We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 7:20:26 AM UTC-5, NorMinn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

I've had a Craftaman for 20 years and am happy with it. It's 5hp,
about 24", two stage, I think. Cost about $800 back then. The only
problem I've had with it is that when I've forgotten to drain the gas
at the end of the season, sometimes the carb gets fouled in just a
few months. But even that was a quick fix with a $10 rebuild kit
on Ebay. Of course what Sears and others sell today may be very
different.

One thing I would definitely get is electric start. It's worth it
to not have to pull start. And you want two stage. Another possible
feature is some of the more expensive ones have tread type drives
instead of tires. I never used one of those, but it might be a
good thing if you have a grade to deal with. You can also put chains
on the tire ones. I've been fine here with just the tires. I have
a little grade at the end of the driveway and no problem getting
the blower to go up it.

On 1/9/2015 7:54 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 7:20:26 AM UTC-5, NorMinn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

I've had a Craftaman for 20 years and am happy with it. It's 5hp,
about 24", two stage, I think. Cost about $800 back then. The only
problem I've had with it is that when I've forgotten to drain the gas
at the end of the season, sometimes the carb gets fouled in just a
few months. But even that was a quick fix with a $10 rebuild kit
on Ebay. Of course what Sears and others sell today may be very
different.

One thing I would definitely get is electric start. It's worth it
to not have to pull start. And you want two stage. Another possible
feature is some of the more expensive ones have tread type drives
instead of tires. I never used one of those, but it might be a
good thing if you have a grade to deal with. You can also put chains
on the tire ones. I've been fine here with just the tires. I have
a little grade at the end of the driveway and no problem getting
the blower to go up it.

Lived in the Chicago suburbs until I was 60. Don't know where the OP is
located. I used a Craftsman electric (made by the old Sunbeam on the
west side of Chicago) for many years and it was ok. A little getting
used to the cord thing. When it finally bit the dust, I gave it to a
cousin that had worked for Sunbeam and had one himself ... he now had
lots of parts). I bought a single stage, 2 cycle, with an electric
(120VAC) start. You had to push it as it wasn't self propelled. This
unit was a whole lot better. Out of the cold garage it always started
(AC) and if it would die along the sidewalk because I hit a hard chunk
of ice from the street snow plow, the pull starter was there to get it
going pretty easily, because it was nicely warmed up. When we moved to
western NC 6 years ago, I gave it to my son. He had a similar unit, but
no electric start. In a way, I wish I would have brought it with. We do
have some snow here and it might be nice. That all said, I have seen
commercials for the new Lithium Ion battery units (36 volts or something
like that) ... looks pretty slick, especially for smaller areas ...
probably pricey.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
http://www.avast.com

On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Mine's a two stage 24 inch Troy Bilt with electric start. It will
handle a couple of feet or more of snow. Only trouble I had with it was
time I did not run it dry and ethanol containing stabilized gas clogged it.

Neighbor has one exactly like it and no problems, except, maybe last
year when he accidentally ran into his newspaper buried in the snow.

I'm 75 and have no trouble handling it.

"Norminn" wrote in message
...

We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a lot
of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. . . . it refreezes and
gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the mailbox or have
visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a reliable, manageable
machine?

No snow thrower can clear ice. Ice requires:
-- for individuals, studded boots to inhibit falling;
-- ice can be cleared only by a vehicle (1) heavy enough to
break ice into pieces, (2) capable of lifting and
throwing the pieces.
The cheapest alternative is to distribute a sand/salt mix
atop the ice, renewed daily as needed.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:20:26 AM UTC-6, NorMinn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Ariens, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt. CC and TB are made by MTD so I would ask a dealer if TB was just a re-labelled Yard Machine or a Cub Cadet? (Maybe you could look at them side-by-side). John Deere's larger blowers were made by Ariens.

On Fri, 09 Jan 2015 07:20:21 -0500, Norminn
wrote in

We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

I would try something like this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-20-...z0r2r1Z1z0r453
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:20:26 AM UTC-6, NorMinn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower...Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Some reviews:http://movingsnow.com/the-best-snow-...for-2013-2014/

bob_villa:

+111111 - Ariens!

