[naturesparadise]

just want to know if any one has used this tiller and could tell me what its like

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4HP-Petrol-Rotovator-Tiller-Cultivator-Rotavator_W0QQitemZ180280958403QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180280958403&_trkparms=72%3A12
thanks

[ESSEXBOY]

hello
i bought one of those .
i dont rate them because the blades not all that good .
the blades dont go round fast enough and i found the  tynes or blades got glogged up quick . only good for small plots .
i bought it of that seller but i sold it now i never got on with it  .
the engine was powerfull but to get the tynes moving you have a pull rod connected to the lever so you dont get much power to the tynes ...
my old merry tiller was a lot better............
 
like i said the blades are not any good ,the metal not as good as the older tiller blades tynes...........

i would not bother with one of them
steve.

[naturesparadise]

thanks for the info shame its in my price range too

its getting silly trying to find one

[Nogger]

hi naturesparadise,i bought a secondhand 5hp briggs & stratton and its worth its wieght in gold,£150 i gave for it i think i dropped on,its an old one but im very impressed. :wink:worth keeping your eye's open  

[Larkshall]

I bought a Mantis Electric, I didn't think it would be capable of doing the job, it didn't seem heavy enough (20.5lbs). I was wrong, it does a good job but like digging, the moisture content of the soil has to be right. The secret of it's ability is that instead of walking along behind it you have to pull it against the earth you are standing on, this makes it dig in and keep its depth.

http://www.erowell.co.uk/Gardening/Tillers.html

[lincspoacher]

I bought a Mantis Electric, I didn't think it would be capable of doing the job, it didn't seem heavy enough (20.5lbs). I was wrong, it does a good job but like digging, the moisture content of the soil has to be right. The secret of it's ability is that instead of walking along behind it you have to pull it against the earth you are standing on, this makes it dig in and keep its depth.

http://www.erowell.co.uk/Gardening/Tillers.html

Ive never rated the electric ones on the basis that 1 Horsepower = 764 Watts, so  to get 3.5 HP it has to be 2.6Kw, and i dont think ive never seen one that powerful.

[richyrich7]

I've got the 2 stroke mantis and it's great, the only thing's I think that lets it down is like Larkshall says the soil has to be right else you end up with a spinning ball of soil, and  where the power cut off switch is, I tend to knock it as you move along ( only happens occasionally).
On the older model with the white handle grips this does not happen, I've got both models new and old.   :roll:

For £150 you can get a half decent tiller, a 2nd hand mantis can sell between £100 and £180 on ebay.

[Larkshall]

Ive never rated the electric ones on the basis that 1 Horsepower = 764 Watts, so  to get 3.5 HP it has to be 2.6Kw, and i dont think ive never seen one that powerful.

I think we have to consider the working width as well as the horsepower, your normal 3.5hp Rotavator would work a width of 24 inches, the Mantis only works a width of 9 inches. 3.5hp/24 = 0.146hp per inch, therefore 0.146 x 9 = 1.31hp, so it's very slightly underpowered. Electric motors are more flexible than petrol engines so I don't think there's much difference. The Mantis has another advantage, whereas the normal Rotavator has 16 blades the Mantis has 40. It definitely makes a finer tilth. I found that two passes with the Mantis equalled around five passes with a Merrytiller for the same fineness.

[DANNY]

The thing to think about when thinking of buying used machines is how long have they been used and how have they been treated,

Ive 2 rotovator,s (1) howard gem this is just a fantastic machine but for large areas only (2) a smaller rotovator I bought from machine mart 5 years ago "new" I think it cost £250 AND again its a god send, but I service both these machines every winter and they are stored indoors and never loaned to anyone (past lesson learned)

Unless you know the person selling any hard working machines ie tractor/rotovator/even Lawn mower you,ve no idea how they,ve been treated or if ever serviced.
My advice is to buy new and not to buy other peoples problems.

[Larkshall]

Unless you know the person selling any hard working machines ie tractor/rotovator/even Lawn mower you,ve no idea how they,ve been treated or if ever serviced.
My advice is to buy new and not to buy other peoples problems.

That is very true, why are they selling them.