[GT182]

Keith, for reliability and an engine that's easy on fuel, check out Kubota. I've had my GS2000 21hp 4 Wheel Steering Kubota since 92 and it's been great. 5 gallons of gas will take care 4 or more acres if you don't run full power. Get a snowblower too..... you'll be glad you did for up there.

[Chris Roach]

Keith,

I'm on 1 acre, with lots of surrounding trees.

I used to have a sweeper. It worked OK, but not as good as this.

What I do is a once over with the mulching plug installed. Then suck all the mulch into the bagger and dump into the woods or fire pit.

Mulching first allows more to fit in the baggers (more dense) for less frequent dumpings.

[bobzdar]

Originally Posted by pontiac jack

?? Does not compute...
I mow 1.2 acres with a 36" deck, in third gear, takes a minimum of four hours.
Do you have a compact tractor and a 6' or 7' sweeper?

If you read my post, only about .75 acres is lawn, the rest are woods (3.5 is total). I have a 4' sweeper, it works best if running at high speed (no gears, hydrodrive) as it thows the leaves to the back and fills more evenly that way so it is actually around the same if not a little quicker than mowing the lawn. I usually sweep it 3 or 4 times - about once a week once the leaves start coming down, but may mulch the last one or two times to give the lawn some fertilization. It's way quicker than any other method I've tried as I get a TON of leaves due to all of the woods.

[Stormin]

Those are all great ideas...but.. takes way too much time and effort...

What to do is... borrow or rent one of these ....you can anchor it to a spot in the middle of your property and leave it running for a while. and you won't have any problems with leaves.. garbage .. little kids and lends a really nice breeze in the summertime should you need it.

take care all
NB

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Stormin

Those are all great ideas...but.. takes way too much time and effort...

What to do is... borrow or rent one of these ....you can anchor it to a spot in the middle of your property and leave it running for a while. and you won't have any problems with leaves.. garbage .. little kids and lends a really nice breeze in the summertime should you need it.

take care all
NB

a lil robbie?? hehe thats about 250 and hour around here plus fuel.... Not sure but its not clearing more than 3/4 of an acre :P hehe

[GT182]

Keith, forget about a sweeper. They are a PITA. What Chris has is even better.

[keith h]

With 4acres it's a GREAT excuse to purchase a farm tractor with a 3 point PTO and one of these

http://www.dcsalescollc.com/turf-leaf_blower.htm

[dennis kirban]

I feel your pain......

Raking leaves or blowing leaves whatever method you choose is like a never ending battle. Gets worse if your reside near other houses and wind blows your neighbors leaves on your property.

Its a thankless job.....

Hard enough to keep them from blowing into the garage.

My advice hire kids....

denniskirban@yahoo.com

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by keith h

... a 3 point PTO...

A three-point hitch and a PTO are two separate entities.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by keith h

With 4acres it's a GREAT excuse to purchase a farm tractor with a 3 point PTO and one of these

http://www.dcsalescollc.com/turf-leaf_blower.htm

My JDX475 LAWN tractor would run that... BUT..Cyclone is cheaper and gets them gone. sometimes the mulch is so deep the grass gets killed. Has its OWN engine so anything can pull it, and can use as a lawn vac. in your gardens, about same cfm too.

http://www.cyclonerake.com/index.htm?campaign_code=bing

[Keith Seymore]

Thanks guys, for all the ideas.

Slight subject change, but I peeked out the back door of the barn/garage.

Here's the view of the neighbor's property:



You might not be able to tell in this one, but just above the "white" area is a full size Pontiac rear axle with at least one aluminum brake drum still attached -



I think I'm going to fit right in....

[Old Blue 66]

The blue thing in the middle of th second pic almost looks like an Endura bumper.

[mike nixon]

Hey he's a PONTIAC guy! You're golden already!

[Formulabruce]

Poncho PARTS!! lets have a cook out!, Grab your pick up trucks!!

[G8erB8]

Get a walker! It'll make quick work of leaves and dumping the collector is a lot easier than baggers.

http://www.walkermowers.com

[74gto]

Keith,
If you moved up towards Lapeer/Ortonville, I think your new neighbor might be Mike Carr, Lanky, light haired guy around 45 YO.

[Kurt Zimmerman]

Originally Posted by GT182

Keith, forget about a sweeper. They are a PITA. What Chris has is even better.

Slickest thing I ever saw...

The sweepers work great, it's the stopping every 60 seconds to dump them out that's a pain. I know a guy who took the bag off of his tow-behind sweeper and rigged up a huge tarp that is pulled by the sweeper, so now he sweeps, and the leaves pile up in a huge pile on the tarp, which he tows out into the woods and pulls one side over the pile to dump it out. A few trips around the yard picks up all the leaves. If he goes fast, the leaves just fly farther back onto the tarp.

Kurt