Norminn wrote:

I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank.

Based on personal experience, I offer the following comments:

- Snowblowers are just that. They do not throw slush or ice. That means if you
do not get outside to use them as soon as the snow falls, you are not going to
see good results. Attempting to throw slush or snow that has melted near the
ground results in the blower packing up. That means you have to turn it off and
clean it out. Rinse, repeat. The only thing that will break up ice on the ground
is a blade on a pickup.

- The little electric brushes are toys and shouldn't be considered.

- I have a self propelled Sears (really MTD) with a 9HP gas motor. Use it to do
a 250ft driveway up the side of a mountain. Electric start is an absolute must.
Trying to use a pull starter on a gas motor in the winter is nuts. It's two
stage, which means it has an auger and a blower. The blower is adjustable, so
there is some control on where and how far the snow gets thrown.

- It is self propelled, but that doesn't mean you sit in a rocker chair behind
it. There is some physical effort in managing it.

Per Norminn:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower

No recommendation, but I would concur with the idea of getting a snow
blower instead of shoveling. Shoveling is pretty strenuous activity
and if somebody only does it a few times per year I would think they are
placing themselves at risk - more risk the older they get.
--
Pete Cresswell

On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

First you have to determine your real needs. If snow is a twice a year
thing with 4", you can get away with a little single stage machine.

If you get 6" or more at a time and you get it a couple of times a
month, you need a decent two stage machine. You want something that can
trow the snow.

Look at features. I set out to buy a 24" as it would easily do my
driveway. After looking at different models, the 28" had a better
system to change the discharge, had a headlight and was slightly wider
for a few bucks more.

I did not see any big differences in brands at a given price point. I
bought mine early in the season at $100 off.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

First you have to determine your real needs. If snow is a twice a year
thing with 4", you can get away with a little single stage machine.

If you get 6" or more at a time and you get it a couple of times a
month, you need a decent two stage machine. You want something that can
trow the snow.

Look at features. I set out to buy a 24" as it would easily do my
driveway. After looking at different models, the 28" had a better
system to change the discharge, had a headlight and was slightly wider
for a few bucks more.

I did not see any big differences in brands at a given price point. I
bought mine early in the season at $100 off.
Hi,
Or late in the season to use from next season.
I don't even bother dragging out the unit, I can still
shovel 30' long double wide drive way for a morning exercise.
No pain, aches, huffing and puffing yet, LOL! Our snow is always
light and powdery, easy to handle.

On Fri, 9 Jan 2015 08:55:25 -0500, "Don Phillipson"
wrote:

"Norminn" wrote in message
...

We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a lot
of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. . . . it refreezes and
gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the mailbox or have
visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a reliable, manageable
machine?

No snow thrower can clear ice. Ice requires:
-- for individuals, studded boots to inhibit falling;
-- ice can be cleared only by a vehicle (1) heavy enough to
break ice into pieces, (2) capable of lifting and
throwing the pieces.
The cheapest alternative is to distribute a sand/salt mix
atop the ice, renewed daily as needed.
In most cases where the weather is less severe than Ottawa, keeping
the snow cleared prevents it from getting packed down and turning to
ice.

My reccomendation if it's not in deep snow country is a Toro single
stage - the rubber impeller/beaters scrub right down to bare concrte -
they are light and easy to handle - no wheel drive but they propel
themselves along nicely.110 volt start and now 4 stroke instead of 2.

That said, I bought a Yamaha Hydro a few years back. 12 volt start,
track drive, hydrostatic trans, and throws snow over 40 feet. The
choke is a joke - so I drilled a 1/8" hole in the air cleaner housing
and I give it a light shot of ether as it is cranking (stick the lrt
into the hole)

On Fri, 9 Jan 2015 06:08:57 -0800 (PST), bob_villa
wrote:

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:20:26 AM UTC-6, NorMinn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Ariens, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt. CC and TB are made by MTD so I would ask a dealer if TB was just a re-labelled Yard Machine or a Cub Cadet? (Maybe you could look at them side-by-side). John Deere's larger blowers were made by Ariens.
Just like Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and GMC are all made by GM, the Troy
Bilt, Cub Cadet, and Yard Machine are 3 totally distinct product
lines. Less cross-polination than GM even.

On Fri, 9 Jan 2015 06:39:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

bob_villa:

+111111 - Ariens!
The Ariens Pro is a real machine. The cheap-assed thing they put
their name on for Home Despot, they should be ashamed of.

I used to work for an Ariens dealet back in the sixties.

"(PeteCresswell)" writes:

Per Norminn:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower

No recommendation, but I would concur with the idea of getting a snow
blower instead of shoveling. Shoveling is pretty strenuous activity
and if somebody only does it a few times per year I would think they are
placing themselves at risk - more risk the older they get.

I'm only 69.
Maybe things will change, but my attitude now is that _not_
shoveling will put me at _more_ risk.

I'm only dealing with 80 feet of driveway in central NJ.

I'd much rather be found dead in a pile of snow than
waste away in a bed. Even with a few years of difference.

--
Dan Espen

On Fri, 09 Jan 2015 09:27:58 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

First you have to determine your real needs. If snow is a twice a year
thing with 4", you can get away with a little single stage machine.

If you get 6" or more at a time and you get it a couple of times a
month, you need a decent two stage machine. You want something that can
trow the snow.

Look at features. I set out to buy a 24" as it would easily do my
driveway. After looking at different models, the 28" had a better
system to change the discharge, had a headlight and was slightly wider
for a few bucks more.

I did not see any big differences in brands at a given price point. I
bought mine early in the season at $100 off.
Hi,
Or late in the season to use from next season.
I don't even bother dragging out the unit, I can still
shovel 30' long double wide drive way for a morning exercise.
No pain, aches, huffing and puffing yet, LOL! Our snow is always
light and powdery, easy to handle.

150 feet of sidewalk and a double length double wide driveway in
Central Ontario slop zone is a differnt situation!! Takes a blower
with OOMPF. My Yamaha can throw snow from my driveway across the
neighbour's driveway to the east into his front yard when blowing
against a stiff west wind is like taking a whiz into the breeze..
The prevailing west winds make it difficult to throw the snow onto my
own front yard. I usually blow his sidewalk too, which means I'm
blowing over 200 feet of sidewalk. (and sometimes his driveway too,
and often a few other elderly neighbours when I've got the "beast"
fired up and running already anyway..
Put about 50 gallons of Shell Hitest through it last winter.

Per Dan Espen:
I'd much rather be found dead in a pile of snow than
waste away in a bed. Even with a few years of difference.

There's something to be said for that....

But last year we lost retired co-worker. There was heavy rain one
night and he went out to dig a drainage trench to divert water that was
getting in to his very old house.

AFIK, somebody found the body the next day.
--
Pete Cresswell

This whole collective snow shoveling/blowing/plowing
frying pan we suburbanites repeatedly beat over our
own heads every Dec-March(or May-Sept) should raise
not a few flags and ring a few bells:


SHOULD HUMANS EVEN BE LIVING in cold/snowy
regions of the planet - even where such weather
occupies half to one quarter of one year??


Certainly, living where mother nature repaves your
driveway with a white layer of anything from fluff
to the frozen variety does create an 'economy' - by
spurring the design and sale of snow blowers, plows,
and drivers of pickup trucks and other hefty vehicles
willing to make cash on the side by strapping one on.


But is that economy worth it? Is it worth the occasional
stroke or heart attack from not using powered snow
removal resources where the depth might warrant it?
Worth being delayed to work or calling out for a day
or two altogether? Worth risking a low pitched roof
collapsing under the likes of the freak 60-90" snowfall
that hit Buffalo NY last fall? And of course, worth an
accident on our roads or being stranded on an over-
whelmed highway?


I think not. In fact, I'd wager a bet that there's enough
space on Earth for the entire current population to live
BETWEEN the 40th degree north & south parallels,
plus an additional half billion over the next 30 years.


This would move 95% of the population out of exposure
to anymore than two inches of snow, period, and temperatures
below freezing.

"(PeteCresswell)" writes:

Per Dan Espen:
I'd much rather be found dead in a pile of snow than
waste away in a bed. Even with a few years of difference.

There's something to be said for that....

