing at 9,000 CFM. Traditional thought processes would assume that it is highly unlikely to increase your efficiency 30-50 percent and still maintain the same power requirements with the same design.

With a traditional "squirrel cage " PTO blower I have not found a Spec sheet for a product that states what their air volume or air speed may be when the deflector chute is pulled to blow in the opposite direction, most of us would agree that there would be a loss of efficiency when this deflector chute is activated.

Our successful track record has indicated that Consumers are intelligent and that they will make good decisions if giving the facts, however if not all of the facts are accurate, they may make a decision they might regret down the road. I would rather explain our position up front than to defend a Poor product for a lifetime.

Please also note there are only 3 Turbine style Blower manufacturers on the market. Buffalo Turbine is the only one that offers a Turbine Style blower that is not a Pull Behind.

You will notice that Neither Toro or Agrimetal lists ratings for their Turbine Blowers due to much of the same.

 

[Depmandog]

Our successful track record has indicated that Consumers are intelligent and that they will make good decisions if giving the facts, however if not all of the facts are accurate, they may make a decision they might regret down the road. I would rather explain our position up front than to defend a Poor product for a lifetime.

.

http://eckertgolf.com/KB3_Manual (Updated).pdf

Looks like section 7, page 19 of the manual has the super secret product specs.

We no longer have to be mushrooms - let the light shine