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First Time Post: Red Ox Tiller
I thought I'd share my experieces with this group on my recent quest
for a garden tiller. When I started looking for a tiller I had some difficulty finding reviews on some of the tillers I was looking at. So maybe this will help someone else. I have a relatively small backyard garden, about 25x17 feet. I don't do gardening as a to dye for hobby. I just like fresh veggys and wanted a tiller to make it easier. I shyed away from the "mini" tillers such as the mantis and small Honda thinking they were too small. I thought I might want to relocate my plot to a new area in the yard sometime later where the soil would be very hard. I had borrowed a mini tiller from a neighbor once. Works good for weed removal but doesn't really till very deep. So I wanted something that could break new ground or just weed during the planting season. So I desired something small but still big enough for virgin garden soil. I first purchased the Troy-bilt "tuffy" model, which has a 4 hp B&S engine and rear tines. It's their smallest full sized tiller. After looking at the Sears models which were the right price, but appeared poorly constructed and some of the very pricy Hondas I quickly found there wasn't much out there in the small to mid-size range. After assembling the Troybilt I got a flyer in the mail about a mid sized tiller called Red Ox. Sold by a company in PA by mail. It sports a Honda engine which I favor over the 30 year old design B&S. It was smaller than the Troybilt and was a forward tine design. So I thought it might be more maneuverable than the Troy. It weighed in at 50lbs. so still fairly light. I was concerned it may be too small. But I decided to try it and I ordered it. Well I was delighted this weekend to try the Red Ox. The 2.5hp Honda engine is so quiet. Much quieter than the Briggs on the Troy. The machine is constructed in France, the body is plastic (yes I was skeptical too), of the same thick material as some of the Honda mowers. It has regular bolo tines (forged, heat treated) like the Troy but unlike the mantis saw blade type tines. So when it hit the dirt it comes up small and fluffy. Ready for planting. It easily tills to 12" deep. And is very easy to handle in my small garden. Not as powerful as the Troy so it may have a problem with Sod breakup. In fact I think this small Troy would probably struggle with that too (bigger rental tiller is in order). And a bit slower than the Troy. But the Ox is half the size and weight so I'm much more likely to get it out mid season and till the weeds. The Ox also adjusts in width of till for narrow 8" clean up to 24" (I haven't tried it wider than 15"...the wider tines are an option) I can carry the Ox from the garden shed to the garden. So the Troy went back to the home center. All in all it's worth a look for the small gardener. A good compromise between the small "cultivators" and the rental tillers. I'm quite happy. |
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