Why People Love to Shovel Snow - Sept. 2006
By Keith Petersen
Now that we've managed to attract your attention, let it be said that it is no secret that very few people enjoy shoveling snow. The very process of shoveling - whether it be snow, dirt, sand, gravel or whatever - provides little gratification (although, oneself has on various occasions observed what we might delicately call an `elemental gourmand' self-gratifyingly engaged in a process that can be simply named `shoveling in their meal').
Commensurate with the rather tedious nature of shoveling (all those who shovel for a living please hold me excused) is the indisputable fact that shoveling can readily lead to, at the least, some very stiff muscles and joints the next day. This is not to speak of the potential for actual muscle strains and spasms - the proverbial "threw out my back" - which is a malady invariably accompanied by rather slow physical movements when crossing the room.
For those who truly enjoy shoveling snow (you know who you are - psychological help is still available) it is a joyous truth that the process can be repeated numerous times during any given Winter. For the majority of people, most would rather not engage in repeated episodes of snow removal. For such, a device called a snowblower removes the bulk of the labor and tedium. Here, though, it must be honestly stated that only a well-designed snowblower will truly alleviate the labor and ultimately provide a, shall we say, indifference to the ills of Winter.
Which brings us to the `cold' reality of this article (we are now dropping our jocular tone): Snowblower orders are placed by retailers with given manufacturers some six to eight months or more in advance of the Winter season. Depending on the amount of snow in the prior Winter season a given demand for snowblowers is created. This demand can result in snowblower purchases being made early in the calendar year - literally, throughout the summer and in the Fall. By the time the Winter actually arrives it would then be not at all unusual that there would be relatively few, if any, snowblowers left for sale. Add in an early snowstorm or two and a zero-stock situation is all but guaranteed.
Please let this little article serve as fair warning that the Winter of 2006 is shaping up exactly as forecast in the last paragraph. So, we're ringing the bell a bit to alert those interested in owning a snowblower for this approaching Winter that they need to move with alacrity while there is still time to secure the product of their choice.
Snowblowers come in two essential styles - single-stage and twin-stage. Each has its own advantages. A single stage unit is invariably more compact and easier to handle than a twin-stage. The better single-stage machines utilize rubber inserts - or, paddles, as they are called - that fit into the auger (the revolving mechanism in the front that picks up and throws the snow). These paddles accomplish two purposes: (1) they effectively clean, or, "squeegee", right down to the surface (warning: don't use a paddle blower on a gravel driveway) and (2) the paddles, by virtue both of revolving at high speed and also because of contacting the surface being cleared, propel the snowblower forward. At least one leading manufacturer's single-stage snowblower has the capability to throw snow up to an astonishing 35 feet and the paddle-propelling action is so decisive that the machine can routinely be used with only one hand on the handle.
Single-stage machines also generally handle the slushy stuff better than most twin-stage units as the single-stage machine is designed to pick up and discharge the snow in the same movement of the auger. Such machines also can require less service as there are no gears, shear pins or transmissions.
Of course, nothing can beat a powerful, well-designed twin-stage snowblower. Such machines can make short work of the deepest, densest snow. At least one manufacturer makes an 11 hp, twin-stage, track-propelled (like a bulldozer) snowblower that effectively discharges the snow almost 60 feet (that will just about blanket your neighbor's house - easy now!).
The choice of snowblower depends on the size of the property and any inherent difficulties (i.e., your driveway towards the house is graded down with twelve foot retaining walls on either side near the garage, or, you have a gravel driveway, or, you live in Mountainside and your driveway is about 450, etc.) that might mandate a more powerful or nimble machine. Also, considerations such as the age, size and vigor of the individual(s) using it are part of the equation. As well, storage for many is an issue and, lastly, the heft of the wallet can help determine the particular type and model chosen. It should be stated here that the major manufacturers provide the most efficient, reliable equipment. Too, it is vital to be able to obtain parts and service as needed (for example, Home Something-or-Other doesn't service any brands they might sell) - local servicing dealers are structured to service the products that they sell. Honda is the premium manufacturer of Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) - Toro is the largest and the industry leader.
For further information on snowblowers or any other outdoor power equipment (OPE), please call The Eardly T. Petersen Company at 908-232-5723 or contact them via e-mail at: sales@etpetersen.com. Or, visit their facility at 224 Elmer Street, Westfield, NJ or on the web at www.etpetersen.com
