kiotiken 105 #1 Posted October 20, 2015 Here we go again.First leaf pickup of Fall. I have about five acres of oak,maple,poplar,cottonwood and pines that conveniently shed their leaves this time of year. I got the 520 out and checked her over added some grease here and there. Then went and got the Jacobsen 720 sweeper out. Adjusted the chain drive and greased the bearings, little air in the tires and charged the battery. I got this sweeper about 7 years ago now off from ebay.I told the wife that if I had to pick up one more leaf and branches the old way i was going to sell the place. I've had a trac vac and about wore it out over the years and the wife and I would hand rake around the trees. It was so darn much work. So I was clicking through ebay and stumbled upon this sweeper.It sounded good to me and it was something I hadn't seen before. So I'm thinking should I or shouldn't I bid. Oh ya had to have this back and time saver.I emailed the owner.He was the supervisor of the parks department for a small town. He said it worked good and they were just updating it. Well the small town was outside of Green Bay Wisconsin and me living by Saginaw Michigan.450 some miles away. Still I had to have this machine. Well I won the auction and started packing for the trip.Landscape trailer that I had to put new seals in and grease the bearings,fix the lights gas the truck up and away I go. Trip was uneventful except for putting gas in the old Chevy, Any how here are some pictures of the 520 and the sweeper.The machine is amazing and picks up the leaves pine straw good size limbs and twigs. Even picks up a lot of the dreaded acorns. Some of you have seen it before in some earlier posts. 11 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,957 #2 Posted October 20, 2015 Looks like it really does the job well. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muz123 1,191 #3 Posted October 20, 2015 Very nice! Also your 520 must love to work! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sorekiwi 761 #4 Posted October 20, 2015 Wow, quite the beast!! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorseHead1089 99 #5 Posted October 20, 2015 oh my god, where can i get one of these... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,487 #6 Posted October 20, 2015 That beats anything I ever saw for the job. WOWglenn 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimD 3,345 #7 Posted October 20, 2015 What a machine!! How long does it take to fill it up? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,116 #8 Posted October 20, 2015 I'd love to see a video of that in action.... I can only imagine what it cost when new! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #9 Posted October 20, 2015 oh my god, where can i get one of these... Horsehead these were used on golf courses and city park and recreation department's. There out there I got this one off ebay for 550.00 plus almost 300 bucks gas. I bought another one at auction for 185.00 but needs a lot of work. But for the money it's nice to have a parts machine. What a machine!! How long does it take to fill it up? JimD when the leaves are heavy I can fill it up in 5/10 minutes. Yesterday when I was sweeping I started around 2:30 and at 6:30 I had 9 loads pick up.I forgot to get the after shots. I'll get some today. I'd love to see a video of that in action.... I can only imagine what it cost when new! Ken B next time I get it going I'll take some video's of it in action. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #10 Posted October 20, 2015 That beats anything I ever saw for the job. WOWglenn The machine sure saves the wife and I a lot of time and hard azz work.The trac vac I used to have was a nice machine but just too small for my yard and we still had to pick up sticks before we could trac vac.One season the wife picked up 125 loads with it. I can now pick up about 35/40 loads but that includes sticks,limbs,acorns and squirrels if they get in the way. Bad part is the wife won't run it.LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #11 Posted October 20, 2015 Very nice! Also your 520 must love to work! The 520 has been an awesome machine. I bought it new in 96 and (I'm knocking on wood right now) but have done nothing to it except for basic maintenance. Still has original plugs in it. Well actually I did have some problems with the nine plug electrical plug on it. But I just jumped the two wires that got hot and melted and haven't had any problems since. I think I'm right around 1200 hours now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,043 #12 Posted October 20, 2015 Yes, video please! That thing looks like a BEAST! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #13 Posted October 20, 2015 Here's some pictures from this morning.We got some rain last night and it brought some leaves down. I picked up nine loads yesterday. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,271 #14 Posted October 20, 2015 Do you get to burn that pile??? That sweeper is awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougC 2,641 #15 Posted October 20, 2015 Looks like you bought the greatest deal ever on e-bay! Enjoy 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #16 Posted October 20, 2015 Do you get to burn that pile??? [emoji4] That sweeper is awesome. Yes stevasaurus I do have to burn the leaves. Only down side to the sweeper. The Trac vac ground the leaves up and I could make a mulch pile. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougC 2,641 #17 Posted October 20, 2015 next year let us members know and we will bring the weinies and marshmallows to the bonfire 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRanger 1,468 #18 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) That beats anything I ever saw for the job. WOWglenn The machine sure saves the wife and I a lot of time and hard azz work.The trac vac I used to have was a nice machine but just too small for my yard and we still had to pick up sticks before we could trac vac.One season the wife picked up 125 loads with it. I can now pick up about 35/40 loads but that includes sticks,limbs,acorns and squirrels if they get in the way. Bad part is the wife won't run it.LOL I miss burning leaves. Growing up, we burned them every year. Now we're not permitted....bleepin' government.Miss the smoke, smell, sound.One caution though...never try to light a pile of wet leaves with a coffee can of gasoline. It just doesn't work too well and afterwards, you have to rake the area again! WOOF!Your eyebrows do grow back though. Edited October 20, 2015 by RedRanger 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #19 Posted October 20, 2015 That beats anything I ever saw for the job. WOW glenn The machine sure saves the wife and I a lot of time and hard azz work.The trac vac I used to have was a nice machine but just too small for my yard and we still had to pick up sticks before we could trac vac.One season the wife picked up 125 loads with it. I can now pick up about 35/40 loads but that includes sticks,limbs,acorns and squirrels if they get in the way. Bad part is the wife won't run it.LOL I miss burning leaves. Growing up, we burned them every year. Now we're not permitted....bleepin' government. Miss the smoke, smell, sound. One caution though...never try to light a pile of wet leaves with a coffee can of gasoline. It just doesn't work too well and afterwards, you have to rake the area again! WOOF! Your eyebrows do grow back though. Haha,I have that picture going through my head right now. Too funny Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,406 #20 Posted October 20, 2015 What a great property to get some serious seat time! Thanks for sharing the pics. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiotiken 105 #21 Posted October 20, 2015 What a great property to get some serious seat time! Thanks for sharing the pics. Thanks, ya I have 40 acres and mow about 10 of it. I would be gone from here if it wasn't for grandkids and that sweeper. The grandkids have 2 baja mini bikes 3 three wheelers a snowmobile, golf cart and a go cart, a four wheeler and a couple dirt bikes. There is s trail through the woods and the clearing that is a little over a mile. So that keeps them out of my hair. Lol Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,957 #22 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) That beats anything I ever saw for the job. WOWglenn The machine sure saves the wife and I a lot of time and hard azz work.The trac vac I used to have was a nice machine but just too small for my yard and we still had to pick up sticks before we could trac vac.One season the wife picked up 125 loads with it. I can now pick up about 35/40 loads but that includes sticks,limbs,acorns and squirrels if they get in the way. Bad part is the wife won't run it.LOL I miss burning leaves. Growing up, we burned them every year. Now we're not permitted....bleepin' government.Miss the smoke, smell, sound.One caution though...never try to light a pile of wet leaves with a coffee can of gasoline. It just doesn't work too well and afterwards, you have to rake the area again! WOOF!Your eyebrows do grow back though. Edited October 20, 2015 by AMC RULES 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedRanger 1,468 #23 Posted October 20, 2015 I think I was about 14? I can still smell the odor of singed hair on my arms and forehead. I can laugh now. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,271 #24 Posted October 20, 2015 I miss burning the leaves also. I will throw a few handfuls on the grill in the evening after cooking. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DennisThornton 4,769 #25 Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) Ahh man! I want one of EVERYTHING! Edited October 20, 2015 by DennisThornton Ahh man! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
