Author Topic: Anyone used a Honda tiller ? (Read 18317 times)

tim · « **Reply #20 on:** May 21, 2005, 18:03:38 »

Roy - just realised you weren't talking about reverse - which the Viking has. Push/pull? Surely any machine light enough could be used thus??

For a modest reverser, the Viking. But too big for you. http://www.worldofpower.co.uk/acatalog/tiller.html

I said earlier that I regarded a tiller as an underpowered rotovator. But I note that in the digging world, the terms tiller, rotovator & cultivator are interchangeable.

Dirkdigger · « **Reply #21 on:** May 21, 2005, 18:28:00 »

As Tim said Roy, you could use it forward or pull it back I would assume. As far as fit it in a car no problems. Handles fold down for easy transporting. As I only need to walk about 800yds to my plot will probably walk it over.
Slight delay in my plans at the moment, been given some info about a full blown Rotovator. I think it will be too big for my needs, but its only about 4 months old and as far as my son-in-law says he thinks he only wants about £100 for it. Not sure as to what make or any other details apart from it cost about £600 new. His friends father died recently, no need for it. Will keep you posted.

Clayhithe · « **Reply #22 on:** May 21, 2005, 19:05:56 »

Isn't it a Mantis lookalike, with a 4stroke engine?

I like my Mantis: I'd like it more with a 4stroke.

kitty · « **Reply #23 on:** May 21, 2005, 20:02:51 »

good grief¬this is all getting so technical!
message for mm-32lbs doesnt sound much-but-and this will only be pertinant to mm so sorry everyone else...one of those bags of clay in my shop is only 25lbs-imagine another 10lbs on top of that.....
mmmmm...........i think the mantis sounds better and better for us l-o-l!!!!
ialways feel a rotovater is a large unweildy beast with a kick like a mule-cultivater sounds so much ..more.....cultivated!!!!!!

Merlins Mum · « **Reply #24 on:** May 21, 2005, 20:11:40 »

that's a difficult one kitty, as you've never let me pick up your bags of clay ;D ;D ;D

still next week I'm hoping to see a Honda when I go to collect and pay for OH birthday pressie. doesn't know it but I'm buying him a brushcutter/strimmer. not daft eh, thought he could use it at the lottie. ;D

MM

kitty · « **Reply #25 on:** May 21, 2005, 20:15:44 »

no..health and safety-first rule-never give your customers a hernia!
you must have seen me struggling along in a muck sweat,cursing thebag thats making my arms so long passing orang utans are blowing kisses to me?

;D

Merlins Mum · « **Reply #26 on:** May 21, 2005, 20:19:13 »

;D ;D ;D

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #27 on:** May 21, 2005, 21:02:46 »

Quote from: tim on May 21, 2005, 18:03:38

Roy - just realised you weren't talking about reverse - which the Viking has. Push/pull? Surely any machine light enough could be used thus??

Hmm! not sure ::) big expenditure if it doesn't, don't you think? also it would depend on how hard you have to dig your heels in to pull it backwards and why didn't Honda say it can be done ??? maybe because it's too hard to do who knows? someone does, I'll wait and see what Merlins Mum has to say about it.

Quote from: tim on May 21, 2005, 18:03:38

I said earlier that I regarded a tiller as an underpowered rotovator. But I note that in the digging world, the terms tiller, rotovator & cultivator are interchangeable.

I looked these up in the Cambridge dictionary online Tim and neither one is listed, very odd ::) so I spose a tiller just lifts the surface a rotavator digs deep and Gawd knows what a cultivator does, cultivates? ??? ;D

Merlins Mum · « **Reply #28 on:** May 21, 2005, 21:09:32 »

Not sure about tiller Roy. I'm sure the mantis says it digs to 10", that's a lot more than just the surface. and I think it was wardy who said that a neighbour on her lottie used her mantis to dig in her green manure. It's so difficult as you seem to hear so many conflicting stories. Anyway I will ask about the reverse thing for you. just hope I don't get a lot of sales talk! :)

MM

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #29 on:** May 21, 2005, 22:15:07 »

;D Hi MM, yes I realise the Mantis claims a 10 inch depth, but I'm a bit tongue in cheek about that, maybe it will do this in soft composted soil.

My Lottie neighbour tried his Rotavator (not tiller) on my plot of hard clay and it just scratched the surface, he suggested I dig it over first, so if I am to do that then I think the Tiller will keep the soil fine thereafter. (Says he tongue in cheek) ;D

Incidentally, I e-mailed Mantis asking if they sold off the returned units from their 365 day refund promise and they said yes...the price £259.95 with a full guarantee, does that price tag ring a bell?

http://www.nepine.co.uk/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=99

tim · « **Reply #30 on:** May 22, 2005, 07:05:33 »

That surely is spooky!!

