[Argee]

Last week I purchased a Brinly Hardy lawn sweeper from Home Depot. I was looking for something to pick up pine straw (pine needles) from under the numerous white pines in my large yard.

I've used it about three times and must say, I'm quite impressed. Not only does it pick up the straw, but does so after the never ending rains we've had of late. Picks them off the grass and the ones buried in the grass.

It has a cord that runs to the hopper so you can dump it right from the tractor seat. Sure saves the back....I can vividly recall raking into windrows and then going back with the trailer and loading them. I borrowed my neighbors estate rake last spring and used it to windrow. It did a great job, but I still had to go back and pick them up. This sweeper eliminates rehandling them....you just find a suitable area to dump them and go.

Money well spent!

 

[guest]

it will also break down well for storage...

 

[Chipmaker]

The sweepers work fine for the short needle varieties and leaves etc, but those long needle types such as on long leaf and lob lolley pines are quite a bit more hassle to get up. They seemed to sort of infiltatre and wrap up on the brush assembly and then just quit working. I had borrowed one to try, but it did not work out, so I went the vac cart in conjunction with the lips on the deck of ther JD 180 I had. Did a fantastic job. NOw it looks like this year I am back to using the L & G tractor to make windrows, and then pull my vac cart with my Ford 1720 while the wife or youngin walks along side with the intake duct to suck up the windrows, as I still have to make a transition from the deck to the duct on the cart, as my old one won't even come close to fitting, so its a whole new transition shoe that has to be made, and no time for it this year, at least not before the pinestraw needs to be picked up.

Been kicking it around on using PVC to make a transition shoe.

I sure am not in the mood to go back to handraking and a pitch fork for loading if I can help it. Those sweepers and vac carts will spoil you.

 

[Argee]

I'm tickled with mine so far. I'm still contemplating a bagger that I'll rig up to dump into my trailer. If I can just get the the piece that fits onto the mower deck, I could fabricate the rest. I need to go out on the Craftsman forum and see if anyone has a model numer for the bagger, then I can go to the Sears part website and order one.

By the way Chipmaker, did you get your hydraukic problem solved on your 1720. Puts some pics of your 1720 on the Ford/New Holland forum.

 

[Argee]

Well I've put a few hours and miles on the sweeper. So far it has performed up to expectations. I've managed to pick up about 10 bushels of pine straw from the yard. Wife raked some out of the flower beds into short windrows....ran over them with the sweeper and it picks up everything.

I think in the spring I'll borrow my neighbors estate rake and windrow the entire yard and then run the sweeper. It should make short order of yard prep next year.

 

[leolav]

My Mow n Vac does that stuff without breaking a sweat. Only thing that is bad about it is the amount of space it takes up.

 

[Chris]

How much?

Around how much are we talking for this sweeper? I am interested in one for my property (especially when the grass clippings get thick and pile up) ---- could use for leaves too --- but I tend to mulch it up if I can.

Thanks.

Andy

 

[Adamr88]

How well can I relistically expect a sweeper to work on acorns/

Adam

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by admin
Around how much are we talking for this sweeper?

I paid $200 at Home Depot.

Originally posted by Adamr88
How well can I relistically expect a sweeper to work on acorns

Well, it picks up everything from that fine pine straw to loose rocks, branches, pine cones, etc...I think it'll do a nice job on acorns...

I'm amazed every time I take it out, just what it does pick up!

Originally posted by leolav
My Mow n Vac does that stuff without breaking a sweat. Only thing that is bad about it is the amount of space it takes up.

One of the attractions of the sweeper is the way it stands up against the wall when stored.

 

[Chris]

Can you post a pic of it???

Thanks so much! Argee!



Andy

 

[Argee]

I'll go out this morning and take some pics of it hooked to my GT.

 

[guest]

not to overlook the fact that the sweeper will breakdown and store really well... but Brinley is pretty good about service.. The 1st time i used the sweeper, i swept up too much gravel and the bottom of the sweeper bag (or whatever it would be called) tore. i contacted brinley and no questions asked, they sent me a replacement bag. I duct taped the original and its been working for 3 seasons...

also the sweeper will stripe your lawn if you like the stripes...



sj

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by simple_john
Brinley is pretty good about service..

I here you there. I purchased a cultivator from them, a couple of the tines were drilled wrong, they sent them UPS, no questions asked.

 

[Argee]

Here's a pic of the sweeper hooked up and ready to go.

 

[Argee]

The business end of the sweeper.

 

[Argee]

Another view.

 

[bontai Joe]

Brinley makes a decent sweeper and I've heard folks say the Agri-Fab unit works well also. I've had a Parker for over 20 years and it works great. The Parkers cost a lot more but are built heavier and if you use it a lot, will take more abuse and last longer. If you were sweeping an acre or less I'd say save some money and go with the Brinley or Agri-Fab. If you were sweeping 2 acres or multiple lawns each week, I'd highly recommend the larger Parker models. I hang my Parker on the wall of my shed so I can utilize the floor space under it. I'll admit it's a good "GRUNT" to get it up there, but I need the space.

 

[Argee]

bontai Joe

I'd like to see some pics of that unit. Are your tires pneumatic? What's the weight?

 

[Chris]

That is exactly what I need!!!

Wow Thanks for the pics... BTW, love your new avatar...will miss poor ole BALTO though!

Q's:

Will this pickup lawn clippings, etc? Can you mow and sweep at the same time? How is the emptying process?



I don't really care for the Agri-fab stuff too much...breaks and wears out very quickly IMHO. Dont know what the problem is, but I always have problems with their stuff...

Thanks again, Argee

andy

 

[Argee]

As you can see in the business end pic the hopper is pulled up in the dump position. You do that from the seat with a pull rope.

Yes it picks up grass clippings, just pull it behind you as you mow.

That avatar is the one I use on a couple of other forums. Couldn't use it here until you expanded the size.