The one thing that you wonder why you didn't buy sooner?

[ArlyA]

Powerful backpack blower. Do have w review of it on TBN.

 

[WinterDeere]

Powerful backpack blower. Do have w review of it on TBN.

When I first moved to my present address, I bough the biggest, baddest backpack blower Stihl made at the time (2011). But I found it just did not work for my needs. Too big to get into gardens and behind shrubs, and too weak to blow a pile of leaves across the lawn.

I traded it for a pairing of Stihl's largest handheld BG-86 blower and an Subaru EX27-powered walk-behind Optimax from Little Wonder. Much more useful, in that the handheld blows all the leaves out of the gardens into the yard, and the Little Wonder carries them across the yard to the woods. I even got a JRCO Blower Buggey for the Little Wonder, so I can mount it on my zero turn and cover several acres of hilly terrain.

I've owned a few Little Wonder blowers since my parents bought out first one around 1983. Most of them have had enough power they can pull the grass out by its roots at full throttle, depending on how you aim the chute. Wet leaves are no obstacle.

 

[ArlyA]

When I first moved to my present address, I bough the biggest, baddest backpack blower Stihl made at the time (2011). But I found it just did not work for my needs. Too big to get into gardens and behind shrubs, and too weak to blow a pile of leaves across the lawn.

I traded it for a pairing of Stihl's largest handheld BG-86 blower and an Subaru EX27-powered walk-behind Optimax from Little Wonder. Much more useful, in that the handheld blows all the leaves out of the gardens into the yard, and the Little Wonder carries them across the yard to the woods. I even got a JRCO Blower Buggey for the Little Wonder, so I can mount it on my zero turn and cover several acres of hilly terrain.

I've owned a few Little Wonder blowers since my parents bought out first one around 1983. Most of them have had enough power they can pull the grass out by its roots at full throttle, depending on how you aim the chute. Wet leaves are no obstacle.

In our case we are generally clearing or blowing off trails. Power is your freind!

 

[WinterDeere]

In our case we are generally clearing or blowing off trails. Power is your freind!

If you've got what works for you, stick with it! But if anyone shopping today is looking to blow those leaves, and even branches, way off the trail... check out a walk-behind! You just can't put that kind of motive force on your back, or you'd be cartwheeling across the lawn yourself!

Funny story, one of my kids ran in front of the walk-behind while I was running it, and it blew his feet right out from under him. First time / last time scenario, he was terrified to go near it for awhile after that.

 

[gullagej]

For my 17th birthday (I'll be 69 next month), my oldest sister bought me a Craftsman 99 piece tool box. It included 3/8" and 1/2" drives sockets and ratchets, screwdrivers, allen wrenches, open end wrenches, etc. The steel box rusted out after about 25 years in my truck so I changed it to a plastic one but that old tool box with other tools added over the years, is still in my truck. It's amazing what has been done with that collection of tools over the years in my travels. Best gift I have ever been given!

 

[Tetryegras]

I'll add another one here. The cultivator attachment for my BCS. I don't like to use the tiller after the garden is prepped, but I need to take care of the weeds. (Southern OH, so plenty of heat and moisture) The cultivator doesn't mix soil layers the way the tiller does. It takes very little power. I can get with a couple inches of the plants. The green beans (pictured) eventually get mulched with slabs of hay from small square bales. But the corn is cultivated all season. I'm amazed how the cultivator kills weeds! I can get a 100% weed kill on all weeds up to 3". After that there is enough root mass that the weeds can still somewhat survive. Still, I get an 80% kill on weeds up to 6"

 

[allthebacon]

A set of small magnetic trays and magnetic wrist band.

Not a buy but 'systems thinking' is something I wish I had done sooner. Like where I place tools, fuel, grease, tractor, batteries and chargers, etc, in relation to each other but also grouped by jobs and how I physically move around the shed. It's just made the work flow better.

 

[Omega Woods]

I may be last guy in the world to have jumped on the locking grease gun fitting. I suffered for a number of years having to put new jerk fittings on something every year or take pins out of fittings to get grease on them.
Whattadifference!

You’re not the last guy… I just got one too. Amazing

 

[Omega Woods]

Selecting a good one is important. When advising young guys I recommend they find one who already owns a pickup truck. The ability to tie a bowline, to ride a horse, or to drive oxen are good indicators.

Mine can drive a tractor, skid loader and excavator. And cook. And she’s nice to me despite how stupid I am sometimes. We got married at 19. That was 36 years ago.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

You’re not the last guy… I just got one too. Amazing

I bought one years ago, just never put it on yet.