Mantis tiller
 

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce

Mantis tiller
 

Bruce Yates wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce


I have a Mantis tiller and I hate it. If you have sandy soil, it might
work for you to cultivate existing beds -- if you can get it started.
There is no way it will work on sod.

I've heard good things about the little Honda tiller.

Best regards,
Bob

Mantis tiller
 

Bruce Yates wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce

I bought a Mantis tiller many years ago. Sent it back for a refund.
Bought a Honda FG-100 a couple of years ago. It'll till rings around
the Mantis plus, it's a four stroke so, no gas/oil mixing.
That being said, the Honda FG-100, even though it is far superior to
the Mantis, would be hopeless at breaking any amount of sod for new
beds.
Ross
Eliminate obvious to email.

Mantis tiller
 

I had a mantis, hated it as well. Sold it. It bounced on the soil, and
that was only WHEN i could get it started! What a joke that was!
Roz

Mantis tiller
 

Ross Reid wrote:
Bruce Yates wrote:


Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce


I bought a Mantis tiller many years ago. Sent it back for a refund.
Bought a Honda FG-100 a couple of years ago. It'll till rings around
the Mantis plus, it's a four stroke so, no gas/oil mixing.
That being said, the Honda FG-100, even though it is far superior to
the Mantis, would be hopeless at breaking any amount of sod for new
beds.
Ross
Eliminate obvious to email.

I guess I'm in the minority on this one. I bought a Mantis a few years
ago and it amazes me. I had a section of yard complete with a maze of
pine tree roots that I could hardly dig up with a shovel, pick, and ax.
I must have worked on it for about an hour and only got about a 3x3 foot
square dug up. When the mantis showed up, I fired it up and did the
whole area in about 15 minutes.

I've seen very little that can stop it.

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

Steve Calvin wrote:
Ross Reid wrote:

Bruce Yates wrote:


Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce



I bought a Mantis tiller many years ago. Sent it back for a refund.
Bought a Honda FG-100 a couple of years ago. It'll till rings around
the Mantis plus, it's a four stroke so, no gas/oil mixing.
That being said, the Honda FG-100, even though it is far superior to
the Mantis, would be hopeless at breaking any amount of sod for new
beds.
Ross
Eliminate obvious to email.


I guess I'm in the minority on this one. I bought a Mantis a few years
ago and it amazes me. I had a section of yard complete with a maze of
pine tree roots that I could hardly dig up with a shovel, pick, and ax.
I must have worked on it for about an hour and only got about a 3x3 foot
square dug up. When the mantis showed up, I fired it up and did the
whole area in about 15 minutes.

I've seen very little that can stop it.


ps. except maybe clay... I've never tried that.

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

Steve Calvin wrote:

Steve Calvin wrote:
Ross Reid wrote:

Bruce Yates wrote:


Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce



I bought a Mantis tiller many years ago. Sent it back for a refund.
Bought a Honda FG-100 a couple of years ago. It'll till rings around
the Mantis plus, it's a four stroke so, no gas/oil mixing.
That being said, the Honda FG-100, even though it is far superior to
the Mantis, would be hopeless at breaking any amount of sod for new
beds.
Ross
Eliminate obvious to email.


I guess I'm in the minority on this one. I bought a Mantis a few years
ago and it amazes me. I had a section of yard complete with a maze of
pine tree roots that I could hardly dig up with a shovel, pick, and ax.
I must have worked on it for about an hour and only got about a 3x3 foot
square dug up. When the mantis showed up, I fired it up and did the
whole area in about 15 minutes.

I've seen very little that can stop it.


ps. except maybe clay... I've never tried that.

--
Steve

I live in Dallas with a very heavy clay soil.
My Mantis does well. I have never had startup problems either.

Hope this helps

--
Bob Mounger

Mantis tiller
 

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:32:03 -0600, Bruce Yates
wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?


I wonder if you could rent one and try it out? I'm thinking
of those Taylor and similar rental places - don't know if
they'd have them or not.

Pat
-- Pat Meadows
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

Mantis tiller
 

Bob Mounger wrote:
Steve Calvin wrote:

I guess I'm in the minority on this one. I bought a Mantis a few years
ago and it amazes me. I had a section of yard complete with a maze of
pine tree roots that I could hardly dig up with a shovel, pick, and ax.
I must have worked on it for about an hour and only got about a 3x3 foot
square dug up. When the mantis showed up, I fired it up and did the
whole area in about 15 minutes.

