Today we are talking about leaf blowers again and once again my title is, “it’s time to put the windup leaves with a leaf blower part two”.
Yesterday I was talking about the types of leaf blower available and I mentioned that I prefer something with a petrol engine on personally, however, a petrol model may not be suitable for everyone. To be fair, I’m not a great fan of electric garden tools as I don’t like to be restricted by a lead or battery life. One thing is for sure though, some of the electric ones do provide quite a bit of air to blow leaves and can be a good option if you are willing to put up with the cable dragging behind!
Of course another good point with an electric blower is that they start at very low prices, our lowest price petrol blower starts at £129.99, whereas our cheapest electric leaf blower is just £40, which is great value to be fair, although, I would definitely prefer the petrol model, then I would always favour something with an internal combustion engine on!
Search EBay For Leaf Blowers
Once again, something which I normally say in my blog posts, buy the best quality product that you can afford as I believe this is the cheapest way to buy tools, spend a bit of money and have a quality product that will last you many years, providing you take care of it. Even using a blower commercially I have had many hours and years use out of them, the main thing is to respect your garden landscaping tools and take care of them.
Another point to remember is that to make sure that you have enough cable to reach every corner of your garden, there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to get to certain areas due to lack of cable!
Electric Blowers
The Handy 2600w Garden Blow & Vac
The Handy 2600w Garden Blow & Vac
The Handy 2600w Garden Blow & Vac is our cheapest lower priced at just £40, I’m not sure how they can make a leaf blower quite so cheap, but they have! This model is powered by a 2600 W motor which is actually quite powerful. The Handy 2600w Garden Blow & Vac is a three-function leaf blower which offers, blowing, vacuuming and shredding, it comes complete with a 35 L bag. The weight of the leaf blower is 4.2 kg and comes complete with 6 m of cable.
As I mentioned yesterday, I often find leaf blowers easier and quicker to use, just as a blower rather than a vacuum, to me it is far easier just to blow the leaves into a corner and collect them in a barrow or large bag or something similar.
Handy EV3000 Electric Blower/Vac
Handy EV3000 Electric Blower/Vac
The Handy EV3000 Electric Blower/Vac is a slightly more expensive leaf blower, which is priced at £54.99, this model is powered by a 3000 W motor that should give plenty of power to blow the autumn leaves.
The Handy EV3000 Electric Blower/Vac comes with a set of small wheels that rest at the end of the blower nozzle which makes it easier for blowing large driveways, in other words, it takes the weight off your shoulders. The nozzle can also be varied in length for perfect operator comfort and efficiency. This leaf blower offers variable speed blowing which is a great idea, with a petrol model we take this for granted but often with electric models they are either on or off, sometimes it is important just have a gentle blow if you are working around something delicate or just working in a corner.
The weight of this leaf blower is 4.5 kg, it comes complete with shoulder strap and 10 m of cable and has a manufacturers one-year warranty for peace of mind.
Flymo Scirocco 3000 Electric Garden Vac
Flymo Scirocco 3000 Electric Garden Vac
Now we are coming to the slightly more expensive models. The Flymo Scirocco 3000 Electric Garden Vac is priced at £89.99 which is more expensive than our previous models, however, I have been told that Flymo makes very good electric blowers. The Flymo Scirocco 3000 Electric Garden Vac is fitted with a 3000 W electric motor which produces 123 mph of air, which is excellent. The leaf blower comes with a large 45 L collection bag and wheels on the end of the nozzle which makes blowing easier on large driveways et cetera. The machine comes with 12 months warranty.
Flymo have been making products for the garden for many years now and as most of us know they are famous for the hover mowers that float on a cushion of air, they are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of garden machinery.
The Flymo Scirocco 3000 Electric Garden Vac has excellent reviews, the average review coming out at 4.73 out of the five-star review, which is pretty good, it definitely gives you buying confidence.
Stihl BGE71 Electric Hand Held Garden Blower
Stihl BGE71 Electric Hand Held Garden Blower
The Stihl BGE71 Electric Hand Held Garden Blower is one of our more expensive electric blowers, priced at £100, but it is manufactured by a very famous brand name. I haven’t used this particular product but I have used and owned many Stihl products which have been excellent, some of their products I use on a daily basis, they are very reliable indeed.
The Stihl BGE71 Electric Hand Held Garden Blower is a very lightweight machine at just 3.1 kg, it is powered by 1.1 kW motor and has the option to vacuum. It comes with the manufacturers one-year’s warranty.
Rechargeable Battery Leaf Blowers
Bosch ALB 18v Li-ion Cordless Blower
Bosch ALB 18v Li-ion Cordless Blower
Our cheapest cordless battery leaf blower is the Bosch ALB 18v Li-ion Cordless Blower which is priced at £118.99, it comes with a two-year warranty (six months for the battery) and has the benefit of no trailing lead to worry about! Just remember though that with battery-powered equipment the batteries don’t last forever and replacement batteries can be expensive, this is where I would potentially look at our petrol models as a basic petrol model starts at £130.
The Bosch ALB 18v Li-ion Cordless Blower is extremely lightweight at 1.8 kg which is great for ease of operation. Just one point with this battery machine which I would be slightly cautious of is that the battery only lasts for approximately 15 minutes and it takes 3 1/2 hours to recharge, so it is probably worth having a second battery which will give you 30 minutes of leaf blowing.
EGO Power + LB6002E BackPack Cordless Leaf Blower Kit
Moving rapidly up the price scale we have the Ego LB6002E 56V Cordless Leaf Blower Kit (5.0Ah Battery + Rapid Charger) priced at £349. This model is not cheap but it does come with a good specification and a quick recharge feature which is always great to have on these rechargeable products.
