Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Preface: I've have has a HS520. Due to space contraints, etc - I'm not looking at 2 stage. Single stage for the most part is a perfect fit just short of....living on the right side and the plows only plow to the right so I cam constantly getting plowed in... Throw is fine already on the HS520. I was only curios does the 421/221 or even any current models on the market may have a bit more bite on the EOD/overnight plowed snow...

You should have never pointed out the Kapex 120.  What a saw.

Ok, I'm not going to visit Festool website, ever again.  I'm just going to put up with loud as a turbine Shop Vac.

Here's my comparisons.
I would never buy a Honda Snowblower at retail. It's not that important to me to pay the rate of that.
Used is another matter.

With that said, on the Festools, they are similar in price in that they are one of the most expensive lineups in their pedigree.
To a degree, there are alot of products out there at 50% less that will do 90% of the same job as the Festool.

What I like about their products (sanding and cutting) is that they are well balanced, feels great in the hand after long hours and they capture dust very efficiently and is very accurate.
Why cut 3 times when you can get the perfect cut the 1st time around on a miter saw

For drills, I go Makita or Panasonic..
Grinders - Metabo
etc, etc. The list goes on....

chefwong wrote:

You're breaking my heart.  What??? Tell me you have a cabinet saw! 

I wish.......but anything remote close to interior grader furniture, my cabinetmaker is the man to go to.

Just a portable Table Saw, Jigsaw or Worm Saw.....for sheet goods.
Nothing special. A couple of jigs to make things easier.

Ha. In another life, I would be working with power tools for a living ;-)

chefwong wrote:
Are these OEM or aftermarket paddles?  I bought aftermarket ones which costs less, I think they were half price of OEM, but they were very soft and did not last very long.  If you're ginger, the paddles might last a while.    The OEM ones are stiffer and seems to be better constructed.

chefwong wrote:
 
3/4" edge of rubber to edge of metal auger.  Total width or rubber is 2" exact.

Thx aa335. I actually had a weird hunch it would be 3/4".
Briefly browsing a couple of sites, while I did not compare part #'s, some sites listed the paddles the same for 520/621.

Nevertheless, I'm not sure how much wear is imposed with use just due to it being rubber...but the manual states that one should replace them when it is down to 5/8".

The parts I speced were OEM. If I am not familiar with a brand and the 3rd party alternatives, I generally stick with OEM.
At 50% less, sometimes you do have to learn the hard way by buying and comparing to know if it's worth the difference or not.

ie: Miele Vacuumn Bags in my opinion are better than the 3rd parties.
Reputable places where I buy spare misc parts for my cars (I'm the type that will replace even even a retaining holder) just because I like to keep things all new and fresh...
Anyhow, I order a sidemarker light that was 3rd party BUT listed as Just as OEM.  When I pulled the OEM unit out, and compared - the lens housing was the same manuf. as
the one I received. However, the Gasket Material if not the O Ring on the OEM was 2X as thick as the one I received.

chefwong wrote:
The part numbers should be different.  Honda changed the paddle design for the 520, they are not interchangeable.   The center paddle on the 621 is longer and will not fit the 520, and vica versa.

If you need more replacement parts to restore that 621 to full glory, here's a place to buy parts.  I don't know of any other place as comprehensive inventory.

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Honda/Snow%20Blower/0/HS621%20A-A%20SNOW%20BLOWER%2C%20JPN%2C%20VIN%23%20SZAN-1000001%20TO%20SZAN-1038238/parts.html

Stick with OEM paddles.  I don't know who made the aftermarket one but it was not as robust.  My paddles are beginning to split at the middle of the two plies.

I have the Miele Aquarius and I know exactly what you mean.  After owning it for 2 plus year, I'm glad I didn't get "sucked" into the hype of Dyson vacs or any type of cyclonic bagless vacs.  The success of Dyson is clever marketing and distribution, like Bose, but cannot hold a candle to even mid fi audio..  I've also used paper filter bags and the always seems to blow out dust every time I change them.   Miele fabric bags are the best.  The dust and dirt keep gets tightly packed in the bag, but it doesn't clog and reduce the suction power.  If Miele makes snowblowers, I'd buy one too.

AA - Don't recall was it this thread or a another thread but I do recall you mentioning a paddle redesign.
There is reference to a paddle redesign on the 520 on this thread.....

Is there one for the 621 that you are aware of ?
I looked through all the parts on the the years for the 621 and the auger/paddle design all look the same.....

BTW, did you end up replacing your Auger Bearings on the 621.
That's the only part I need to break down to see if that will need be changed.

I considered the chute collar/springs/tension holders (the 3 springs) that lock the chute but it seems mighty fine.....and still have plenty of tension.
I would be replacing the throttle springs and such (anything that should have stretched in 10 years time)...

chefwong wrote:

Chefwong,

What's the benefit of replacing those stretched throttle springs?   I have the springs that are attached arms of the governor.

I thought there were a redesign for the 621 paddle because the parts diagram online shows a v-shaped paddle, but I've never seen one in pictures or brochures.  I doubt there is one.

Speaking paddles, the flat center paddle on the 621 is what makes it so aggressive on slush and EOD piles.  There is virtually no deflection when it hits hard stuff, as compared to the Toro 221 curved rotor.  However, because it is so wide, it does require more torque to turn.  The 520 has the V-shape, which requires less torque, and allows it to throw light to medium weight snow further.  However, put slush in front of the 621 and there is no contest.

I didn't replace any bearings.   These bearings don't see many hours of continuous duty, slow speed, and the load on them is minimal.  I inspected them and the seals looks intact and no signs of lubricant leak, it spins smooth with no slop, so I decided to reuse them.

I will replace the chute collar and those springs though.  I like it to have crisp action when I rotate the chute, like how it works on the HS520.