UKC

I was reading the recent lawn-mower thread and listening to me neighbour trying to start his recalcitrant petrol-powered leaf-blower for the second time this weekend and wondering about them. Exactly what do they achieve?

From what I can see, they're noisy, petrol-burning power-tools, the use of which achieves dusty windows and dusty cars and moves some leaves from "the path" to "the lawn next to the path". I have yet to see someone actually rake up the blown leaves or blow them in a way that banishes them for good - the road and lawn next-door, sometimes, but that's not really getting rid of the things, is it?

Hence the question. Please explain leaf-blowers to me. What are they for and why do I see them so often? I don't know any leaf-blower salespeople and have never tried to buy one so, frankly, I don't get them.

In reply to Xharlie:

I agree entirely, in fact I used to think they were leaf hoovers, beacuse I could see no earthly reason to blow leaves about when the wind will just blow them back.

In reply to Xharlie:

The last bastard's spring-tine rake.

In reply to Xharlie:

youtube.com/watch?v=FzQoJNHMdMg& The best use of a leaf blower.

In reply to deepstar:
The best use ?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f-_BG1n-i6c&autoplay=1

I would bet The Lemming would prefer the above.

In reply to deepstar:

I beg to differ. This is the best use of a leaf blower: youtube.com/watch?v=GIjBO_13YSE&

In reply to Xharlie:

I am Spartacus - youtube.com/watch?v=K8FwMlkoxjI&

Also useful for starting pulse jet engines. As a garden tool they are one of the most pointless noise sources I've ever come across.

In reply to Seocan:

Had a leaf hoover when I lived in Texas. A magic machine, sucked up and chopped all the leaves ready for the compost heap and stopped them getting in the swimming pool. Leaf blowers were a rarity out there.

In reply to johncook:

That wasn't blowing, that was sucking........ there is a difference.

In reply to Xharlie:

The same as my Mum put it 'They just blow the leaves about'.

Whoever sells them is onto a winner I guess.

In reply to wintertree:

Not bad, but surely this is the most fun you can have with a leaf blower?

youtube.com/watch?v=GfjorMkjYPM&

In reply to Xharlie:

Almost as bad as strimmers - with their noise, demand for PPE and maintenance; I prefer to swing a scythe and listen to the birds. Fortunately my wife gets the strimmer into action where it is essential.

In reply to Xharlie:

WTF is he doing with a leaf blower in June? The leaves have only just come on the trees - is he trying to blow them off the trees or simply bored out of his skull and a t**t?

In reply to Moley:

I saw (the probably contracted out) council worker going down our street the other day, blowing last years leaf detritus all over the place and people cars. I take it we're out of Austerity now?! I'm not paying Council Tax for this bollocks.

In reply to Lusk:

The petrol ones that use to be used all over LA were the worst. They banned them in the end for pollution reasons.
Went to Portmeryion as few years ago. Nice early morning, sun shining, no other tourists yet and the place was deafeningly loud due to two guts with leaf blowers. Broom?

In reply to Lusk:


Oh yes you are

In reply to Moley:

The other other other day, spotted three guys clearing up a shovel full of crap off the pavement, 1 man with brush, 1 man with shovel and 1 man with a black bag, lots of standing around watching each other! Then they drove off in a big truck.
Keeps the unemployment figures down I suppose.

In reply to Xharlie:
If you are the slightly over weight balding man who lives in a very large house on the road into town their job seems to be blowing the leaves off your garden into the road . God then blows them back in the night and you repeat the process the next day. Something that , at that time of year , I find endlessly amusing.

In reply to Xharlie:


They are used by people who used to work on aircraft carriers and miss the sound of jets taking off at close range.

In reply to Xharlie:

Leaf blowers exist to satisfy the needs of people who simply will not carry out a task unless it involves using a power tool.

In reply to Xharlie:


Nope, can't. While out walking the dog last week I watched a young groundsman blowing freshly cut grass around the site, all in a 30tk squall that simply lifted, swirled and dropped it again behind him. I was out for about 30min with the mutt, in that time he'd he'd moved about 3m and achieved precisely nothing.
jk

In reply to Hyphin:

... she said.