The Ego LB6002E 56V Cordless Leaf Blower Kit (5.0Ah Battery + Rapid Charger) is a three-speed model which helps to preserve battery life, at full power that the leaf blower will give you 15 minutes, at medium power battery will last for 22 minutes and on the lowest power will give you 120 minutes. I’d like to point out that often a leaf blower is used at full power, so realistically you’re probably looking at 15 to 20 minutes of blowing time.
To Conclude
I do like the freedom of a petrol-engined leaf blower, however, petrol models, in general, are more expensive than electric models. However, with electric models, they do have a cable dragging behind you. The rechargeable models offer freedom, however, batteries don’t last forever and need recharging regularly. Just remember we do have some budget petrol models which are well worth taking a look at.
Please feel free to comment in the comments box below.
I know it’s only August but, already we are seeing leaves falling, the title of my blog post today is, “it’s time to put the wind-up leaves with a leaf blower part 1”!
Although we often refer to blowers as leaf blowers, I think probably a garden blower is something that I use in the garden all year round more than any other machine, in fact, I use mine every week at least, almost daily at times.
Leaf blowers come in all shapes and sizes and are powered by petrol, electric and rechargeable batteries. As a bit of a petrol head, I really like to have something with an engine on, for me having an electric cable trailing behind me is just a torment as an obstacle to slow the work rate down, however, some of these electric blowers do have quite a bit of blowing capacity! The rechargeable battery leaf blowers are now becoming quite popular, however, just remember that batteries are expensive to replace and they also run out of power!
You Can See My Video Review Below
My personal preference is to use a petrol leaf blower and although I use most of the time a knapsack leaf blower which is great power-wise and certainly has a great work rate when being used. I also use my knapsack leaf blower for clearing up after various jobs I carry out in the garden. Although I use and own a knapsack leaf blower they can be slightly cumbersome to carry around and for some people to carry on their back.
Search EBay For Leaf Blowers
The petrol handheld leaf blowers are a very good option, these are very easy to carry in a van or car and can be used with one hand operation, there are exceptionally compact and take up very little storage space. Some of these models also offer a vacuum option, this is okay for occasional use or small gardens, however, I would say for general use your much better to just use your blower as a blower and blow your leaves and debris into a corner and then move to the compost heap or wheelie bin et cetera.
Buy The Best You Can Afford
As we know there are many different types and models of blowers available I would always recommend that you buy the best quality product that you can afford. My theory is that it’s far cheaper to buy a quality product and keep it for many years rather than a cheap product that will be broken in a short period of time. Even using my knapsack blower regularly for business, I would expect quite a few years use from it. My present knapsack blower is three years old and still looks like brand-new, I may trade this model in soon as a decent blower holds its money, especially this time of year.
Let’s Take A Look At The Various Blowers Available
We have many blowers available and I’m just going to mention a few models below.
Cobra 26cc Petrol Powered Blower Vac
Cobra 26cc Petrol Powered Blower Vac
The Cobra 26cc Petrol Powered Blower Vac is our cheapest blower, which is priced at £129.99, I have to say this is an amazing price for a petrol leaf blower which also offers a vacuuming facility. The Cobra 26cc Petrol Powered Blower Vac is powered by a 26 cc 2 stroke petrol engine, the weight of the blower is 5 kg and the manufacturers give a two-year warranty.
This blower has very good reviews, 83% of reviewers gave this blower a five-star review, it has received around 3000 reviews, so not bad for a budget blower! You can read the various reviews here.
Tanaka TRB 24EAP Petrol Hand Held Garden Blower
Tanaka TRB 24EAP Petrol Hand Held Garden Blower
The Tanaka TRB 24EAP Petrol Hand Held Garden Blower is another blower that I would recommend, although I haven’t used this particular Tanaka blower I have used other Tanaka products and found them to be very good. The Tanaka TRB 24EAP Petrol Hand Held Garden Blower is powered by a 24 cc two-stroke engine and weighs just 3.9 kg which is a little bit lighter than the previous model we looked at. This model has a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Once again the reviews look positive on this leaf blower, there are not as many reviews as the previous model, however, 87% of users have given it a five-star review, which is pretty good, you can see the reviews here.
My Top Recommendation
Stihl SH86CE Vacuum/Shredder
Stihl SH86CE Vacuum/Shredder
Here we have my top recommendation which is the Stihl SH86CE Vacuum/Shredder, I have owned one of these blowers and also use this particular model regularly, I don’t know how many of these particular blowers have been made, but, I would imagine it to be in the millions!
The Stihl SH86CE Vacuum/Shredder is powered by a 27.2cc two stroke petrol engine which develops 1.1 hp. This machine is offered at £316.99 and comes complete with a vacuum attachment which is a useful feature, however, as I mentioned earlier, I find it much quicker to blow into a corner and clear up leaves debris with a shovel. Having said this, if you want to vacuum your patio, then this can be a very useful feature. The blower comes complete with a two-year warranty.
I would give the Stihl SH86CE Vacuum/Shredder five stars as I have used this particular machine for this several years and never had a single problem, it’s a very well balanced blower to hold and very easy to start. I have seen many many contractors use this particular model of blower and I’ve also seen and used this in many gardens, it’s a great blower.
Backpack Blowers
Cobra BP43C 43cc Petrol Backpack Blower
Cobra BP43C 43cc Petrol Backpack Blower
The Cobra BP43C 43cc Petrol Backpack Blower is our cheapest blower in this category, is priced at just £169.99 and is powered by a two-stroke 43cc engine. It weighs just 6.5 kg which is good for a backpack blower. This backpack blower is fitted with cruise control, in other words, you can lock the switch at a selected speed for ease of operation, it also comes with a two-year warranty.