Ten inches? Possibly - if you want to drag the thing back & forth repeatedly over the same foot of run. Even our 4.5hp thing won't do that in one go. You can often believe that you're getting deep because you are chucking up buckets of fluffed up soil like beating an egg. Don't be fooled!

Scratching? I believe that any unworked ground has to be scuffed over at least once before any tine driven machine can get properly in.

And the soil has to be just right. Claggy & it'll make a pudding: dry & it plays tennis with the hard lumps!! And, as I've said, any machine tends to clear the patch of worms.

Merlins Mum · « **Reply #31 on:** May 22, 2005, 08:12:20 »

Quote from: tim on May 22, 2005, 07:05:33

And, as I've said, any machine tends to clear the patch of worms

That worries me Tim, how quickly do worms return. I'm one of those daft women who hates chopping a worm in half with a spade.

Roy, I'm sure on another thread, started by kitty I think, there was someone saying the mantis did go fairly deep but it could be as Tim has suggested, he went over the same ground several times.

I want something that will give me nice fine soil to sow in and also turn in my green manure when I want.

MM

kitty · « **Reply #32 on:** May 22, 2005, 08:19:54 »

i want something that'll do the entire garden for me while i lounge on a chair with a daiquiri........
but as thats not going to happen...
i think expecting /hoping any machine will wholly replace hand digging is optimistic.......what i want it for IS for a bit of fluffing prior to planting..after i''ve dug the ground and it settles down...if i'm a while planting it needs another dig over to give the plants a chance

tim · « **Reply #33 on:** May 22, 2005, 11:48:02 »

Worms? I find that they only come back after one has done one rotation with 'the spade'. Sad?

Auto vacs & auto mowers but, no - no diggers! Yet. A chap??

Fluffy soil? Don't try sowing in it.

Turning stuff in? Yes. See my very early post on that - with the electric one.

Dirkdigger · « **Reply #34 on:** May 22, 2005, 11:51:59 »

My local expert has the Mantis tiller. Very very noisy. He says wont replace digging once a year, but a couple of weeks before he puts any plants in he works in compost and manure or growmore. Leaves it for a couple of weeks then plants in it.
I think a tiller is really just for preparing the planting beds ready for your plants. Which is what I'm looking for anyway. He doesn't own a rotovator.
He cant be going too wrong looking at his plot, everything is huge. Cabbages are already about 2-3 ft tall.
I think everyone has to look at their reason for wanting one, if you want it to help with the whole plot in one go I'm sure you will need something bigger.

tim · « **Reply #35 on:** May 22, 2005, 12:11:33 »

Three foot tall cabbages?? Tesco's will be after him!!

Noise - yes - we've done that. Digging - that too - but rotovating before ? brassica - I'm surprised.

CAN'T WAIT TILL TOMORROW!!

Dirkdigger · « **Reply #36 on:** May 22, 2005, 12:54:09 »

No Tim, he was preparing his for his runner beans the other day, cabbages went in untouched soil. Will try and get my camera over there between the downpours, I put some greyhound cabbage seeds in a few weeks back. They started showing about 2 weeks ago. They are probably about 8-10 inches in height now. My neighbour put his plants in about the same time, Durham early I think. Hes had to remove the netting from around them because they have grown to big. His carrots have about 1-1.5 ft of foilage.
I'm not envious, (yes right) but have taken in a lot of what he's up-to. After all this is my first year, most things seem to be growing. Even got some carrots to show (2ND attempt).
Will wait for your experienced comments as regards the tiller.

tim · « **Reply #37 on:** May 22, 2005, 13:13:16 »

Well, I'm envious!!

Merlins Mum · « **Reply #38 on:** May 22, 2005, 14:32:12 »

Quote from: Roy Bham UK on May 21, 2005, 22:15:07

Incidentally, I e-mailed Mantis asking if they sold off the returned units from their 365 day refund promise and they said yes...the price £259.95 with a full guarantee, does that price tag ring a bell?
http://www.nepine.co.uk/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=99

Sorry Roy I forgot to respond to this. Thought £259.95 sounded such a bargain but I'm a bit worried now, after all you could be buying one that's almost a year old. Hardly new then is it? I know they would check it over before sending it out again but still . . . . . . :-\

MM

kitty · « **Reply #39 on:** May 22, 2005, 16:54:15 »

mm..i think thats sounds a bit dodgy really-dont you?-i mean-thats a second hand machine-whichever way you look at it..and even if its had a tip top service and they've cleaned it up-its still 2nd hand..and its not advertised as such..dayam!thought you'd found a bargain there mm..

and how come they have an abundance of the £259 machines?it doesnt say-'limited supplyu'...oberhooger!now i'm back to not knowing.. :(
TIM!
give us a full report tomorrow night when you've done a test drive!
i expect it will be loads better than your electric mantis ;)
which you'll probably be putting on the market ;)
on tuesday ;)

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Author Topic: Anyone used a Honda tiller ? (Read 18317 times)