I've seen very little that can stop it.


ps. except maybe clay... I've never tried that.

--
Steve


I live in Dallas with a very heavy clay soil.
My Mantis does well. I have never had startup problems either.

Hope this helps


Good to know. I guess maybe we're just lucky? My usual description of it
when someone asks is that "it's an animal".

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:32:03 -0600, Bruce Yates
wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

My experience is years out of date now, but my Mantis was *extrememly*
sturdy. My problem was getting it started, and someone posted a method
either here or in rec.gardens within the past month of a secret method
to start the critter. I only tried to break sod as an experimental
exercise when I first got it, and it it *did* have the muscle. Big
problem there was roots winding around the edges.

The big plus was the small size and light weight -- easy to move,
store, transport, etc.

Mantis tiller
 

What was the secret?

regards, bob

Frogleg wrote:

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:32:03 -0600, Bruce Yates
wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

My experience is years out of date now, but my Mantis was *extrememly*
sturdy. My problem was getting it started, and someone posted a method
either here or in rec.gardens within the past month of a secret method
to start the critter. I only tried to break sod as an experimental
exercise when I first got it, and it it *did* have the muscle. Big
problem there was roots winding around the edges.

The big plus was the small size and light weight -- easy to move,
store, transport, etc.

Mantis tiller
 

Xref: news7 rec.gardens.edible:50417

zxcvbob wrote:
What was the secret?

regards, bob

Frogleg wrote:

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:32:03 -0600, Bruce Yates
wrote:


Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

My experience is years out of date now, but my Mantis was *extrememly*
sturdy. My problem was getting it started, and someone posted a method
either here or in rec.gardens within the past month of a secret method
to start the critter. I only tried to break sod as an experimental
exercise when I first got it, and it it *did* have the muscle. Big
problem there was roots winding around the edges.

The big plus was the small size and light weight -- easy to move,
store, transport, etc.


Make sure that the mix in the gas is correct first off. I start by
shaking the tiller a few time to make sure that the gas in the tank is
mixed. Pull the choke all the way out (don't forget to turn the switch
on.... don't ask... ;-) ) Quick rope pulls until the engine spits
like it wants to start. Push the choke in about 50% and it should fire
right up, unless the plugs fouled from improper mix.

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

My brother in-law purchased a mantis tiller a few years back and noticed
that the transmission case located between the tines gets hot after about a
half hour use. He can't find a place to lubricate it anywhere and assumes
this to be normal but who knows? There has never been any sign of leakage
around the case. He has decided to let it cool after about 15 minutes of use
then continue again. Possibly the factory may have accidentally left the
lubricant out! I am wondering if anyone has experienced this same condition
with their mantis. Thank you

Mantis tiller
 

Andy N wrote:
My brother in-law purchased a mantis tiller a few years back and noticed
that the transmission case located between the tines gets hot after about a
half hour use. He can't find a place to lubricate it anywhere and assumes
this to be normal but who knows? There has never been any sign of leakage
around the case. He has decided to let it cool after about 15 minutes of use
then continue again. Possibly the factory may have accidentally left the
lubricant out! I am wondering if anyone has experienced this same condition
with their mantis. Thank you



Hm, never took any notice actually. Next time I fire it up for a while
I'll pay attention, but it's gonna be a while before it time here to
start doin' that kind of stuff. :-(

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

"Bruce Yates" wrote in message
...
Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

I'm not sure about breaking sod, depends on which mantis you buy. I'd go
for the one with the 4-stroke honda enegine, it's similar to the red ox.

I rented the 2-cycle once and had trouble starting it like others, it did
seem very tempermental.

I've never used the 4-stroke. Honda themselves has a nice looking small
4-stroke you might want to check out. I have a large honda rear tine and
it's been very reliable.

--
Bob Provencher
ICQ 881862
AIM bproven

Mantis tiller
 

Bob Provencher wrote:
"Bruce Yates" wrote in message
...

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?


I'm not sure about breaking sod, depends on which mantis you buy. I'd go
for the one with the 4-stroke honda enegine, it's similar to the red ox.

I rented the 2-cycle once and had trouble starting it like others, it did
seem very tempermental.

I've never used the 4-stroke. Honda themselves has a nice looking small
4-stroke you might want to check out. I have a large honda rear tine and
it's been very reliable.

--
Bob Provencher
ICQ 881862
AIM bproven





If you use the starting procedure that I outlined in earlier posts it
shouldn't be any problem.