Stihl BR500 Backpack Blower
Stihl BR500 Backpack Blower
The Stihl BR500 Backpack Blower is another top quality leaf blower that I would recommend, I personally own a very similar blower which has given me great service with no problems whatsoever, I have also used and owned many more products under the Stihl name. I know that this isn’t the cheapest product at £485, however, you will have a quality product that if looked after properly it will give you many years of trouble-free service.
The Stihl BR500 Backpack Blower is powered by a 64.8cc two-stroke four mix system engine, which develops 2.7 hp and has an airspeed of 207 mph! The weight of the backpack blower is 10.1 kg.
Some of the main features of this blower are a built in sound damper that reduces the noise which is always an excellent idea. It also has anti-vibration dampers, some of the cheaper models don’t have this feature but I know with this particular model has a very good engine damping system, which makes the vibration minimal. The harness is padded and easily adjustable and very comfortable to wear even for long periods of work.
As for reviews, I would give this Stihl backpack blower five stars as I’ve used these blowers for many years and I’ve had trouble whatsoever. I know for a fact that these blowers are used by many landscape contractors and tree surgeons, it’s a great choice if you want a blower that will last.
Stiga Park Pro 740 IOX 4WD Out Front Deck Ride On Lawn mower
My question today is are Stiga out front deck lawnmowers the most manoeuvrable mowers on the market?
I think we all like the idea of having a ride on lawnmower to cut our lawns, but for the majority of us can’t really justify a ride-on lawnmower. Not only because our lawns are not large enough but often a ride-on lawnmower can be very cumbersome, and not very efficient to use in small areas. The good news is that the range of Stiga articulated mulching mowers are exceptionally manoeuvrable and can go around flower beds and trees and obstacles at total ease!
In many cases, it is much easier to use a quality walk-behind mower than to have a cumbersome ride-on lawnmower as you can spend most of your time when manoeuvring around obstacles. However, the Stiga range of articulated mulching mowers changes this totally as the video shows.
Out Front Deck Or Zero Turn Mower?
Another type of lawnmower, which is highly manoeuvrable and probably my favourite is the zero-turn range of lawnmowers, however, care needs to be taken with these machines when turning as you can tear the turf. The Stiga eradicates this problem totally, however, I could probably achieve slightly more with a zero-turn mower, but it would be a very fine line. I actually think for most home users an articulated lawnmower is a very good option.
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No Grass Clippings To Collect!
One of the many benefits of an articulated out front deck lawnmower is the fact that they do not collect the grass they actually mulch the grass, so in other words, they chop the grass so that it almost disappears. One thing I would like to mention when mulching is that it works much more effectively when you cut the grass on a regular basis. It is unfair to leave your grass for three or four weeks and then to expect a perfect mulch.
One of the most time-consuming jobs when cutting the lawn is having to empty the grass collection box, it’s a very time-consuming business, especially if you’re compost heap is some distance away from the main lawn. With a mulching mower, this puts an end to the time-consuming job of emptying a grass box. I appreciate that some of the ride on mowers can be emptied from the driver’s seat, however, you are still losing time from carrying out this process.
Another benefit from mulching is that it is almost adding natural fertiliser to your lawn, this is especially beneficial in dry weather, it definitely helps to keep your lawn looking green and healthy throughout the year.
Some people say that when you mulch and don’t collect the grass that you can get a build-up of moss, I would say that this can happen but at the end of the day if you’re looking after your lawn properly this can be taken out with lawn feed and moss killer or scarifying your lawn once a year. Incidentally, scarifying and feeding your lawn on a regular basis is highly recommended if you want a healthy lawn.
So How Much Does An Out Front Mulching Lawnmower Cost?
The Stiga range of lawnmowers starts at £2330 for the smallest model which has an 85 cm deck (approximately 3 feet) and go up to £8999 for the largest model which has 120 cm deck (approximately 4 feet) and comes with four-wheel-drive. These models come with a three-year warranty.
Engine Sizes
Just remember that with a mulching mower it takes a little bit more power to cut the grass as traditionally with a lawnmower you are trying to remove the grass out of the deck to reserve power and fuel efficiency. However, with a mulching mower it actually tries to keep the grass inside the deck for as long as possible as this is where the mulching process takes place, it obviously takes power to do this process.
Once again, I would always go for the most powerful machine that you can afford as it speeds up the cutting process and if the grass is long you have the extra power to keep going.
This is the smallest model of the Stiga out front deck rider mowers, having said this, there is the option for a 85 cm or 95 cm deck which with this size deck you can actually soon cover the ground. Also, remember that there is no box to empty so you are literally cutting grass continuously!
This machine is powered by a Briggs & Stratton 344 cc engine which develops 10.5 hp. There are 10 different cutting heights which vary from 25 to 85 mm and the transmission is hydrostatic transmission which gives you instant forward and reverse speeds on a foot pedal, a very efficient way of powering a lawnmower.
Stiga Park 520 P 2WD Out Front Deck Ride On Lawnmower
Stiga Park 520 P 2WD Out Front Deck Ride On Lawnmower
If you’re looking for a mid-range lawnmower the Stiga Park 520 2WD could be a good option, it comes with a selection of cutting deck options which range from 95 cm to 105 cm with an option of two or three-bladed decks. There’s also an option for an electric lift, in other words, the cutting height is adjusted electronically, which is great for the operator. My personal choice would be to go for the three-blade deck with electronic lift, the three blades will help to make the mulching process much more efficient.
The Stiga Park 520 is powered by a Briggs & Stratton single-cylinder engine which develops just over 13 hp. The cutting height is from 25 mm to 95 mm, this can be adjusted manually or electronically depending on deck choice.
Stiga Park Pro 740 IOX 4WD Out Front Deck Ride On Lawn mower
Stiga Park Pro 740 IOX 4WD Out Front Deck Ride On Lawn mower
Now we are moving up to the top of the range machine, the Stiga Park Pro 740 IOX 4WD Out Front Deck Ride On Lawnmower is priced at £8999 which offers a saving of £1380 currently. You could say this is the singing and dancing model which has everything on it including four-wheel-drive which is a great asset.
