Stihl Leaf Vac

[MWS LAWN]

I just had my local Stihl dealer order me a Stihl leafvac. I'm not sure what the number was, but all it does is vac. It retails for 229.99. I was just tring to find out if any of you are using them. I went to an Exmark demo day yesterday and saw an echo for 259.99. BTW got sold on a Exmark turf tracer hp 52" hydro (very nice machine). But anyway all we use is Stihl and we have had no problems with them yet. Stihl dealer is a lot closer to us also. Thanks for any replies.




Billy, I was just wondering if you still had that one wheel sulky, and how much would you take for it?

[LAWNGODFATHER]

I have the Echo one like that and the vac tube has never seen use.

What do you need it for anyways?

Good choice in mower.

Get the 2 wheeled Velke!!!

[lakegastonla]

I use one of the stihl units, too. I never use the bag, though. I use it to suck leaves out of beds, corners, etc. Does a great job. Instead of bagging, I aim the leaf exhaust into the lawn area where it blows the dime sized and smaller chunks of leaf into the lawn. I do this BEFORE I mow, and one pass with the mower makes it invisible. Good timesaver if used correctly.

[HOMER]

Use mine all the time to pick trash and cigarette butts up at commercial properties. I have to say it's one of the better investments I've made. Time is money and it takes time to pick up trash. As fast as I can stick the tube over it it's gone. Great for cleaning out corners and also getting clippings out of beds after trimming.

Good investment.

[Premo Services]

[I] origanally posted by Lawngodfather I have the Echo one like that and the vac tube has never seen use.

I also have the echo vac and it gets a lot of use. I use it at condos that have a courtyard inbetween the buildings with a lot of landscaping. It works great for the cleanup of leaves in these places. I use it for cleaning the debris from areas where you could not use a rake or blower to clean them up.

[TOSLC]

I also have the Echo blower/vac. The blower is used in the spring and summer. Then we use the vac in the fall to clean up leaves from the landscaping. I also use the mulched up leaves to cover some flowers for the winter! Works great!

[AltaLawnCare]

Hey Mike,

I'll probably just keep it for a back up. I paid too much for it anyway! There're in Landscape supply for about a hundred less than I gave for mine! The single wheel velke will beat you to death, leave a line in the grass in the center of the cut, and its a pain to back up with.

The ECS controls on the Exmarks look like a great system, I've never run one though.

You might want to check on a bull rider sulky two wheeled caster type or better yet see if the Toro Twin Platform sulky will fit the Exmark. The Toro sulky is pricey but well designed.


Wish I had gotten by the Exmark demo! :(

[AltaLawnCare]

Originally posted by HOMER
Use mine all the time to pick trash and cigarette butts up at commercial properties. .

Do those things pick up scattered cig butts good, out of grass areas?

Mike whats the model number of the one you have? And have you tried it out yet?
-Thanks..

BTW, Mike did you hear back on the bid? - I just heard Tuesday that I didn't get it, but hadn't heard who did.

:confused:

[TJLC]

I have the Echo blower/vac combo also. It works very well for what I use it for. The only problem I have with it is when you accidently pick up something you shouldn't have and it jams and you have to remove the tube to free the impeller. All in all I feel it was a good investment.

[Jusmowin]

If its the Stihl SH 85 you all are talking about, I bought one of those about 3 months ago and love it . Its really easy to switch from vac to blower. I mostly use it for around my gated pools or tight narrow flower beds. Hope you get one !

[skyphoto]

I have the stihl bg85 with the vac. kit and the little cutter blade on the fan.....(same as the sh85) It is great! I have a bunch of sculpted honysuckle beds that are islands in the middle of a mall parking lot....The vac. works great sucking everything off the asphalt after hedging...Since I cant blow or mulch it. You will love it! Heck you can suck & chop paper cups and cig. wrappers with it!

:D

[MWS LAWN]

Hey Billy,


The one I bought is the SH 85. We used it the last couple of days, it works great. We did not pick-up any cig butts, but I'm sure it will.




Did you get called on Tuesday or did you get a letter? Good Luck on your other big contract, it's almost time to get busy.

[TMlawncare]

We also use a echo model 2400 blower/vac. Bought it mainly for the vac feature. Mine tends to always get clogged around the impeller with twigs, dirt, debris, whatever it sucks up. Also where the bag attaches to the dischare chute, it alway cloggs there even when the bag is nearly empty. It doesn't vac wet leaves well and even on the dry ones it is slow. All I tend to use it for is those very odd places in a yard where you don't want to create a mess and also some gutters, stick the tube in the gutter and all the works done. One last thing however, the echo viberates terrible, so use some good gloves. Until redmax comes out with a model I guess the echos still it for all those niche areas.

[AltaLawnCare]

Thanks, everyone..

I'm gonna check on getting one of those tricks.:cool:

I like the other stihl equipment I got, FS80,and most recently a FS85T split boom.

Mike,
I got a fax saying thanks for bidding, the contract has been awarded to another bidder, and they hope to work with me again in December of 2004. :rolleyes: