Rotovator

[OliveOil]

Just received info on the Mantis Tiller - I'm so tempted now that they are offering 4 monthly installments!!!! Arghhh what to do!

[OliveOil]

[quizzical1]

Mantis Tiller is ONLY a lightweight machine, suitable only really for breaking up the surface, not really designed for wholesale digging of an allotment.
Ideal for going in between rows though.

[Barnowl]

The website says it goes down 10 inches - isn't that about one spit and surely that's enough?

[John_Pearce]

I've had a Mantis for 3 years.  Doesn't go too deep and you have to run over the ground twice to get the 10" deep but couldn't do without it.  Lot of money initially but the small motor just keeps on going with little maintenance and I've run over the whole plot four times each year and I'm still on my first 5l of unleaded so not too expensive to run.

Saved me at least two slipped discs digging in the past two years at my back of the envelope rates. 

John :)

[tim]

DON'T like it - much prefer the Honda, which does a real job & is still portable.

10" yes - if you spend several minutes rocking it back & forth.

There was much chat about it some time ago - try Searchiing?

[kenkew]

Had my Mantis about 11 years. Still does me good.

[cornykev]

How much are they OO.  Looks a good job done to me KenKew, talking of jobs I think your dog is about to do one on your plants.   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[tim]

And your soil, Ken, is.....?

[Wasp_Box]

The Mantis is not designed for heavy duty use. I looked at one but I don't think it would last 10 mins in my clay soil.

I ended up buying an ancient beast in an auction. Cost me £50 and, after a swift tune-up it's been doing a fantastic job for the last 5 years without a problem.

Top tip: if you ever pop over to France, you'll find that rotovators are about half the price that you would pay in the UK (search Garden Centres and Supermarkets). More than pays for the ferry crossing. Thats where I'm heading when the beast dies (it will probably see me out).

[RobinOfTheHood]

And your soil, Ken, is.....?

Brown.


;D ;D ;D

[cornykev]

Manured. ;D ;D ;D

[mellor]

i'd say if you've got a lot of work for it then get an old beast like wasp-box.  i managed to get hold of an old rotavator that cost next to nowt just needed a bit of tinkering.

has been a god send to help with my very heavy clay soil, makes mixing muck and sand in very easy. and if you get one that can remove a set of tines it becomes light enough to quickly run over a bed to make a fine tilth.

[OliveOil]

My soil is quite loamy but at the moment quite wet... I'm thinking it would be good when it all dries out a bit.  I just cant face the digging!  Its been reduced to £289 incl delivery and a free lawn edger - plus the 4 monthly payments sounds good to me.  And a 1 year money back guarantee if your not happy with it!

It'll be a good few weeks before my soil dries out yet so time to still think about it.

Thanks for your responses.

[cornykev]

Give it a bash for a year then send it back. ;D ;D ;D

[ruffmeister]

buy one on ebay when its our of rotorvator season, our lottie site has a picture of the one we got off ebay, a non runner for 99p yes 99p, tweak here and there now it works and would live without it!! heheh

[OliveOil]

Yeah but its rotovator season almost now.... My neighbour has kinda just offered to go halves!  He's my actual neighbour and lotty neighbour so could work out well.