Easyjet98
Well-known member
I'm in the market for a blower and/or a vacuum. I've seen some tools that are advertised to do both. Anybody have something like that and do they do both jobs well or not? Any suggestions?
Blower/Vacuum combo
- Thread starter Easyjet98
- Start date
kctyphoon
Banned
Husqvarna or Echo is you're referring to outdoor equipment..
I have the Husqvarna, it works well but the carb can be a little temperamental. My echo string trimmer is trouble free for years.. I bought the Husqvarna cause it came with the fan tip over the echo, but I'd do the echo if I were buying again. You just have to buy the fan tip for the blower as an accessory, and the echo's collection bag is black, over the Husqvarna which is white and will look pretty dirty after some use..
I actually bought 2 of the Husqvarna to see if the carb with mine was a freak thing, but it did it with both.. it likes to stall if I don't go full throttle slow enough.. it's always worked, but it can get annoying..
I have the Husqvarna, it works well but the carb can be a little temperamental. My echo string trimmer is trouble free for years.. I bought the Husqvarna cause it came with the fan tip over the echo, but I'd do the echo if I were buying again. You just have to buy the fan tip for the blower as an accessory, and the echo's collection bag is black, over the Husqvarna which is white and will look pretty dirty after some use..
I actually bought 2 of the Husqvarna to see if the carb with mine was a freak thing, but it did it with both.. it likes to stall if I don't go full throttle slow enough.. it's always worked, but it can get annoying..
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oldldh
Well-known member
SteveL
Well-known member
pelletman
Well-known member
Craftsman 19.2 C3 is one for under 50 bucks, no experience with it but I like my CM impact wrench..
four.cycle
Well-known member
The photograph isn't showing what needs to be shown here:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/..._clickid=deb4c53a-3fdf-45e6-bdb7-191f5f8a9dff
IF that unit is similar to mine, the electric motor pops off of the top and it is a self-contained unit that serves as a blower.
Here is a better image of a similar unit (different model number):
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-16-g...SellerId=Sears&prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7
The electric motor is inside a self-contained blower unit.
I've purchased three of them over the last 20+ years. They keep "re-designing" them, although the earlier models were much better than the one I own now. I literally wore out the electric motors.
The weak point is the stamped sheet aluminum impeller in the blower, which self-destructs after extended use waving it back and forth back and forth back and forth - the way you would use a blower. The one I own now has had two replacement impellers installed.
Rather than continue buying impellers (at about $20 bucks a pop including shipping) I went to one of the big-box hardware stores and bought the RED Toro "blower-vac". Runs on 120V. Brought it home, unpacked it, and set the "vacuum bag" and all those accoutrements out on the curb and put a "free" ad on Craigslist and gave all the "vacuum" stuff away - it ***** all the debris up through the impeller, which is a cast aluminum alloy. Consumer reviews on the unit are a mixed bag.
I use the Toro strictly as a blower, and the Craftsman shop-vac almost exclusively as a vacuum. Both perform those jobs quite well. Both do poorly trying to be something they're not. (The Craftsman doesn't put out the air velocity that the Toro blower does, and the Toro (according to online reviews) kind of ***** at sucking up leaves and debris.)
http://www.acehardware.com/product/..._clickid=deb4c53a-3fdf-45e6-bdb7-191f5f8a9dff
IF that unit is similar to mine, the electric motor pops off of the top and it is a self-contained unit that serves as a blower.
Here is a better image of a similar unit (different model number):
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-16-g...SellerId=Sears&prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7
The electric motor is inside a self-contained blower unit.
I've purchased three of them over the last 20+ years. They keep "re-designing" them, although the earlier models were much better than the one I own now. I literally wore out the electric motors.
The weak point is the stamped sheet aluminum impeller in the blower, which self-destructs after extended use waving it back and forth back and forth back and forth - the way you would use a blower. The one I own now has had two replacement impellers installed.
Rather than continue buying impellers (at about $20 bucks a pop including shipping) I went to one of the big-box hardware stores and bought the RED Toro "blower-vac". Runs on 120V. Brought it home, unpacked it, and set the "vacuum bag" and all those accoutrements out on the curb and put a "free" ad on Craigslist and gave all the "vacuum" stuff away - it ***** all the debris up through the impeller, which is a cast aluminum alloy. Consumer reviews on the unit are a mixed bag.
I use the Toro strictly as a blower, and the Craftsman shop-vac almost exclusively as a vacuum. Both perform those jobs quite well. Both do poorly trying to be something they're not. (The Craftsman doesn't put out the air velocity that the Toro blower does, and the Toro (according to online reviews) kind of ***** at sucking up leaves and debris.)
I can tell you, I've been very impressed with the Toro as a vac. Leaves, sticks, yard debris, wet leaves, whatever. Never misses a beat. Mine is all original from 2010, even the bag. It's bagged at least 100 50ga bags of ****. Honestly it's one of the few purchases in recent memory that has more than lived up to it's claims.
If it died tomorrow I would be perfectly happy that I got my moneys worth out of it and run out and buy another...
I also use the blower and it works great around bushes, sidewalk, hardscape, etc. I also use it to dry the car and motorcycles after washing...
four.cycle
Well-known member
ME said:
^ Those who purchased that Toro blower/vac and posted reviews online either loved it or hated it. I'm happy that it worked for you.
My next door neighbors went out and bought one after asking me about it and my giving them my opinion and letting them know about the negative online reviews, and told me after using it that they thought it was kind of a joke as a vacuum, but as a blower worked great.
For the record: they were trying to clean up wet, rotten leaves from an 18-inch carpet of St. John's Wort that had overrun their front yard.
YMMV.
So at the moment I only have M12 tools. If I spring into the M18 line as well, I'll need batteries/charger. The M18 vacuum doesn't come with a battery. What size battery should I get to vacuum three car garage? And does anyone know where you can get this cheaper than $99?
And the M18 blower...is fuel that much better than the regular one? I understand the regular ones are being reduced in price at HD, but not at mine unfortunately. Anyone know where I can get a clearance one online?
And the M18 blower...is fuel that much better than the regular one? I understand the regular ones are being reduced in price at HD, but not at mine unfortunately. Anyone know where I can get a clearance one online?
oldldh
Well-known member
No joy, I'm afraid...
They are M18...
The Shop Vac will run about 15 minutes on a 4AHr battery...
The Blower runs about 20 minutes...
Neither are "Fuel"...
The M18 charger will charge 12 volt batteries, too...
Milwaukee tools, are as good as I've found...It might be worth it to convert to M18 tools, like this ---
And you get three 4AHr batteries!!!...Some of these kits have extra 5AHr...
