Stihl Shredder Vac

[_RJ_]

I read the on-line reviews of the SH-86 C-E and they were very positive. Then my wife tells me she needs to go to town and run a couple of errands. She asks if I want to go along?

That's all I needed to get me moving. Anyways, we're back and the SH-86 followed me home. Gave it another good looking over at the Stihl dealer and decided to pop for it. I bought the customary six-pack of Ultra oil for an add'l. two years of warranty, which brought it up to a total of four years.

Gonna mess around with it later today and get to know it better. I might even piss-rev it a wee bit in my garage / shop, just so some of you won't be disappointed.

I'll put it to work later this week.

Same thing happened to me today. Wife wanted me to go into town with her. I grumbled a bit, but came back with a KM130R and some attachments. Wife's idea btw.

 

[calereeves]

That's how I got my KM110R. Still considering the sh86, but probably going to spring for the KM pole pruner attachment next.

 

[1Alpha1]

Remember break in will change that. I'd try a muffler mod too. I like the old 85s more but sadly they are gone.

I did remove the spark arrestor screen. Didn't seem to help a whole lot.

Bottom line......is that electric blowers just spin much faster than a gas unit does. RPM = wind speed.

 

[Roll Tide]

Check the tune. May be running a bit rich. Just hard to believe an electric blower does better.

 

[STIHLTHEDEERE]

Check the tune. May be running a bit rich. Just hard to believe an electric blower does better.

agreed, check the tune. they can be a bit tricky, make sure it is good and warm, and these do have a limited rpm coil. you need a tach to set them correctly.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I have the 86. I think what you'll find is that the gas one pushes more volume and the electric is a higher mph. The volume more than makes up for the wind speed.

 

[1Alpha1]

When I initially spoke to the Stihl dealer about the vac / blower, I told him that I already had an elec. Toro. He asked me why I was looking at a gas unit? I told him my Toro was a bit long in the tooth, and I was tired of being chained to a power cord.

He asked me how I liked it's performance and did it meet my needs? I said I did and it did. He just gave me the impression that I was looking at something that may not be better than what I already had. He didn't come out and give me the hard sell about his product being able to run circles around what I already had.

Anyways, the sales guy was a bit under-whelmed about me buying the SH-86. He did mention volume vs. air speed and implied that volume would make a difference.

So, the real test will be the vacuuming of the leaves. They are dry and brittle, so it should be an easy task for my Stihl. My Toro would not suck up any rock at all. Here in AZ., it's not unusual to have nothing but gravel as your landscaping. That's what we have in front and back. No grass anywhere. Too expensive and it just doesn't fare well here. So, when the leaves fall, it lies on top of, and gets mixed in, with the gravel.

I'm going to be extremely cautious when it comes to vacuuming, until I get a very good feel for just what it will pick up.

 

[STIHLTHEDEERE]

it will suck rocks quite well i assure you. if you suck up a big enough rock at WOT, you will have just turned your new vac into a parts unit. it usually costs more to have the damage repaired than to just buy a new one.

 

[1Alpha1]

it will suck rocks quite well i assure you. if you suck up a big enough rock at WOT, you will have just turned your new vac into a parts unit. it usually costs more to have the damage repaired than to just buy a new one.

Well, I've been warned, so I will be very careful the 1st time out in the vacuum mode.

 

[md1486]

I know this is an old post, but Im looking for a stihl shredder vac (56 or 86 model), but I can't find any info as if thoses machines can also suck up sawdust ? Sometime I cut in the driveway or in the grass and sawdust are PITA to remove

 

[2stroker]

I know this is an old post, but Im looking for a stihl shredder vac (56 or 86 model), but I can't find any info as if thoses machines can also suck up sawdust ? Sometime I cut in the driveway or in the grass and sawdust are PITA to remove

i

The 86 I have does a great job on DRY Saw dust.
I cut a tree for my sister and before I could get the 86 out my bil was dragging his shop vac out. 86 was much faster.
2stroker