But last year we lost retired co-worker. There was heavy rain one
night and he went out to dig a drainage trench to divert water that was
getting in to his very old house.

AFIK, somebody found the body the next day.

Dead in a ditch.
MUCH better than a hospital bed.
If I had my choice, I'd go the way Nelson Rockefeller died,
in the saddle. I'd settle for having a shovel in my hands
though, considering the more common alternatives.

--
Dan Espen

net cop wrote: "- show quoted text -
Dead in a ditch.
MUCH better than a hospital bed.
If I had my choice, I'd go the way Nelson Rockefeller died,
in the saddle. I'd settle for having a shovel in my hands
though, considering the more common alternatives.

--
Dan Espen "



Spoken like a True Republican! I'm proud of ya',
Dan!

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 11:47:56 AM UTC-6, wrote:
On Fri, 9 Jan 2015 06:08:57 -0800 (PST), bob_villa
wrote:

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 6:20:26 AM UTC-6, NorMinn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Ariens, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt. CC and TB are made by MTD so I would ask a dealer if TB was just a re-labelled Yard Machine or a Cub Cadet? (Maybe you could look at them side-by-side). John Deere's larger blowers were made by Ariens.
Just like Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and GMC are all made by GM, the Troy
Bilt, Cub Cadet, and Yard Machine are 3 totally distinct product
lines. Less cross-polination than GM even.

Just like Chevy and GMC are a trim and nameplate change...some of MTD models may be...

On 1/9/2015 8:55 AM, Don Phillipson wrote:
"Norminn" wrote in message
...

We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a lot
of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. . . . it refreezes and
gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the mailbox or have
visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a reliable, manageable
machine?

No snow thrower can clear ice. Ice requires:
-- for individuals, studded boots to inhibit falling;
-- ice can be cleared only by a vehicle (1) heavy enough to
break ice into pieces, (2) capable of lifting and
throwing the pieces.
The cheapest alternative is to distribute a sand/salt mix
atop the ice, renewed daily as needed.


No, I don't intend the blower to clear ice...I want to remove the snow
before it packs down and turns to ice )

On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 8:37:13 AM UTC-5, Frank wrote:
On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Mine's a two stage 24 inch Troy Bilt with electric start. It will
handle a couple of feet or more of snow. Only trouble I had with it was
time I did not run it dry and ethanol containing stabilized gas clogged it.

Neighbor has one exactly like it and no problems, except, maybe last
year when he accidentally ran into his newspaper buried in the snow.

I'm 75 and have no trouble handling it.

Funny, I had both those experiences. Leaving gas in it fouling the carb
and the newspapers. Newspaper thing is really bad. You can check the
driveway before a storm, then go out the next morning and not even think
that the delivery guy chucked it somewhere and it's now buried. Have extra
shear bolts for sure....

On 1/9/2015 3:10 PM, Dan Espen wrote:
"(PeteCresswell)" writes:

Per Dan Espen:
I'd much rather be found dead in a pile of snow than
waste away in a bed. Even with a few years of difference.

There's something to be said for that....

But last year we lost retired co-worker. There was heavy rain one
night and he went out to dig a drainage trench to divert water that was
getting in to his very old house.

AFIK, somebody found the body the next day.

Dead in a ditch.
MUCH better than a hospital bed.
If I had my choice, I'd go the way Nelson Rockefeller died,
in the saddle. I'd settle for having a shovel in my hands
though, considering the more common alternatives.


Well, since there is no menu to choose from, I'd not want to die
shoveling, especially if I'm alone, all the neighbors are at work, and
I'm down on a cold driveway waiting for someone to find me. Of course,
shoveling 8' of wet snow from 50' of driveway is cheaper than a cardiac
stress test and you can do it at home ;o)

Per Dan Espen:
Dead in a ditch.
MUCH better than a hospital bed.
If I had my choice, I'd go the way Nelson Rockefeller died,
in the saddle. I'd settle for having a shovel in my hands
though, considering the more common alternatives.

Sometimes I think I'd pay for a service:

- I go in to be IQ-tested two or three times
a year.

- Nobody ever tells me if I pass or fail.

