For The War on Leaves!

[CRE1992 135]

I recently acquired 2 rear discharge decks, one regular rd one recycler. After trying the recycler I didn't really care for it (FOR SALE). So today I decided to put the regular RD on instead of putting my 42"SD back on. So I hooked up the lawn sweeper and what do you know. (I know this has been used for years by many people but it was a first for me! Hey I'm only 19! )

PERFECTION

I think this is the winning combination. Considering I don't have a trac vac or bagger.

I do have a walk behind 6 hp blower, but it just blows the leaves, it doesn't pick them up. maybe I'll fab a front attachamatic bracket for the front of the wheel horse

-Charles

[HorseFixer 2,012]

I like it... get ahold of Terry get some Decals over that Crapman!

~Duke

[dgoyette 12]

Charles I used the same set up last year (exact same sweeper too!) and it does work great. :thumbs2:

[Kelly 1,028]

Been doing that for a few years, works very good.

[squonk 38,844]

I do the same. except if I'm not in a hurry I grind em up with the 160 and then pull the sweeper with the 704. More seat time! :banghead:

[rmaynard 14,864]

Wow, if it was that easy for me, I'd think I was in heaven. That's a nice combination if you don't have many leaves. But I have over one acre of 80 foot tall Red Oaks. I mow about 2/3 of that. When the trees drop their leaves, it's a project that usually starts the week before Halloween, and ends 4 weekends later. My wife uses mulching blades on one tractor, and I follow that up with the tractor with a 5 HP Cyclone Rake mulcher/bagger attached. It usually takes almost a month of weekends (weather permitting) to get all the leaves up.

A set-up like the one pictured would be nice for keeping the summer debris up off the grass, but here in leaf country, when it comes to real clean-up, it would be useless for me.

[CRE1992 135]

Wow, if it was that easy for me, I'd think I was in heaven. That's a nice combination if you don't have many leaves. But I have over one acre of 80 foot tall Red Oaks. I mow about 2/3 of that. When the trees drop their leaves, it's a project that usually starts the week before Halloween, and ends 4 weekends later.

I also have a yard full of 70-120+ year old red, and black oak trees. There are literally 2+ feet in diameter easy. The sweeper does cut down the raking time, if you used it every time you mow. And even more so when you cut them up 2 times a week. There are no leaves to rake up. If I was home instead of college for the week, I would take a picture of all of the trees.

[Don1977 604]

Here mine home built blower and trailer. There's sand screen under the box at the top back. I added the box to keep all the dust and trash from going down my neck and it's helped a lot. Hardly get any with the opening at the back.

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Charles you got me interested. I remember having a push type as a kid <_< And that thing wore me out worse than raking! I'm trying to get that picture out of my mind, and replace it with a 417A being the Mule errrr I mean Horse. I know yer using a crapman but are there any other good ones out there? Does anyone use the Lowe's Brand they sell? I just might give it a whirl. We have allot of leaves where I live..... Not me but my neighbors. Even tho I cut all the big trees down, I still get all their leaves. The city picks them up twice in the fall and on the second time they pick up about the time the snow flys. I figure who in the heck wants to get a Rake out every other night when the leaves start coming? But if the sweeper thing works I can prolly sweep it in 10 to 15 minutes. I wouldn't mine that.

~Duke

[CRE1992 135]

Duke,

I love it, from what I have heard the more expensive agri-fab ones are great from what my uncle told me (his is orange). The craftsman or "crapman" as you refer to it lol, actually works considerably well. The craftsman red matches the WH pretty good in my opinion. The only problem with it is that it has 2 of those push caps for each end of a rod and one fell off but we drilled it and but a washer and cotter pin through.

There quite expensive, so don't be surprised when you see the price. I think its worth every penny.

-Charles

[squonk 38,844]

My Brinly sweeper cost me $50 on CL. The wheels look funny as they are bent inward at an angle. Winter project! Works great on dead grass. NO MORE RAKING!! I'd be willing to bet almost all sweepers are made by the same Co. and are just painted/decaled different. Does yours fold u p against the wall when not being used?

[CRE1992 135]

Does yours fold up against the wall when not being used?

