SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge Recommend me some outdoor power equipment. (Update page 2 on what I bought)
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Regarding chain saws, I also have 2 Husky's. One (a Model 44), was purchased in 1984, and the other is a Model 350 purchased in 2000. Both continue to run flawlessly. Just remember to change the fuel filters annually and run a fuel mixture that does not include ethanol. | |||
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posting without pants |
Strive to live your life so when you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, the devil says "Oh crap, he's up." | |||
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| Banned |
If possible try a backpak blower before you buy one. I bought one and didn't like it. Got to be a pain starting it then trying to put it on. Wearing it was annoying. But that's me. You may like it. By the way I had a Stihl. Used it 4 times and sold it. | |||
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Good choice. I have the older 28” model with a plastic chute. I also have the smaller 826, they both have been very reliable and will go through anything. I prefer the smaller one, it’s a lot easier to maneuver, even with steering I still find I have manually maneuver at times. The smaller one is also slightly better to store as far as space, both are huge though. | |||
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| Middle children of history  |
For a 1 acre lot to mow I would look seriously at the Toro Timecutter 50" ZTR mower. I have a 1.25 acre lot that I mowed with the 42" version for years and it was an excellent mower. I had researched the consumer grade lawn tractors from Deere and Cub Cadet and found the quality was lacking. I didn't need a commercial grade ZTR for just weekend homeowner use, especially considering the price. The Toro was a perfect fit and worked extremely well for many years until I sold it. I actually enjoyed mowing the lawn but just ran out of time to do it myself. Toro owns Exmark, they know how to make a ZTR. What is everybody's favorite for battery leaf blowers? I saw the E-Go blower mentioned. I am looking for something to quickly and easily clear off the driveway, deck, front walk, etc. I don't need something powerful enough to move the heavy wet leaf piles in the fall. | |||
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| Too old to run, too mean to quit! |
I have one of those. Wish I had spent a little more and gotten a better one. Deere probably puts out some good stuff, but their "home owner" variety leaves a lot to be desired. Elk There has never been an occasion where a people gave up their weapons in the interest of peace that didn't end in their massacre. (Louis L'Amour) "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. " -Thomas Jefferson "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." Alexis de Tocqueville FBHO!!! The Idaho Elk Hunter | |||
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Nullus Anxietas |
I originally had a Deere STX38 (yellow deck). It did an adequate job--before my wife put in a metric crap-load of gardens with wandering borders. Then it became exceedingly inefficient. Replaced it with a commercial ZTR mower. Cut the job back down to a reasonable time and cuts much more nicely. "America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher | |||
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Member |
Whatever you want, I'd go with Stihl if possible. 10mm lays waste to entire cities, cuts through diamonds and will tear Superman a new asshole. - Parabellum Sex offenders can not be rehabilitated. It's in their wiring. They should not be released back into the general public. On the other hand they should not be warehoused either. I think they should be executed.....Spectre When someone tries to kill you, it doesn't matter how they are doing it. You're in mortal danger, and it's time to try to kill them back. Arc. ___ Kill every last one of these goddamned animals. We need a president with balls. We need leadership. We should be carpet bombing these barbarians wherever we find them, and we should be looking for them 24/7. We have to unleash Hell upon them. They understand nothing but death, so death is what we should bring them, wholesale.... Para I left "practical" behind many years ago. It was covered with my first Glock 19. (Fredward) | |||
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W07VH5 |
Echo is my go to brand for my lawn business. | |||
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| Member |
I would not take a new stihl power product if you gave it to me for free. Echo for the chainsaw, and get a battery powered weed eater. I prefer the electric week eater over gas powered, and get 7-8 used from one charge. I don't use my chainsaw that much, but I killed a stihl 270 cutting a 44" oak tree (engine piston broke), but the older stihls are still money. I use my 20 year old 025 (14") as a backup. There is a reason the newer 270's and 290's go for $220, and a 20 year old 025 goes for $200 on used sites. When the dealer said it (270) was worthless I went and bought a Echo 310. | |||
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paradox in a box |
Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm taking this all in. I think I am leaning on sticking with Echo and Toro. I've basically put everything in my cart at Home Depot and I'm around 6K. That's with the Toro zero turn mower and bagger. That's pricey. Not sure I need that much. We are planning on a pool also so not as much lawn. I did add the backpack blower, but an Echo. I'll say I loved my Echo chainsaw and string trimmer when I had them before. I have until March to get this stuff all figured out. But lots of good info here and a bit of validation on the brands I like. These go to eleven. | |||
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| paradox in a box |
