[grendel]

Just picked one of these up, 20% off at my local garden centre. Briggs and Stratton engine and a good solid build (plus a phone number for spare parts). For £240 not a bad buy, yet to be tested on the plot.
My old Norlett had been giving me hassle (well at 45 or so years old I guess it had a right to be iffy) it would run, then stall and be a pig to start, so its now being retired.
Grendel

[fatcat1955]

Bought mine on fleabay for £100. You will not be disappointed. Just watch the throttle lever....it is a tad flimsy.

[grendel]

Ok, dry 2 days in a row, so down the plot this morning in the sunshine (albeit there was a light frost) to try out the rottovator (and incidentally finally get the garlic planted).
I have to report the machine functioned beautifully, fired up and ran on the third pull. the plot had been turned over a few months back (when the old machine was still just about running) with the depth stop right down it barely tried to pull forward unless I wanted it to, I did the whole (1/2 plot) lot in about an hour, even tried an area that was all grass, finding I needed to stop twice to clear the grass from round the blades.
Here is a before and after picture.
Grendel

[fatcat1955]

I found that to get a really fine tilth try pulling the machine backwards.

[grendel]

just trying to get the plot turned over at the moment, fine tilthe comes when planting, I used to walk my old machine backwards all the time, but I guess with this one I will need to take the depth stop off first. (also not used to having a clutch)
Grendel