I am not sure if it folds up on the wall. I normally just pull the clevis pins, and hang the bagger part up on the wall, and put the sweeper head under it...

[squonk 38,844]

If you stand the sweeper on end the bagger frame will slip into the open hitch and hang there. Sounds like it's made the same as mine.

[CRE1992 135]

I know what you mean, but this is the first RD deck I've used. I normally hang it up so its up out of the way.

[COMMANDO6 20]

I've got an Agri-fab that works great. The only thing is that I've managed to mangle the brushes some sweeping up sticks, rocks, etc. But it's mostly used for grass clippings because I've got one of the old rear-discharge decks. It works well.

[jimbotelho 1]

nice machine .I had the same set up but had a rear discharge 42in and it worked better than the side just my opinion! :thumbs2:

[CRE1992 135]

nice machine .I had the same set up but had a rear discharge 42in and it worked better than the side just my opinion!

Thanks Jimbo, I didn't think I did bad either when I bought that with 42"SD for $380 . I like the 42" rear discharge better than the 42" side discharge.

Thanks for the input and replies everyone else.

-Charles

[sorekiwi 761]

The "Craftsman High Speed Sweeper" is considered to be one of the best sweepers. Its something to do with the gearing that spins the brooms faster than most other machines. I did quite a lot of reading up on the various models before I bought mine, and it was the model most highly recommended. There is a lot of discussion on MTF about the different models.

The downside to the high gearing is that the it is easy to have one or both wheels lock up if the grass is slightly damp, leaving big ugly skid marks on your grass. Not a problem if the grass is dry.

I use a chicken wire baffle over the output chute on a 42" SD deck to mulch the leaves, then pick them up with the sweeper. It reduces the volume of the leaves about 10 fold.

[jay in nc 209]

the agra fab & craftsman are the same machine. i have one of each 42in & one smaller capacity agra fab. come fall the side discharge decks come off get wire brushed & painted & put away. then the rear discharge decks go on the c161 8 ,516 & 518 and the composting begins! i have a dethetcher attchment w. spring tines that clips in front of the broom that works very well. i have 40 hundred ft. sweet gums, poplors, & tupulo gums plus many pines. we stack the sweepings up high w. the jd. 310d backhoe and that becombes next years potting soil. reuse, recycle,repair.& have fun :thumbs2:

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Well I went Shopping last night and also made some phone calls. My first stop was Lowe's Well Lowe's Don't Know They have some off the wall thing called Precise Fit It looked cheaply made I wasn't in the store 5 minutes and exited stage left.

Next stop TSC where they carry the Ohio Steel brand Professional Series 42" 22 cu ft. This unit has 2 spiral brushes that creates smooth sweeping action for maximum performance. I have read mostly good reviews on this one, and they claim to have Maintenance free ball bearings on the brush axle instead of nylon bushings for longer life. It also has a rope pull for emptying. They also claims that this sweeper free wheels in reverse and dumps from tractor seat for easy composting. The brush height adjusts easily to sweep a wide range of materials from grass clippings, leaves, & pine needles. It has a 2 year limited warranty. This unit goes on sale Wends normally $249.95 Sale 229.95 plus the governors cut!

Next stop Rural King where they have the Agri Fab 44" Smart Sweep this unit boasts a 25 cu ft hopper, it also has an universal offset hitch that lets the sweeper track to the side so it can pick up clippings from a side discharge mower. They claim this unit doesn't skip, jam, or miss. I have read a couple reviews to where they do? anyways it also has a steel handle for emptying instead of a cheap rope. It has a one button height adjustment and stores compactly in the upright position. This unit has a 3 year limited warranty. One thing I don't like about this unit is inside the paddle chamber they have two tube supports that the brush bristles hit? Sure the brushes go around the tubes but what happens if ya pick up a spindly stick? This could jam up the brush. This unit sells out the door at $299.95 at the King but Home Depot has it for $249.95. plus the Governors Cut. Here are some pictures but check out the videos.

