Leaf blower specs

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KMB

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When looking at the specs of a blower, which is more important - the air velocity (mph) or the air volume (cfm)?

Kevin
 
When looking at the specs of a blower, which is more important - the air velocity (mph) or the air volume (cfm)?

Kevin

CFM is more important

Are you looking at a handheld or backpack blower?

Steve
 
I thought this was the Chainsaw Forum.:dizzy:

It is...and I know that...others have started blower or/and trimmer threads here. If the mods want they can move it to wherever would be more appropiate. :)

Kevin
 
Look at it like this,

We can all get a great velocity blowing through a peashooter, but CFM determines how much VOLUME you are actually moving.

A Pigmy can blow a poisoned dart at 80mph.

A Stihl BG85 can shift 459 Cubic feet per minute or produce 183MPH.

You can't really compare one to the other, but suffice to say, the CFM would matter most if you were trying to move an elephant.

So blowing leaves might be scaling down somewhat but basically air velocity means nothing if you don't have a decent CFM.
 
+1.... Dan's right on! They are both IMPORTANT. Particulary on WET leaves. MPH will get them lifted; cfm will keep them moving.

So buy A BR600 ;) or a BG 85..
 
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Can that BG85 be converted to a mulching vac? I've been eyeballing blower specs today too.

Ian
 
Like my SH85, It gets used to blow off hay equipment, bush hog, dozer
and tractors than it dose on leaves.......but it blew some leaves today.
 
I got a bg85 and love it, no other hand held blower can compete. It is a low hour blower and is fer sale. I gots to have a br600:jawdrop: :jawdrop:
 
In the Stihl, the BG 85 is what I'd be interested in. But I see that Husky now has a handheld unit, the 125B. According to their specs: 28cc engine, 170 mph air speed, 425 cfm at the nozzle. I've seen it on the net for $150. According to the Stihl specs for the BG 85 D: 27.2cc engine, 183 mph and 341 cfm with the flat nozzle, and 125 mph and 447 cfm with the round nozzle, DSRP of $220. Anybody have one of the handheld Husky's, or know of someone that does?

Every year about this time I look at the leaves and think about a blower...but there's always something else that's needed more...

Kevin
 
Sorry guys...my SH-85 (the shredder-vac model of the BG-85) is just value-engineered junk.

Starting with the vacuum tube--it's undersized for the fitting, and the blower vibrates so incredibly badly, the tube falls right out. Never takes more than about 30 - 45 seconds. I have to duct tape it on in order to make it stay put.

The blower starts fine, but has to be continually nursed in order to idle until it is well warmed up, and even then it idles poorly. Been adjusted twice now by the dealer, he says "They're all that way."

It accelerates very poorly as well. And have I mentioned the vibration? Even wearing anti-vibe gloves, it is seriously, seriously uncomfortable after roughly three to four minutes. My hands will just sit there and buzz for an hour afterwards. I used it to vacuum/shred some leaves last week...ran it for roughly thirty minutes. My hands hurt so badly that simply tapping one finger against another shot pins and needles up my arm.

And I was warned about this, but the bag is much to small to do any real leaf collection at all. I was constantly emptying the bag, and the Stihl value-engineers didn't see fit to putting a decent-sized slider on the zipper, so you have to take off your gloves to empty the bag.

My electric Toro beats the Stihl in every single way except the part where I have to plug it in. Then again, it is a Toro, and I would expect that to be higher quality than the Stihl.

Stay away from the BG-85...it's junk.
 
A Stihl BG85 can shift 459 Cubic feet per minute or produce 183MPH.

But not at the same time. KMB is correct with his specs...it produces that velocity with the flat tube only, and that volume with the round tube only.

Nice of Stihl to mix apples and oranges in their specs like that. You have to go to the website to get the correct specs...all the literature quotes the best of both worlds.
 
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