STIHL SH 86 C-E SHREDDER VAC AND BLOWER - REVIEW AND TESTING
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ต.ค. 2020
- In need of a good leaf blower? What is the best leaf blower? This hand held STIHL blower is a great option. It is extremely versatile and does a great job helping you maintain your yard. The unit can switch from a blower to a shredder Vac and can tackle many different projects. In this video we go though the different features of the blower and how you assemble the different attachments. Hope you all enjoy.
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I just purchased this model today and I absolutely love it. Great video for a newbie using this blower shredder for the first time.
You are going to be pleased with it! Thanks for stopping by!
This video was helpful! I have little experience using lawn equipment so it was intimidating when I picked this model up from the store. I am a fan of videos vs. manuals, so your instructions guided me through assembly and gave me a succinct description of the parts of the blower/shredder. Thanks for posting this.
Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for stopping in!
This is great - just picked one of these up. So far so good! Thanks for the video
Great purchase, I appreciate you stopping in!
Did a lot of research before buying one of these. Have a half acre garden so needed a gas type. This thing is really well built and is superb. Really happy with the performance. I paid a little extra compared to competitor models but feel good about it. Really recommend it. It’s a quality product. There is an electric battery type alternative to this but the battery life is about 25 mins. Maybe you could get 3 batteries and rotate.
Pros and cons stated are spot on. Everyone
I've really enjoyed the blower and it's served me well! Thanks for sharing and stopping in!
Im in the market for one of these. That narrow attachment just about made me rethink the situation.😂 So glad you put the regular nozzle on to showcase what it can really do. My Dad has a 15 year old BG 50 and i think this might be a great addition to the family
The narrow nozzle has higher velocity, but the airflow of the larger nozzle is unmatched. Thanks for stopping in!
I appreciate the information and advice man. I was on the fence between this unit or a backpack but for a medium-small yard it seems I'll get more bang for my buck with this Bad Larry. Thanks.
Glad you found it helpful! Let me know of you have any questions!
I’m so glad I found this video. You saved me from wasting $300+. My 20 year old Stihl BG55 blower has 10 times the leaf moving force of that thing.
And it’s leaf shredding ability appears to be a joke. It’s a toy. My neighbors would be laughing all day watching me suck up a handful of leaves.
My search for a leaf shredder continues.
Good luck on the search, thanks for stopping by.
Awesome vid man!! I’ve been eyeing one for the last yr and got it yesterday. Hope to use tomorrow. I’ve watched your vid many times. Very helpful!!! Great job!!!
Appreciate it! Glad you found it helpful and hope it works well for you. Thanks for stopping by!
@@k6outdoors I’m sure it will! just seems weird how you hold it and the elbow with the Bag is is awkward. Guess it takes time to get used to? Have you ever replaced the mulcher blade? Also what is the advantage of the fan nozzle vs the round one when using the blower? When would you use it?
I didnt have an issue getting used to the bag setup, but I also mainly uses it for smaller areas and areas id usually rake. I've never replaced the mulcher blade since I haven't had to. The fan nozzle is higher velocity, so if you are looking to use heavier stuff it will work easier. The round nozzle is not as high of velocity and gives you a large blowing area.
@@k6outdoors thank you for your help and your time👍🏻👍🏻
@@99zman any time!
Great video. I’m planning on getting one for my part time leaf company I’m starting.
Apprecaite it, it has been a good investment. Thanks for stopping by
fantastic review!
Appreciate it, thanks for stopping in
Thanks for the video. I think you’ve helped me decide that it looks way too tedious. I can see myself using this once or twice and never doing it again.
Glad I could help! Thanks for stopping in
Good evening Sir 😊 Great video and great detail review 👍😊 And great 3 good things that you like and do not like 🧐👍 Have a great week Sir 👍😊
Thanks! Hope all is well
@@k6outdoors Yes Keep warm 👍😊
Thanks for the video, very helpful.
Thanks, i appreciate it!
I own this model and rarely use the shredder vac. Probably should’ve just bought the BG-86. Nice review and video!
Appreciate it! I dont use the shredder vac much but i like the option. Thanks for stopping by!
