# Using Power Brooms: Raking Alternatives



## StihlRockin' (Jul 4, 2009)

I use to have a power broom; the one with the rubber paddles.(got stolen) Stihl makes a versatile tool/machine that runs many attachments and one is a power broom. You can get them with the bristles(brush) or the rubber paddles.

Now I've used the paddles before on grass. It did good for smaller raking material, pine cones, smaller sticks, etc. It didn't work the best as some sticks were hard to move out of the taller grasses, but still better than hand raking.

My question is... *Has anyone used the bristle power brooms before?* I see at Stihl's site, they say to NOT use the bristles on grass. *Have you used them on grass before?* If so, how did it work out?

*Besides these power brooms, has anyone used something else to replace the old fashioned raking?*

Thanks,

*StihlRockin'*


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## squad143 (Jul 4, 2009)

Backpack blower.....

Of course, you already knew that, right?


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## Daddy M Dawg (Jul 4, 2009)

2 guys with rakes and 1 guy with the blower behind. It speeds it up for us.


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## PurdueJoe (Jul 4, 2009)

Backpack blower on small jobs large areas when dry we break out the steel tine broom for the mini then follow behind with the backpack blower. Speeds it up nice.


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## STLfirewood (Jul 5, 2009)

Like someone else said. I have someone rake the heavy stuff in front of me. I follow them with a BR600. That thing has a ton of power. I think it's the strongest blower on the market. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Scott


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## StihlRockin' (Jul 5, 2009)

Can't recall Husky's largest backpack, but I have and like it. Works good. Yeah, knew about the rake & blower simultaneous technique.

Using a blower is very versatile except with sticks that stick in the longer grass. Guess that's why they call them _sticks_. LOL!

*StihlRockin'*


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## squad143 (Jul 5, 2009)

STLfirewood said:


> Like someone else said. I have someone rake the heavy stuff in front of me. I follow them with a BR600. That thing has a ton of power. I think it's the strongest blower on the market. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
> 
> Scott



Here are some figures between the BR600 and the Shindaiwa EB8510. Both great blowers.

*Stihl BR600:*
WEIGHT 9.8 kg (21.6 Ibs
DISPLACEMENT 64.8 cc (3.95 cu. in.)
ENGINE POWER 3.0 kW (4.0 bhp)
FUEL CAPACITY 1400 cc (47.3 oz.)
SOUND PRESSURE RATING 75 dB(A)
AIR VOLUME
With tube: 1210 m3/h (712 cfm) 
Without tube: 1720 m3/h (1012 cfm) 
AIR VELOCITY 90 m/sec. (201 mph)


*Shindaiwa EB8510:*
Dry weight 24.5 lbs. (11.1 kg) 
Displacement 4.86 cu. in. (79.7 cc) 
Output 4.5 hp (3.3 kW)
Fuel tank capacity 67.6 oz. (2.0 liters) 
Noise rating 75 dB(A) 
Air volume at nozzle 762 CFM
Air volume at housing 1349 CFM
Nozzle velocity 224 mph


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## Grace Tree (Jul 5, 2009)

Redmax 8001
3 years of constant use with no problems. 

RedMax EBZ8001 (Frame Style Throttle)/EBZ8001-RH (Tube Style Throttle) Back Pack Blower EBZ8001

Detailed Description
Engine:
2 Cycle Strato-Charged™
Engine Displacement:
71.9 cc
Carburetor:
Diaphragm with Purge Pump
Ignition System:
Solid State
Fuel Capacity:
77.7 fl.Oz.
Dry Weight:
25.4 lbs
Air Volume:
915 cfm
Air Speed:
201 mph
Noise Level:
77 dB(A)
Warranty:
2 Years Commercial, 2 Years Homeowner
Features:
*
Powerful Strato-Charged Engine
*
2 Year Commercial Warranty
*
Ventilated Lumbar BackPad
*
Wide Padded Straps
*
Left or Right Hand Models
*
Free Flow™ Net


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## Curbside (Jul 5, 2009)

The brooms do not work on grass at all. They just bind up and get caught in the grass. The rubber paddles do work on the grass but do not pick up all the sticks. Personally I think a rake with a blower is the fastest.


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## Tree Dr. (Jul 14, 2009)

*Mower*

A bagging mower is good in tall grass, 
drag...rake... tarp... blow and go?
Leaf vac with cesna engine on it.
Broom.
Zip line it to the chipper and skip the raking?


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## Greenstar (Jul 14, 2009)

Tree Dr. I like what u are saying about "zip lining it". There are occasions when I really want to do this, but I can never convince my guys it is a good enough idea. Actually this happened once with a stubborn older climber. I told him I'd set the whole thing up. I couldn't get him to cooperate. It would have been the perfect scenario for it. I almost took him off the job!

Anyhow, I'd like to ask you about specifics of doing a zipline... But do you send it down the zipline with a lowering line attached to the pully to control its speed??

Do you often do this long distances from back to front yards... etc.

Thanks,
greenstar-boston


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## Tree Machine (Jul 14, 2009)

Rake and blower as a team. Greater than the sum of the parts.

Try using the search function, you'll find a lot of zipline threads. In this thread its called a 'derail'.


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