Sno pics

[w1vtp]

Can anyone recommend a good snowblower?

I've been looking at the Troy Bilt 2690 XP for $1099   and 3090  for $1199.   But maybe there is something better out there.  

Looks like Lowes is sold out at all stores here in CT.  Probably none around right now, but decided to get something.    

Our plow guy broke his truck, so he gave up.   The driveway is too big for a shovel.  

This is like trying to buy a generator after a power outage.


T

This work horse cleared my driveway today.  It's 43 years old. You might want more horse power.  This one's a 6 horse

Al

[WQ9E]

I feel for you guys!  It has been 2 years since the last really big snow here in central IL and I don't feel left out.  We were on generator power for about half a day during that storm (driver took out major pole 3 miles away and power company had to wait on a road grader to clear a path because the wind created drifts too big for the regular plow).

My daughter loved the big drifts but I was very happy a week later when much of it melted.

Don't overdo it during cleanup, there is always a mini epidemic of heart attacks after a major snow around here.

[W4AAB]

Are those pictures from 2 years ago? I think the most snow I have seen here was a foot to 18 inches. When I lived in Alabama, a foot of snow shut things down. Here in Tennessee, they salt the state highways and use snow plows.Not south of the 35th parallel. That is where I work:-(.
                                                        Joe W4AAB

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Can anyone recommend a good snowblower?

I've been looking at the Troy Bilt 2690 XP for $1099   and 3090  for $1199.   But maybe there is something better out there.  

Looks like Lowes is sold out at all stores here in CT.  Probably none around right now, but decided to get something.    

Our plow guy broke his truck, so he gave up.   The driveway is too big for a shovel. 

This is like trying to buy a generator after a power outage.


T

These work:



Or how about a Chevy big block snow blower:

[WQ9E]

Are those pictures from 2 years ago? I think the most snow I have seen here was a foot to 18 inches. When I lived in Alabama, a foot of snow shut things down. Here in Tennessee, they salt the state highways and use snow plows.Not south of the 35th parallel. That is where I work:-(.
                                                        Joe W4AAB

Joe,

Those photos were from 2 years ago, the last two winters have been very mild.  I live out in the country so the wind really creates incredible drifting.

I grew up on the Mississippi gulf coast and on the rare occasions when snow made it all the way to the edge of the gulf a couple of inches pretty much shut everything down.  I know they would have preferred snow in MIssissippij to what went through yesterday.  I did my undergrad and MBA at the University of Southern Mississippi and what was a beautiful entrance to campus from Hardy street isn't so beautiful after the tornado.

[K1JJ]

heheheh..... you guys and your tractors.

A guy down the street has a medium-size Ford tractor with a bucket attachment.  Beautiful to pick and place the snow perfectly instead of forcing it with a plow.  I cud use it to pull up antennas and move dirt, etc.   Every farm needs a tractor.

Someone suggested I get a 33" or bigger snowblower. That will break into the $1500+ category.  

Ariens seems like a good brand, Al. Frank says he has a new one and is FB.

Here it is Feb and by April it will be over.

T

[WQ9E]

heheheh..... you guys and your tractors.

A guy down the street has a medium-size Ford tractor with a bucket attachment.  Beautiful to pick and place the snow perfectly instead of forcing it with a plow.  I cud use it to pull up antennas and move dirt, etc.   Every farm needs a tractor.

T

An end loader is also perfect for moving heavy vintage gear from point A to point B

I bought my Deere compact utility tractor a couple of years after I bought this place and it cut my 5 acre mowing time down from 7 hours to 90 minutes which really added to my quality of life. 

With a few inches of snow I can put the tractor in 4 wheel drive and use the blade to clear the driveways to both garages and clear our road out to the main county road in about 20 minutes.  The loader is great for taking care of big drifts but about 10 years ago I bought a PTO driven snow blower after we had a heavy snow and the wind kept blowing for several days.  I had snow piled up 8 feet high in places and it got to the point where it was drifting in almost as fast as I could drive around and find a new place to dump the snow.

As much fun as it is to mow in a year or so my daughter is going to be getting tractor driving lessons.

[AJ1G]

Mr. Vu -

Just got in from finishing up the last of the driveway cleanout, most of the work involved the berm from the plows on the half of the driveway we are not using.  About ten feet by ten feet and up to 5 feet in height of wet cement like snow that was saturated with todays rain.  Had to knock down the top so we could throw over it.  Used one of my emergency AC power "customers" 1988 Toro 521.  Another neighbor came over with his new  "toy" to play in the snow with, a Simplicity medium duty 27".  We got through the mess in about an hour, breaking it up into chunks and nibbling away at it. The Toro is a nice little basic thrower, don't know what their current comparable model is now.  I was really impressed with the Simplicity, very strong traction and throwing even for the slurry we were working with.  A nice feature was a big amber halogen headlight.  Very decent price I think. Lists for $999.  They have a heavy duty line  that would run about $1500.  Briggs engines.  6 forward speeds, top speed very fast for moving over cleared areas. Gano's Power Equipment in Colchester is listed as the closest dealer to you. My neighbor got his at Groton Cycle.

[W1AEX]

Ariens seems like a good brand, Al. Frank says he has a new one and is FB.

Tom,

Here's another vote for Ariens. Mine is 10 years old and hasn't skipped a beat. Starts easy, runs strong, and pretty much acts like the little engine that could.

Rob W1AEX

[W1QWT]

I live in Scituate MA.  We had coastal flooding, over two feet of snow, and high winds.
The town shelter had 165 people in it at one point. The town PD has Humvees to drive through the deep water to get people out of their houses. The firefighters put on survival suits to get the people. My son is a firefighter/paramedic and worked 60 hours straight. The whole town lost power. I got mine back last night after 72 hours without it. Good thing I have a woodalene stove. I lost the tree that held up one end of my dipole. Most streets were and some still are impassable due to fallen trees, snow, or boulders driven up on the roads by the waves!
That's my snow story and I'm sticking to it. I'm ready for spring now.

Regards
Q, W1QWT

[W2VW]

Find the Crown Vic 2

A view out the laundry room

That  thing is an explosion hazard. All that cold could set it off. No user serviceable parts contained therein.

[KB2WIG]

I've got an 6 hp ariens with a headlight.   Nice machine, and easy starting. It was new when I bought the house, and the owner left it here. My father has had the same Ariens for 45+ years. Its built better than the new ones. If you have a long driveway ( mine is about 365'; fun times) you may want to get the wider one.


klc

[K1JJ]

Thanks for all the helpful replies!

Well, I think when things settle down I will look around for a used Ariens, as wide as I can get for about $1000.   Right now snowblowers are scarce and top dollar. And I don't want to join the Chinese POS crowd. Gonna buy USA built.

The driveway is still unplowed here. The regular guy broke his plow and gave up.  I axed the FedX guy for a lead and he's sending his buddy over.  So FB until the next storm - they are predicting 12" in a week.

If I were smart (and I ain't) I wuda parked the truck at the end of the driveway near rthe street, as I usually do.  Instead it's in the garage

T

[AJ1G]

If I were smart (and I ain't) I wuda parked the truck at the end of the driveway near rthe street, as I usually do.  Instead it's in the garage

T

And the next time around, I'll be sure my backup 4KW pull start geneset isnt stored in an unheated detached garage with temps in the 20s or less.  Tried to start it Saturday night, could barely get it turn at all, let alone spin fast enough to start with cold 30 weight oil in it.  Had to warm it up overnight in a neighbor's family room that was heated by a wood stove.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Snow is melting here; I can see the grass.