Easing Outdoor Chores
(Page 2 of 3)
May/June 2007
Oscar H. Will III
A mountain of firewood greeted me at DR’s splitter test facility, but there was no similarly huge machine to claim responsibility for the fuel. Instead, at one end of the heap sat a pair of easily manageable plug-in wood splitters – one with 5 tons of hydraulic capacity and the other with 6 tons.
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What I noticed first about the two prototype splitters was that they were neatly self-contained (except for the cord), quiet, non-intimidating – and yes, I could actually imagine using them to split wood indoors or at least in the garage.
Any doubt about their capability was quickly put to rest when I took a turn with their smartly designed controls – even the 24-inch diameter elm billets that I felt certain would stall the 6-ton model – yielded to the 5-ton machine’s pressure. Both wood splitters were easy to operate, offered rapid cycle times and, best of all, we could carry on a conversation while they were running.
According to DR®product-testing manager Mike Moriarty, the log splitter duo had successfully cleaved a collective 800 cords (working 10-hour days) in their first three months of testing, and they still had a couple of months to go. Testing at DR®is really important because the company’s products come with a six-month risk-free trial that includes a full no-questions-asked refund (upon return; less shipping and handling). The new wood splitters retail for about $550 to $750, depending on model and accessories.
While at DR®I also took one of their new walk-behind leaf and lawn vacuums for a spin. These machines are powered with an easy-to-start Quantum gasoline engine and have a big hunger for leaves, twigs, grass clippings, and even sand and gravel. To my surprise, Moriarty urged me to run a couple of iced-tea glasses through the test model (yes, it has the suction to pick up the empties), and the vacuum’s powerful impeller reduced those objects to grains of sand without so much as a groan.
Although not a recommended practice, that it can eat glass is all the proof I need that the DR®Walk Behind Leaf Vacuum (about $1,400 – $1,800 list, depending on model and accessories) is up to the task. For more information on these amazing products and the rest of the DR®lineup, visit their Web site at www.DRPower.com or give them a call at (800) 687-6575.
John Deere vehicles
Back in December, I was able to take a firsthand look at a couple of new Gator™brand utility vehicles from John Deere.
Many folks don’t realize that the venerable old agricultural machinery giant created the first production utility vehicle back in the late 1980s and has been a key player ever since, offering both two- and four-wheel-drive models in a variety of configurations.