- Two failures in a row, and the contract
goes out: Whatever it is, it's quick,
it's relatively painless, and I never see
it coming.
--
Pete Cresswell

writes:

net cop wrote: "- show quoted text??? -
Dead in a ditch.
MUCH better than a hospital bed.
If I had my choice, I'd go the way Nelson Rockefeller died,
in the saddle. I'd settle for having a shovel in my hands
though, considering the more common alternatives.

Spoken like a True Republican! I'm proud of ya',
Dan!

That's wrong but please no politics!
Wrong freaking group.

--
Dan Espen

On Fri, 09 Jan 2015 13:58:03 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Per Dan Espen:
I'd much rather be found dead in a pile of snow than
waste away in a bed. Even with a few years of difference.

There's something to be said for that....

But last year we lost retired co-worker. There was heavy rain one
night and he went out to dig a drainage trench to divert water that was
getting in to his very old house.

AFIK, somebody found the body the next day.
Had a nastier than normal winter last year. A friend was out with his
sons shovelling the driveway. 55 I think. Didn't make it back in for
supper. And he was in pretty good shape - played squash and raquet
ball and golf. Not overweight.

On Fri, 09 Jan 2015 07:20:21 -0500, Norminn
wrote:

We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

If you're only working on a 50ft driveway, I'd recommend an electric
one. No screwing around with bad gas after it sits in the summer, no
hard starting when you're real cold, no running out of gas, and not
being able to drive to get some until the roads are plowed, and all the
other problems with gas units. All you need is a 50ft. cord (made for
cold weather), and the blower....

On 1/9/2015 4:12 PM, trader_4 wrote:
On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 8:37:13 AM UTC-5, Frank wrote:
On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Mine's a two stage 24 inch Troy Bilt with electric start. It will
handle a couple of feet or more of snow. Only trouble I had with it was
time I did not run it dry and ethanol containing stabilized gas clogged it.

Neighbor has one exactly like it and no problems, except, maybe last
year when he accidentally ran into his newspaper buried in the snow.

I'm 75 and have no trouble handling it.

Funny, I had both those experiences. Leaving gas in it fouling the carb
and the newspapers. Newspaper thing is really bad. You can check the
driveway before a storm, then go out the next morning and not even think
that the delivery guy chucked it somewhere and it's now buried. Have extra
shear bolts for sure....


When neighbor hit the paper, it was a mess. He came over to look my
unit over to make sure he got his back in its original condition
thinking he bent the blades.

Gas problem was either ethanol attacking the seals as their is a caution
in the manual not to use it. That's all that is available around here.
Newer units may not have this problem.

I'm told there is also the potential for gas to evaporate from the
carburetor gumming it up.

PITA with all small engines with long inactive periods in keeping them
clear. Best to run these engines dry.

:


Simple solution to bad gas off
season: Never completely fill
the tank of the mower or blower.


Better to make frequent stops for
refills than leave gas in the tank
for more than one month at a
stretch.

On Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 8:31:43 AM UTC-6, wrote:
:


Simple solution to bad gas off
season: Never completely fill
the tank of the mower or blower.


Better to make frequent stops for
refills than leave gas in the tank
for more than one month at a
stretch.

A couple thoughts on this: better quality machines have carb bowls with a drain; also, additives change seasonally and may not start well in Winter.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2015 06:31:38 -0800 (PST), wrote:

:


Simple solution to bad gas off
season: Never completely fill
the tank of the mower or blower.


Better to make frequent stops for
refills than leave gas in the tank
for more than one month at a
stretch.

This is all true, except for the part about "not completely filling the
tank" (that depends on how much gas it takes for the job). But no
matter how careful people are with this stuff, no one is always able to,
or remembers to do all the stuff we're supposed to do. After spending a
few hours out in the cold blowing snow, the last thing I want to do is
poss around with draining gas or adding additives. And it's almost a
guarantee, that once Spring comes, few prople even think about their
snow blower.

It's the same (in reverse) with lawn mowers, chain saws and warm weather
gas engines. I know for fact that if I spend a day cleaning up fallen
trees after a storm, the last thing I want to do is **** around with my
chain saw gas when I'm done. I just want dinner and a couch or bed to
relax in.

