SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs

   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs #31  
orgt,
Just curious, what's your interest in a leaf vac. SCUT owner ???

MissouriThunder

I garden organically and I make my own "black gold" (compost.) My own tractor has a powerful blower that throws whatever I mow into a hydraulically operated hopper and that's kind of OK to get most leaves, but because of its inherent design it won't take a FEL so I' can't use it to turn compost and do many other basic tasks, so I've been thinking of getting a SCUT. Although I will admit that I find them awfully high-priced even used. It may be cheaper to get a compact or even a standard older AG tractor.
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs #32  
Ill offer my experience with a Billy Goat leaf vac: With 5HP and 2' width it is extremely problematic with clogging the intake. The passages are just too small and things catch and build up. To get the pickup velocity you need thru big enuf passages is going to take some real HP. Im guessing at least 5HP per foot pickup width. The leaf volume will not be reduced much unless the they feed thru the impeller and impeller performance relies on smooth feed -- even small twigs can be a problem unless its a big impeller. I think your talking near 20ptohp for non problematic general purpose use. This is top of the SCUT category.
For comparison, I use full BX1500 ptohp on MMM + 8HP Auxiliary Vacuum to shovel chopped twigs and leaves to the hopper thru an 8" hose. It still clogs sometimes.
larry
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs
  • Thread Starter
#33  
orgt,
You'd be extremely satisfied with a SCUT no matter what color you choose.

SPYDERLK,
I'm assuming Harry already knows this and has worked through this issue. I know for a fact he knows the BX1860 only has 13.7 PTO HP cause I told him. I'm sure this leaf vac will be compatible with my tractor.

MissouriThunder
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs #34  
I garden organically and I make my own "black gold" (compost.) My own tractor has a powerful blower that throws whatever I mow into a hydraulically operated hopper and that's kind of OK to get most leaves, but because of its inherent design it won't take a FEL so I' can't use it to turn compost and do many other basic tasks, so I've been thinking of getting a SCUT. Although I will admit that I find them awfully high-priced even used. It may be cheaper to get a compact or even a standard older AG tractor.

As a side note, and not to hijack the thread, but you won't believe how easy it is to make compost with a front end loader on either a SCUT, or CUT. Here are some photos of mine.... :D
 

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   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs
  • Thread Starter
#35  
ChuckinNH,
You're not hijacking this thread trust me and that's why I'm so anxious for Harry's leaf vac... So I can start making my own "black gold." :D :D :D

MissouriThunder
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs #36  
That compost is mostly leaves with a very low precentage of "greens", or grass clippings. I was surprised at how well it breaks down when turned on a regular basis, and using my BX, or my current B makes that fun. All the compost you see in those pictures is in the gardens now. That lighter colored pile broke down nicely over the summer, and there are even some wood chips in there from my chipper.
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs
  • Thread Starter
#37  
ChuckinNH,
Still learning here. After you move your leaves into a pile, how often do you turn them and how long until it completely decomposes ??? Thanks in advance.

MissouriThunder
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs #38  
That all depends a bit on the weather. If it is really wet, things can get soggy, and it then helps a lot to turn it, and get some air into it. The idea is to keep it hot inside so that it breaks down quickly. When I'm on the ball, I turn it every couple of weeks in the summer, and can have finished compost before the summer is over, our "summer" is three months, or so. In the fall when I'm getting ready to collect the leaves, I let the grass grow a bit longer so I get more "greens" in the mix. They have a higher nitrogen content, and heat things up quickly. I tend to get larger quantities of material at once, but not continually so that is why you see the three piles there. All are in different stages of decomposition. I have a small pile of very fine finished compost that I use around flowers, and small seeds, etc. This fall, I put the large pile that was left all on one garden. It wasn't quite finished, but I know that being tilled into the soil over the winter will fiinish the job, and it will be nice in the spring. It was steaming pretty good when I used the loader to move it to the garden. When I got the timing on turning right, and had some help from the winter, I've seen the piles steaming through the snow. It gets really cold here sometimes in the winter ( I've seen -35 degrees several times in my life) so the piles don't do much then, but you won't have that problem, and should be able to make compost year round. You can buy a compost thermometer with a long probe to monitor the interior temperature of the piles, but I never have.

If the piles don't seem to heat up at all (unlikely) they are probably too wet, too dry, or just don't have any "greens" at all in them. With a little trial, and error, you will figure it out quickly, and it will be great fun with your tractor! Higher, deeper piles work better than low, wide ones. That is one of the things that frequent turning helps with since things like leaves settle quickly, and get matted.
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs
  • Thread Starter
#39  
ChuckinNH,
One summer from leaves to dirt. That's amazing. I didn't think about adding some grass cuttings to help heat up the pile either. This is all the more reason I want Harry's leaf vac as I currently have no method of collecting the leaves unless I do it with a rake in hand. I prefer the seat time. :) Thanks.

MissouriThunder
 
   / SCUT owners looking for PTO driven leaf vacs #40  
you still can get seat time. Since you have a RFM, I am just not sure where it discharges. Rearward or side? if it side, great! get some tarp and tie a sturdy string to it through a couple loops. Blow all the leaves on it and then tow it with FEL. Don't worry- a pile of leaves dont weigh that much. when you reach the are ayou want to dump the leaves, then lift the FEL to dump. REPEAT step one.:D
 

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