Does anyone out there have any recommendations on the Little Wonder Lawn Vacuum? http://littlewonder.com/hpv.asp
It looks like it is not self-propelled.
Regards,
Buzzsaw
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Gil Bailie
Replies
Im like you . It doesnt look like it is either but they do have a questions link.
Just curious though as why you would condider it when a powerful lawn tractor with a three bagger will suck up what this thing is doing in the pic and so many more uses.
Tim
I got a yard vac several years ago and was very disappointed with the results. I've 3 Live Oaks in the yard and they make a terrible mess. They produce a ton of acorns and in the spring they drop a lot of leaves and these pollen covered strings. If they weren't so nice looking and help keep the summer sun off the house, I would dispose of them in a hart beat.
The yard vac does get the leaves but will not pick up all the acorns even if I rake them in a pile.
Just my 2 cents ....
I've also looked into the YardVacs and that is an option. I am more concerned with leaves as I don't have many oaks on my property. I'm thinking that renting one for a weekend may be the way to go before I invest in one...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
For one thing, the cost. Another thing is that my front yard is hilly and not the place for a lawn tractor. Also, a lawn tractor will require more room for storing. I already possess a 52" bunton landscaping mower and am just looking for something to suck up the leaves as it seems like it occupies my whole weekends in the Fall. And it is taxing my shoulders, etc. I just need a better solution than to use a hand-held blower and raking and pulling leaves onto a tarp and disposing of them in the woods.Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
OK.
A friend of mine bought a "catcher " from Sears with out looking for the link. He said it flat works for grass and leaves and can be dragged behind . Under 200 bucks on sale if I remember . Might have been 229 , I fergit.
Tim
Like you, I also have a hilly yard that a lawn tractor would be pretty iffy on. We're also nestled right against the woods, and I plant more trees every year, so we get a lot of leaves. I have a Lesco 48" walk-behind with an extra set of blades I put on in the fall. They're called "gators" or something like that. They have teeth on the back of the blade to help chop up grass and leaves better than the normal blade. They work pretty well. Haven't used a mulch kit, but they're available too.
Even with the leaves, I almost never bag, as the blades really do the job, and anything I can chop up and put back into the turf (including leaves) is good for it. I also have a grass catcher for the mower I can use if the grass gets too long, or there are too many leaves (almost never are). I'm sure it can't hold as much as the lawn vacuum thing, but it's also a heck-of-a-lot cheaper, and for the once or twice I'd use it a year, I can't imagine it'd be worth it.
Since you already have the Bunton, I'd say go with the blades and the grass catcher if mulching doesn't appeal to you. And don't dump them in the woods, spread them on your (or your wife's) flower beds. They'll rot and become what gardeners call leaf mold, and you garden will love you for it.
Froed,
I have a hard time believing when you say "or there are too many leaves (almost never are). " I have an unbelievable amount of leaves and I cannot believe that the gator blades will handle my issue with leaves. Getting the grass catcher is an option but I know it would fill up in seconds. I have heard about the gator blades and will try them though. Thanks for reminding me about them...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Well, maybe I should qualify the "too many leaves" to apply to my yard and taste. I don't really mind if I have some dry leaves blowing about, since it won't hurt the lawn, and the chopped up leaf bits will work themselves down to the soil.
OTOH, if you want almost no leaves on your grass, or if you're directly under big trees (which sounds like you situation), just chopping them up may not do. As far as the grass catcher, it'll double or triple the time I spend mowing just from emptying it, which is probably why I don't use it. Our oldest also went off to college, so I can't just dump it in a wheelbarrow for him to run to the woods while I keep mowing. Just suggesting it as an alternative to spending $1,000 or so for something that won't get used often.
Oh yeah, one thing I did this year was make up a jig for grinding my blades on the bench grinder (used to do them freehand with the little stock tool rest). Really just a platform and a stop block, but with a consistent angle it makes it much easier to get a sharp blade, which makes the cut not just easier, but finer too. Of course, it won't help to get your leaves off the lawn...
