[AT] Fw: Snow Blower REPOST using new acct...

Sat Oct 30 13:58:10 PDT 2010

The snowmen in your yard will thank you all winter for your wise  
purchase!
	Dave

On Oct 30, 2010, at 3:18 PM, Dick Day wrote:

>
>
> I have my flame suit on :)
>
> I checked around with local implement dealers as well as on-line ag  
> search
> engines and found little in the way of used or new 72" snow blowers  
> for
> under $2k.
>
> So, despite all of the excellent reasons not to buy the $1399 Braber  
> from
> Northern Tools... I just took delivery of my shiny new black Braber  
> snow
> blower.
>
> This same blower (shown in red because it's the older model) sells  
> in Canada
> (on-line) for $2495 plus freight...
> http://www.ironsearch.com/Searches-Farm/SmartSort-Popular/Braber/1405254.aspx
>
>
> Here is the link to the Northern Toll website for this item (shown  
> in black
> which is the updated model) at $1399 plus freight...
> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200435197_200435197
>
>
> If it turns out to be junk, it's nothing that cannot be
> fixed/welded/fabricated locally.  The warranty (12 mos parts, no  
> labor) is
> what I would expect for a product that sells for 50% of normal  
> retail.  It
> will not be used commercially and frankly now that I own one, it may  
> never
> snow again, in which case, I got my money's worth :)
>
> Before buying, I conversed with Aaron Van Beers of Braber.  I told  
> him that
> I was frankly concerned with a product that sells for considerably  
> less than
> other similar units. Here was his reply...
>
> Quality - For the money, very very good value.
> We make these ourselves, but in China.
> BE (Braber Equipment) makes all kinds of spare parts and machines.
>
> Prices - Prices are very sharp, we actually had price increase when  
> we made
> modifications, but did not pass along to Northern Tool.
>
> These come with PTO Shaft.
>
> We're based out of Canada, and Northern will never see the unit,  
> it's a ship
> direct from us to you.
> We sold many units last year through our dealer network in Ontario,  
> and we
> had great feedback.
>
> The prices are low because of where it's made, typical scenario with  
> many
> things these days.
> We supervise the production, and inspect all units before they ship.
>
> Unit comes assembled.
>
> Standard chain drive and shearbolts
>
> Regards
> Aaron
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 5:50 AM
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com 
> >
> Subject: Re: [AT] Snow Blower
>
> When I was in the tractor and implement selling business, you could
> generally go by the weight and price when comparing similar items.
>
> That being said, I never sold a new three-point snow blower. The  
> reason
> was that there were so many barely used ones available if someone  
> really
> wanted one. And there lay the problem: Almost anyone who has ever  
> used a
> rear mounted snow blower decided to sell it immediately afterward.  
> There
> are many reasons for folks being unhappy with them, but the first  
> one is
> that they are literally a pain in the neck to use - after a very short
> time, you find yourself in pain from having to twist yourself around  
> to
> operate the machine. The second problem is operating in reverse -  
> older
> tractors have only one speed in reverse, and even modern tractors have
> maybe two speeds (too fast and too slow). I guess if you have a hydro
> you might be OK, but a snow blower needs to be fed into the snow just
> right. And, of course, a snow blower does just that: blows snow. If  
> you
> happen to have the wind shift, you wind up being dumped on, and if you
> have a cab, the whole back of the cab gets instantly blanketed and has
> to be cleaned off. Then, there are the usual problems with all snow
> blowers - clogging with wet snow, jams from the machine "finding"  
> hidden
> objects (rocks, children's toys, hunks of fallen trees, etc.),  
> shooting
> small objects long distances into cars/trucks/houses, etc. The only
> advantage of a three point mounted snow blower is that it adds a fair
> amount of weight to the back of the tractor for traction when pushing
> snow with a front blade/bucket.
>
> If you are still determined to try a three point blower, I suspect you
> would be better off either borrowing one from a disgruntled neighbor  
> or
> buying a good used one, rather than investing good money in a new  
> Asian
> manufactured one. You can generally find a good used blower for under
> $1000. Put a "wanted" ad in your local "Penny Saver" magazine or
> newspaper, and you will have a dozen responses the next day.
>
> Mike
>
> On 8/15/2010 7:26 PM, Dick Day wrote:
>> I just received the 2010 Northern Tools catalog.  As I said in a  
>> previous
>> post concerning Harbor Freight, I normally do not buy big-ticket  
>> items
>> from
>> Northern or HF.
>>
>> However... in the new Northern catalog, a 3-pt snowblower  did  
>> catch my
>> eye.
>> It's a Canadian product from a company called Braber...
>>
>> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200435197_200435197?cm_ven=natural&cm_cat=netconcepts&cm_pla=Yahoo&cm_ite=braber%2Bsnowblower
>>
>> $1399 for a 72" blower is mighty tempting.  It lacks the bells and
>> whistles
>> on the more expensive units. The cheapest I've ever seen new around  
>> here
>> (Nebraska) has been around $4800.
>>
>> Ever heard of Braber?  Thoughts?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dick Day
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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