From what I've seen almost all of the HF items are from Asia. 'course that applies to a lot of the big box stores also. For you folks looking for tune up, etc. info, post in the tool shed forum, lots of friendly and knowledgable folks there. Make sure you include the engine Mfg, model number, etc. as small engines are small engines. Be aware that all gas we buy today has ethanol which is a major PITA to small engines!!!, you have to include additives to combat this!! If your engine has a gas shut off, use it and run the engine dry at every use. ALso, the carburetors on new engines do not have adjustments anymore, just precisely milled orifices that serve the same purpose. That leads to gunk being deposited and the engine doesn't run or runs poorly, particuarly in view of the ethanol in the gas. Then you get to take off the carb, disassemble, soak in carb cleaner, blow out with air, say a number of "hail mary's" and still may end up buying a new carb. :-( Use the additives, don't use old gas, if you don't have a gas shut off after the tank, add one so the carb can be run dry. Ev

Jerry, I agree that Tecumseh would not be my first choice or even a second choice in an engine. I don't know why MacKissic uses them. I have always had good luck with Briggs & Stratton and my Merry Tìller has a Honda engine that really purrs right along and starts very easily. I will give some links to sellers who do post prices. You might be interested in a MacKissic Leaf Cycler. This is West Power Tools' price list, which gives you some idea of MacKissic prices. The Troy-Bilt CSV206 Chipper/Shredder/Vacuum is similar to some of the MacKissic units and it or a similar model is available at Northern Tool. Northern Tools' MacKissic walk-behind shredder/chipper/vacuum costs considerably more, but is probably more capable. The LawnMower Shop offers the same equipment, but the smaller Leaf Cycler costs less. Billy Goat and Parker also make capable walk-behind là wn vacuums without chipping capability. They're rather expensive. MM

I have a Sears chipper shredder and I had all those same problems with the leaves, not to mention the noise the thing makes. Now I rake the leaves into a row and run my mulching mower up and down the row. The mulching mower doesn't blow the leaves all over, it blows them back onto the ground. Then I put the bagger on and go over them again, and dump the bag into a landscapers barrel when it's full. The little bit that the bagger can't grab I rake together and pick up with a snow shovel, or just leave. The shredded leaves are good for the lawn. About 15 bags of leaves fill up the barrel once, plus the grass gets cut in the process, and the leaves are cut up small for the compost pile. I also use them to mulch my garlic patch, and I throw some in my chicken and duck pens for them to mess with and get a good dose of nitrogen. I used to put 100 bags at the curb, I haven't put out one in the last 10 years. Clean the air filter when you're done, the dust from the leaves clogs it up. Try to do it a few days after a rain event, the moisture keeps the dust down, and keeps the leaves from blowing all over. The damp leaves also add moisture to the compost pile. I did it Sunday morning, and Tuesday morning the pile was steaming hot.

I've owned a Troy-Bilt (pre-MTD buyout, and different from the current versions) and a very old (nothing like the huge current model) Billy Goat. Both clog alot (I carry a big stick in my back pocket while I vacuum) - and, in the case of a lot of trigs/branches- even more often and they don't like very wet leaves. Neither did a good job with pine needles (vacuum up OK, but not much shredding or reduction) or acorns (makes a racket, tho'). The hose on the Troy-Bilt worked just "OK" and I can't imagine the annoyance of having to drag the hose around with the new design(s) on the 3 you're considering- all of which, to me, look to be the same mfg. (Troy-Bilt and Cub Cadet are both MTD brands, and the Sears does sell MTD-made Craftsman items and the photo linked below sure looks the same as the Troy-Bilt model CSV065 on their webpage at Troybilt.com ). I much preferred the bag on the old Troy-Bilt- easy to install/remove/carry, a bit sloppy to dump (mine go into compost piles, so "neatness" isn't an issue). The new MTD T-B bag is different, however. The Billy Goat bag is a pain- belted on, ackward to install/remove and it's made out of some Velcro-like material, so it always has a ton of leaves stuck to the inside AND outside. Plus, the narrow, cloth section of the entryway clogs up easily (T-B had a curved plastic shoot). I can't imagine being able to put a bag INSIDE the bags, since they need to allow air (and dust- have a good hankerchief) to pass through them, otherwise I'd imagine they'd blow up). And, if the bags were much bigger, they'd just be too heavy to push around (indeed, both my machines tend to "tilt" backwards, lifting the front wheels right off the ground, when full). I'd think the self-propelled models would be an annoyance, since the leaves tend to gather in piles after a few days of wind- they're not nice and evenly spread out to picked up as if you were mowing a lawn in perfect rows. Still, these low-end models I have, while not perfect, are a whole lot better than raking. My T-B engine blew up this spring and I'm in the market for a replacement, so, despite it all, I think they're worth it. I'm guessing the higher end units, at around $1,000, are "better" (altho' they look HUGE) but I'd have a hard time spending that kind of money (I'd use it for a pull-behind unit like CycloneRake on my garden tractor, tho'). Here is a link that might be useful: Craftsman Chipper/Shredder/Vac