# Any good walk behind spreaders out there?



## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Ive been through 2 in the past 2-3 seasons, tried Chapin and some other, maybe Earthway and both were salt specific spreaders and both froze up and were junk in a couple months.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

chapin ss froze up?? as in the salt froze or the moving parts


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Drop spreader or broadcast?
Drop: I’ve heard good reviews on the epoke,

broadcast: I called Chapin and let them know how much of a pos their salter was, for some reason they didn’t use it as a testimonial..

move had good luck with the snow ex sp65 I believe?

there’s a company around here that attaches a strap to a five gallon bucket, I don’t really like that method, I don’t think it’s effective nor does a good job.


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## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

BossPlow2010 said:


> Drop spreader or broadcast?
> Drop: I've heard good reviews on the epoke,
> 
> broadcast: I called Chapin and let them know how much of a pos their salter was, for some reason they didn't use it as a testimonial..
> ...


Ahhhh yes the chicken feed method... Someone on here loves it and been doing it since he was 14...


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## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

The snowex/ western drop is good and a fair deal at @$600 each. The epoke or baumann are the best hands down but pricey.
We run the Westerns


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## 90plow (Dec 22, 2001)

Anyone know where to buy a baumann or Epoke walk behind spreader? I cant get any place in the US that has them.


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## icudoucme (Dec 3, 2008)

https://www.siteone.com/p/602269

I have used this for the past 2 years. Parts are easy to get and easy to fix. Nothings rusted out yet. Grease fittings for the shafts. I have used the salt dog, snow ex, and chapin. This is by far the smoothest.


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## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

I can vouch for the epoke walk behind. Very pricey indeed but you do get what you pay for. Well built. Most snowfalls with minimal hard pack you can keep the drop setting at 10 (which applies the least amount of salt) and get great results. I don't think we've ever gone lower than 8 on the drop settings. Haven't used the baumann but it looks identical. 
Over time I would think that the extra cost of the unit is made up in salt savings and unit longevity. I've had mine for 5 years plus I believe.


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## number1fan (Oct 8, 2008)

We had have had a snowex walk behind broadcast spreader for 3 seasons with pretty heavy use and it's looking like it's going to make it through this year as well. (At least I hope)

I think it's rated for 75-80lbs of material and I'm sure we have never put less then 100lbs every time it goes out for a round. Besides the plastic cover being a little beat up she's hanging tough


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## rick W (Dec 17, 2015)

We finally bought a baumann. Crazy money but it is commercial grade tool, and does a great job. Big spend but over 10 years plus is a quality investment and will save salt and headaches when the plastic junk packs it in and leaves you sad.


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

Which Baumann? I see their 3 pt drops look nice for our walks tractor. All the tractor smaller drops look in the same price range.


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## rick W (Dec 17, 2015)

We now have two. The first was the small walk behind. Holds about 3 pails of salt and will grind up/pulverize and nicely drop a well patterned flow. Saves a lot of waste/over application on narrow walks with one or two passes, does a very efficient spread so spots aren't missed like the old chicken feed shake. 10 year life for sure.
We bought one of the larger 3pt mounts for our new kubota bx last year and it is pto driven 640 model i think. We made a small brine sprayer to fit it too and with a broom out front, one pass gets an uneven 50" approx walk clean, and salted and brined with no mess or labourers needed. Works great but was very spendy. The baumann stuff is the Canadian equivalent of the epoke brand to the south i believe.


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## rick W (Dec 17, 2015)




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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

rick W said:


> View attachment 198015


can you post a couple more full pics of the bx, looks like an awesome setup


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## rick W (Dec 17, 2015)




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## grasskeepers (Aug 9, 2008)

Made in Canada 
NO MOVING PARTS AND SAVES ON ICE MELT
wicked price too!


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## rick W (Dec 17, 2015)

grasskeepers said:


> Made in Canada
> NO MOVING PARTS AND SAVES ON ICE MELT
> wicked price too!
> 
> View attachment 198144


Oh, you must still be young and eager. How cute. 

Wait till knees and back go. Did it that way for decades....no more. Once you get thousands and thousands of feet of walks in a windy area drifting back over.... ugghh. My back hurts just thinking about all those years.


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## grasskeepers (Aug 9, 2008)

rick W said:


> Oh, you must still be young and eager. How cute.
> 
> Wait till knees and back go. Did it that way for decades....no more. Once you get thousands and thousands of feet of walks in a windy area drifting back over.... ugghh. My back hurts just thinking about all those years.


not so young anymore but we don't do as much side walk as we used to. but used to spread a pallet a week with this method


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

grasskeepers said:


> Made in Canada
> NO MOVING PARTS AND SAVES ON ICE MELT
> wicked price too!
> 
> View attachment 198144


Get the flag outta town. We have some of those! Spreads all types. Wet-dry-rock etc

Great for spot salting and stairs.


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## Fourteen Contracting Inc. (Jul 5, 2019)

cjames808 said:


> Get the flag outta town. We have some of those! Spreads all types. Wet-dry-rock etc
> 
> Great for spot salting and stairs.


I have the same scoop


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## rippinryno (Nov 14, 2019)

I got lucky and picked up a brand new scratch and dent meyer hotshot 120 lb spreader for $40 on my local classifieds site. Had to drive 10 minutes, but i've used it once and it does seem like it will hold up well. https://www.autoanything.com/winter...A07a7g7ia_8xG2NpiN5hXR7b6rIyU4hIaAmfQEALw_wcB


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Ajlawn1 said:


> Ahhhh yes the chicken feed method... Someone on here loves it and been doing it since he was 14...


Who?


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## icudoucme (Dec 3, 2008)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Who?


Birdseed?!


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## STARSHIP (Dec 18, 2000)

For small walks, the yellow Tidy Cat containers work pretty good. On longer walks, we use the Blue 100# Chapin spreaders, and while they are ok, they still are not what I consider the absolute best option. We are tying something out this winter, by converting an old SS Chapin frame to house an electric spreader. That would mean no flippin' gearbox to break.


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