Also, one thing about the Mantis that is different than "normal"
tillers is that you do NOT till in a forward direction, you pull the
tiller toward you. If anyone tried to till forward, then I could
understand them saying that it worked like crap.

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

Steve Calvin wrote:

Snip

If you use the starting procedure that I outlined in earlier posts it
shouldn't be any problem.

Also, one thing about the Mantis that is different than "normal"
tillers is that you do NOT till in a forward direction, you pull the
tiller toward you. If anyone tried to till forward, then I could
understand them saying that it worked like crap.

Does that mean one has to get their mother to operate it for them?
Mothers being the only ones I know that have eyes in the back of their
heads.

Ross
Eliminate obvious to email.

Mantis tiller
 

Ross Reid wrote:
Steve Calvin wrote:

Snip


If you use the starting procedure that I outlined in earlier posts it
shouldn't be any problem.

Also, one thing about the Mantis that is different than "normal"
tillers is that you do NOT till in a forward direction, you pull the
tiller toward you. If anyone tried to till forward, then I could
understand them saying that it worked like crap.


Does that mean one has to get their mother to operate it for them?
Mothers being the only ones I know that have eyes in the back of their
heads.

Ross
Eliminate obvious to email.

Actually it's fairly simple for someone with any amount of coordination.

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

In article ,
says...

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

Thanks,
Bruce
My Mantis is a terrific tool for cultivating an established garden with not
too many rocks. It is not a sod buster. If you can keep a chain saw running you
will have no trouble getting the Mantis to start and run well. Its greatest
point is the ability to work in small spaces shallow and deep. One thing to
understand is that the Mantis is not a "walk-behind" tiller. To do well you
pull them and mostly walk backwards. They are just a completely different breed
of animal from a standard tiller. An active person with a large garden probably
needs two tillers. I use a new Mantis and a 35 year old Merry Tiller. I did
not ever like the Troy horses...very unwieldy and good mainly in the early
spring or late fall for large jobs that really need a full fledged tractor. The
worst of all were the worm gear walk behinds. The Merry with its efficient and
relatively light chain drive and weight directly over the tines is still
probably the most versatile and well designed of all the tillers ever built.

Mantis tiller
 

My Mantis is a terrific tool for cultivating an established garden with not
too many rocks. It is not a sod buster. If you can keep a chain saw running you
will have no trouble getting the Mantis to start and run well.


I have to disagree with this. I have 2 Echo chainsaws and an Echo weed
trimmer that I have no problems with at all. The engine on the Mantis is
the same brand, and in fact it looks like the same engine as the weed
trimmer, but it is far more temperamental. I think maybe it needs a new
carburator, but I use the same gas (Echo or Stihl oil plus Amoco "silver"
gasoline) in all four 2-cycle engines and I maintain them the same. The
Mantis is the only one that causes trouble. Even when I get it started, it
is impossible to adjust the carb to keep it to running right.

Best regards,
Bob

Mantis tiller
 

Mantis tiller
 

Aaron Baugher wrote:
snip
I'm no small engine expert, but I can generally get a stubborn
chainsaw or lawnmower to at least run well enough to get by. It
appears that if I want to use my Mantis again I'll have to pay to have
it worked on. My own fault, of course, for not storing it properly
for the winter; but prospective buyers should be aware that they will
need to take very good care of it.



All that I've ever done with mine is to fill the tank with winter
stabilized gas and put it away. Throw a new plug in it in the spring,
shake it up and start it. No problem (knock on wood) for 5 years so far.

--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

I've had a mantis tiller for years and at one point used it to dig a 6
foot diameter by 6 foot deep hole for a huge tree. I couldn't have done
it without it, it worked great !

On Fri, 31 Jan 2003, Steve Calvin wrote:

zxcvbob wrote:
What was the secret?

regards, bob

Frogleg wrote:

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:32:03 -0600, Bruce Yates
wrote:


Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

I had a troy built years ago and loved it, but sold it after back
surgery. Went to square foot gardening a couple of years ago and am
considering one for my small garden, flower beds, etc.

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

My experience is years out of date now, but my Mantis was *extrememly*
sturdy. My problem was getting it started, and someone posted a method
either here or in rec.gardens within the past month of a secret method
to start the critter. I only tried to break sod as an experimental
exercise when I first got it, and it it *did* have the muscle. Big
problem there was roots winding around the edges.

The big plus was the small size and light weight -- easy to move,
store, transport, etc.