Thanks Froed,
Can you post a picture of your jig for grinding your blades? I know some people that swear by a hand-held angle grinder rather than a bench grinder.Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I use a battery powered angle grinder to sharpen bales because it isnt as fast to burn. Got more control and I can sharpen on the machine.
Your situation sounds different than mine . I could never let the leaves pile up for a catcher to fill up in seconds because Im in an addition that would probably pray in church groups I would leave town if I did that . Most of the people around me are on contract with a lawn care company to manicure their out side once a week. Thats always been hard for me to compete with their critcisim anyway in telling me I should hire mine out to so and so. Always trying to help out they are, <G>.
Im the redneck in the addtion . I come home with a truck with out a tail gate pulling trailers full of stuff for construction. Once a week I sit on my mower with a beer and cruise my yard sucking up anything thats there loose. I used to keep cigars for the occasion and after I got done I would shower anyway so I didnt smell like a stinch from smoking a stokie. Can you imagine that image of a guy in a baseball cap in overalls with a beer and a stokie cruising around his yard in the winter when people are retuning home in suits and ties? heh heh. Im tellin ya its material for Jeff Foxworthy.
Anyway, if ya catch it up and do it on a schedule it aint bad at all . I kinda enjoy it but I normally find a way to have fun doing anything . I would go with the grass catcher because its very easy especially if you can back it up to make a long pile for burning . All you do is release it and tilt. I made a bull dozer with an atv and a 2x12 to push them off a hill one time but the neighbor didnt think it was fun anymore since it was his land. <G>
Tim
Sure. It's nothing fancy, just a platform with a block clamped to it, but give me a couple days and I'll try to remember.
Buzzsaw,
Sorry it took so long, but here are some pictures of my blade sharpening jig. This is version 2, and the plywood part is what's left of version 1. I screwed a couple pieces of 1/2" mdf to the bottom to get the angle about right, and to let me clamp it to the bench. The guts of it is the platform that's attached to the base by a sliding dovetail. On top of the platform is a slotted piece that can be moved to line up the blade and clamp it in position. I found out the cutting edge isn't always parallel to the edge of the blade body, especially if you've been doing it freehand, so the out-of-parallel adjustment comes in handy. The De-Sta-Co clamp actually holds the blade fairly securely, and the whole platform is slid back and forth. The small hammer you see in one of the pics is used to make small adjustments.
Someone mentioned burning as an issue with a bench grinder. I use a 36-grit gray wheel that came with the high-speed grinder, and a $15 diamond dresser from Woodcraft, and burning isn't an issue, as long as you're not forcing the blade into the wheel (more like shaping than grinding, I guess). I've attached a picture of a sharpened blade as well. It's a bit out of focus, but good enough to see there's no burning, and a nice, consistent bevel. I can't compare it to a hand-held grinder, since I don't have one.
The platform works out well, but I may add a strip at the edge to support the blade a little better. Version 3 will have a new base that will allow angle changes and be able to slide toward and away from the grinder. I'll replace the mdf with something a bit tougher as well. Maybe in the spring...
Not real pretty, but it works well. I hope you find this of use.
Thanks Froed for posting those pictures. It looks like it does the trick. I may fashion a jij like this for my own sharpening. Good job...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Had an older model. Worked well on DRY leaves, unless it plugged from too many. Would convert dry leaves to dust. Some years it never got dry enough to use.
Nver buy a house on Maplewood, or any tree name in it.
Nver buy a house on Maplewood, or any tree name in it.
Roar . As Calvin put it , I live in a leave raking nightmare area. LOL.
Seriously leaves here are serious and have to be addressed just like grass in my local.
Tim
I've seen that web site before. The thing I wondered about a little is how much vacuum it could pull and how many cubic feet per minute it could move. E-mailed them the questions, no response.
-- J.S.
John,
Let us know if you hear back from them...Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
It's been a long time, so I don't expect a response. It could be the numbers are embarassingly low. It could be that they don't even know, and don't have the ability to test that kind of thing.
-- J.S.