Snow blowers? (Parker: Home Depot, buy, live)

[gpraceman]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Still, I'd like 'boating' and others with snow blowers to comment on these things... do you use a single stage or dual stage....etc.... how about some pix of using the snow blower....

I'm not sure about singe or dual stage. Sears had 3 for the same price due to a sale, so I got the one with the most horsepower (8hp) and biggest bite (27"). It does a better job than many of my neighbors blowers, especially when the snow is wet and heavy. It is nicer than shoveling, but you still get a workout trying to maneauver them around. This is its 3rd winter and have gotten a fair amount of use out of it (far better than shoveling my long drive and sidewalks). So far this year, I have used it more than all of last winter.

Here's a snowblower pic. It's not my blower, but looks very much like it. It is affectionately known as Snow Eater and belongs to a guy I know in Illinois.

[LoveBoating]

It is (was) a 2-stroke that we bought for about $400 at Lowe's in Parker last year and only had to use it twice after we bought it. It does GREAT in snow that is a foot or less and in dry (not real wet) snow. If the snow is too wet/heavy, the snow sometimes can get clogged up in the chute are of the blower. You have to rock the blower back and forth to get the snow out. In deep snow (more than a foot), you have to clear a small path at a time or it will clog up.
Ok, why did I say the word "was", we forgot to add oil to the gas during the pre-Christmas blizzard and the engine froze up on the blower.

[gpraceman]

When the snow is deep, I take half a bite so as to not bog the engine down too much. I think I ever stalled it out. If the chute gets clogged, the blower has a brush that you can use to clear it and for clean up before putting it away. Fortunately, I don't have to add oil to the gas for mine.

[Mike from back east]

Thanks for the pic.

Yours looks/sounds like a 2-stage/4-cycle type. My understanding between the types is this:

- Single stage...has only one moving blade, to both clear the path and fling away the snow.
- Dual stage...has two moving blades, one to clear the path and feed snow into a chute, and a second moving blade in the chute to fling the snow where you choose to aim the chute.

- Two cycle engines are where you mix oil/gas together....like many chainsaws and weed wackers, usually very small engines that do not have an internal system for lubrication of moving parts.
- Four cycle engines have separate internal systems for lubrication of moving parts, i.e., separate compartments for gas and oil. Larger engines, like in most lawn mowers, motorcycles, cars and trucks are 4-cycle engines.

For really deep snow or frequent use, it seems a dual stage snow blower with 4-cycle engine would prove most useful and reliable. This is a guess on my part as I've never had a snow blower. I'd like to know more from those who use them, in case the urge to impulse shop at Lowe's or Sears overwhelms me, then I can make an informed decision. Sears is famous for having multiple models of power tools on display, each one with one more feature than the other...and each one another $10 or $20 higher in cost.

s/Mike

[gpraceman]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Yours looks/sounds like a 2-stage/4-cycle type.

Yes, that is what my blower is then. It has an auger blade to chew up the snow and an impeller blade throw it up the chute. It has a separate oil tank, so I don't have to add oil to the gas. It has an electric start, so I plug in a extension cord, prime the engine, set the choke, and then push the starter. It also has a manual pull start. It has 6 forward gears and 2 reverse.

I believe I paid $650 for it 3 years ago. Sears had 3 of them for the same price (at least one of them was on sale), so I went for the one with the most horsepower (8hp) and biggest "bite" (27").

It eats through most anything. If it starts bogging down due to wet/heavy or deep snow, then I just take less of a bite. Turning the thing around is a bit of a workout, since the two wheels are locked together.

If you buy one, get one with some good horsepower. I've seen neighbors using smaller ones (some no bigger than a lawn mower), and they end up still having to do a lot of shoveling. It is worth it to get something that will clear the deep and/or heavy stuff. I have to do a minimal of shoveling after using the blower.

[El Mac]

What kind of snow blower or removal equipment will I be needing to look for? Any brands to recommend or stay away from?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by El Mac

What kind of snow blower or removal equipment will I be needing to look for? Any brands to recommend or stay away from?

Mac, I copied some old posts to this one, this info should get you up to speed.

I'll move this to the main Colorado forum as it applies to the whole state.

s/Mike

[El Mac]

Wow. Nothing else?

[Charles]

I bought from an authorized dealer vs Home Depot or Lowes. That has come in handy as it has already needed minor adjustments (which were performed for free). I have a pickup truck so getting it to the shop was easy. I have 10hp two stage Cub Cadet. No problems with the motor. The belts needed tightening (mentioned above). Light bulb always burns out but those are those cheap bulbs you can replace (car tail light type). I also have chains on the tires because the tires slipped. The chains really didn't help much, the tires still slip on my concrete driveway.

I find myself "pushing" the snowblower in deep snow like this (last January 2007 after back to back blizzards):

[jazzlover]

I had a Sears 8 HP model like the one pictured at the beginning of this thread. It worked just fine, even plowing through (bit-by-bit) some 5-6' deep Wyoming snow drifts. A piece of ice did break one of the plastic chute mouldings, but--hey--that's what baling wire is for.

Or, you could spring for one of these (just kidding, for Mike's benefit):

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