Stihl Blower?

[Jacksin]

I am considering buying a Stihl BG 65 Blower for garden cleanups. There are elcheapo brands around like Homelite, Talon, GMC etc but I think Stihl is far better quality and would last longer. What say you??

[maglite]

Gday Jacksin,

I own one and have had it for a while now. It generally gets used everyday and it hasnt missed a trick.
IMHO the good brands are generally worth the extra dough, plus Stihl generally guarantee parts availability for their models for up to 10 years, that in itself, makes the purchase worthwhile i reckon.

I hope this helps you out.

Steve

[scooter]

Jacksin, I had a mowing business for 5 years and used an Echo blower. Same thing, never missed a beat, is still going now (3 years later), and wouldn't hesitate to buy one again.

Didn't see any contractors using Stihl blowers, but generally can't go wrong with their gear so whatever's the best deal you can get.

Just to complicate your decision!


Cheers..............Sean

[rick_rine]

Our blower vac at work died today and we are going through the same questions . Ours was a real cheap one , weedeater 30cc . It has lasted 12 years working reasonably hard so no complaints there. We are considering the stil but also a honda 4 stroke for $500 . The stil is advertised here for $379 I think .

[maglite]

Beware the 4 strokes as they dont like being laid on their side.

From all accounts oil leaks into the cylinder if this happens.......that was the main reason that i went 2 stroke.....oh and the fact that 2 stroke is pretty much idiot proof and that suits me to a tee ;)

[rick_rine]

Beware the 4 strokes as they dont like being laid on their side.

From all accounts oil leaks into the cylinder if this happens.......that was the main reason that i went 2 stroke.....oh and the fact that 2 stroke is pretty much idiot proof and that suits me to a tee ;)

Not so sure about idiot proof and thats why I want 4 stroke . I reckon another worker has used straight fuel in the weedeater 2 stroke and thats why it seized up .
Another co-worker , using the l chainsaw , I said have you got the right oil mix ( 50:1 ) he said well I just got the normal 25:1 and added more petrol .
For those who dont understand my dilema they are different qualities of oil .

[maglite]

Not so sure about idiot proof and thats why I want 4 stroke . I reckon another worker has used straight fuel in the weedeater 2 stroke and thats why it seized up .
Another co-worker , using the l chainsaw , I said have you got the right oil mix ( 50:1 ) he said well I just got the normal 25:1 and added more petrol .


Rick,

I did have the same trouble a few years ago and came up with a very easy solution.
2 different colored containers.
Black = 2-stroke
Red = unleaded

Made my training and compliance a breeze....its might be worth a try if you still have the same problems, besides they will still have to check the oil level if you go 4 stroke........IMO black tank makes things easier to understand for all concerned.

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Buy a broom and spend the balance on tools for your workshop.

I have a fair sized driveway but can manage to get it swept in a reasonable amount of time. In the process I get a bit of much needed exercise and I get some time to do a bit of thinking....quite often I also get to watch the bloke who does the shops next door spending an hour blowing a solitary leaf around the car park.

[Jacksin]

Thanks for your responses.

I am still leaning toward Stihl. I have noticed the local hire places hire out Stihl chainsaws, so I figure if they can take that sort of belting in the hands of the idiot public, they must be a well-built.

[Bodgy]

I have a Stihl whipper snipper. Excellent quality but the recommended 50:1 mix is a pain. Firstly you have to use their oil, for the extended warranty, this means 2 x cans of 2 stroke, one normal/one for Stihl. Secondly mixing 50:1 in small quantities is a pain, the oil is such a minute amount its very tricky to get the ratio correct. I use it rarely so hesitate to mix up bulk.

My blower is some cheapo, but has survived 12 years of neglect and abuse, albeit with light usage. Incidentally, I got a bit of 2m x 100mm drainage PVC and two bends and now use this (like a snokel) to blow the leaves out of the gutter - much quicker!

I guess if your usage will be heavy, get the Stihl, if light get some el cheapo and chuck it when it dies, although Bunnies policy guarantees 2 yrs life. Air flow is air flow - European or Chinese, check the CFM rates and compare.

[Wildman]

If you are considering a blower, you are obviously not a Hay fever sufferer. This time of year anyone who gets hay fever would prefer that blowers were illegal. That aside, check out the cheap ones, if you can buy 5 GMC's for the price of a Stihl and it is going to take you many years to blow up 5 GMC's, do you really need a stihl? This arguement only applies to something simple like a blower though, get the good stuff for a chainsaw, lawn mower or whipper snipper, the cheap ones are more trouble than they are worth.

[Pete J]

I have had a Stihl for 5 years now and it fires up every time no trouble. Variable blowing via trigger is always easy and I am very happy with its performance. Of course you could always go the '5 GMC's' route, but why would you want to?

BTW, I have seen a number of mower guys and gardeners with them in Perth.

Regards,

[rick_rine]

Bought the Honda 4 stroke today . Very pleased with it so far . Extremly easy to start and using honda lawn mowers and water pumps on my farm for years now I now it will last and start first time , every time . That said , if it was me who had to pay for it $519.00 , I think it is too much for just home use . We use them weekly at work though and consider the quality here justified the price .

Had to laugh , went with a joker from work , always saying funny things . The sales lady said " do you want a blower/vac or just a blower "
Smart workmate said " well I prefer to suck and rick just likes to blow "

We laughed but I think she didnt get the joke .

[Dave Mows]

Not sure if they sell Redmax there or not. The redmax and stihl are popular amongst blower brands. The newly released stihl br600 is the rage here. http://www.lawncafe.com/t12155-what-to-buy-stihl-br600-or-redmax-8000.html Stihl has always been the top of the line with 2 stroke engines. Husqvarna sells quality saws as well. I hear no complaints with Husqvarna here.