I have the Stihl SH65-C which is a very similar design. It may work for dried-out maple leaves in the USA, but it certainly wasn't designed for Australian conditions. It clogs so repeatedly that it's a pain to use. I spend more time unclogging the outlet of leaves and twigs that somehow have managed to get past the shredding blades untouched and then clog the outlet bend. It certainly doesn't work well on Australian gum leaves and I wouldn't even consider using it on wet leaves. The blower portion works OK, but as a leaf vacuum and shredder it is hopeless.
Thanks for sharing your experience, you may be correct as I've never had to deal with leaves of your type! Thanks for stopping in
Looking at buying one of these next week. Im in Australia. Better b the best in the world
I've been really happy with it, thanks for stopping in!
@@k6outdoors yeah cool. It is safe to vacuum grass clippings after u have mowed the lawn?
I run my own landscaping/gardening business in Australia, an have one client I'm at every day and he has alot of deciduous trees (maples and oaks) that shed their leaves constantly. Each day has a build up of leaves a foot high. I bought a bg 86 c-e to help save my back from picking up leaves and it's become my everyday use!! I absolutely love this peice of equipment.
You learn to work it right it will save you so much time raking up leaves .
It will shred up about 1 cubic Meter of leaves before filling up the bag. Also such wet leaves very well and regects small rocks and bark .
The only thing that annoys me is the fuel tank size only runs an hour before refuelling
Thanks for stopping in!
Looks like you saved me 400 bucks - appreciate it.
Hey thanks for stopping in! Glad you found it helpful
I bought one of these for my daughter. She has since given it back to me because they switched to electric. I bought my neighbor a 56. This unit blows it away. I also use the gutter attachment ,although it is a bit clumsy. One of my favorite uses for my Stihl blowers(4) is light snow removal.
That is one thing I am going to try out, I see how this thing could knock it out of the park when it comes to moving light snow! Thanks for stopping in!
Seems like it would be faster to just rake it. 17:00 he mentions better to rake it and burn it. lol. It's a great video for me to decide that it just won't cut it for what I need.
Definitely not a one size fits all on the shredder portion. If you have a small area or want to "clean out" a corner, I can see where it would be useful. Rake it and burn it! Thanks for stopping in!
Amazing Vid!! I just have a question, when would you or why would you used the fan tip? The round one as you show has so much more volume? Thanks
Thanks for tuning in! I use the fan nozzle when trying to move stubborn materials, wet leaves, debris in the rock around our house or to blow dirt off of a side walk. Ive also used to for light snow removal! Any time you need the extra velocity and the larger nozzle won't cut it, throw is on!
will it work with the shredder blade?
What happens if nuts go in? Does it jam? Also, would it suck up soil in garden beds? Great review thanks.
In the past ive sucked up smaller nuts like acorns and hickory nuts without any issues. If it were loose soil it would certainly suck it up. Thanks for stopping by!
Currently on my second one in 4 years, word of note, using it as vac will degrade your blades, making it a bit crap as a blower! I use mine as a vac only & a Husky 525 BX for blowing, which it is better anyway! Would still recommend it though as it's a great vac and the replacement blades are cheap and easy to fit.
Thanks for the feedback! I rarely use it as a shredder, maybe twice a year. Seems like a great blower. Thanks for stopping in!
@@k6outdoors, as I say, the more you use it as a vac the worse it gets as a blower! Personally think the metal shredding blade could do with being a bit bigger, my fan blades were destroyed!
@Trevor Shepherd I agree there! Thanks again for stopping in, subscribe to my channel if you feel like following along (if you already haven't).
I have the SH85. It is around 15 to 18 years old. Used the heck out of it. I just got done replacing the carb as it was flooding the engine (carb seals). It still runs great. I also have been using it as a vac only for years now. I have a few dedicated blowers including a backpack blower. It is easier that way rather than fiddling with conversion. I will check the blade next time. Perhaps I should order a new one now (not much).
impeller is made of plastic? (Not blades, the black one inside) Thanks.
I believe it is plastic
Does it come with blower tubes as well as the vacuum attachments so it already set up to blow and vacuum right out of the box? Or do you have to purchase the blowing tubes separately?
