[Doogiegh]

Hey,
On some properties, I've been messing around with a time saving idea.

I start up the old backpack blower and put it on. I remove the "extended length tube" from the blower cause otherwise it bounces along the ground as I walk.

I start up the Husq Trimmer and start walking doing my edging or trimming thing. Being I have the backpack blower on my back running at idle, I can easily trim a sidewalk area, give a quick blow off of the area with the running backpack using my right hand (leaving the trimmer running in my right hand) and then promptly go on to the next area to be done. It's like one stop shopping.

Now, the added expense of having 2 gas machine running with 1 operator has to offset the time taken to go to truck, start trimmer, go trim, walk back to truck, put trimmer away, start backpack, go blow, return to truck, unload blower, etc.

I do use my trimmer for edging sidewalks so this method seems to be helping cause I can basically edge and blow off all in one shot, without having to return to the truck.

Just an idea, so far it seems to be working out good for me overall, even if it is two machines running costing more used gas. And the backpack gets a little heavy when you are trimming as well, but it's do-able.

Gary

 

[hubb]

Hmmm.. I just might try that. I have in the past used two blowers at once. One handheld and one backpack for doing leaf cleanups and I've did it when the growth is heavy in the spring for at least one commercial that I have.

 

[Del9175]

To paraprhase some wise words I once heard

"Gas is cheap, labor is expensive"

 

[mrbenfer]

Sounds like a good idea.

On calm days i dont even take out my blower. I use my trimmer and mower to blow clippings back into the yard. Now i'm talking about small driveways.

I guess your mower would have to be on side discharge for that to work though.

P&P LawnCare*LandScape

 

[Envy Lawn Service]

mrbenfer,

I do that myself quite a bit on small areas. The ol' trimer doesn't make a bad blower and the mower will pick up and blow clippings on hard surfaces w/ mulch kit on. Just don't expect it to blow stuff up over curbs very well.

 

[geogunn]

if you can trim and blow at the same time...then great!

but it sounds a lot like trying to "chew gum and walk at the same time" for me!:dizzy:

GEO

 

[Dan1944]

I am going to give it a try when I cut my own lawn today, sounds like a time saver for sidewalks and drive ways.

 

[DennisF]

I've been doing that for quite awhile. Works great for small quick jobs, but it will wear you out on bigger properties. Lugging around a 20 lb backpack and a 12 lb trimmer at the same time takes a toll after a long day.

 

[TLS]

And still do on a few. One guy has a small picnic table on a concrete pad all the way in the back of his property. I take the blower and trimmer back there. But I don't leave the blower running.

Sure wish they would make a BACKPACK blower with a ROPE START that was able to be started with it ON YOUR BACK!!!

My old LESCO/Echo backpack was doable if the engine was warmed up. Just reach back there and YANK hard. But no way in heck can you do that with the PB-650!!!

ELECTRIC START???? Backpack weight never bothered me. I could strap on 50 lbs back there and I wouldn't care too much.

 

[GLAN]

Originally posted by TLS


Sure wish they would make a BACKPACK blower with a ROPE START that was able to be started with it ON YOUR BACK!!!

We are able to reach back around and start them while on the back. Helps to have lose straps.

 

[Lawn Tek]

One tip that was touched on is , if you don't want to wallk back and get the blower , simply raise the spinning trimmer head up off the ground , run it wide open , now you have a blower that works pretty good .

 

[GeorgiaGrassMan]

This is a little bit off topic, but along the lines of effecient blowing, I sure wish I could find a handheld blower that wasn't too heavy, started on the first pull and had decent power. I think its a huge waste of time to get the blower off the rack, start it up and letting it warm up a few seconds before getting it on my back. Its seems like it would be so much more effecient to grab a handheld off the trailer, start it while walking and start blowing. My problem is that the power of my Redmax 7001 has me spoiled. I would be willing to put up with some weight if I could find a handheld blower that was strong enough. I'd still us the backpack for extended blowing, but for driveways, curbs and walks, sure wish I could use a handheld.

 

[Darryl G]

Yes, I sometimes trim and blow at the same time and always do it on one property I have where I have to park up the road on a side street, so I'm carrying them both anyway. I will also use the wind from the trimmer to blow a sidewalk on occassion.

It would work even better if I had an electric start on my BP blower so I wouldn't have to keep it running. I guess I could just wear it on my chest instead of my back so I can reach the recoil start.

Or how about a combination BP trimmer and blower. I know they make BP trimmers. Something for BHB/FSM to work on.

I've been know to run three blowers at once. I have the handheld in my left hand, the BP tube in my right and use them both to feed the 10HP Billy Goat wheel blower which is stationary.

 

[Envy Lawn Service]

Originally posted by TLS
Sure wish they would make a BACKPACK blower with a ROPE START that was able to be started with it ON YOUR BACK!!!

Echo makes one, go shopping!!!!

 

[mottster]

We mow a HOA with about 20 homes. All edging and trimming is done on the entire place by 2 people with 2 people mowing. trimmers get done first so they get on back back blowers. We have it worked out so that one person can meet up with the 61" husqvarna ZTR and sit on the foot area and have the user of themower drive him along the sidewalk to blow it off at 12 mph on the way back to the truck. saves about 15 minutes on a 1/2 mile long sidewalk.

 

[tiedeman]

one of my crew guys does that and he likes it, but I actually think that its more of a pain

 

[Rustic Goat]

Spend a lot more time trimming than I do blowing an area clear.

If you don't stand/walk in just the right place while trying to do both, don't the clippings just get blown around anyway?

Blower is way too heavy to carry at all trimming times.
JMO

 

[LA LAWNS]

check out the Z T F 1000 at Jungle Jims site

 

[greenman]

On another forum, Ultimate lawn says he has been using this method with his employees for a while.

 

[BSDeality]

i've seen one group that uses the BP/trimmer combo. i don't see it saving much time on small prop's, but if you've got a couple hundred feet of drive or sidewalk to trim/clean it'd make sense.