[bravemurphy]

anyone tried putting a couple of bricks on it held on with some small bungees to give it some extra weight?

[Welsh Merf]

I did think of putting on some added weight, but two points changed my mind: a) it's obviously not designed to carry extra weight, and b) if more weight held it down then the clutch would keep slipping (as it does when it hits an obstacle).

[Sparkyrog]

Unfortunately I have the 4 stroke version ! but on my clay'y loam ,it does all and more than is fair to ask of it for the size of machine it is . I love being able to reverse the rotors and being able to use it as a hoe saves hours 

[Welsh Merf]

Unfortunately I have the 4 stroke version ! but on my clay'y loam ,it does all and more than is fair to ask of it for the size of machine it is . I love being able to reverse the rotors and being able to use it as a hoe saves hours 

I was given my Mantis Tiller as a gift (nice one!), but no instruction book came with it. Can you explain your statement about hoeing please?

[Sparkyrog]

Unfortunately I have the 4 stroke version ! but on my clay'y loam ,it does all and more than is fair to ask of it for the size of machine it is . I love being able to reverse the rotors and being able to use it as a hoe saves hours 

I was given my Mantis Tiller as a gift (nice one!), but no instruction book came with it. Can you explain your statement about hoeing please?

[Sparkyrog]

Unfortunately I have the 4 stroke version ! but on my clay'y loam ,it does all and more than is fair to ask of it for the size of machine it is . I love being able to reverse the rotors and being able to use it as a hoe saves hours 

I was given my Mantis Tiller as a gift (nice one!), but no instruction book came with it. Can you explain your statement about hoeing please?

If you reverse the direction of the rotors you can use it as a power Hoe " swap them round from side to side then they are not digging in " 

[Welsh Merf]

You're telling me that the tines go on a certain way? 

[Sparkyrog]

You're telling me that the tines go on a certain way? 

YES lol

[Capt Zero]

Hi Merf.... click on this link... HERE   and you will find the PDF file of the Mantis manual. On page 15 you will find the  "How to Switch From Tilling to Cultivating Position"...

There's also loads of videos on Youtube, just search for "Mantis tiller"

In the main this machine is a tiller and not a rotovator, I do have an old Merry tiller which is bigger and with more grunt and would do a better job on rough or heavy ground. As our plot as been worked well and looked after the soil is like potting compost... ...all we need at the moment is the lighter Mantis.

We were up the lottie yesterday for around 4 hours it was warm & sunny, first job was to pop the kettle on for a brew.  Then while I carried on with the tiller, Rosemary started the year off by putting in beetroot & carrots then popping over a layer of fleece.

ps....anybody know why....when we're up the lottie....does some bu**er light a bonfire..

[mikeimp]

I bought ours direct last Spring.Have used it to do many jobs around the house and garden good for cleaning out Moss in between block pavers.On the garden at home which is fairly small it does a good job but like others have experienced on heavy clay soils not so good as the Honda 4 stroke is just not man enough and the tiller is too light to dig.But making a tilth to sow or plant in once the soil has been dug it does a very good job.The only problem I have and I havent done anything about it yet ,is that I have alot of movement at the point where the blades clip into the bottom of the drive.Must contact Mantis for advice. 

[compostqueen]

My plot neighbour has one and loves hers. It was a surprise from her husband who bought it for her off ebay.  It wasn't the first Mantis he'd purchased for her off ebay though oh no. The first one he successfully bid for turned out to be a Mantis bike 

Men! 

Be careful what you wish for ladies 

[Welsh Merf]

Hi Merf.... click on this link... HERE   and you will find the PDF file of the Mantis manual. On page 15 you will find the  "How to Switch From Tilling to Cultivating Position"...

There's also loads of videos on Youtube, just search for "Mantis tiller"

In the main this machine is a tiller and not a rotovator, I do have an old Merry tiller which is bigger and with more grunt and would do a better job on rough or heavy ground. As our plot as been worked well and looked after the soil is like potting compost... ...all we need at the moment is the lighter Mantis.

We were up the lottie yesterday for around 4 hours it was warm & sunny, first job was to pop the kettle on for a brew.  Then while I carried on with the tiller, Rosemary started the year off by putting in beetroot & carrots then popping over a layer of fleece.

ps....anybody know why....when we're up the lottie....does some bu**er light a bonfire..

Excellent job Cap'n! Thanks very much - all becomes clear!

[plaicemat]

Hello all, my first post so be gentle. This is all very useful as I have been going through the dilema of shall I, shan't I and have decided to go ahead. We are on clay and limestone here but the plot has had plenty of leafmounld over the years and the soil is not too bad. I have decided on the Mantis because I have a Merry Tiller which I can use for incorporating manure in the autumn and use it to make a seedbed finish in the spring. Hope this works out as expected.

Terry.

[Welsh Merf]

Bonjour Terry!

That's exactly what I'm hoping to do. I turned the (virgin) ground over in the winter with a borrowed rotovator and then covered it with manure. A couple of weeks ago I turned it over again by hand (with a fork), and then tried the Mantis on a piece of it. Looks good bruvver!

[Capt Zero]

I have a Merry Tiller which I can use for incorporating manure in the autumn and use it to make a seedbed finish in the spring. Hope this works out as expected.
Terry.

IMA.....This is the best way, I'll be doing the same at the end of this season. Taking the old Merry up the lottie is a pain in the "you know what"  in the back of the car, so once a year is enough. Where as the Mantis being so light is a doddle.