This machine will comfortably cut a 4 to 5-acre lawn which is more than enough for most gardens. This machine is ideal for the keen garden or contractor who has a large lawn to manage and wants a machine that will cover the ground quickly.
The Stiga Park Pro it’s powered by a Briggs & Stratton two-cylinder 724cc engine which develops 18.7 hp, I have had experience with this engine as it has been fitted to various machines that I have owned. It is a very efficient two-cylinder petrol engine that takes work in its stride.
The cutting deck comes in five different sizes ranging from 95 cm to 125 cm, once again there is a two or three-bladed option, I would personally go for the three-bladed version for more efficient mulching.
The cutting height is controlled electronically and ranges from 25 mm to 95 mm cutting height, which offers plenty of flexibility. Just a quick tip, never cut your lawn too short, for a healthy lawn regular cutting pays off, nothing looks worse than a lawn that has been scalped and cut too short, regular cutting is the key.
Like all Stiga out front mowers, this machine is powered with hydrostatic transmission which offers instant forward and reverse and variable speed, a very efficient way to power a lawnmower.
To conclude
A Stiga out front deck mower is one of the most efficient ways, if not the most efficient way to cut your lawn. Combined with its mulching abilities and the need of no grass collection can make your lawn cutting extremely pleasurable. I think it’s a much less daunting task to jump on a ride on lawnmower knowing that all you have to do is is to sit on your mower and let the machine do the work, no grass collector to empty just mowing!
Please feel free to comment below, it’s always good to hear feedback and questions and comments.
Mountfield 2248H Rear Collection (Hydrostatic) Ride On Lawnmower
Mountfield is offering up to £400 discount on their large range of ride-on lawnmowers. Already we are halfway through August and the summer is rushing by, it may seem a bit late to buy a lawnmower, but with these discounts, this may be an excellent time to purchase a new Mountfield ride on mower. Incidentally, there have been many times when I’m cutting lawns on Christmas Eve, however, the conditions do have to be right! It’s always good to have a well-manicured lawn for Christmas day!
Mountfield has been making lawnmowers for over 50 years and has built up a good reputation for good machines that are reliable and will be good workhorses for many years especially if you are prepared to take care of your machine and service it regularly.
Not every garden is suitable for a ride on mower if you have lots of obstacles and trees and shrubs etc to go round you may be better off with a good roller rotary lawnmower or even a wheeled mower. However, if your garden is half an acre plus, then in normal terms I would recommend purchasing a ride-on mower.
Mountfield 827M Compact Ride On Lawnmower
Mountfield 827M Compact Ride On Lawnmower
The Mountfield range of lawnmowers starts with the Mountfield 827M compact lawn rider which is just 26 inches (66 cm) wide, this is very narrow indeed, perfect for getting into a small tight space. I would like to add that this machine is an entry-level ride on mower and comes with manual transmission, so, in other words, a gearbox. I would recommend in most cases if your budget allows going for a machine with hydrostatic transmission as these machines are far quicker and easier to use than a manual gearbox.
You can find out more about the Mountfield 827M compact lawn rider here, the price for this machine is just £1299 it is actually very good value for a ride-on lawnmower, it comes with two years warranty.
Mountfield 1328H Compact Ride On Lawnmower
Mountfield 1328H Compact Ride On Lawnmower
The Mountfield 1328H compact ride-on lawnmower is a slightly larger mower than the above machine, although still very compact at 28 inches (71 cm) and still large enough to fit through most garden gates. Although this machine is slightly more expensive at £1599 it does come with hydrostatic transmission which to me is a huge benefit and much better than a manual gearbox model. You can find out more about the Mountfield 1328H compact ride on lawn mower here. This ride-on lawnmower comes with two years warranty
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Hydrostatic Transmission
Hydrostatic transmission is the most common way to power a modern lawnmower, it is more expensive than a manual gearbox, however, it really does make your lawnmower much more versatile and efficient and the whole mowing experience much more pleasurable, I would always choose hydrostatic transmission over a manual gearbox providing your budget allows. Hydrostatic transmission enables you to have instant variable forward and reverse speeds either through a foot pedal or lever.
More Ride On Lawnmowers
Mountfield 2248H Rear Collection (Hydrostatic) Ride On Lawnmower
Now we come to the other end of the scale, if you’re looking for a large ride-on we have the Mountfield 2248H Rear Collection (Hydrostatic) Ride On Lawnmower this machine can cut up to 5 acres. It is currently selling for £3999 with a £400 discount while stocks last. Mountfield also give a five-year warranty, so they are obviously confident that there machine is built to last!
Mountfield 2248H Rear Collection (Hydrostatic) Ride On Lawnmower
This particular machine is powered by a 656 cc twin cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine I have actually had personal experience with these engines and they really are very good. The transmission is hydrostatic which means you have total control over the machine whether you are cutting lush spring grass or collecting leaves. The machine has seven different height settings and a mulch plug should you require to mulch the grass, this is a great option to have especially in dry weather.
The cutting deck width is 48 inches (122 cm) which with a deck this size will produce excellent work rates. This particular model comes with a 320 L capacity grass collection box which is released from the driver’s seat. There is also a towbar which is a great asset for those jobs in the garden.
Mountfield 1636H Rear Collection Ride on Lawnmower
Mountfield 1636H Rear Collection Ride on Lawnmower
If you’re looking for a mid-range ride-on lawnmower, maybe the Mountfield 1636H Rear Collection Ride on Lawnmower could be a good option for you. This machine is priced at £2199 and currently has a £300 discount on the price.
The machine is powered by a Mountfield 452 cc engine and has a cutting width of 92 cm which I believe is around 36 inches which makes this machine reasonably compact but at the same time, you can cut reasonably sized areas of lawn.
