Do you shovel, plow, pay for plowing or use a snow blower when it snows?

[MikeD]

We live in the middle of nowhere on ten acres of oak trees. We have a 400 ft gravel driveway. I use my Bobcat with a 5 ft plow to plow our driveway.

This is me on the 1987 model year Bobcat which we bought new and made payments on for three years. It still has the original tires which cost $400.00 each to replace. The tires are bald but not cracked or leaky because we keep the Bobcat in our closed up barn. I have to use chains when I plow.

I love my Bobcat.

Mike D.

 

[MikeD]

Forgotten Bobcat Picture

I forgot this in my last post:

 

[the ole Sarge]

I shovel until it is over 2 inches in a falling. Then I use a snow blower. I have had my blower (Troy Built 5.5 horse, 24 inch throw) for about 9 years now. It paid for itself with in 4 years (I figured 40 a plowing and he DID not do walks ONLY Drive Way). 3 - 5 times a year. The Troy Built ran about $700 with extended warranty back in 2004.

 

[Koogie]

Shovel. But I've found most years (this week was no exception) that if you wait during the first snow fall or two the neighbors come and blow it out with their snowblowers.

You old guys love using your toys when the first flakes hit the ground... )

 

[Theduckguru]

Included in my HOA fees.

 

[martyb]

I shovel until it is over 2 inches in a falling. Then I use a snow blower. I have had my blower (Troy Built 5.5 horse, 24 inch throw) for about 9 years now. It paid for itself with in 4 years (I figured 40 a plowing and he DID not do walks ONLY Drive Way). 3 - 5 times a year. The Troy Built ran about $700 with extended warranty back in 2004.

Hey ole Sarge, I lived just north of you for a little while, up in Janesville, WI. Used to drive down to Rockford regularly to eat, shop & other stuff. We ate at the Red Lobster and Dockside. Also used to visit a small music store there to try out guitars. This was in '08-'09. I worked for the fed govt. in Janesville & a couple of times temporarily in Beloit. Anyhow...just wanted to say hello since you sparked my memory. I don't miss the snow or cold, but I do miss some things about your part of the country.

 

[misanman]

I use the John Deere snowblower that I bought in 1983. A while back I was thinking I was due for a new one but when I dug out the receipt and realized I'd had this one for 30 years I decided to keep it. Still starts on 1st or 2nd pull.

 

[jollystomper]

We have a 200 foot paved driveway but I (along with any sons who happen to be at home) will shovel it. As others have said I view it as good exercise, and since I can't get to the gym on snow days, shoveling becomes my workout. I just take my time and take breaks. I have a small electric snowblower that works very well up to about 10 inches of snow.

Now that we have an empty nest I am debating getting a more powerful snowblower. Or trying what worked about 20 years ago...

We had a major snowstorm in the Mid-Atlantic area, around 2 feet. My oldest sons where under 10 so we were making slow going shoveling. We come inside for a break and DW says she'll take a turn and goes out in her hot pink snowsuit . 20 minutes later she is back inside and comes down into the basement where I am thawing out.

"Tired or cold?" I asked her.
"No, its all done" she said smiling.
"You're kidding"
"Go out at take a look"

So I go out - and our driveway is completely cleared!

What happened? DW decided to start at the bottom and work her way up. In a few minutes someone driving a plow passed by, saw her, took pity on her out there by herself, and plowed our driveway... and refused to accept any compensation.

Our joke since then has been, whenever we get a lot of snow I'm going to send her out by herself to shovel, wearing that snow suit, and hope the same thing happens.

 

[6miths]

This past weekend we had about a 18 inches of very powdery light snow and after initially shoveling about a foot away I tried something that I had seen them doing during the Eagles-Lions snow bowl to keep the lines clear the week before - and at the time I thought that it was a novel, and a bit crazy way to clear snow.... I fired up my trusty Stihl leaf blower and went at the snow a couple of times as it continued to fall during the day. What a great idea! Cleans right down to the sideway/driveway/deck. Obviously keeping the wind behind oneself is a good idea but it worked great. On the cars too. I'm sure those driving by thought I was crazy but I'll bet that I'll start to see others doing it. Thanks to the field crew at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia.