Many people know what we're supposed to do, but we're not all human and
facing life's challenges. Details like this are forgotten or postponed
until it's too late. It's too bad these engines cant automatically
drain their gas and flush out their carbs after use, but that's not
available or practical.

I personally prefer a sturdy (no maintenance) electric snow blower and
the same for chainsaws, weed whackers, etc. As far as lawn mowers go, I
still use gas engines. Chopping up cords is part of the reason, but I
have to mow far beyond the length of most cords anyhow.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2015 07:03:29 -0800 (PST), bob_villa
wrote:

A couple thoughts on this: better quality machines have carb bowls with
a drain; also, additives change seasonally and may not start well in Winter.

My father had a gas powered snow blower. In warm weather we'd check it,
and it would start right away. We would add gas stabilizer, drain it,
and all the stuff required. As soon as it came time to blow snow, the
damn thing would never start. It almost seemed like it was made to not
start in the cold.

He had that thing in the repair shop numerous times, we rebuilt the carb
more than once too, plus changed the spark plug and other stuff. About
all that thing seemed to do was waste money, while he and myself
shoveled snow. That's when the rest of the family, bought dad an
electric snow blower for Christmas. It worked well, and always ran when
needed. He used it for years, until he was no longer able to clear snow
(due to his health). Then I used it, until it finally burned out, years
later. I'd probably have one now, but I have a farm tractor with a
loader for snow cleanup. About the only thing the tractor cant do is
the porch and a 15 foot sidewalk. I just shovel that little bit....

On Fri, 9 Jan 2015 11:21:25 -0800 (PST), wrote:

This whole collective snow shoveling/blowing/plowing
frying pan we suburbanites repeatedly beat over our
own heads every Dec-March(or May-Sept) should raise
not a few flags and ring a few bells:


SHOULD HUMANS EVEN BE LIVING

You call this living?

in cold/snowy
regions of the planet - even where such weather
occupies half to one quarter of one year??

In my experience, Ariens and Toro are the two best names in snow blowers, but ANY snow blower will blow snow, so it's mostly just a matter of finding one that fits your budget.

Two things every snow blower needs is an electric start and a light. In my own case, I actually keep my snow blower in my boiler room on the bottom floor of my building. The reason for that is that I don't have any place to keep it outside. But, more importantly, I need a narrow scoop on my snow blower to get between the cars in my parking lot, and so I really can't use anything with a scoop wider than about 24 inches without running the risk of scratching up my tenant's cars. So, I have a 5 HP Ariens with a 20 inch wide scoop. The narrow scoop means it takes me longer to clear the parking lot, but it also means the machine is lighter and easier to pull up the flight of seven steps to get it outside. Since it's warm in my boiler room, I don't have an electric start cuz the thing fires up on the first or second pull every time cuz the engine is already at room temperature when I pull the starter cord.

I'd also get an electric light (which is an accessory on most blowers). It gets dark where I live in the winter at about 3:30 in the afternoon. If you're not coming home from work until 5:00 PM, you can't be without a light to see what you're doing and where you're going. You don't want to hit concrete steps or something with your machine.

No one in here has mentioned three stage snow blowers, which is what MTD's Troy-Bilt and Cub-Cadet brands are most famous for:

30" Three-Stage snow thrower

Three stage snow blowers have:
1. a low speed auger very much like the low speed auger on two stage snow blowers,
2. a medium speed auger that takes the snow from the low speed auger and feeds it into the high speed impeller, and
3. a high speed impeller very much like the high speed impeller on two stage snow blowers.

I don't have a three stage snow blower, but there's a lot of debate as to whether they provide any serious advantage over a two stage blower. My own feeling is that they SHOULD as the second stage compacts the snow being fed into the high speed impeller, so that what's coming out of the chute is denser and travels further without being as much affected by the wind. Three stage snow blowers are touted as being able to blow 50 percent more snow than an equivalently sized two stage blower, but I've never used one and therefore can't speak from experience. If it were me, tho, I'd give them a serious look. The other side of the coin is that if three stage were considerably better than two stage, why doesn't every manufacturer offer a three stage blower? And, my best guess at the answer is the word "patent". For years all the companies that made wrenches generally ignored Snap-On's "flank drive" box end wrenches. Now that Snap-On's 17 year patent has expired on the flank drive design for box end wrenches, everyone and their dog is making flank drive wrenches.

