Leaf blower/vac damaged by a stone? Normal? or return?

[Lusi83]

I bought a leaf blower/vacuum from Aldi a couple of weeks ago - used it for the first time yesterday.
At first was using it on gravel - had it on the lowest suction setting but kept blocking up - turned it up a bit - eventually onto full - it was lifting gravel a little but not sucking further than end of tube...
Then used it on the grass - on full suction -suddenly a massive bang/crack, turned it off - something flew out of end into border -can only assume it was a small stone but not sure ...(lots of small stones in border!)
Carried on using it then noticed that the casing around the fan has cracked -it is still working etc...I could just put duck tape on the crack...but if it gets another one it might completely shatter and then I wouldn't be able to take it back...

Could/should I take it back? - I am thinking if it is strong enough to pick up a stone the casing should also be strong enough to take it if one gets sucked up? Think the stone must have been smaller than the gravel. Can anyone really be certain there isn't a stone in a pile of leaves?
Or would that be unreasonable? Does this normally happen with leaf vacs?

(Do realise now if it had sucked up the gravel it might have broken it too - but wouldn't be in this quandary - it would have been my fault - I wouldn't think of taking it back )

 

[Diyisfun]

Take it back, you have nothing to lose except time

 

[foxhole]

Take it back, you have nothing to lose except time

Agree has to be fit for purpose.

 

[rjm2k]

Even if they cope with a stone, how do good ones cope with preventing the projectile from piercing the bag and causing other damage? I stopped using mine when I realised windows could be broken ( among other things!) Do better ones turn the stone to powder, have a stronger bag or a deflector to kill the speed?

 

[Burnerman]

The better machines have a fan thats made of softer plastic with a high polyethylene content....just about unbreakable but they still block!
Cheaper machines use a high acrylic content plastic - hence the fracture.
Nothing to lose by returning it, but I'm surprised it had the oomph to suck - unless you pointed it skywards even the petrol ones have a problem with that!
John

Just to edit this one.....I bet its just a twig been sucked in rather than a stone - that would be enough to shatter an Aldi quality impeller.
Only my point of view, but I'm yet to discover anything worth having from that hardware section!
J.

 

[Lusi83]

I don't know about Aldi tools - they are cheap and I guess usually depends on how much you want to use them ...
I got the garden vac because I thought I would see if it was worth having one - if it would save me a bit of time - currently maintaining two gardens and one has a neighbour with a huge sycamore on the border and the other a neighbour with an absolutely massive beech...
I got a dremel thing a few years ago - hasn't been used lots (didn't think it would be!) but handy to have and for about £20 including lots of different grinders etc...I think a bargain..
I got a quiet shredder from Aldi as well ....
Only used it once but so far has worked like a dream ...only trying to compact branches etc to get rid of rather than make mulch and it worked much quicker and quieter than the impact shredder I used to have...
It was £120 (cheapest quiet one I could find) and looking at the instructions it is made by Einhell - online one with same spec is between £170 and £190 -B&Q Macalister equivalent is £150...
Got to do lots of shredding in the next few weeks - so guess I'll know if it is going to last...

 

[Burnerman]

I thought a garden vac would be gods gift so I bought a petrol Ryobi.
Sucks up wet leaves fine(ish), but the machine gets so heavy after a bag full that its not worth the backache......the bag also strains mucky water onto your legs
Thats up for grabs now if I can dig it out of the shed - I use a petrol blower currently to heap the leaves, and then into the wheelbarrow with a rake.
I've a slow speed chipper (B&D I think) - with a heavy slab cutter inside and thats been worthwhile buying.
John

 

[foxhole]

Even if they cope with a stone, how do good ones cope with preventing the projectile from piercing the bag and causing other damage? I stopped using mine when I realised windows could be broken ( among other things!) Do better ones turn the stone to powder, have a stronger bag or a deflector to kill the speed?

They are not powerfull enough to do much damgage, the fan causes suction by diverting the flow on my old model so nothing it collects goes any where near the motor or fan blade.

 

[Burnerman]

The mulching vac uses the fan blades to pulp the leaves - this works well enough if the leaves are dry.....but how often is that
John

 

[Lusi83]

Thought I'd update....
Apparently it isn't covered by the guarantee - as the instructions clearly says I should have checked the area first
But they do all the spare bits for it ...a new housing will be about £14 delivered and a new fan about £10 (plus delivery)
The guy I spoke to was fair enough - it was cheap...and one that didn't potentially have this problem would cost a lot more...
And if the motor etc fails it won't matter that the housing is covered in duck tape - so that's what I've done for now...haven't tried it again yet..am drowning in garden waste - a few leaves are least of my problems ....