I have a sweet gum tree (drops those little spikey balls) and a Pecan tree. Yard is pretty messy, not to mention, about to be covered in leaves.

Raking takes forever. Not really interested in that. I'm wondering whether anyone here has ever tried a yard vacuum. I've been using a Black and Decker electric unit and it's not getting the job done. The plastic fan has been torn up pretty bad by the sweet gum balls it's sucked up.

I'm not sure I'm ready to go up to a full blown push unit. There's an Echo yard vac that is carried. Kind of like a big leaf blower. Anyone ever tried one of those? Any advice on what I need to be looking for?

Find a good yard service. I have pecan trees...buying and maintaining the equipment for such a short-term use is not a good idea. IMO. Rather easier to see it done through the window as well...

Find a good yard service. I have pecan trees...buying and maintaining the equipment for such a short-term use is not a good idea. IMO. Rather easier to see it done through the window as well...

It's not really a short term use as stuff falls out of the trees all winter.

And I like to work out in my yard. I just prefer power tools to rakes.

Our leaf blower can be reversed into a vacuum with a bag you put on your back. We have leaves and pine needles and it works great for that. Not sure it's much faster than raking though.

Our leaf blower can be reversed into a vacuum with a bag you put on your back. We have leaves and pine needles and it works great for that. Not sure it's much faster than raking though.

Yeah, that's what I have right now. It's electric and doesn't work very well. Plastic fan blades are chipped.

Ours has a metal blade and is gas powered. It's commercial grade. I've sucked rocks and twigs on a regular basis. Bought it from a pawn shop for $185. Probably freshly stolen off some lawn care trailer.

Ours has a metal blade and is gas powered. It's commercial grade. I've sucked rocks and twigs on a regular basis.

Sounds good. What's the make/model?

Sounds good. What's the make/model?

Will have to look when I get home. We are at The Canebrake (http://www.thecanebrake.com) this weekend.

I have an Echo that you can reverse and turn into a vaccum. It has metal blades on the fan to cut through small twigs and such. Works pretty well and I imagine it will suck up what you describe.

I've been looking at those two Echo models. Think it'd be able to take care of pecan hulls and sweet gum balls?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/American_Sweetgum_Liquidambar_styraciflua_Fruit_Co ntext_2500px.jpg
(those things)

Those prickly ball things might not suck up to easily and if they are big they might create some problems. Maybe find a big one off the ground and take it to Home Depot and see if it will fit through the fan blades.

Craftsman and other mower manufacturers have lawn vaccums but they are quite pricey.

I dunno why people still rake their yards.... I just use the lawn mower to pick up all the leaves. Simple as that.

Look at the Toro Ultra Blower-Vac. It has a metal impeller and picks up acorns with no problem. Not sure how it would do on the sweetgum balls but it does very well on the blackjack debris and aformentioned acorns. It's electric so that might be a drawback. I love mine and did a lot of research before I bought it a couple of years ago. It was the top rated electric by Consumers Report at the time. Got it at either Lowes or Home Depot. Can't remember which.

I dunno why people still rake their yards.... I just use the lawn mower to pick up all the leaves. Simple as that.

Some folks like to have nice yards. What can I say?

Wow, if our sweet gum put out pretty orange leaves like that, I might not mind the spikey balls.

that Toro is sold at Home Depot.

Look at the Toro Ultra Blower-Vac. It has a metal impeller and picks up acorns with no problem. Not sure how it would do on the sweetgum balls but it does very well on the blackjack debris and aformentioned acorns. It's electric so that might be a drawback. I love mine and did a lot of research before I bought it a couple of years ago. It was the top rated electric by Consumers Report at the time. Got it at either Lowes or Home Depot. Can't remember which.

I had the Toro. It didn't work. In fact, the blades were plastic and the balls broke the blades.

I ended up buying a gas powered Stehl, the top of the line handheld and it works great on leaves and everything else, but those sweetgum balls get caught in the blades and actually stall it out.

So I guess I'll be using something a little more old-fashioned. A rake and some gloves.

Love the picture, Mid.

I despise the noise pollution from leaf blowers.

Going forward an annual usage permit is required from the city of OKC.

Annual permit fee is $10,000.

I despise the noise pollution from leaf blowers.

Going forward an annual usage permit is required from the city of OKC.

Annual permit fee is $10,000.
This +100%

I despise the noise pollution from leaf blowers.

Going forward an annual usage permit is required from the city of OKC.

Annual permit fee is $10,000.

https://www.enworld.org/media/rise-thread-i-conjure-thee-jpg.51899/full

Man, that fee seems excessive, especially since it will be the poor and middle class paying it :p

If I'm inside the house I barely hear the lawn guys using the leaf blowers. Doesn't break the top thousand things I worry about.

I'm with you.....I personally own a gas leaf blower and it "blows" the socks off of an electric one. What bugs me is that Yukon will hit you with a ticket if you blow grass clippings and leaves into the street.

I despise the noise pollution from leaf blowers.

Going forward an annual usage permit is required from the city of OKC.

Annual permit fee is $10,000.

Got a link to this?

I'm with you.....I personally own a gas leaf blower and it "blows" the socks off of an electric one. What bugs me is that Yukon will hit you with a ticket if you blow grass clippings and leaves into the street.

Grass clippings are actually somewhat dangerous for bicyclists and motorcyclists. And it is so easy to blow the clippings back into the lawn, and then bag them with the mower. Just have to edge first.

Grass clippings are also good for your lawn. Put them back on.

Grass clippings are actually somewhat dangerous for bicyclists and motorcyclists. And it is so easy to blow the clippings back into the lawn, and then bag them with the mower. Just have to edge first.
In additon grass clippings left in the street make the street and neighborhood look like crap.