As always, I would try and purchase the best machine that you can afford, a ride on lawnmower can last you many years if you respect them and service it regularly.
Review Of The Predator 28 And 38 Radio Remote Stump Grinder
Review Of The Predator 28 And 38 Radio Remote Stump Grinder
Here is my review of the Predator 28 and 38 radio remote stump grinder. This is a review of the Predator stump grinder that I own and have personal experience with, having operated for many hours! I have created a video review of the two Predator stump grinders below.
I haven’t created this review to be negative, it’s just a genuine review of the Predator 28 and 38 radio remote stump grinder. I would be very interested in hearing about other people’s experience, good and bad.
First of all, I would like to give a positive review for the Predator 38 stump grinder, I have had the Predator 38 tree stump grinder on hire from Ben Burgess several times and have probably clocked up around a hundred hours of use with this machine. I believe that the Predator 38 and 28 stump grinders are the narrowest machines in their class on the market, both narrow down to 26 inches (66 cm) which is fantastic, if you have used the traditional pedestrian stump grinders you will understand why it is so useful to get through narrow gateways and not have to struggle with a pedestrian machine.
I would also like to mention that I have been looked after extremely well by Ben Burgess, who are Predator dealers if you’re looking to buy or hire a stump grinder I would definitely recommend Ben Burgess. Or if you’re looking for a second-hand stump grinder it may be well worth checking out eBay.
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You Can See My Video Review below
Predator 28 Radio Remote Stump Grinder
I purchased my Predator 28 radio remote machine in October 2016, I have to say I have had my fair share of problems which I will talk about more in this review post. In the three years of owning my Predator, I have probably called them 150 to 200 times in under three years. Over the past 30 months, I have had approximately 40 breakdowns that have stopped me working! It is good to point out that the Predator 38 has given me absolutely no problems at all and in my experience, it’s a good machine to purchase. The biggest plus point is that the Predator 38 has a fair amount of power for a machine of this size and can cope with any sized tree stump.
On the downside, it does use a lot of petrol, if you’re using the Predator 38 continually for a day it will use around £100 worth of fuel, on my Predator 28 diesel machine I will probably use about £30 worth of red diesel. However, probably on an average day, I will use around £35 worth of fuel with the petrol machine. You can see another post I wrote about the fuel consumption of the Predator 38 here.
I purchased my Predator 28 radio remote diesel stump grinder back in October 2016, prior to this I had been using a Carlton Lombardini diesel radio remote 4012 machine and also a petrol SP2000 pedestrian machine.
The biggest reason for me purchasing the Predator 28 was due to the compactness of the machine, which has proved to be a very useful feature time and time again.
I went for the radio remote machine with a Lombardini diesel engine, the machine that Predator demonstrated to me was a manual machine which I had no intention of buying, but it was the only one they had available for a demonstration. If you are buying a stump grinder and there is a radio remote option, I would definitely go for it, it is so much easier to use and saves a lot of time.
Exhaust Issues
I hadn’t carried out many hours work when probably at around 10 hours work the jubilee clip that assists holding the baffles on the exhaust broke, I did kind of expect this to happen as jubilee clips are certainly not strong enough for holding anything like an exhaust in place. Also, in my experience of Lombardini engines, it’s very rare to see them with the exhaust in the right place after they have been used on a stump grinder. I have experienced this with my Carlton machine and the Predator.
After the jubilee clips broke that was quickly followed by the baffle plate vibrating loose and literally tearing the metal on the exhaust. I understand that it is much better not to have anything attached to the exhaust whatsoever otherwise this only causes issues. I believe I am on my fourth exhaust and will be on my fifth exhaust in about a weeks time.
Have you experienced problems with your Lombardini exhaust lasting? I have certainly had issues over the years with keeping an exhaust in one-piece!
Multi-Tip Cutting Wheel
The Predator comes with Predators own multi-tip cutting wheel, the wheel consists of six teeth, two of which carry out the main grinding and the other four are clearance teeth. All the teeth are identical and changing the teeth is exceptionally simple, just one bolt to hold the teeth in place, the teeth can literally be changed in a few minutes.
In my experience, I’m really pleased with the performance and the ease of changing teeth. I’ve used the old-fashioned finger teeth which are very time consuming to change and break regularly in my experience and I have also tried green teeth, without much success.
Predator Multi-Tip Cutting Wheel
Unfortunately, after about 30 hours of work, I started to break lots of bolts that hold the teeth in place, on average I was breaking three per day. I purchased a new multi-tip cutting wheel which again solved the problem, however, after 30 hours the problems started again. Predator did tell me that they had had a few issues with some soft metal wheels that had not been hardened properly. In fairness to Predator, they gave me a new cutting wheel free of charge. The only problem being that because I was breaking so many bolts, it wasn’t always possible to find the teeth and the blocks that hold the teeth in, which obviously incurs more cost in replacing them.
Apart from this issue, the multi-tip cutting system has been the best cutting system that I have used.
What is your experience with stump grinder cutting wheels and which system do you prefer?
Incidentally, I have just had the main cutter head bearing replaced after approximately 800+ hours which I reckon is pretty good as the cutter head takes a beating in the best possible way. I always give one or two pumps of grease before carrying out a days work. Apparently, on this machine, you can over grease and push the seals out if you’re not careful, hence the one or two pumps of grease.
Belts To The Cutter Head
The belts to the cutter head are something that in my experience need quite a bit of attention, I fully understand and appreciate that these belts are under considerable load most of the time. Obviously, new belts stretch, so after around six or seven hours it is important to tighten up the belts.
This is a reasonably straightforward process, originally I used to take the five bolts that hold the rubber guard off but now I have cut through the rubber guard, so I simply have to take the metal belt guard off to access the cutter head belts.