Make sure that the mix in the gas is correct first off. I start by
shaking the tiller a few time to make sure that the gas in the tank is
mixed. Pull the choke all the way out (don't forget to turn the switch
on.... don't ask... ;-) ) Quick rope pulls until the engine spits
like it wants to start. Push the choke in about 50% and it should fire
right up, unless the plugs fouled from improper mix.



--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Deborah J. Cahillane | Computer Science Computing Facility
| 140 Govenors Drive, Room 120
(413) 545-4296 -- Phone | University of Massachusetts
(413) 577-2285 -- Fax | Amherst, MA 01002-4610
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Mantis tiller
 

In article ,
Bruce Yates wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

I just purchased a Mantis and wish I had done it years ago. We were
putting in a garden (10 X 20) at our daughter's. The bed had been
garden many, many years ago and was a weedy, littered mess. It was
bordered by probably a 3-4 foot band of tiger lilies. We were doing it
with a spading fork and a Garden Claw and I was mumbling and grumbling
when my wife said let's get a tiller. I'd done my research over the
last couple of years and had even posted a question about the Mantis to
this group. I knew that was what I wanted. We bought one, brought it
back, and it tore up the garden. Yes, vines and long grass would wrap
around the axle, but the tines are easily removed and the mess cleans
out nicely. It bucked on hard packed ground, but it didn't take a lot of
effort to stay with it and get the hard pack tilled. This plot also had
collected a great deal of rock, wire, metal, just plain trash. The
Mantis didn't fail. It dug the 'treasures' up. I was amazed at how
quickly it did the project considering it's not very wide. The big old
tillers I had worked with in the past required many trips through the
garden to break up the clods. The Mantis with it's suggested 'vacuum
sweeper' way of push/pulling the tiller did it without having to do
multiple trips through the plot. It worked so well, I got talked into
tilling up an area for a narrow flower bed. This must have been a
driveway at one time because there were more rocks than dirt. The
Mantis broke it up to where we could rake the rocks away. We brought in
bags of dirt and came up with a nice flower bed. My son is using my
Mantis to break sod in his yard for new beds. It's certainly not as easy
as tilling up an existing bed or even the old bed at my daughter's, but
it works. Just requires the operator to work a little slower and stay
on top of it more. My wife has a reasonably large garden (15X50) that
she had tilled several years ago. Since then she has used the Garden
Claw to break up small areas as she needs them, but this season uses the
Mantis. It's small enough that she can work small areas easily without
disturbing already planted sections, work around existing plants, etc.
It's light weight allows her to carry it from section to section, she
can easily clean the tines when she's done, and it starts up reasonably
well.
If I have a bone to pick with it it would be with the start. We
spent an extra $30.00 and got the quick/easy start model. There's no
yanking on the starter cord like on an old mower, rather it ratchets
itself as one slowly pulls the cord. In theory after about the 3
'ratchet' it fires up. Other than the time they showed me in the shop
how to do it I've never been that successful with it. I may not be
priming it enough so need to experiment with that. Of course we can't
find the manual or video tape that goes over everything (been doing so
much outside work, the house hasn't kinda gotten to be a mess!) I've
never had it not start, it just takes a little longer than what I
thought it would. It always starts right up after it's fired up the
first time and I shut it down for lunch, etc.
The Mantis comes in four models: standard, quick start, electric,
and one with a 4-cycle honda engine. I asked about the one with the
Honda engine and was told that while it is a good engine and offers the
convenience of not having to mix gas/oil, it is hard to get parts for
and considerably more expensive to repair, plus it's initial cost is
higher. The edger attachment that came with it is not overly
beneficial. I tried edging the curb with it. The wheel to cutter
distance is greater than the curb width so it was difficult keeping the
wheel down and the cutter in line. It may be easier on a standard width
sidewalk or fine for cutting an edge to separate the lawn from a bed.
I am amazed with this tiny machine every time I use it. It's easy
and has done everything I've asked it to do and usually better than I
expected. Obviously I can't speak to its reliability in the long haul,
but figure if I follow the maintenance directions (assuming I can find
the manual), we'll be ok. Don't know if I want to be tilling things
under with it when I'm 90, but I have a friend whose mother is 80 and
she has had the standard one for years and still works her garden with
it each spring.
Hope this helps.
Larry Dawson )

Mantis tiller
 

"Larry Dawson" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Bruce Yates wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting ....snip


I just sold my Troy built ...3.75 HP small unit no reverse. I think a
useful accessory would have been a rupture truss as that thing was a bear to
turn around. My wife bought to my surprise a Mantis. What could that weed
wacker on wheels do???? I'll tell you that it is a near pleasure to use.
It isn't effortless but it is one heck of a lot easier than that Troy built
which is a quality product. But try getting the TB up a 9 inch step to the
shed ....truss time again. I would definitely recommend the Mantis to
anyone who does not have a huge garden.

