Vacuuming leaves video

[DFLS]

With the Exmark. Dump them in the back of the property then blow the shredded leaves into the bushes / woods. Sorry for shaky video but I was driving and taping at the same time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k5neLLaqWs

[greenred]

Nice Video. I always wished I had a collection system for my ZTR. Never got around to getting one.

[LawnTamer]

That's amazing how little blow-out you get with the leaves. My Toros always seem to leave some out to the sides, the areas you've gone over look like they've never seen a leaf.

How big is that lawn?

[fastcat]

show a pic of the bagging system you were using

[DFLS]

That's amazing how little blow-out you get with the leaves. My Toros always seem to leave some out to the sides, the areas you've gone over look like they've never seen a leaf.

How big is that lawn?

There are two side by side. Don't know acreage for sure but probably 3 acres total for both, front and back.

I mow one across the street too.

[MileHigh]

Nice Video..

Suckin those leaves right up.

[CMLawnCare]

That's amazing how little blow-out you get with the leaves. My Toros always seem to leave some out to the sides, the areas you've gone over look like they've never seen a leaf.

Which deck is that? Theres literally no blow out so if its the Triton, let me know what your baffles are set at and which blades you use. Thanks

[corey4671]

I would like to have seen how you mounted that camera!! Did you have it strapped to your head? Looks good!!

[Jason Rose]

I was going to comment on the lack of blowout too, but then I noticed you do the same thing most of us do around here and MOW IN A CIRCLE with the blower facing in. So, any blowout dosn't matter, until the very last pass anyway.

I'd prefer to NOT have to mow 'racetrack style' to clean up leaves, but every Z mower with a blower mounted on the side of the deck tends to have some blowout of leaves.

[DFLS]

I was going to comment on the lack of blowout too, but then I noticed you do the same thing most of us do around here and MOW IN A CIRCLE with the blower facing in. So, any blowout dosn't matter, until the very last pass anyway.

I'd prefer to NOT have to mow 'racetrack style' to clean up leaves, but every Z mower with a blower mounted on the side of the deck tends to have some blowout of leaves.

I do not circle mow. Watch it again and notice the stripes on the lawn. For that last rectangular area I was going up one side, over and down the other. Reverse on the way back, discharge side towards area already cut. That area also has very thin grass and bare spots so striping is worthless there. Look at all the stripes everywhere else on those lawns in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usTKH6j0Ymw

These leaves are dry and there is a certain amount of blowout. When the leaves are wet there is virtually no blowout, especially in thick grass.

[DFLS]

Which deck is that? Theres literally no blow out so if its the Triton, let me know what your baffles are set at and which blades you use. Thanks

Ultracut 72" with the 31 horse liquid cooled Briggs., no baffle adjustment, gator blades.

[DFLS]

show a pic of the bagging system you were using

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usTKH6j0Ymw

[DFLS]

I would like to have seen how you mounted that camera!! Did you have it strapped to your head? Looks good!!

Held the camera in my right hand

[G.M.Landscaping]

Wow. Very nice.

Like everyone else said, minimal blowout.

Post some pics of this setup.

[G.M.Landscaping]

I'm confused on how this thing empties? I only run W/b's so I'm curious. It looked like you had a bagging system, but how does it empty them?

[Jason Rose]

Sorry I didn't watch the whole video then... I'm very impressed with the lack of blowout. If I thought the Triton deck would actually work for me here I'd probably own one... Too hard to get an actual good demo, and no dealer locally now!

[DFLS]

I'm confused on how this thing empties? I only run W/b's so I'm curious. It looked like you had a bagging system, but how does it empty them?

There is a dump lever on the side of the machine next to the gas tank, it opens a door on the bottom of the hopper and all the contents fall out. You don't even have to shut off the blades and can dump while moving too. One of those videos shows me reaching around and dumping just look for it.

[CMLawnCare]

Yea, looking good I have the Tritons with ultra vacs and the consensus around here is low lift blades otherwise the highs or super highs have to much blowing force and actually reverses the vacuum effect from the ultra vac so it blows out the front right of the deck. Interesting about the gator blades because i was always told if you were bagging they were the worst blade you could buy. But I was in an Exmark dealer yesterday and when asked what blades to use for fall clean ups they said 90% of the guys now buy the exmark extreme blades (gator blade style) which chews up the leaves and clippings even more. We'll switch blades monday and see how it does.

[DFLS]

Here's a video of the pile of shredded leaves / grass being blown into the bushes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3V1o_sIXLc

[DFLS]

Yea, looking good I have the Tritons with ultra vacs and the consensus around here is low lift blades otherwise the highs or super highs have to much blowing force and actually reverses the vacuum effect from the ultra vac so it blows out the front right of the deck. Interesting about the gator blades because i was always told if you were bagging they were the worst blade you could buy. But I was in an Exmark dealer yesterday and when asked what blades to use for fall clean ups they said 90% of the guys now buy the exmark extreme blades (gator blade style) which chews up the leaves and clippings even more. We'll switch blades monday and see how it does.


Yes I was skeptical about the gators (I am using the exmark extreme gator style) but they really do work. Even in high grass there is less grass that clumps and the discharge is scattered better. But they are narrower than regular blades and bend easier so watch out on uneven terrain. I used a sledge hammer and hit them while resting on two wood blocks to give an ever so slight upward bend to them because I was having a problem with the blades contacting the ground and digging into it. This is mostly a 72" problem though. I have to be careful if the ground is bumpy and can't go too fast.

[Jason Rose]

Here's a video of the pile of shredded leaves / grass being blown into the bushes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3V1o_sIXLc

Holy F! That thing moves as much at an IDLE as my BR600 does at full throttle! I've never had my hands on a push blower before, had no idea they were that powerful! We pick up our leaves with mowers here, just use the blowers to get them out of the landscaping and corners. Too much wind most of the time to blow them all to one place to pick up.

[DFLS]

Holy F! That thing moves as much at an IDLE as my BR600 does at full throttle! I've never had my hands on a push blower before, had no idea they were that powerful! We pick up our leaves with mowers here, just use the blowers to get them out of the landscaping and corners. Too much wind most of the time to blow them all to one place to pick up.

You should see the leaves go when I use the little wonder and my br600 at the same time! I position the big blower to blow along a row of bushes or whatever and shake everything loose with the br600. Really good method for spring cleanup blows everything out of the grass. Or aim the big blower so the stream goes through a gate and feed leaves into the airstream with the backpack blower. I have even used 2 push blowers this way to get leaves out of a fenced pool area and around another corner...

[corey4671]

not trying to be a know it all here...just an observation...Instead of backing up to dump in the video, would it not be more productive to just dump "on the fly" and then blow the debris in to the bushes since you were coming back with the walk behind blower anyway? Might save a minute or two here or there. Like I said, not trying to be the end all authority here...I'm just always looking for ways to shave some time.