Predator Belts To Cutter Head
To tighten the belts release the four bolts that hold the cutter head on and then undo the nut that releases the cam to tighten the belts. The process can be a little bit awkward when you first carry it out, but it does get easier once you have done the process a few times. The adjuster is a square-headed bolt, I actually have a socket that fits this on a large lever that makes the job much easier.
I’ve actually had the three cutter head belts last up to 300 hours on the other end of the scale I have had the belts last three hours, I have no idea why, but this has happened, unfortunately. I also find that I am tightening these belts a bit more often than I would actually like to, I’m not sure if this is due to vibration from the diesel engine as when I had the petrol machine on hire I didn’t have to make any adjustments at all.
One of the issues that I’ve had with the cutter head adjustment is a spacer/bolt that seems to break regularly, it is a known problem.
Cutter Head Bolt And Spacer
As the video shows, I have actually had my bolts changed around as the threads were getting a bit worn, to my mind the new way is much better.
The Electric Clutch
Both the predator 28 stump grinder and 38 have an electric clutch to engage the cutter head, I always engage the cutter head on tick over as I don’t like to see the cutter head snatching in as I feel this shortens the life of the electric clutch. However, unfortunately on the petrol machine, you have to have a few revs to engage the clutch, otherwise, the machine will simply stall. I am told that with the new petrol model with the Kohler EFI engine you can engage the electric clutch on tick over which is great news.
I have had no issues with the electric clutch so far.
Predator 28 Stump Grinder Engine Drive Belts
In general, the engine Drive belts have lasted quite well, there are three belts from the engine then go onto a pulley system and then three more belts that go to the cutter head.
Unfortunately, my first Predator 28 stump grinder engine Drive belts broke at 19 hours, however, the next set of three belts lasted well over 500 hours and the present set of belts have done about 300 hours of work.
To adjust these belts is very straightforward, simply loosen four large bolts on the base of the machine and to the rear of the machine, there is a thread where you simply turn the bolt to tighten the belts, very straightforward indeed.
Lombardini Diesel Engine Issues
I’m afraid my experience with Lombardini diesel engines hasn’t been brilliant! On my Carlton stump grinder, which was powered by the same Lombardini engine, the crankcase casting cracked. It was only a hairline crack but it was replaced under warranty as apparently, Lombardini had a batch of castings that were faulty.
I also owned a Lombardini diesel engine on a BCS rotavator, believe it or not, this engine was fine, however, the machine was stolen so I never found out if the engine was long-lasting or not or even trouble-free!
First Lombardini Engine
Anyway back to my present Predator 28 stump grinder, after just 30 hours the engine failed to start, apparently, this was due to the engine sucking in some soundproofing material that was on the flywheel cover. I did notice when the machine was delivered that this material was loose, however, I didn’t take much notice as I knew it had all been pre-checked.
When the engine was checked by the local Lombardini agent, they discovered that the machine had sucked in the soundproofing and the engine had overheated, this engine was replaced under warranty.
Second Lombardini Engine
My second Lombardini engine managed about 650 hours on the Predator 28 stump grinder, obviously, I checked the oil regularly and I suddenly noticed that the engine had used more oil than normal. In general, the engine burns very little oil, I probably add a small amount about every six weeks in normal conditions. The recommended time for changing the oil is 200 hours but I tried to change the oil at 100 hours as I feel it’s better to change the oil regularly rather than wear metal!
When my local Lombardini dealer stripped the engine down they discovered that dirt had entered into the engine, I don’t quite understand this as I’m always extremely careful with maintenance. The engine has a oil bowl filter which I am told is the best for dusty conditions. There’s also a clear Dyson type prefilter which removes most of the dirt and dust, which then goes through to the oil bowl and then through to a mesh filter and finally a spongelike filter before the air finally reaches the engine. I would expect with all these cleaning processes for the air to be clean.
I will clean the prefilter two or three times a day, depending on conditions and I will also change the oil in the oil bath filter halfway through the day if the conditions are poor.
However, despite this maintenance, I had to replace the engine at cost to myself! I see many tree surgeons who rarely clean their air filters out and yet they don’t seem to have had the problems that I have had!
Third Lombardini Engine
After being unbelievable careful with this new Lombardini engine after just 160 hours the exact problem had started again. I checked the oil and on one particular occasion, I noticed that the engine had used more oil than it should have done! So now we are back to square one and another new engine is coming!
Fourth Lombardini Engine Coming
The engineers removed the air filter in front of me and to me, the air manifold looked clean, however, they did say that small amount of dirt had got through the filter and into the engine!
To me, the air filter is not doing the job if dirt is getting through. I have genuinely been cleaning the filter daily and more as I mentioned previously.
Just the other day I was speaking to a tree surgeon about the issue and he mentioned that he had a problem with his Timberwolf chipper in the morning. Apparently, it was blowing out black smoke and not revving properly. He checked the air filter and he said is absolutely blocked solid and once he cleaned the air filter the engine ran perfectly. I asked him how often he checked the air filter and he said he only checks it when there is a problem!
It really doesn’t make sense why these engines are wearing out so rapidly, especially as I am an owner-operator and take care to keep the engine clean.
What has been your experience with Lombardini engines on your Predator or any other stump grinder come to that?
Hydraulic Cooling Fan On Predator 28 Stump Grinder
The Predator radio remote stump grinders have an electric cooling fan to cool the hydraulics, this is due to the oil getting warmer with the radio remote stump grinders.
Hydraulic Cooling Fan
I am now on my fourth fan and so far this latest fan has lasted me several hours, fortunately, Predator has replaced these cooling fans free of charge. I believe that the issue with the fan is probably more due to the vibration of the diesel engine.
What’s your experience with the hydraulic cooling fan on your Predator?
The Fuel Pipe Burst
After about 40 hours of use the rubber fuel pipe burst, spraying diesel everywhere. I had to call the local engineers out to replace the rubber fuel pipe. On inspection of the old fuel pipe, it didn’t look like it was up to standard, thankfully the issue hasn’t happened anymore!
Predator Fuel Pipes
Hydraulic Oil Leaks
Ever since I have had my Predator there has been a hydraulic oil leak from the main hydraulic oil tank. I appreciate on top of the oil tank there is a breather and the system has to discharge a small amount of oil, however, this is more like a river of oil!
There have been attempts to fix this issue, but so far with no success! Obviously with oil leaking and then running onto the tracks can be an issue with people’s driveways, so there is a constant mopping process going on!
Have you had hydraulic oil leaks on your Predator?
Five Batteries In Three Years
It seems that my Predator 28 seems to get through a terrific amount of batteries!
The first battery went after about 60 hours, I called Predator to see if they could help, they talked me through a few checks over the phone which seem to point to the battery being the problem.
Predator 28 Battery
The RAC Came Out
it appeared that Predator were unable to come out to my breakdown, in fact, they have never been able to come out to a breakdown, so I decided to call the RAC!
The RAC came out and were slightly surprised that they were going to look at a stump grinder rather than a motor vehicle! However, the engineer was extremely helpful and carried out all the necessary tests that proved that the battery had failed. He was able to fit me and you battery but he did mention that it would not last due to the fact that the Predator battery is of a special specification for this machine due to the vibration. He was right, the battery lasted 48 hours!
I then purchased a third battery, I guess this lasted about a year before finally exploding on the golf course where I was working, this had to be seen to be believed!
I have never seen a battery explode before, however, after stopping the machine for about five minutes and turning the key to start the machine, aside literally blew out the battery! Thankfully this battery was replaced under warranty by Bosch.
The second Bosch battery stopped working for no apparent reason, so I’m now on the fifth battery that I had to pay for.
How has your battery been on your Predator?
Spool Valve Leak
I recently had to have the whole spool valve assembly resealed as it was leaking quite badly, it had been weeping for some time and then became considerably worse. Thankfully this issue is all fixed now.
Have you had any hydraulic leaks on your Predator stump grinder?
Charging Issues
I have also had several charging issues which is down to the Lombardini engine, I literally used to put the battery on charge permanently when I wasn’t using it rather than risking a breakdown. I had the engine checked several times and although it did have a replacement alternator or charging system replaced, it would definitely let me down if I didn’t charge the battery daily.
Radio Remote
I would definitely recommend paying the extra for the radio remote controls, it is so much easier and so much quicker to use than the manual machine.
As I mentioned earlier I have used the predator 38 stump grinder for approximately 100 hours and the radio remote has not failed me once.
Unfortunately, with my Predator 28 sometimes the radio remote can work faultlessly and although I don’t understand much about radio signals, I can appreciate that occasionally some interference is acceptable. However, sometimes my machine can cut out 40 times per day, once the radio remote cuts out the machine will stop, then you have to go through the starting procedure again.
I normally find that when the remote signal goes it will happen several times in a row and then just write itself on its own.
Due to the fact that the radio remote is losing its signal so often, I have overridden the sensor on the rear door. So that if I lose the signal the engine still keeps running, this saves a lot of messing around. This stops the engine shutting off at full revs, which I don’t like happening.
Once again, the predator 38 stump grinder didn’t fail me once with the radio remote!
How has your experience been with your Predator radio remote?
Vibration Issues
I believe that many of the issues that I have had to deal with unfortunately come from having a diesel engine which brings vibration issues. After using the Predator 38 petrol machine I can see that the vibration is considerably less than the diesel machine.
Predator Vibration Issues
As you can see in the photograph some of the guards have suffered from metal fatigue. Once again I am sure this is from excessive vibration from the diesel engine.
I feel that I have been quite unfortunate with my Predator 28 machine. It seems like I may have had a Friday afternoon machine. I also believe that the diesel engine has created a lot of vibration issues.
If I was purchasing now I would definitely go for the petrol machine as it has extra power, much less vibration. The diesel model and is much quieter which is actually really nice if you’re doing a days work!
As I mentioned earlier, the predator 38 radio remote petrol machine is a great all-round machine. Especially for getting into those narrow gateways that we so often come up against in the UK. If you are looking for a stump grinder the petrol model could be a good option for you. I will definitely be looking at one.
It would be great to hear about your experience with your Predator machine. Or come to that, any other make of stump grinder that you are using. Maybe you could write a review of the Predator 28 and 38 radio remote stump grinder?
Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment below.
I’ve been using a Predator P28 diesel radio remote tracked stump grinder for the past 30 months, my previous stump grinders were a Carlton 4012 radio remote and a Carlton SP2000 pedestrian stump grinder. The P28 stump grinder comes with a Lombardini 28 hp two-cylinder diesel engine, I have had this particular engine on a few machines that I have owned. It’s quite a basic engine and a fairly old design I believe, however, it does seem to be reasonably economical.
Predator also produces a petrol version of this machine with a 38 hp engine. I’m not particularly keen on having large petrol engines on machines like stump grinders as the engines tend to work reasonably hard and I know from owning a Carlton 27 hp petrol stump grinder how much fuel they can potentially use.
I recently had the opportunity to try a Predator 38 hp petrol stump grinder, I have often tried to find out how much fuel the Predator petrol stump grinder would use a day, but I have to say I never really received a clear answer, which suggests to me that they would consume a lot of fuel and with an engine of this size I wasn’t expecting very good fuel efficiency! The answer normally came out that the petrol version uses more fuel but the work rate is much greater than the diesel version.
