leaf vacuum power rake

[sheepfarmer]

Have fun guys! I have a cyclone rake, and it sure beats hauling on a tarp, but I'd love to blow a bunch of the leaves back across the street to the neighbors' trees where they come from! Except that would be way too hostile. Not their fault I am down wind Their trees shed last, after I am done picking up the ones off my trees, and it has stopped being fun.

 

[bird dogger]

Have fun guys! I have a cyclone rake, and it sure beats hauling on a tarp, but I'd love to blow a bunch of the leaves back across the street to the neighbors' trees where they come from! Except that would be way too hostile. Not their fault I am down wind Their trees shed last, after I am done picking up the ones off my trees, and it has stopped being fun.

Sheepfarmer, sometimes you just gotta do what you have to do in order to keep peace in the neighborhood.

 

[B737]

(video link at the bottom)

@GeoBx2680 I ended up cutting 6" off the PTO shaft (each half). When they were level, I had 30.5" between the spline lock grooves on the tractor and unit. The uncut shaft measured 35" between the locking shoulders. Yours may end up being different but just wanted to let you know.

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Overall impressions... It is going to cut my time at least in half, if not by 2/3rds. The build quality is very stout too. Maneuvering it for storage or hook up is easy on a hard floor as it balances on its roller perfectly.

I know my RedMax 8500 intimately, and this is like running 4 of them at once. It used to take me about 4 hours to clear my back woods while on foot... I will prob be able to do it in an hour now. Acorns, sticks, leaves, small children... gone.

While hooked up, I removed my ssqa bucket but kept the boom on and it felt stable. I was running it with the roller just off the ground too. I may use front suitcase weights but def dont feel like they are required.

The backpack blower is still necessary, as it's needed to move the stuff out that's against the house or in tight spots. However, the rest will be a breeze now. Operating the tractor sure beats hoofing it all over the property with the backpack on.

Also, this thing is SUPER quiet. I'd venture to say it is quieter than the tractor itself since the BX is running ~3000 RPM to turn the PTO at 540. Not smelling like 2 stroke gas for dinner while your ears are ringing, priceless.

No doubt, this will be my most used implement Nov-March




and a short video:

 

[bird dogger]

(video link at the bottom)


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Overall impressions... this thing's pretty sick. It is going to cut my time at least in half, if not by 2/3rds. I am very happy I didn't end up getting a MCS system. I have a small grass yard, the rest of my property is mature, very large oaks. Acres of the same surrounding mine. There is space to push the leaves to unused land. I am adamant about clearing our leaves, even from the woods, as I feel like it cuts down tremendously on the ticks regarding the dog.

The build quality on this thing is pretty stout. It balances on its large roller. So shoving it around on a smooth floor is easy for storage or hook up.

I don't like the BX instant on electric PTO engagement, but this handles it very well, the spool up is very smooth. My initial impressions while in the driveway when I put my boot in front of the discharge, I was kind of underwhelmed "that's it?". Then I got into the grass and woods, WOW. I know my RedMax EBZ 8500 intimately well, and this is like running 4 of them at once. It used to take me about 4 hours to clear my back woods one footstep at a time... I will prob be able to do it in an hour now. Acorns, sticks, leaves, small children... gone.

While hooked up, I removed my ssqa bucket but kept the FEL boom on and it felt stable. I was running it with the roller just off the ground too.

The backpack blower is still a necessary tool, as it will be needed to move the stuff out that's against the house or in tight areas. However, the rest will be a breeze now. Operating the tractor sure beats lugging the backpack blower all over the property.

Also, this thing is SUPER quiet. I'd venture to say it is quieter than the tractor itself since the BX is running ~3000 RPM to turn the PTO at 540. Not smelling like 2 stroke gas for dinner while your ears are ringing, priceless.

No doubt, this will be my most used implement Nov-March

and a short crappy video:
https://youtu.be/AweBaItETUc

B737, My gut clenched up when I read your first sentence (overall impression) and thought OMG, what happened to the agrimetal blowers. Along with the guilt of recommending something that's not any good anymore!! But then you continued with some good points and being happy with it and those feelings went out the door! Whew!!!

That's an impressive looking machine. Looks like they've had to add some safety guards, etc. that aren't on my older model. They do move a large volume of air quietly, like you stated. Just have to remember to engage the clutch with the engine speed at idle or a low rpm. Same for me on the B2650.

Do they still use the pull cable to raise and lower the chute deflector? It looks similar to mine but couldn't quite tell from your picture. The 12VDC linear actuator arrived today and I'm hoping to use that to raise and lower the chute. It sure isn't necessary, but it's a little bit of a reach now when mounted on the Kubota vs the old John Deere. I'll post some pics of that when it's hammered out.

Sure glad you like your new addition!! And the color makes it look right at home behind your tractor. I looked at your short video and bet that you'll get more pleased with that blower every time you use it. You'll find that even varying the height of the discharge makes a big difference in certain situations. Also, tilting the 3 point lift arms to point the blower more towards the ground can help with wet leaves or twigs that are stuck more to the ground (but only with the chute raised). Half the fun of using it is when the wind is really blowing from the right direction and it aids your efforts to clear leaves!! That machine will serve you for decades to come!!

Cheers!!
David

 

[B737]

Thanks David for the guidance, this will be a game changer for sure. I'm looking forward to seeing it go when the ground gets covered weekly during the peak.

this community is a great resource

Yes they still use the pull cable, its perfect for the BX, the handle lands right between the ROPs bar and the signal light. They tell you to run it with the roller on the ground but I found that raising and lowering it helped in some spots for the terrain, maybe a hydraulic top link could vary the angle on demand

 

[GeoBx2680]

b737

Thanks for the heads up.
The guy at EA also told me I'd be cutting the shaft some. But at least I can use what you did as a guide sure mine will. be close to the same as yours.
Man I can't wait til next weekend. Getting mine on Tuesday I hope. Neighbor at the Nursery 1/4 mile down road is taking the delivery for me and will bring to my house with his skidder.

 

[B737]

Geo, it doesn't come with lynch pins for the lower arms or the top pin, so make sure you have some spares, or can borrow them from another implement.

 

[GeoBx2680]

Got my blower today..YES !

B737
so you cut about 6' off the shaft.
How much of it slides in male end to female end once its cut 2-3" ? You know how much they over lap so the shaft doesn't slip out when raising and lowering

 

[B737]

woohoo!!!
I cut the shaft on a band saw, and it gave me a run for my money, took a while. May have been faster to use a cut-off wheel...

When the pto of the tractor and input spline of the unit were level with one another, I measured 30.5" between the locking grooves. With the shaft collapsed, between the locking balls, was 35". So 4.5" too long, added 1.5" for safety, came up with 6" to remove from both the inner and outer parts (and the plastic). There is a lot of over lap, more than 2/3rd. I suspect around 2" of clearance, I cycled it full up and down and it was good with it. Your machine may not be exact but it should be close.

cant wait to hear your impressions. Im waiting until i cant see the grass anymore before i take it out again

 

[bird dogger]

We've had record setting rainfall here for the months of Sept and Oct, the yard is soft and even has standing water in some areas, and the leaves are wet and matted down. But I told the wife that tomorrow the leaf blower is coming out whether there's clothes on the line or not!! I've gotta start getting the leaves off the yard and under control before the snow falls again. Should be a good test for the old blower. The 12 volt linear actuator was mounted this week and works great, albeit a little slower than I'd like. It takes just under 30 seconds for the full travel either direction for this application. When I don't have to stop the tractor to reach around, find the rope and give it a pull, turn around and go again but can just flip a switch on the fly it really isn't but a few seconds slower anyway, if any at all. And much easier on the arms!! I'll take some pics tomorrow of the old girl.....the blower.....not the other!

 

[GeoBx2680]

woohoo!!!
I cut the shaft on a band saw, and it gave me a run for my money, took a while. May have been faster to use a cut-off wheel...

When the pto of the tractor and input spline of the unit were level with one another, I measured 30.5" between the locking grooves. With the shaft collapsed, between the locking balls, was 35". So 4.5" too long, added 1.5" for safety, came up with 6" to remove from both the inner and outer parts (and the plastic). There is a lot of over lap, more than 2/3rd. I suspect around 2" of clearance, I cycled it full up and down and it was good with it. Your machine may not be exact but it should be close.

cant wait to hear your impressions. Im waiting until i cant see the grass anymore before i take it out again

Makes sense I think. Then. like sheetmetal school told me measure twice cut once

One dumb question
I've never had anything on my 3 pt but my triangle with the ball for moving trailers around.heres my question
I got the blower on my 3 pt and when I raised it up, the blower looks tilted back towards the tractor. do I need to adjust the top 3pt thing to level the blower so everything looks level. Then proceed measuring the shaft length. You follow me ?

