It's time to replace my two stroke leaf blower. I just need it to clear grass clippings off the patio and side walk and to clean off the mower before I put it away, so I don't need a huge backpack blower. I was going to pick up another similar one, but then I noticed that there are a bunch of battery powered ones now. The CFM rating seems to be about half of what the gas powered units are listed at, so I'm a little skeptical. Anybody have any experience with one of these?
How dare you attempt to improve the environment, you gutless Bob Costas.
I'll research when I have the proper internet connection because I, too am interested.
N Sperlo wrote: How dare you attempt to improve the environment, you gutless Bob Costas.
Far from it. I'd gladly toss the old one into a bucolic stream if it means that I never have to mix fuel again.
If you already have the batteries, Makita makes a nice one.
I wouldn't even consider a piece of yard equipment that didn't belch copious amounts of smoke and smelly unburned hydrocarbons. The noise is an enjoyable fringe benefit also.
This thread is of interest to me. I have access to a back pack leaf blow at my in laws I can borrow in the fall, but I need a regular little one for clippings. I'm absolutely done with gas powered yard tools mower excepted. Weed wackers, blowers, pressure washer etc. All seem to have a life of about 2 years tops before E36 M3ty ethanol (I assume), crappy materials and tolerances measured in light years means they just wont berkeleying start anymore and if you are lucky enough to get them running they run like crap.
Electric all the way from here on out for me.
What about a plug in electric?
1988RedT2 wrote: I wouldn't even consider a piece of yard equipment that didn't belch copious amounts of smoke and smelly unburned hydrocarbons. The noise is an enjoyable fringe benefit also.
Proletariat.
Who does their own yard work?
foxtrapper wrote: What about a plug in electric?
Worst thing ever. The aggrevation of the cord (which has to be 50+feet) is not worth dealing with.
^This.
z31maniac wrote:1988RedT2 wrote: I wouldn't even consider a piece of yard equipment that didn't belch copious amounts of smoke and smelly unburned hydrocarbons. The noise is an enjoyable fringe benefit also.Proletariat. Who does their own yard work?
I do! Does your pampered, portly, pusillanimous posterior have a problem with that? 
I actually quite like my plug-in electric Ryobi leaf blower. It is 1000 times easier to work with than my old piece of crap 2-stroke gas one. I threw that one in the trash after using the electric one for a while.
The cordless would be more convenient for sure but I'm not sure how the batteries would hold up and how the power would be. If you're just blowing some clippings it might be fine but there's only one way to find out - try it.
Yeah it's called a "rake".
dculberson wrote: I actually quite like my plug-in electric Ryobi leaf blower. It is 1000 times easier to work with than my old piece of crap 2-stroke gas one. I threw that one in the trash after using the electric one for a while. The cordless would be more convenient for sure but I'm not sure how the batteries would hold up and how the power would be. If you're just blowing some clippings it might be fine but there's only one way to find out - try it.
Agreed. Plug in, use, done. Repeat for years on end, with no maintenance. As for the cord, pulling even a 100' cord just isn't that hard to do. Now mowing, that's a bit different, as running over the cord is a real possibility. But for blowing and string trimming around a typical yard, a 110v electric unit is darn hard to beat, imo.
pres589 wrote: Yeah it's called a "rake".
Neither rakes or brooms work that well on slightly touch concrete for grass clipping. Stubborn little berkeleyers they can be. High speed moving air is the best bet
Got a Black&Decker cordless blower w/2 batteries. Good thing it has 2 batteries too. A fresh battery will barely do my driveway and the short sidewalk from the driveway to the front door. Sidwalk is narrow and less than 20 feet. Driveway will fit 4 cars end to end with spacing and a few feet left over. Even with that said, I do like it for that purpose. Use it everytime I mow. Now for anything more than that, I have an electric cord type that works well. Light enough to be easily handled. It also converts to a leaf vacuum. Had a 2-stroke gas that lasted only 1 season then needed rebuilt (rings). The electric one always works season after season and dealing with a cord isn't that hard when considering my past experience with gas vs. electric.
I've been thinking of buying some of the kobalt 40V lithium ion yard tools. Anyone have any experience with these?
I love my plug in electric mower, no running out of gas, no starting headaches, no checking the oil, and it's quiet. Keeping track of the cord can be troublesome though.
40V seems like enough voltage to get some work done, and all of my lithium ion shop tools are great, like light years ahead of Ni-Cad cordless tools.
Adrian_Thompson wrote:pres589 wrote: Yeah it's called a "rake".Neither rakes or brooms work that well on slightly touch concrete for grass clipping. Stubborn little berkeleyers they can be. High speed moving air is the best bet
Even better, I use a hose. Conservation be damned, clears it off and washes it at the same time. Some water even splashes over onto my yard to help it out as well. 
Honestly though, cordless drills are great, for everything else the batteries don't hold up the way I want. My blower is gas.
I honestly don't rake or blow. I use the ever so environmentally friendly wind power. My neighbors don't complain. We're all hosiers.
I've been using a Ryobi 4-Cycle (155 mph 400 CFM Handheld Gas Blower) for 6 months now. I had my doubts when I bought it at HDepot for $139.00. Its been great! Not the power of a big 2 cycle but if Motocross can make the switch, so can I. It is pretty quiet also.
wlkelley3 wrote: Got a Black&Decker cordless blower w/2 batteries.
I have one of those and it works great for keeping the front porch, patio and sidewalks clear of leaves, maple seeds, etc. It would probably do for your requirements.
When I mow the grass and leave a lot of clippings I get out my backpack blower to do everything. It also takes care of the leaves in the fall. And just in case, I still have the corded electric blower that I used before I got the backpack.
Hell, I'm too cheap to get a blower. After I mow I just make a couple passes up and down the driveway with the deck low and the blades on. Blows all the E36 M3 back into the yard.
spring loaded 100' cord reels make 120v yard accessories much friendlier.
linky:
http://www.grainger.com/product/COXREELS-Heavy-Duty-Power-Cord-Reel-WP20019/_/N-/Ntt-100%27+cord+reel?sst=subset&s_pp=false
thats obviously the most expensive one available, due to it being from grainger, but you get the idea.
-J0N
FWIW, I have the Black and Decker 40v blower. Its great for blowing off the decks/driveway/walkway. Not great at blowing leaves around in the grass, but not terrible either. I'd buy it again.
Main reason I have it is because I have the cordless weed trimmer from B&D also, and it rocks. Same batteries means I get double the leaf-blower run-time (I rarely use more than 50% anyway) when I haven't been weed trimming the same day.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-LSW36-40-Volt-Cordless/dp/B00AXTO41E/ref=psdc39_t3_B0001Q2EMK_B00AXTO41E
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