Predator 38 Petrol Stump Grinder
I Tried The Predator 38
I have to say I was looking forward to trying out the predator 38 stump grinder, with approximately 25% more horsepower I was expecting a very good work rate. I think probably one of the greatest features of the petrol version is the quietness of the engine. The version that I tried had the older Kohler engine which you have to choke almost every time to start the engine, even if the engine is warm, this was exactly the same with my Carlton Kohler petrol stump grinder, I’m not quite sure why they require so much choke all the time? Apparently, the latest petrol Predator stump grinders have the 38 hp EFI engine which has no choke which I am sure is much better for starting.
One of things that I always try to take care with, is to engage the cutter wheel on tick over, the diesel engine is able to do this with no problem, however, the petrol engine requires quite a few revs, otherwise, it just seems to stall the engine. I’m not particularly keen on revving an engine up and then letting the clutch snatch in, I believe it could add to problems later on in the machines life.
Performance And Fuel Efficiency
I didn’t notice any difference in power with the petrol stump grinder if I had not known the petrol engine was 38 hp against 28 hp I would have guessed the engines were similar sizes. It would have been interesting seeing the two machines working side-by-side, however, this is just my personal experience. You see a video of my diesel stump grinder working here.
I tried the petrol predator stump grinder on some Poplar tree stumps, these are not the easiest tree stumps to grind. I was quite surprised when the machine stopped after only one hour and twenty minutes, a tankful of diesel normally lasts me three hours continuous grinding before I need to refuel! I actually only used the Predator 38 for one day as I felt it was much cheaper to use my diesel machine.
I estimate to use around 5 L of diesel per hour which works out to around £30 for a day’s work (approximately eight hours continuous use) using red diesel at 75p per litre. If I was using the Predator 38 all day my estimation would be 100 L of diesel which would cost around £100, in other words, four jerry cans per day!
All The Machines Seem To Be Petrol
It appears that most of the smaller stump grinders and chippers are being powered by petrol engines, due to the emission laws. Personally, I think the emission laws are way over the top and although I agree it’s great to have clean engines, we also have to be practical.
With people moving over to petrol vehicles and machines, it does make me wonder if this is a government incentive to collect more tax. There is a huge difference between £30 and £100 worth of fuel per day!
What are your thoughts on the economics of petrol engines?
Do you think the government is just trying to collect more tax from us by burning more petrol?
The Camon C8 Rotavator has an excellent build reputation and is a very durable machine. The Camon C8 Rotavator is a favourite for hire companies as they know the durability of a machine and the excellent performance. The Rotavator comes with a two-year commercial warranty and a three-year warranty if you are a private user. The manufacturer has great confidence in the products, hence the generous warranty!
The Rotavator is ideal for the private individual, as well as for commercial use, such as the hire industry and professional landscapers.
The Camon C8 Rotavator is very easy to use, it comes with very straightforward controls, it is powered by a Honda engine, (Honda engines are renowned for their reliability). With the combined gear drive this makes the Camon C8 Rotavator a very versatile tool that will tackle most jobs.
The Camon C8 Rotavator is a two wheeled Rotavator, the wheels are driven, which helps to make the Rotavator very easy to use. There is an optional quick coupling if you need to remove the Rotavator and add other various attachments which are available as an optional extra.
Greenworks Steel Deck 40v 45cm Cordless Lawnmower with x2 2.5ah Batteries and Charger
This week special offer is the Greenworks Steel Deck 40v 45cm Cordless Lawnmower with x2 2.5ah Batteries and Charger this machine has 38% discount off the original price, down to £279.99 from £449.99.
Greenworks Steel Deck 40v 45cm Cordless Lawnmower with x2 2.5ah Batteries and Charger
The Greenworks Steel Deck 40v Cordless Lawnmower has a 45cm cutting width, alongside an impressive 50 litre grass collection box and with 7 different cutting heights, this mower is perfect for almost any lawn.
Greenworks ChargerGreenWorks Battery
Specification
45cm(19″) Cutting Width
3 in 1 – Collect, mulch, or side discharge.
Mulch plug included
50 litre grass collection box
7 cutting heights (19mm to 76mm)
Single level height adjust
Quick release folding handles
x2 2.5ah 40v batteries and Charger included
Cuts up to 750m2 on a single full charge with both batteries
At garden equipment review our aim is to bring you the latest special offers on various garden and landscaping products. It’s good to search older posts as sometimes the offers can be on for several weeks.
This compact and highly-manoeuvrable entry-level ride-on from esteemed British manufacturers Hayter Heritage M10/30 Ride-On Lawn Mower is the perfect choice for those with larger lawns who are looking to step-up from their old walk-behind mower.
At the heart of the machine is a very high-performance commercial-grade Briggs & Stratton engine with an impressive power-output of 10.5hp. The engine drives a hand-controlled infinitely-variable hydrostatic transmission for smooth, intuitive speed control; flexibility-of-use; and effortless manoeuvrability. Also, there is no need to stop to change gear with a hydro drive, so you’ll be able to get the job done far more quickly than you would with a manual ride-on.
The cutter-deck on the Hayter Heritage M10/30 Ride-On Lawn Mower is fully floating for a consistent cut on undulating ground and has been offset so you can cut right up to lawn edges and therefore consign your strimmer to the shed. The deck can be raised and lowered through six-stages (38 – 101mm) to suit the grass-type and the nature of the terrain you are working on.
The Hayter Heritage M10/30 has three cutting-modes (collect; mulch; rear-discharge), so you can choose the one that will be most effective for any given grass conditions, for example, mulching comes into its own on short, dry grass; while direct discharge is ideal if you’ve let the grass get a bit too long for bagging. Thanks to its super-tight turning-circle of just 60cm and reverse-gear, the Heritage M10/30 will cope easily with tight-spots and awkward corners. The hugely capacious grass-collector can be emptied from the driverâs seat; and the engine is fully enclosed for greatly reduced noise.
