# Shindaiwa Power Broom



## casey (May 14, 2001)

Was looking at the Shindaiwa Power Broom with the rubber brush head.

Dealer assures me this will work wonders on steps, around cars & down walks. According to my dealer the nylon brush is a POS for snow but the rubber works great.

Is it worth it over a shovel for steps, around cars?

Currently I use Toro Powerlites for walks so this would mainly be used for steps, landings, decks, & narrow passages between cars.

Over 1k CND for the designated Powerbroom.

http://www.shindaiwa.com/products/power_brooms/broom.html


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## RAZOR (Dec 19, 2001)

Last year I was thinking about getting the rubber power broom attachment for my Echo power head, The dealer was not sure how it would work on steps so they called thier rep from Echo. They were told it should be OK for an inch or two of light powder snow but that would be about it. Its possible the Shidaiwa is more powerful. If you do get one post again to let us know how it works.

Razor


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## casey (May 14, 2001)

I was told Echo only currently has the nylon brush which according to dealer is not nearly as good as the rubber that Shin. offers.

The Echo is less expensive but acc. to dealer & looking at their website they don't have the rubber broom attach.

One hell of an expensive shovel but if it can save some backs & cut time significantly may be worth it.


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## plowed (Nov 30, 2001)

Check out this from MTD, http://www.yardmachines.com/servlet/BrandProductDetail?ID=254&CAT=14&SUB=74#

I bought three of these last year. They work pretty well, but do get bogged down in the wet heavy stuff.

I think they were about $200/ea and got them from Northern Tool.

-John


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## guido (May 13, 2001)

*Casey*

We use two Stihl dedicated brooms with rubber flaps.

They work great for everything. I haven't used them in snow yet, but I've cleared 4" deep mulch off concrete and about 3" of gravel and sand with it also

They're unstoppable so far, I don't see why they won't be great in the snow too.


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## mowahman (May 6, 2001)

We have 2 shindiawa power brooms that we have used in the snow. The only problem we have encountered is when the snow accumulation or the pile infront of the broom get about 2/3s the way up the rubber flaps, it starts to throw the snow over the backside of the flaps. However, it's not that big of a deal, just get to the end of the run you are doing, ease up on the down pressure on handle, and let the broom "walk" itself backwards, clean up the tails. You can also angle the broom to throw the snow just as you would with a plow. Seen many people carring these things around. For the money I have invested in motors, I don't usually walk !! Let the machine do the work. Bought these machines specifically for Spring clean ups and have used them for MANY uses...once you get one, you will try using them on every project. Some uses: getting sand out of lawns, sweeping aroung edges of parking lots, sweeping small parking areas, dethatching lawns, (use "upside down" and pulll towards you), windrowing grass clippings, sweeping out shop, cleaning out bark mulch beds, leveling out bark. Can get quite creative. I looked at these for 2 years before I shelled out about $500.00 each. I was only looking at this from the angle of "$500 is a lot of cash to part with for a machine that's only gonna get used foor about 6 weeks a year....then I changed my point of view, after my Foreman "got creative". Do yourself a HUGE favor...go get one.


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## casey (May 14, 2001)

> _Originally posted by mowahman _
> *We have 2 shindiawa power brooms that we have used in the snow. The only problem we have encountered is when the snow accumulation or the pile infront of the broom get about 2/3s the way up the rubber flaps, it starts to throw the snow over the backside of the flaps. *


You can buy a debris shield as an accessory which may solve that problem.

Do you find your guys will grab the power broom over a shovel for small areas? It's alot heavier to carry to the work area.


