Equipment
The Troy-Bilt 2600
With summer wrapping up and Halloween stuff having been in the stores for a few weeks already, I got to thinking, maybe I should consider prepping the snow blower before the first snowfall for a change. Then it dawned on me - I never cataloged last year's purchase of a new snow blower for 173. No time like the present so - let's get into it!
Why a New Blower? Reason #1
There were a couple reasons for getting a new snow blower last year. The first was that the old one had really aged and I just couldn't get it to start. One of our neighbors is a mechanic and had done some tuning up and repairs a few times over the previous couple years, but he moved to Florida and only returned north for about 6 to 8 weeks in the summer.
The old snow blower, which I got from my dad maybe ten years ago or so, just wouldn't start, and nothing I did fixed that, so we had no snow blower for the winters of 2020 and 2021. I know, but I hate buying something when there's a possibility of fixing the old thing.
Why a New Blower? Reason #2
The second reason for a new snow blower was, quite frankly, I'm not the young man I once was. There was a day I loved grabbing the shovel and toiling away at mounds of snow after an overnight storm.
Eventually it became more and more difficult to shovel after the big storms. Oh sure we could still do it, but it took much longer - as did recovery time. The year before we got the original blower from dad, I even borrowed a neighbor's blower once. What a gut-punch to the ego!
And that was at least ten or eleven years ago! Now - my back and neck are worse, so it really was time to just get a new snow blower. The time had come!
Minimum Requirements
So there we were, shopping for our first brand new snow blower. It was a blank slate - just pick what we wanted and go! You'd think the list would include a few key elements, but really it was quite simple.
Obviously it would need to be well-rated and from a reputable company, and the only other real requirement? It absolutely must have an electric starter! All that said - the Troy-Bilt Storm 2600 was the winner!
Being the biggest and most important requirement, the Storm 2600 definitely has an electric starter!
Clear large areas quickly with the 26 in. clearing width of the Storm™ 2600. The 208cc Troy-Bilt engine with electric start capability, and a self-propelled drive system help make the job easy. Just One Hand™ operation allows adjustment of the chute controls without disengaging the drive, including a quick change to the snow discharge height from the dashboard with the remote pitch control lever. The rugged, 12 in. serrated steel augers are designed to quickly handle up to 12 in. of snow. - Troybilt.com
Security and Cleanliness
Because the snow blower stays at the upper end of the carport during the winter (you'll read a little more about that in a few minutes) I've always secured it to one of the carport posts with a chain and padlock.
I know it's kind of an honest-man's lock but we do have a nice neighborhood here. Nonetheless, to (kinda) celebrate a new blower, I decided to clean and lube the padlock.
It really wasn't much of a task, 15 minutes maybe, but there's just something satisfying about cleaning things to a near new condition. And honestly - the lock needed lubing! I gotta get better at keeping up on all the locks here at 173.
Slaymaker lock company was founded in 1888 by Samuel R Slaymaker originally based in North Water Street, Lancaster City, Pennsylvania. Slaymaker got his interest in locks from working for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a civil engineer. In 1975 the Ecko Housewares Division of American Home Products purchased the Slaymaker lock company and made it one of its divisions. In the 1980’s, the company began to struggle after the lock market was flooded with cheap padlocks. In 1986 the company decided to cash out and closed its doors. - Mark Ward QML, Owner of Anglia Locksmiths, Peterborough, England
Its Natural Habitat
In the interest of extending the lifespans of the barbecue grill and the snow blower, they alternate between their natural habitats and the shed.
Winter: In winter, the snow blower is locked to the carport, which keeps it quickly accessible. It also has a nice cover over it all winter - you know, protecting the investment!
At the same time, the grill is housed in the shed during the winter. Oddly, with as many pictures as I take, I have no shots of the grill in the shed for the winter. But I guess it's probably not too difficult to imagine!
Some Megaposts I bet you'd enjoy...
∙ From a misguided tree planting to a complete makeover - the Shed Megapost
∙ The kitchen remodel megapost - updating after 14 years with an incredibly outdated kitchen!
∙ From cosmetic changes to a complete rebuild - the front stoop story in one Megapost!
∙ A Megapost for the slow, almost unintentional evolution of the front porch interior.
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You might also enjoy some posts about projects made from scrap wood!
Summer: Conversely, the shed is home to the blower during the summer...
While the grill hangs out on it's dedicated space all summer, easily accessed for those delicious grilled meals!
Thanks a million for stopping by and taking the time to read this little story! See ya' next time...
