Do You Prefer a Rake or Power Blower?

hearlady

hearlady

Homebody
Location
N Carolina
I like manual tools. Whenever I rake though, my husband says "Why don't you use the blower?"
I kind of despise it. I would use it for a large, open area but otherwise it is so hard to direct it. It just blows things into corners so you have get up in the corner. Then it blows it out all over flower beds. Stuff flies up all over. Not to mention getting the cord out and dragging that around. And its heavy. Ugh.
I like to rake because I can slide the rake around things in the way. I have control. It's quiet. It doesn't blow dust and dirt up. I rake right onto a tarp, no muss, no fuss.
Which do you use?
 

I have a gas powered, electric AND battery powered blowers (3 blowers) but use a rake most of the time.
I do use the electric and battery powered blowers for around the front porch and back steps.
If I need "get out of my way NOW" ... I break out the heavy ... gas powered.
 
Frist, I'm too cheap to buy a leaf blower. At least yet.

Second, I hate the noise and when I hear them I'm tempted to call and complain about the violation of the noise ordinances. We're not living in rowhouses here but our lots are small, placing houses close together.

Third, I just don't care to deal with gasoline-fired power tools any more and corded electrics aren't worth the bother. If I found a good deal on a rechargeable electric one that worked effectively and wasn't to noisy... well maybe then.

Fourth, I need the exercise. I'm just not ready to buy, use, and maintain more crap then turn around and pay money to work out on silly machines.

Call me stubborn. I do.

That said I don't take a grass whip to the lawn or shovel every snowfall. I've had a battery electric mower for 15 years now and a battery snow blower for 4 years.
 
dilettante said:
Frist, I'm too cheap to buy a leaf blower. At least yet.

Second, I hate the noise and when I hear them I'm tempted to call and complain about the violation of the noise ordinances here. We're not living in rowhouses here but our lots are small, placing houses close together.

Third, I just don't care to deal with gasoline-fired power tools any more and corded electrics aren't worth the bother. If I found a good deal on a rechargeable electric one the worked effectively and wasn't to noisy... well maybe then.

Fourth, I need the exercise. I'm just not ready to buy, use, and maintain more crap then turn around and pay money to work out on silly machines.

Call me stubborn. I do.

That said I don't take a grass whip to the lawn or shovel every snowfall. I've had a battery electric mower for 15 years now and a battery snow blower for 4 years.
Click to expand...
Oh yes, I forgot that reason. Raking is good exercise.
 
I like and use a gas powered leaf blower and am usually running it for 3Ā½ to 4 hours at a time. With the property we have, a manual rake would be very time consuming. Leaves blow the best when damp, so they go where you want them to. It's great for getting the pine tree needles off the driveway too. Have to keep the leaves in check because of the ticks.
 
hearlady said:
I like manual tools. Whenever I rake though, my husband says "Why don't you use the blower?"
I kind of despise it. I would use it for a large, open area but otherwise it is so hard to direct it. It just blows things into corners so you have get up in the corner. Then it blows it out all over flower beds. Stuff flies up all over. Not to mention getting the cord out and dragging that around. And its heavy. Ugh.
I like to rake because I can slide the rake around things in the way. I have control. It's quiet. It doesn't blow dust and dirt up. I rake right onto a tarp, no muss, no fuss.
Which do you use?
Click to expand...
that's exactly the reason I don't use a blower..it's just a PITA...badly designed IMO
 
... I also have a riding lawn mower (Cub Cadet) that I use ... not to collect leaves ... but to mulch them up.
Other times I use my gas powered Craftsman or Kobalt 80v battery mower for the same purpose.
All the bases are covered. I have a lot of lawn maintenance devices. Ride, push, blow, rake.
 
Naturally said:
... I also have a riding lawn mower (Cub Cadet) that I use ... not to collect leaves ... but to mulch them up.
Other times I use my gas powered Craftsman or Kobalt 80v battery mower for the same purpose.
All the bases are covered. I have a lot of lawn maintenance devices. Ride, push, blow, rake.
Click to expand...
We have a lot too. The hand tools are what I use.
 
As far as hand rakes, I prefer "non-clog" rakes.
Hate is a strong word, but I HATE stopping every few minutes to unclog debris from the tines of a rake.
Non-clog rakes don't have that problem and bonus ... usually have a much wider sweep than a conventional rake with metal tines.
 
hearlady said:
Me too, but there's an overabundance
Click to expand...
and I love each and every one

There were no deciduous trees at our mountain cabin

Six years of no leaves
No gorgeous autumns

I so missed 'em

Oh, it had it's own beauty marks up there
and I do miss them
Those evergreens also display their special wares
especially when hearing the eerie songs of the coyotes wafting thru the pines

thru the woods.jpg


DSC_0391.jpg

But, enjoying the leaves right now
especially the maple leaves

leaf.jpg

Guess I just love trees....any
and whatever they gently lay to earth
 
Last edited:
You need my rake.

It has this rod that threads through to hold the tines in place. This tends to slip out every few strokes, letting some of the tines flop around ineffectively. So you stop, put those tines back in place and slide that rod back in. Rinse, repeat.
 
I use both ....although the blower is great for cleaning the garage, driveway and back patio....I try to munch as many leaves as I can with the riding mower... I've decided there is a learning curve to using the leaf blower..after watching the pros in the yard maintenance videos...I ain't there yet.
 
hollydolly said:
I hate that too... never knew there was such a thing as non-clog rakes
Click to expand...

There are many makes but here is one. Look at how the "tines" are configured. Makes it ... Clog Free / No Clog
And this one from Craftsman ... a "Best Seller"

10334506.jpg
 
Naturally said:
There are many makes but here is one. Look at how the "tines" are configured. Makes it ... Clog Free / No Clog
And this one from Craftsman

10334506.jpg
Click to expand...
I see what you mean. At first when I looked I thought it was the same as mine which has a very wide head.. but I see where the tines are welded together..which clearly stops the bunching up, and clogging..AhA.. what a good idea..I must go and look to see if we have the same in the uk..
 
hollydolly said:
I see what you mean. At first when I looked I thought it was the same as mine which has a very wide head.. but I see where the tines are welded together..which clearly stops the bunching up, and clogging..AhA.. what a good idea..I must go and look to see if we have the same in the uk..
Click to expand...

It wasn't so long ago the non-clog rakes were very hard to find here in the states, but are more common now.
Guess word has gotten around about them.
 
Is it tough enough?


I get a lot more leaf-depth than that, and often I practically have to scrub the ground to get those darned ashy Cottonwood leaves up when they are damp. Not to mention all of the small branches Cottonwoods drop. And then there are the tons of Maple seeds that might be too small to capture with that rake.
 

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