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## mowahman (May 6, 2001)

Casey, we carry them in the trucks that have alot of shoveling. It all depends on what/how the truck operator feels like doing or what would be quickest..shovel or broom. We run 4 trucks, 4 routes. Operator is also shoveler, so I leave it up to them to make a field decision. I know that on brick walkways, brooms will out do any shovel. No getting gagged up on edges or joints of the bricks. As for being heavier, the brooms are, but, after however long plowing, heavy is a relative term. A shovel full of snow can be heavy. As I stated earlier, once the broom hits the ground, you never "have" to carry it. The broom turns like a wheel, so you can "drive" it anywhere. (I prefer the operators NOT to drive it back into the truck, though.) That's where lifting comes into play. If you can, try renting one for a storm and see if it works for you. Although once you have one, you will find better ways to complete the tasks. Just like plowing a new lot for the first time compared to a lot you have plowed for years...you can find a better.quicker, faster way. You gotta get one of these things. I looked hard at them for 2 years, then after I bought the first one, I realized I had wasted 2 yrs. of hard work on being skeptical. I am one who does not buy into new technology on the first go round. I still have my tried and proven 1974 Chevy 1/2 ton with 7' plow on the front line...I hate new stuff, so these were something that I looked at as new fangled, wizzkid, wannabe toyz. They're not..they are a quality production machine, some limitations, but once you realize the limitations, you can improvise a solution.

On light fluffy, powder snow, we have even used our backpack blowers....really neat to see peoples' reaction to that. "I thought you could only use those things to blow leaves around." Told this to a friend that worked at a car dealership...he had the job ofo cleaning off all the cars on the lot after it snowed..took one of ours with him one day, they went out and bought 2 BPblowers and now can have all the cars cleaned off in 1/2 the time and without scratches.


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## mowahman (May 6, 2001)

Sorry Casey, I got carried away and forgot...I haven't seen a debris shield at my dealer, although I know other makes have them. We have just adapted to the "throw back" by cleaning up the trails.


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## casey (May 14, 2001)

I use BP blowers as well for cars & light snow on walks. The Echo 650's are awesome compared to the Sthil BR 400's we were using. They can blow a brick down a drive.

Will be trying a LW push blower for light falls this year as well.

The debris shield is listed in the Shin. catalouge. Should solve the blow back problems.

Thanks for the info.


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## Alan (Mar 2, 2000)

I tried our PBs on snow, not worth teh effort as far as I'm concerned. They carry too much snow over the top of the flap wheel. Would be great in areas where it's common to get an inch or so but once you get two inches it's quicker to just cuff it off with a shovel. 

The debris shield only keeps stuff from being tossed back at the operator, it does nothing to keep material from being carried on the flap wheel.

If you can run it slower it carries less material back, but also takes longer to do the job. If snow is a bit wet it will tend to polish it onto the surface rather than move it off. Maybe with sticky snow the brush heads would work better.

While an amazing and versatile tool for cleanup they aren't really much for snow use.


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## captdevo (Nov 10, 2000)

i use a RedMax power sweeper for up to 3" of snow!!! it works 
fantastic.

i angle it, it'll move snow as fast as i can walk.

i can do a 4' wide sidewalk in 3 passes, 4x200' sidewalk in 
minutes......

i wouldn't recommend the nylon bristles, they grab to hard and aren't 
as productive. (they are great for cleaning concrete stains and 
feeding augers in grain bins though!!)

the rubber flaps squeegee the moisture away as well!!!

I sell the redmax unit for $629 delivered!! i also sell just the 
gearbox assembly and drum for $330, these will fit most redmax and 
shindaiwa trimmers, and many others (email me inner/outer shafts size 
and number of splines)


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## SDlawndawg (Oct 9, 2002)

My Shindawa broom was a good investment. I'm constantly finding more uses for it besides its main purpose of getting dirt and gravel out of the lawns. I haven't tried it on snow yet thinking it wouldn't be able to push very much but I'll see what it will do this season after reading some of these posts.


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## litle green guy (Feb 25, 2000)

I never used a power broom before, but we always use the backpacks for sidewalks on light storms and they work great, i tried a push blower once and it didn't work as well as the backpacks.


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## rcpd34 (Jan 16, 2004)

Holy thread resurrection Batman! I stumbled across this old thread and found it very timely. I just rediscovered my power broom while cleaning out the garage and it is currently getting a new carburetor and cleaned up as it has been sitting for over five years. Plan to use this for steps and walks this season. Anyone still running these?


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