PS It even did a section of my buddy's grass for a new bed....excellent job.

Tom nr Pittsburgh

Mantis tiller
 

The key thing for me is how deep can it till? I can hand till down to about
a foot.

"Larry Dawson" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Bruce Yates wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

I just purchased a Mantis and wish I had done it years ago. We were
putting in a garden (10 X 20) at our daughter's. The bed had been
garden many, many years ago and was a weedy, littered mess. It was
bordered by probably a 3-4 foot band of tiger lilies. We were doing it
with a spading fork and a Garden Claw and I was mumbling and grumbling
when my wife said let's get a tiller. I'd done my research over the
last couple of years and had even posted a question about the Mantis to
this group. I knew that was what I wanted. We bought one, brought it
back, and it tore up the garden. Yes, vines and long grass would wrap
around the axle, but the tines are easily removed and the mess cleans
out nicely. It bucked on hard packed ground, but it didn't take a lot of
effort to stay with it and get the hard pack tilled. This plot also had
collected a great deal of rock, wire, metal, just plain trash. The
Mantis didn't fail. It dug the 'treasures' up. I was amazed at how
quickly it did the project considering it's not very wide. The big old
tillers I had worked with in the past required many trips through the
garden to break up the clods. The Mantis with it's suggested 'vacuum
sweeper' way of push/pulling the tiller did it without having to do
multiple trips through the plot. It worked so well, I got talked into
tilling up an area for a narrow flower bed. This must have been a
driveway at one time because there were more rocks than dirt. The
Mantis broke it up to where we could rake the rocks away. We brought in
bags of dirt and came up with a nice flower bed. My son is using my
Mantis to break sod in his yard for new beds. It's certainly not as easy
as tilling up an existing bed or even the old bed at my daughter's, but
it works. Just requires the operator to work a little slower and stay
on top of it more. My wife has a reasonably large garden (15X50) that
she had tilled several years ago. Since then she has used the Garden
Claw to break up small areas as she needs them, but this season uses the
Mantis. It's small enough that she can work small areas easily without
disturbing already planted sections, work around existing plants, etc.
It's light weight allows her to carry it from section to section, she
can easily clean the tines when she's done, and it starts up reasonably
well.
If I have a bone to pick with it it would be with the start. We
spent an extra $30.00 and got the quick/easy start model. There's no
yanking on the starter cord like on an old mower, rather it ratchets
itself as one slowly pulls the cord. In theory after about the 3
'ratchet' it fires up. Other than the time they showed me in the shop
how to do it I've never been that successful with it. I may not be
priming it enough so need to experiment with that. Of course we can't
find the manual or video tape that goes over everything (been doing so
much outside work, the house hasn't kinda gotten to be a mess!) I've
never had it not start, it just takes a little longer than what I
thought it would. It always starts right up after it's fired up the
first time and I shut it down for lunch, etc.
The Mantis comes in four models: standard, quick start, electric,
and one with a 4-cycle honda engine. I asked about the one with the
Honda engine and was told that while it is a good engine and offers the
convenience of not having to mix gas/oil, it is hard to get parts for
and considerably more expensive to repair, plus it's initial cost is
higher. The edger attachment that came with it is not overly
beneficial. I tried edging the curb with it. The wheel to cutter
distance is greater than the curb width so it was difficult keeping the
wheel down and the cutter in line. It may be easier on a standard width
sidewalk or fine for cutting an edge to separate the lawn from a bed.
I am amazed with this tiny machine every time I use it. It's easy
and has done everything I've asked it to do and usually better than I
expected. Obviously I can't speak to its reliability in the long haul,
but figure if I follow the maintenance directions (assuming I can find
the manual), we'll be ok. Don't know if I want to be tilling things
under with it when I'm 90, but I have a friend whose mother is 80 and
she has had the standard one for years and still works her garden with
it each spring.
Hope this helps.
Larry Dawson )

Mantis tiller
 

FDR wrote:

The key thing for me is how deep can it till? I can hand till down to about
a foot.