I can't either especially sense I got lots of leaves on the ground. Then I can mow one last time and take the mower deck off for the season

 

[B737]

Once you get it on there, twist the top link so the 3 point hitch on the AgriMetal is vertical. Then get the input shaft and the pto shaft level with each other and measure. This is a good video by GP
https://youtu.be/wjaYgwEQnCI

 

[bird dogger]

Makes sense I think. Then. like sheetmetal school told me measure twice cut once

One dumb question
I've never had anything on my 3 pt but my triangle with the ball for moving trailers around.heres my question
I got the blower on my 3 pt and when I raised it up, the blower looks tilted back towards the tractor. do I need to adjust the top 3pt thing to level the blower so everything looks level. Then proceed measuring the shaft length. You follow me ?

I can't either especially sense I got lots of leaves on the ground. Then I can mow one last time and take the mower deck off for the season

Geo, you're right. Level the blower front to back with the top 3 pt. link and then raise/lower the blower til the blower shaft lines up with the tractor pto shaft. Then take your measurements from there. If I remember right there's instructions in the manual to calculate how much to remove from each part of the new pto shaft. Better to take off too little at first and have to re cut than to take off way too much and be short. It's nice to end up with just enough clearance with the pto shaft collapsed to allow for easy hookup but not so tight that it binds if you raise the blower up to the max height with your 3 pt. lift arms.

I remember calculating and cutting just the plastic guard material first from each part and then laying them out side by side to see if the cuts made sense before I actually cut the mating splines. There's a lot of leeway so it shouldn't be too difficult. Also, after you cut the plastic guard material off the parts you can stuff some rags or paper inside to prevent metal filings/grindings from getting up into the greasy uncut portions. It's nice to keep those surfaces as free from debris as possible. Hope this helps!!

Anxious to hear your take on the machine also!!

David

 

[bird dogger]

Once you get it on there, twist the top link so the 3 point hitch on the AgriMetal is vertical. Then get the input shaft and the pto shaft level with each other and measure. This is a good video by GP
https://youtu.be/wjaYgwEQnCI

B737, That's a great tutorial for fitting the PTO shaft to the implement for the first time.

Geo, one more thing the video might have mentioned....especially if you've never connected a pto shaft to your tractor before....is that it's always easier if the implement shaft is level and straight behind the tractor pto shaft before you try to hook it up. Otherwise it can be a pain, especially if its cold outside and the grease is stiff. Once you do it a few times it'll become 2nd nature to you and you'll find a system that works best for you.

David

 

[GeoBx2680]

The video was good info always nice to see someone do it before you try it. Just hope their doing it right.Lol

Bird I'll try remember that on the shaft maybe thats why I struggle with the mower shaft sometimes. Course some days I just struggle in general

I also did read the manual tonight

 

[bird dogger]

Here's a few pics of my blower purchased in the real early '90s. I should've taken the pics before using it today as it was much cleaner. It has a 24 inch impeller which looks about the same size as both your machines. I run with it just off the ground as much as possible. The wheels keep it upright when not attached and make it easy to move around for storage and for hookup but otherwise aren't needed. Maybe on real uneven ground they'd come into play.
The 12 volt linear actuator added works quite well to raise and lower the chute deflector. The switch is mounted on a plate attached to the threaded hole on the ROPs with a disconnect for the wiring. I plug power into the "cigarette lighter" socket on the B2650.








Cheers!
David

 

[bird dogger]

Bird I'll try remember that on the shaft maybe thats why I struggle with the mower shaft sometimes. Course some days I just struggle in general

Geo, be assured you're not alone in that regard! My personal "Check Engine Light" comes on more and more every day now.

Regards,
David

 

[B737]

that actuator came out great! it's the little things... that unit looks like its a bit bigger than the BW1600s, maybe closer to their 2500 series, very cool.

keep us posted GEO

 

[GeoBx2680]

OMG putting the drive shaft has got me boiling.
Why I am I having so much trouble I can't even get it to go on the attachment im pushing it across the floor trying. it doesn't seem like the balls are rolling to lock it in.

The slide collar is next to the yoke on the shaft, Tried pushing it on like that and also tried sliding the collar forward then pushing it on nothing. I can see the balls just at the end of the spline. Looking though the yoke.
I've even took the guards off to make it easier to get my hands around it. still nothing

I better take a break before I really loss it. maybe it will go easier then

Update: Struggling party of one, your seat is ready . I got it figured out now. I am a pollock for a reason I guess

 

[B737]

The collar slides BACK towards the center of PTO shaft. To lock and unlock.
Ur so close!