What I really like about the three stage machine cited above is that it has electrically heated hand grips to keep your hands warm, and an electric chute control so you're not continuously cranking or reaching over the machine to change the direction of the snow chute. And, if it wuz me, I'd definitely inquire as to whether a snow cab is available as an accessory for those windy days when the wind blows the snow right back in your face. I wear a balaclava when blowing snow, but the snow still gets onto what little skin is exposed and makes the job a miserable one.

Or, at least, a three stage blower with heated handgrips, electric chute control, a light and a snow cab is what I'd be most interested in checking out if the wide scoop wasn't a problem and I had a place to keep a relatively heavy machine like that outdoors on my property.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2015 14:19:07 -0600, wrote:


It's the same (in reverse) with lawn mowers, chain saws and warm weather
gas engines. I know for fact that if I spend a day cleaning up fallen
trees after a storm, the last thing I want to do is **** around with my
chain saw gas when I'm done. I just want dinner and a couch or bed to
relax in.

I agree. I like my electric chain saw, my electric lawn mower, electric
weedwacker, electric hedge trimmer, electric drill, electric saw,
electric radio. I never change the oil or fill them up with gas, or
change the spark plug or pull the cord, yet somehow they start.

Per Norminn:
Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

One thing I would look for is working shear pins on the impeller.

I have a snow blower add-on for my BCS standup tractor and found that
the factory had pounded in steel sleeves where shear pins should have
been.

You hit a newspaper or something in that condition and I would think it
could break a crankshaft.
--
Pete Cresswell

On Sat, 10 Jan 2015 08:27:27 -0500, Frank
wrote:

On 1/9/2015 4:12 PM, trader_4 wrote:
On Friday, January 9, 2015 at 8:37:13 AM UTC-5, Frank wrote:
On 1/9/2015 7:20 AM, Norminn wrote:
We are two retirees, 50' long double driveway (concrete). Shoveled a
lot of snow last year, but getting older and lazier. I would like
recommendations for a snow blower if there is one that isn't a monster
to handle, doesn't throw snow into neighbor's yard, and won't break the
bank. We can have it plowed, but that still leaves enough snow that it
refreezes and gets icy; neither of us want to navigate ice to get to the
mailbox or have visitors fall on the ice. Any recommendations for a
reliable, manageable machine?

Mine's a two stage 24 inch Troy Bilt with electric start. It will
handle a couple of feet or more of snow. Only trouble I had with it was
time I did not run it dry and ethanol containing stabilized gas clogged it.

Neighbor has one exactly like it and no problems, except, maybe last
year when he accidentally ran into his newspaper buried in the snow.

I'm 75 and have no trouble handling it.

Funny, I had both those experiences. Leaving gas in it fouling the carb
and the newspapers. Newspaper thing is really bad. You can check the
driveway before a storm, then go out the next morning and not even think
that the delivery guy chucked it somewhere and it's now buried. Have extra
shear bolts for sure....


You think running over the newspaper makes a mess, you want to see
what happens when you run over your tire chains!!!! Had a customer
have that happen the end of last season - took out both shear pins,
and wrapped the cain around the impeller so hard it snapped the drive
belt. Took me about an hour to get the chain out this summer.

When neighbor hit the paper, it was a mess. He came over to look my
unit over to make sure he got his back in its original condition
thinking he bent the blades.

Gas problem was either ethanol attacking the seals as their is a caution
in the manual not to use it. That's all that is available around here.
Newer units may not have this problem.

Around here (southern Ontario) Shell premium fuel still has no
ethanol in it. All I ever use in my small engines - and the Yamaha has
a fancy fuel shut-off valve that allows you to drain the carb and
lines with a simple twist. I fill the tank and drain the carb when I
put the blower away for the summer.
The mower has a simple fuel shut-off and I just run the carb dry when
I put it away.

I'm told there is also the potential for gas to evaporate from the
carburetor gumming it up.

PITA with all small engines with long inactive periods in keeping them
clear. Best to run these engines dry.