I called Sears and the have a 42" Crap-man unit for $299.95 and a Professional Crap-man unit for $349.95 I think I will go by Sears and see if it looks like the Agri Fab. I have taken a bunch of pictures with my Cell Phone that are pretty good resolution and I will do some comparisons on all of these. So far I think the Agri Fab 44" is edging out the Ohio Steel brand a bit, even tho it is cheaper by 20 bucks from TSC OS 229.95 -VS- Home Depot AF. 249.95 Will post pics and final results later.

~Duke

UPDATE

Ok I went to Sears tonight and I looked at their sweepers. The 42" is all they had on display (The Red One) now this 42" has a cast enclosure at the wheels and also looks to have ball bearings at the brush axle. It looks VERY WELL MADE it says it has a chain drive and is high speed as cre says it is. It doesn't look like an Agrifab as I looked at the 42" at Rural King and it has the plastic cover at the wheels. Now on the 44" on the picture it looks the same as the Agri Fab except the Crapman is Yellow. Yikes... But they want $350.00 for it. I would say if yer in the market for a 42" Jobie then the Crap Man is the best hands down with the Chain Drive and Metal housing at the wheels. Oh one more thing on the 42" model they have an optional Dethatcher that bolts on the front! Now how cool is that? Im gonna do some thinking on this and do more comparisons on these before I make my final Decision. Here is some pics of the Crapman 42"

After watching the Crapman Video and looking at the metal enclosure around the Wheels, Chain Drive, And high speed I am really Considering The CrapMan 42" As my Yard Is Only 60' X 100' front and about the same in Back. From what I see if your looking for a 42" and have a smaller size yard the Crapman is the best sweeper hands down!

~Duke

Craftsman 42" High Speed Sweeper Avevertisement Video

[darren 49]

Great work Duke. I for one would like to thank you for sharing your research. I'm in the market for a tow-behind sweeper so am watching the thread with interest.

Here in the UK the choices really seem to be between three manufacturers

Agri-Fab

As stated

Neilsen 42" - Perhaps a competitor from the far east(?)

uses 3 x 10" diameter brushes, 18cf capacity, 4.5:1 brush ratio

Turfmaster 42" - seems similar to a Brinly?

uses 6 x 11" diameter brushes, 15cf capacity, shielded roller bearings, reverse freewheel. Collapsible for upright storage, 4.5:1 brush ratio.

[chesbaycruiser 82]

I've never used a sweeper before, but very interesting info.

I used to HATE leaf duty; now, I REALLY look forward to it! (None of my neighbors get a chance to rake anymore!) Since it's not a sweeper, hope this is still "on-topic"....but in the Fall Foliage Wars, my "leaf-artillery" is my venerable B-80, and a Trac-Vac 580. Best part about this rig, aside from how great it works, is how I acquired it.

A few years ago, I started cutting the 1.5 acre yard of a lady at church after her husband, a retired firefighter, passed away. She had a lawn service that was cutting the grass every 7-10 days at $80 a pop. It was becoming a burden, so I told her no worries....it gave me a good place to stretch the legs on my ZTR. Anyway, the Vac was sitting behind her shed, half covered with a tarp, supposedly waiting for a buyer to pick it up. It sat there for a year and a half, so assuming the deal never went anywhere, I asked her what she wanted for it. She said she figured a couple of summers worth of grass cutting out to cover it, so just take it away! All it cost me was a carb kit and some fresh oil.

You can see in the photo how well it mulches the leaves. They were taken the afternoon I sucked up about 2 years worth of leaves at our river place in three and a half loads. (There's a silly YouTube video of that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlZiQyOG-R0. Please ignore the doofus in the video!)

[Butch 194]

Pretty impressive job on those leaves. :banghead:

[spark949 24]

Here's what happens if I miss a week of blowing

I do a combination of mulch/sweep and my backpack and/or push blower to get these into the woods. If I miss a week, they look like this and then no mulching or blowing will work. I make a pile with the backpack and tarp them to the woods. I've often thought of plowing them across the yard and then mulch, sweep, and blow the remainder. Might be fun too.

[HorseFixer 2,012]

*** UPDATED *** Go up and ck my post out with added Pictures And Videos of these Sweepers :thumbs2: