I just finally bought a little electric one for my teeny driveway because I read an article that shoveling snow by hand was a leading cause of heart attacks.. And as I get older I hate doing it worse and worse every year as my back hurts more each passing year. Yes I know a little electric is not very manly, but the size of my driveway would be a waste for anything bigger.

I'll do mine in stages if it's looking like a lot of snow is coming. It's much easier blowing 4" or plowing 8" twice, then waiting until it's over and trying to shift 2 feet once.

quote:

Originally posted by DougE:

quote:

Notice hanging on the handle was the starter (a rope with a knot tied on one end and a 3 1/2” wood handle. The shut off…yes the grounding tab above the spark plug.

Almost like the old Gravely walk behind tractors with the starter strap. If them things hiccuped when you were starting them, you'd about get wound up on the starter pulley when you got pulled back into the machine.

Yes it was a reminder that you weren’t really in charge of the situation, It was a 1962 Simplicity.

Ariens 30" 2-stage blower, but mostly use this >

Good informative thread. I'm interested in that Edge Tamer back on page 1, gonna have to look at those closer.

It all depends where, are we in Hancock, MI or Southern, WI?

Then what length driveway?

I have a 20 y/o 8 hp snowblower, runs great. We have a long driveway, often one of 2 retired guys get to I before I do. I was glad to use it a week ago, have it run a little bit.

When I lived in Michigan I bought an Aierens 2-stage - the smallest one they make but still a lot more of a snowblower than a single stage. I live in Indianapolis now (since 2001) and I use it sometimes, some years I don't really need it, some I use it a few times. If I didn't have it, I would probably buy a single stage that is more appropriate for the amount of snow we get here. But Indiana has highly variable weather - some winters barely any snow, and sometimes a lot in a short time.

And the reason I got the Aierens was due to a deep snowfall in 2000 and it was the last one available at the nearby Home Depot.

I realize deep snow requires equipment, lately with a light dusting I've found a lot of folks locally using their leaf blowers. If it's dry and cold, it can do that job.

One issue we have to deal with every time we get forewarning of a deep snow is the three neighbors up the lane parking out in it, not their driveway. The lane is higher than their yard and it can be hard to get up. My neighbor came over prepping for the 8" we are expecting - stores were wiped out of windshield covers or any suitable plastic - so I cut him a 6x10 piece of Tyvek house wrap. In the conversation he wondered if he should park his 4WD JEEP up on the lane and I had my opportunity.

Our neighbor at the end of the lane is now Hospice with no expectations to make it to spring, I left that out but did mention "how do we get a fire truck down here if they can't get around the cars?" The deer in the headlights look told me he's never thought about it. A typical firetruck needs ten feet clear to pass thru, not forgetting an ambulance. Heavy snow tends to increase heart attacks and wood stove fires - I did mention Id hate to see mine go up in flames. Remains to be seen if his $65k Jeep can climb a short snowy grade. My old F150 has a ratchet locker and Mud Claws, Im looking forward to getting out.

Im guessing thats not a problem up north - around here tho it's another one of those things where the neighbors impose on you and if you complain then you are the bad neighbor. They say good fences make good neighbors and that project keeps elevating every year. And we wonder why subdivisions became chain link ghettos by the 80's.

There are 17 houses on my street and after a blizzard about 20 years ago, everyone chipped in and bought two snow blowers. Since I am not home during snowstorms, my neighbor clears our driveway if it is a deep snow. Otherwise, my wife and kids shovel it. If the snow is really deep and the plows pile up the snow in front of my house, I bring my skid steer loader out and pile it on the yard.

Lived in Northern NJ, near the ski resorts. Big community, lots of houses. We were north enough that when the 'flatlands' got rain, we got snow. Often some serious accumulation. First year there bought a serious 2 stage self propelled snowblower - and it was worth it. Second year, bought an electric 'snow shovel' to clear the walkway and deck (for the dogs). On our street, we were the only ones with snow removal equipment - everyone else was shoveling their driveway.

Two single stage toro's for 1700 sq. Ft. Of driveway in western Illinois.

Both garage sale purchases, both over ten years old.

Have longed for a 2 stage for five years.
They look marvelous.

But used my neighbors toro two stage for 30 minutes,recently.

Back started killing me, the handles were five inches too low, I am 6'4",
The neighbor is 5'10" tall.

Am glad now that I never purchased the two stage.