Heavy Duty Leaf Blower For Snow Removal

[Framing101]

I was thinking about the Stihl BR 800 Gasoline Backpack Blower for snow removal as I could think of several instances where it could be useful
(removing snow off car, clearing a path if going ice fishing, driveways etc) but read if the snow gets pact down its pretty much useless but I wanted to get everyone elses take on it and if that one would be powerful enough to deal with some of the packed down snow since I believe it is the most powerful leaf blower on the market.

 

[Tchicken]

The blower's effect on snow will of course vary greatly with the type of snow it is - dry, light snow a blower works well, wet late season type snow not so much. I sure wouldn't buy a backpack specifically to move Great Lakes snow, if you already have one then try it.

Here in Michigan we get mostly heavy wettish stuff that my gas Stihl won't move, but sometimes when its real cold and we get sugar-sand snow I can clean the whole driveway of a couple inches ..

 

[Framing101]

also off of a great lake, Lake Ontario for me snow is a bit of everything. I was wondering if the extra power might help as it is easier to get the roof of an suv
the battery ones do an alright job minus the battery dying every 10 seconds

 

[Beerhippie]

Dry, fluffy snow? No problemo. Cascades cement? Not a chance in hell.

I use our Stihl 36V battery one for up to a couple of inches of pow. Works fine.

the battery ones do an alright job minus the battery dying every 10 seconds

Reckon you need a new battery or maybe new tool? I usually run out of gas before the Stihl runs out of battery. 2 batts, one in the tool, one in the charger and I'm good to go all day.

 

[PCustoms]

Didn't we just do this?

Thread 'A tip for those in the north' https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/a-tip-for-those-in-the-north.553763/

 

[tyyost]

I have a backpack and a Stihl 56 blower. I kept the blower out all winter to do some of what you mentioned, light snow is a piece of cake, and cleaning my car is simple with it. If the snow is wet, forget it. I don’t think I’d buy a backpack blower for snow removal, unless I was doing commercial work. I know we love overkill here a garage, journal, but I’d buy it for the fall cleanup, and keep it rolling through the winter.

 

[Framing101]

Dry, fluffy snow? No problemo. Cascades cement? Not a chance in hell.

I use our Stihl 36V battery one for up to a couple of inches of pow. Works fine.


Reckon you need a new battery or maybe new tool? I usually run out of gas before the Stihl runs out of battery. 2 batts, one in the tool, one in the charger and I'm good to go all day.

Dont have a Stihl at the moment have an echo and take it right off the charger in the garage and it dies within 10 seconds

I have a backpack and a Stihl 56 blower. I kept the blower out all winter to do some of what you mentioned, light snow is a piece of cake, and cleaning my car is simple with it. If the snow is wet, forget it. I don’t think I’d buy a backpack blower for snow removal, unless I was doing commercial work. I know we love overkill here a garage, journal, but I’d buy it for the fall cleanup, and keep it rolling through the winter.

It would also be for ice fishing as the snow covering the ice conceals bad ice spots and gas pockets.
also clear decks and porches and stuff might also be nice for the fall if i gained the funds for it in which there are ways.

unless they make portable hand held snow blowers which might be just as if not more useful or something similar
(current snowblower broke and company sent us the auger belt for that model and it didn't fit )

 

[Renegade1LI]

Never had luck using a backpack blower on snow, maybe an inch or 2 of fluff but after that ng. It seems the air is warmed just enough to help solidify the snow, I wouldn't recommend it unless you need one anyway. I even tried the walk behind blower, at least my wife got a few laughs. Probably better off with a battery snowblower for the small stuff.

 

[MOS3522]

As I learned last year, a leaf blower is great for lifting ice off walkways and driveways. I've done that a bunch this year.

 

[Beerhippie]

As I learned last year, a leaf blower is great for lifting ice off walkways and driveways. I've done that a bunch this year.

What kind of ice lifts from pavement/concrete/whatever with a blower? Ours is part of the bedrock.

 

[MOS3522]

What kind of ice lifts from pavement/concrete/whatever with a blower? Ours is part of the bedrock.

I was a skeptic but it works on ice maybe up to 1/4" thick

 

[finn]

I almost fell over laughing at the thought of moving snow with a leaf blower.

We were at 279 inches last I checked. that’s just shy of 24 feet of snow, and the forecast is for snow on five of the next ten days.

The only blower that’s anywhere near practical is the one on the front of my 40 hp tractor.

 

[pbon]

I have blown away a few inches of light fluffy snow on several occasions using my Milwaukee M18 backpack blower and dual battery blower. More snow or heavier snow and I doubt it would be better than shoveling or using a gas snowblower. Probably one of those battery snow blowers would work for more than a few inches but the good ones are more expensive than a gas snowblower and not as good.

 

[crashmtb]

Ah, Satan's Windchimes.

 

[K13]

I almost fell over laughing at the thought of moving snow with a leaf blower.

We were at 279 inches last I checked. that’s just shy of 24 feet of snow, and the forecast is for snow on five of the next ten days.

The only blower that’s anywhere near practical is the one on the front of my 40 hp tractor.

All the old retired guys in my neighborhood use backpack blowers and it's super annoying because they just go out 10 times a day to keep up with the snow fall and because there are about 4 or 5 of them doing it it just a constant drone of the damn things all day long. Of course they are the first ones bitching about any other "noise" in the neighborhood.

 

[theoldwizard1]

... if the snow gets pact down its pretty much useless ...

Been there. Done that.

If it is DRY, unpacked snow and less than 2", it will work !

 

[finn]

Been there. Done that.

If it is DRY, unpacked snow and less than 2", it will work !

Well, latest report is 290 inches, just over 24 feet.

If your objective is to blow it away every time 2” accumulated, you would have blown the snow off 145 times on the last ninety days. Many times it would have been between midnight and four am.

Sounds like a fool’s errand to me.