This specific model came with both! As purchased it is ready to go. Thanks for stopping in
14:15 pass all the yap yap and get to the work work 👍
Its always good to do a little both to keep everyone happy! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi mate, great video, just what I have been looking for. BG86 spec says air velocity of 190m/hr compared to SH86. Any thoughts what's causing that if the power and force is the same? Also does Sh86 work as a blower without mulching blade without affecting performance. I don't think BG86 comes with mulching blade plus I have heard that debris can wear the blade so any help in deciding BG86+vac kit or SH86 with mulching blade would be greatly appreciated.
I am honestly not sure on the air velocity, it could just be a blower nozzle difference. From what i was told, the blade is a different material with the mulched added to it. It your on the fence about mulching is by the mulching setup. Hopefully this helps, thanks for stopping in!
Have you tried the vacuum on cedar hedge clippings? Would like to know before buying
John
I have not tried it on hedge clippings. Although I know it can easily pick up small sticks so I am not sure why it wouldnt work! Thanks for stopping by and sorry for the delayed responce!
Can you hack this thing so it blows into a large barrel instead? The bag is quite small, although handy for smaller areas.
Larger areas would be great to be able to utilize a large diameter trash barrel.
Thx...
I'm sure if you wanted to rig something up it wouldn't be to difficult with hose and such, thanks for stopping in!
1 year later do you still use it or like it?? I've literally been wanting one and after this video I think I'm gonna get it haha
I use it everytime i mow and works great for yard cleanup, definitely recommend it based on my experience!
Good review. The part I want to see is a girl start it. They say a long easy pull. I'll look for a video on that.
My wife easily started it (she's 5'4") and did 90% of our leaf blowing last year! Thats for watching
@@k6outdoors We went to a couple Ace Hardware Stores in our area to play with the BG 86 C-E. (C = Comfort feature E.G. Anti-vibration and soft grip handle, and E = Easy2Start E.G. the spring assist, simplified starting steps, and auto-choke pull off.) The biggest problem is holding it still while you pull the cord because it does have a wide base you can put your foot on like our Homelite. However, playing around with technique, the girls can start it, which they cannot do with the Homelite or the Poulan we got rid of before that. I bought one from the most helpful Ace Hardware Store. (Byron Center, MI)
1. Starting: So far, it's not a fussy starter. The girls are not too mechanically inclined and when you say hit the trigger when it starts, they don't. You can start over with the primer bulb and it will not flood, it will start on the first pull for them and they catch the trigger and go. The pull starter is different. As you pull, you are not directly turning the engine. You are winding up a spring which then at some point spins the engine with mechanical advantage. However, it isn't the super easy they show. I found it still helps to bring it to the compression stroke before the start of the pull. I've never owned anything like this before, but then I never paid this much or bought one made in the USA.
2. Performance: The volume and wind speed specs dampened my enthusiasm, however, the performance of the STIHL FAR exceeds the Homelite and the Poulan even though the specs aren't much different, so something is fishy. It completely changed what we use it for and how we use it. We can now blow leaves into a huge pile and pick them up all at once. We never could do that before. We have to be careful with the throttle around stone beds as it will launch 3/4" stones out of the stone bed very easily if you don't watch what you are doing, and we are using the round nozzle. I think I'll move it to the short position. The guy across the street has a lawn service with the Husqvarna 525BX as well as their backpack blowers. The specs on the Husqvarna 525BX are better, but we can't definitively tell any difference on moving leaves, and I mean large piles also as in a couple feet high and more, so that turned out to be a non-issue. With the Homelite and the Poulan, the pile would simply stop moving.
3. Quality: There is no doubt there. It has a far better air filter than any other, including the Husqvarna 525BX. The Anti-Vibration also means you can set it down and not have it crawl away. The gas tank has a large opening and made out of stronger plastic than the Husqvarna 525BX, but it isn't as big a tank. However, the engine is their new stratified charge engine, so I can't say one way or the other which would run longer, but I'd guess the Husqvarna. The Husqvarna angles the air flow to the center of the handle so there is no side thrust. STIHL should do that too. The carburetor is adjustable so as things wear, you can adjust the high and low speed mixture and idle speed. You can remove the limiter caps if necessary if you can't get the range you want.
