MPH Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 Does any one here use or have used the lawnsweepers like sold by sears and agfab. Are they any good?? Had to take my Navy Son to the Anchorage airport last nite and today, saw one at home depo where I stopped to look at landscaping rakes, big 3 footers. Sure don't look like much for 218 dollars, actually that was at Lowes, where they at least display thier ag/fab stuff. I've looked at them at Sears and seems they run about 300 there. I did score a 42 inch seeder/spreader with plastic tub for 41 dollars, missing parts, all I could see missing was several bolts and air in the tires. Tag said they wanted 129 for it, so I stuffed it in the van. On the way home I stopped at a used everything shop alog the hiway in Palmer and he had a sears 42in lawnsweeper for 100 dollars, still has the tits on the tires, has two brushes. First used one I've seen up here so I stuffed it in the van too. I'll try to get some pics after the sun comes back up..long trip...MPH My parts missing new seeder high preformance lawn sweeper, does that mean it goes real fast? both stuffed in a mini van
Rob-B Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 god morning, I can tell you that they don't work well (at All) on pine needles of any kind! if that helps. rob
Floydster Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 Well, I have the Agri Fab 42" heavy duty sweeper, I use it to pick up acorns and twigs and it works great. It picks up a lot of other junk in the grass also, I woundn't be without it. I mow 3/1/2 acres with 90 some oak tress to mow around. i have had this sweeper for 5 years, and when I wear this one out, I'll get another. Floyd
JOHNP Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 Marty, I have a Sears 42" ( H.D.) and am very pleased with it. Picks up pine cones and needles if I set it low enough. On the higher settings, I use it with the mulcher blades and it sweeps it just like a carpet...........makes nice stripes too. The only draw back is the fact that you cannot "disengage" the wheels.
mbrook Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 I had a small agri-fab sweeper and I hated it. It seemed to light and didn't work very well. On the other hand, I used a Parker sweeper that my grandparents had and it worked great! I have recently inherited the Parker sweeper and it still works great and its about 30 years old. I would consider the quality of a Parker sweeper comparable to that of a Simplicty/Allis.
stormy2163 Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Floydster Well, I have the Agri Fab 42" heavy duty sweeper, I use it to pick up acorns and twigs and it works great. It picks up a lot of other junk in the grass also, I woundn't be without it. I mow 3/1/2 acres with 90 some oak tress to mow around. i have had this sweeper for 5 years, and when I wear this one out, I'll get another. Floyd I bought one like this yesterday.Don't know how well it works yet it's still in the box.Glad to see yours picks up acorns.I mow three acres and have two big pecan trees in the back yard.I'm anxious to see if it's gona pick up the pecans sure would beat having to rake them.The wind has blown them off and of course they just fall off.I want mind picking them up when they are ready to eat but it's gona be some time before the first frost.:)
mowerman1193 Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 I have a agi fab one and it will pick up about anything....from pine cones, to grass clippings, leaves, (leaves fill the bin very fast unless you mulch them up first)and it even picks up the gravel that the snow blade pushed into the yard through the winter. I have heard of people saying that they are worthless and others say they work ok..I think its more of the set-up of the unit.The tractor makes a difference too.I had used it on the smaller tire tractors and the hitch sets to low to the ground and I could'nt get the sweeper to adjust to pick up good.The ground speed makes a big difference too...Go to fast it will shoot the stuff right up over the bin,LOL and to slow it wont throw it to the back of the bin and it wont fill it up good.. It works great with my Wheel Horse with the rear dischage deck...
MPH Posted August 29, 2003 Author Posted August 29, 2003 Thanks guys,sounds encourageing. Spruce cones is my biggest natural 'trash' problem. Leave are thin enough it don't seem to juat mow 'em up' and leave them. How do you tell if its heavy duty one, didn't see any big bragging words anywhere, sure there would be..Don't some have 4 brushes instead of two? MPH
mbrook Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 MPH, Like I said I had a small, maybe 32" wide agri-fab, very light duty and personally would not recommend one. The parker is 42"? and its very heavy. I saw one last year at a garage sale and should have picked it up. My neighbors are all asking to barrow it.
skot71 Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 I just picked up an old sweeper for free. My 8 year-old was just dying to try it out, and it seems to work pretty well on grass clippings. It's an old heavy duty one with 4 brushes, but I haven't looked close enough to find a brand. I've seen a couple of Parker brand ones, and I'd say it's similar. The lady I got it from is 83 and a friend of my dad's. Her husband died a couple of years ago, and she's clearing out stuff she doesn't use. She's giving me a nice 10x12 wooden storage barn too! Now my B-208 will be in the shed instead of in my way in the garage.
PhanDad Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 My neighbors each have one - one works well, the other will only pick up light stuff. It's all about how well the sweeper wheels grip. If they grip well with the brushes set low, then they'll work fine. If they don't grip well, they just drag and then the sweeper brushes don't turn and nothing gets picked up. The weight of the overall unit contributes to intial traction. Sometimes having the "bed" part full adding weight to the drive wheels help.
andy gartner Posted August 29, 2003 Posted August 29, 2003 Marty Had a motorized Parker lawn sweeper w/a Clinton engine. Worked teriffic. Only problem was, it filled up and needed to be emptied every 25 feet. Guess we have too many trees. Sold it and mulched leaves.
Les Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 I have an Sears sweeper, it works OK, not near as good as a Parker though. I wish the basket was bigger.
MPH Posted August 30, 2003 Author Posted August 30, 2003 Played with the sweeper some, guess all I'll say is glad I didn't quite pay half of new price. Didn't do too bad on the spruce cones laying around so it might prove worth 100 bucks just for them. Has the 'Unique design' to dump from tractor seat that northern brags about on thier Agri-fab, fact it looks close enough I'd guess that's who built it for Sears..Think I'll go try out # D,42 in drop spreader, hmm see they want 169 bucks for it. Put 3 1/4in bolts on and air in the tires, maybe I did ok for 41 dollars..MPH
JoeJ Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 Marty, Had one here years ago, pre tractors, that had to be pushed. As most say, it picked up ok, but go 15 to 20 feet and it was full. [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/uploaded/JoeJ/joej_sig2.gif[/img]
MPH Posted August 30, 2003 Author Posted August 30, 2003 Guess you guys have a lot thicker grass then I do. Guessin I could sweep the whole 'lawn' and maybe fill it twice..Spreader worked pretty good on 50 lbs of fishbone meal, no pluging up with the fine powder. happy with that 41 bucks spent, not sure I'd pay 169 for it as its longivity is ????????able..MPH
SmilinSam Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 Most of the ones I see in the stores only have two brushes. The y work well enough, but I prefer the Parker which has 4 Brushes and is built heavier. But, new they are almost 3 times the cost of the Agri Fab types.
stormy2163 Posted September 5, 2003 Posted September 5, 2003 Tried mine out today Marty...It works Great..lawn looks like carpet and feels like carpet to(you know us rednecks can't keep our shoes on very long):D;)
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