It can go about a foot deep if you go over it a couple of times. If you
can get it started. I'm trying to decide whether to order a new
carburator for mine, or just throw it away. Seriously; throw it away.

And the attachments.

I tried to start mine today, and of course it wouldn't start. It never
starts. The thing has been a piece of crap ever since I bought it 11
years ago. I have 3 other Echo chainsaws and weed cutters, and I never
have any trouble starting them. I guess the Mantis folks had Echo build
a crappy engine to their exacting specifications.

Best regards,
Bob

Mantis tiller
 

zxcvbob writes:

It can go about a foot deep if you go over it a couple of times. If
you can get it started. I'm trying to decide whether to order a new
carburator for mine, or just throw it away. Seriously; throw it
away.

Sounds familiar. Mine started and ran fine the first year, but then I
didn't winterize it properly, and it got gummed up with bad gas the
next spring. Completely my fault, of course. I tinkered with it a
little, got nowhere, and ended up just storing it for a few years.

This year I decided to get it running. I replaced the fuel filter,
put in good new gas with the proper oil mix (Mantis brand oil, even),
completely dismantled and cleaned the carb (it had deposits from bad
gas in the bottom), and cleaned the spark plug. Two-stroke engines
aren't very complicated; so that's really everything that can be done.
It starts and idles poorly, and then dies as soon as I accelerate.
Fiddling with the mixture adjustment needles doesn't seem to help.

The only thing I haven't replaced yet is the bubble, which cracked and
fell apart after a few years. Maybe that's keeping it from getting
enough gas somehow. (Whoever invented the Bubble should be shot, by
the way.)

Can anyone tell me which adjustment needle is idle and which is
high-throttle? Or do those needles perform a different function on
this carb? I don't seem to have my owner's manual anymore.

Anyway, if you can keep it running, it does a very nice job of tilling
clean soil. Tall grass and weeds wind up badly, so mow those off
close to the ground and rake them away, if possible.


--
Aaron

Mantis tiller
 

Larry Dawson wrote:

In article ,
Bruce Yates wrote:

Can anyone give me their opinion on the Mantis tiller?

How good is it at breaking sod for new planting beds?

I just purchased a Mantis and wish I had done it years ago. We were
putting in a garden (10 X 20) at our daughter's.

(Snip praise about Mantis.)

An alternative to look at is the small Honda tiller. Mine works well.
Have only had it about 2 years so don't know about durability and
reliability.

--
Susan N.

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who do not.

Mantis tiller
 

As for starting it: I've had mine for about 5 years and haven't had a
problem.
I push the primer "button" 4 times. put it on full choke and pull. The
first time it "spits" like it wants to start, turn the choke off and it
should start right up.

For winters, I add gas stabilizer to the gas and run it enough so that I
know the stabilized gas has filled the float bowl. Then I make sure that
the tank is full and put it away. Never had a problem.





--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

Steve:

It seems most folks don't consider gas stabilizer, but I'm quite sure it has
really helped me also. My days of tough starts in the spring seem to be
over.

In late summer/early fall, I just start adding it to my main gasoline can
before I go to the gas station to fill it. Mixes in really well that way.
Then I just keep up with the chores, and the stabilizer is in all the carbs
at the end of the season.

Great for occasional use items like the Mantis, and also chainsaws.

Cya! Wacko

"Steve Calvin" wrote in message
...
As for starting it: I've had mine for about 5 years and haven't had a
problem.
I push the primer "button" 4 times. put it on full choke and pull. The
first time it "spits" like it wants to start, turn the choke off and it
should start right up.

For winters, I add gas stabilizer to the gas and run it enough so that I
know the stabilized gas has filled the float bowl. Then I make sure that
the tank is full and put it away. Never had a problem.





--
Steve

Mantis tiller
 

Wacko! wrote:
Steve:

It seems most folks don't consider gas stabilizer, but I'm quite sure it has
really helped me also. My days of tough starts in the spring seem to be
over.

In late summer/early fall, I just start adding it to my main gasoline can
before I go to the gas station to fill it. Mixes in really well that way.
Then I just keep up with the chores, and the stabilizer is in all the carbs
at the end of the season.

Great for occasional use items like the Mantis, and also chainsaws.

Cya! Wacko

Yup, I put it in the mantis, motorcycle, lawnmower, Vette, weedwacker,
chainsaw,
and run it all winter in the snowblower and I've never had a problem
with starting in the spring.


--
Steve