4. Warranty: This is interesting. It seems STIHL only sells through dealers, not big box or Amazon. I didn't expect everything to be so professional when you buy a STIHL. They have their own large touchscreen terminal in the store where the employee starts the registration process by scanning in the serial number etc., and the user fills in all of their information. If you buy their 6-pack of one gallon mix oil for $13.49, the warranty for home use goes from 2 years to 4 years, and you have handy measuring bottles you can refill later so you don't need to use 1/3 measuring cup and funnel when you mix a gallon. That's a bargain without the oil. A warranty is only good if you can use it. You can't send these through shipping once they've been used, which means you must bring it somewhere. Where is that somewhere from where you live, and do they do the work there? For me, there are several somewheres within a few miles and they have real technicians. I chose an ACE Hardware because their hours are 8:00 to 8:00, so you can even drop off and pick after work. While I'm a gear head too, they have the parts and the experience and if it is warranty, why not? While you cannot get a STIHL outside of an authorized dealer, you can easily get parts for them on eBay.
5. Price: ACE was $10 less for the unit, which was $269.99, and no I wasn't comparing to the SH 86. For those who don't know, the SH has the vacuum attachment and adds a steel shredder blade to the impeller. It's easily worth the extra $10 and everything is quality, including the bag. However, I already have that attachment for the Homelite and I never use it. The blower, oil, and additional 2 years of warranty, taxed out at $300.49. Buying a professional blower for home use seems like overkill, but I was already within $70 of this one when I add up the 2 I bought in the past 2 years, and was nowhere yet, plus all of the aggravation and time spent playing small engine psychiatrist. Moreover, they don't have a real warranty and no place to get them fixed except for yourself. Moreover, just finding the correct part number you need even IF it is available on eBay is a challenge all in itself because often they change so much, so they tend not to be documented.
You make many great points here. I bought mine at the my local "do it best" hardware store. The perform repairs and maintenance right around the corner from where the tools are on display. I think you will be extremely happy with your purchase and I will be hard pressed to find a hand held blower that will out perform it. Cheers
-KG
Great review! How does it do with small twigs?
In my experience it just sucks them up and mulches them into the bag. Thanks for stopping by!
Whats it like with wet leaves and that? I hear that its not the best when the matter is damp. You'll probabky go tbrough a lot more fuel, when she has to drive that bit harder for the wet stuff also, i assume
You also must worry about the wet leaves clogging it and it won't mulch as well. Thanks for stopping in!
Good review I use ethanol free fuel or even canned fuel from the store. The ethanol in the fuel will destroy the carb and shorten the engine life (see my comment below). Always mix the fuel correctly and every time. You will shorten the life of a 2 stroke engine. Mine is around 15-18 years old and still going.
Couldn't agree more! Ethanol is hard on carbs and really the entire 2 cycle engine. Glad to see yours lasting so long! Thanks for stopping in and I greatly appreciate the comments. 🍻
What's ot like with wet leaves
It will blow them around, I guess it depends on what you are looking to do. Thanks for stopping in
Any problems with allot of exhaust fumes?
Nothing other than the normal 2 cycle exhaust you would expect
can it still suck without the bag attact to it? and can it suck lose soil
Yes, it works without the bag attached. It will pick up soil but im not sure what you are looking to do
@@k6outdoors im trying to transfer soil from a tote to like a 25 gallon bags, was just thinking about using that as a dry suction and transfer the soil from the totes to the 25 gallon or smaller bag
Seems like a lot of racket for not a lot of go go. I appreciate the video though. I would have been unhappy with the unit especially since I have a backpack blower.
Definitely a little different than a backpack blower. I will have to admit that 99% of the time it is used for blowing off the concrete and deck. However it does do what i ask it to do, thanks for stopping in!
Есть ли что то мощнее на рынке ?
Good vid, tnx. Not impressed with this. Looks like a real PITA with all those curved pipes and couplings. The long black pipe does not appear to be large enough dia. By the speed at which it was picking up the leaves you are going to be all day on that one spot. Will probably just continue to use my rake and wheel barrow.
I think it really depends on what you want to use it for. I like using the mulching feature for areas that It would require me to use a rake instead of a lawn sweep (tight areas). I also like to use the yard waste for mulching things like my strawberries. The suction is also good for cleaning debris out of flower beds and other such areas. It would definitely take an eternity to vac an area of any size, however I like the option to use it. The blower spends 99% of its life with the nozzles on it for blowing stuff off surfaces or items into a pile. Thanks for stopping by and happy leaf raking! Its definitely that time of year! Cheers🍺