 

[davemartin88]

This is me on the 1987 model year Bobcat which we bought new and made payments on for three years. It still has the original tires which cost $400.00 each to replace. The tires are bald but not cracked or leaky because we keep the Bobcat in our closed up barn. I have to use chains when I plow.
Mike D.

On the Bobcat I replaced a few months ago, the tires were beyond bald and were filled with hard foam some years ago- they didn't leak air but the foam was starting to wear out. Replacing the tires would have tripled the value of that machine.

 

[Dcharles]

I like the shoveling but today the temp is -20 below but the winds are driving the windchill down to -45 below. I have concluded that -35 below zero is my cutoff limit for working outside removing snow! Right now, zero degree F would feel like a heat wave! Ha!

 

[NYEXPAT]

I had a snow blower when I lived in NY, now I do not even have/need a raincoat!

 

[Bikerdude]

1 to 2 in light fluffy snow = shovel

Heavy wet snow up to 5 in = ATV w/plow

Over 6 in = snow blower

 

[youbet]

Snowblower. Just got a new one last year after getting 14 years out of the previous one. The payback period, vs paying the plow guy, will be about two years given typical Chicago winters.

I have a large, single stage Toro. They're amazingly simple and reliable. If DW helps by shoveling/sweeping the porch, I can get the driveway and walks done in well under an hour if it's not too deep.

 

[jazz4cash]

I forgot this in my last post:

What'dya do with this beast the rest of the year? Surely this is not used just for snow!

I have very little area to clear, so I usually just shovel, but I bought a used 24in Toro single stage blower for $200. Our old house had 120ft driveway and a large turnaround...for that I only had a 20" Toro S200 model I bought used for $70. That machine did not throw the snow very far. Sold it ten yrs later for $120 after I bought the new used machine. Also have one of those electric Toro power brooms to clear the deck and DW can use if I am out of town.

 

[Options]

None of the above. Winter in LA just means a little less sunscreen...

 

[DUFUS]

I'm a shoveler. The less racket from internal combustion, the better. Which reminds me... I meant to start another thread.

 

[twolfy]

Will shovel up to 6" or so if light and fluffy, but if real wet and heavy will break out the snow thrower. I like the shoveling exercise. Have to take more breaks due to neck and shoulder injuries though.

 

[steelyman]

I broke down and paid a service to plow me out today. Not so much for snow depth (we probably only got 5 or 6 inches), but because it's so frickin cold out there, no way I was standing out there, even with a thrower let alone a shovel.

First time I ever did that. It felt luxurious, like I was Hefner or something

 

[Jack_Pine]

Our new thrower goat workout over the last two weeks. It got a little tiresome..................

 

[easysurfer]

None of the above. That's what monthly condo maintenance fees are for

 

[Bestwifeever]

DH loves to shovel snow, every three inches sends him out there to keep up with it, til he could sweep what is left. Cold does not bother him. Sometimes we do it together. In the subzero Sunday storm, he did flag down a tow truck and had them do our driveway (hard to shovel at the end if the driveway where the city plows leave a deep ridge of salted heavy snow). He just turned 65, though, so we might get a regular service so I don't worry about him keeling over.

 

[marko]

My Grandad left behind a 1971 Ariens; 36 inch wide, 8HP (?) four forward, one reverse, elec start, walking cab, chains on the tires (all considered high-end 40 years ago). It's an animal! Goes through anything which is good because a Nor'easter will lay down six foot drifts in front of my garage.

I have a deal with the plow guy: if the driveway is not done...do it. Otherwise, I've been out there with my 40 year old snowblower kicking butt!

 

[Ronstar]

Didn't get to play with this toy much last winter. But its been fun so far this year

 

[rescueme]

My first snowthrower was a Jacobsen (White) purchased in the early 70's. I sold it around 1995 when I replaced it with a John Deere - not because the Jacobsen didn't work, I just wanted to change colors ...

Both units were/are 8HP and move through the snow like a hot knife through butter. Both had/have (plug in) electric start so no problem at all on start up. The only thing you have to remember is to turn off the fuel to stop it. That's to drain the carb/line to make sure it dosen't gum up during off season (who knows if the current snowstorm is the last of the season ).

The only maintenance I've ever done (other than oil changes) is to replace the side skids (once) on the Jacobsen. It is a wear item so after many years of use it is expected. Skids were never replaced on the JD.