Okay I figure an update is in order since most everything I need has been ordered. To be delivered once I move in is a John Deere X350 tractor with 42" deck, the front snowblower attachment and the 7P utility cart. This was way over my initial budget. But after looking with my girlfriend and the fact we have 7 acres we thought the real tractor version, rather than the Home Depot lower models, was the right choice. I'll want an ATV sometime but for now this will get me everything I need. It was about $6300 out the door for all of it with the accessories I need, delivery to my house, set up etc. There was a John Deere $300 discount started in February that the dealer had me wait for. For the other equipment I went with all Echo. Chainsaw is an Echo CS-501. They had to order it. I went to 3 dealers. One said he'd order in Spring, the other just said it wasn't in stock. The third said he'd have it in 2 days and if I bought all 3 things he'd discount about $40. So he has my business. Blower is Echo PB 580T, backpack blower. It was in my price range at $329. Trimmer is Echo SRM 2620. I can add an edger later if needed. So I'm in better shape than anytime during my married life when the ex spent all the money and I had to use crap to maintain the outdoors. Thanks for all the tips. These go to eleven. | |||
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| Green grass and high tides  |
[QUOTE] But after looking with my girlfriend and the fact we have 7 acres. This part of your quote got my attention. Sure hope for both of your sake you guys have paper worked out who gets what side of the house and 3-1/2 acres if your situation ends like many. Including the married versions. That is risky business whether she is the doctor or you are and which bags groceries. Just say'in.  "Practice like you want to play in the game" | |||
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| paradox in a box |
I understand you’re concern and let’s just say I’m not risking much. If things went south (I’m pressure they won’t) I will make sure she is whole. I’m not a gold digger.  These go to eleven. | |||
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| Three Generations of Service  |
You chose wisely IMHO. Moving up the John Deere ladder will pay dividends down the road. The lower tier stuff is just MTD with green paint and JD pricing. I have a 1995 LX178 that is still running strong and has only needed the "3 B's"...belts, batteries and blades. I love my Stihl saws, but I wouldn't give you a bent nickel for a trainload of anything else they make. I've gotten to the point that I won't even work on their trimmers and blowers. I tell people that bring them to me "Take it and your credit card to a dealer, or better yet, shitcan it and buy an Echo or Shindaiwa". Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent. | |||
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Truth Wins |
Nothing with a Briggs and Stratton V-twin unless you install a fuel shut-off valve and use it to stop the engine by letting it run until it cuts out due to fuel starvation. Do this when you put it away at the end of the day and it will be fine. This will keep the carb cleaner. B&S v-twins are mostly California-compliant these days and use itty-bitty, inadequate carburetors which seem to be far more prone to clogging and gumming up those used by Kohler and he like. I have a Craftsman-branded Husqvarna and until I installed a fuel shut off and used it religiously, I was having constant carb problems even when using fuel treatment for ethanol. Current crop of B&S v-twins also are known to have governor problems, which mine has also had. When the governor goes, the engine will over speed. When my governor went, it damaged both head gaskets, the coil, and magneto. By 25 hours, my engine had been through two carburetors and all the other problems I mentioned above. All fixed under warranty. Current B&S v-twins, specifically the Intek engines, seem to be very troublesome.
All Stihl. Professional grade. They will be a few bucks more than he homeowner grade tools, but are built better. I have a HO grade and professional grade weed wacker and the HO is temperamental when trying to start it. The professional grade starts every time with one pull.This message has been edited. Last edited by: Micropterus, _____________ "I enter a swamp as a sacred place—a sanctum sanctorum. There is the strength—the marrow of Nature." - Henry David Thoreau | |||
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| Three Generations of Service |
The OP has already made his choices/bought his equipment, but for others that may be taking advice from this thread: +1 on the Briggs and Scrapiron engines. They're complete crap these days. Likewise any Honda engine with GC in the nomenclature. GX engines are good. GC engines are crap. Modern one-lungers over about 10 or 12 HP are gonna shake themselves to junk. If you need that kind of HP, get a twin and preferably a water-cooled twin. I've had good luck with Kawasaki water cooled V-twins. Also, Micropterus' comments on Professional Grade Stihl equipment are well taken. My experience is with Homeowner Grade, and it's crap. JMHO, YMMV. Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent. | |||
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| paradox in a box |
The tractor I got has the Kawasaki v-twin. These go to eleven. | |||
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| Member |
I don't know anything about mowers. But you did good buying all echo products, they're light, have plenty of power and last. I have an echo pole articulating hedge trimmer and also an echo pole saw, both for the last 3 years and they run great. I had a stihl pole hedge trimer but hated it, it was heavy and didn't balance well at all, it did run good though. | |||
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Member |
I'm w/ PHPaul that you chose wisely. I know they were probably way over what you wanted to spend, however, properly maintained I'll bet those will last 15-20 years or more. I don't have as much yard to cut, but I went with the x310 4 years ago because the transaxle was serviceable (not so with the models available from the big box stores). It's been a great machine and I've been really liking the 44" snowblower on it lately  | |||
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SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge Recommend me some outdoor power equipment. (Update page 2 on what I bought)
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