Richard's question got me to thinking...

I've been thinking of getting one of those small tillers to cultivate
small spaces and weed between plants after they are up and growing.

I always find the little 2 stroke engines a real pain in the butt to
start. I'm ready to give up on string trimmers because of this. I notice
the little tillers can have either 2 or 4 stroke engines. I was thinking
I would get the 4 stroke. They should be cleaner and quieter and MAYBE
would be easier to start.

What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
news
Richard's question got me to thinking...
What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?

I have a Mantis that is a two stroke. I also have a larger honda tiller
that is a 4 stroke and I love it. If you are looking for a small 4 stroke
tiller I know Honda has the FG100
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/fg100.htm that is close to the size of
the Mantis.

In general 4 stroke technology is getting a lot better. I agree those in
the other thread that predicted 2 strokes going away. About the only thing
you may need a 2 stroke for is an application where the motor can't be kept
level such as chainsaws.

Thanks Bob.

Steve


Bob Provencher wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message
news
Richard's question got me to thinking...
What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?


I have a Mantis that is a two stroke. I also have a larger honda tiller
that is a 4 stroke and I love it. If you are looking for a small 4 stroke
tiller I know Honda has the FG100
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/fg100.htm that is close to the size of
the Mantis.

In general 4 stroke technology is getting a lot better. I agree those in
the other thread that predicted 2 strokes going away. About the only thing
you may need a 2 stroke for is an application where the motor can't be kept
level such as chainsaws.

Hi All.

I have a 2 stroke stimmer [ to cut grass in case you call it by another
name] and seems to start o.k. from what I have read from this board you
have a lot worse winters than we do, and you have most of the problems after
winter. from what you people have said, I would think very carefully before
you buy a 2 stroke. as you may be left with usless piece of equipment.

Richard M. Watkin.

"Steve" wrote in message
news
Richard's question got me to thinking...

I've been thinking of getting one of those small tillers to cultivate
small spaces and weed between plants after they are up and growing.

I always find the little 2 stroke engines a real pain in the butt to
start. I'm ready to give up on string trimmers because of this. I notice
the little tillers can have either 2 or 4 stroke engines. I was thinking
I would get the 4 stroke. They should be cleaner and quieter and MAYBE
would be easier to start.

What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?

Steve

Hi All.

I have a 2 stroke stimmer [ to cut grass in case you call it by another
name] and seems to start o.k. from what I have read from this board you
have a lot worse winters than we do, and you have most of the problems after
winter. from what you people have said, I would think very carefully before
you buy a 2 stroke. as you may be left with usless piece of equipment.

Richard M. Watkin.

"Steve" wrote in message
news
Richard's question got me to thinking...

I've been thinking of getting one of those small tillers to cultivate
small spaces and weed between plants after they are up and growing.

I always find the little 2 stroke engines a real pain in the butt to
start. I'm ready to give up on string trimmers because of this. I notice
the little tillers can have either 2 or 4 stroke engines. I was thinking
I would get the 4 stroke. They should be cleaner and quieter and MAYBE
would be easier to start.

What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?

Steve

Hi All.

I have a 2 stroke stimmer [ to cut grass in case you call it by another
name] and seems to start o.k. from what I have read from this board you
have a lot worse winters than we do, and you have most of the problems after
winter. from what you people have said, I would think very carefully before
you buy a 2 stroke. as you may be left with usless piece of equipment.

Richard M. Watkin.

"Steve" wrote in message
news
Richard's question got me to thinking...

I've been thinking of getting one of those small tillers to cultivate
small spaces and weed between plants after they are up and growing.

I always find the little 2 stroke engines a real pain in the butt to
start. I'm ready to give up on string trimmers because of this. I notice
the little tillers can have either 2 or 4 stroke engines. I was thinking
I would get the 4 stroke. They should be cleaner and quieter and MAYBE
would be easier to start.

What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?

Steve

Steve wrote:

Richard's question got me to thinking...

I've been thinking of getting one of those small tillers to cultivate
small spaces and weed between plants after they are up and growing.

I always find the little 2 stroke engines a real pain in the butt to
start. I'm ready to give up on string trimmers because of this. I notice
the little tillers can have either 2 or 4 stroke engines. I was thinking
I would get the 4 stroke. They should be cleaner and quieter and MAYBE
would be easier to start.

What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?

Steve


Yup. I have the Mantis and it always starts just fine. I do put some
winter stabilizer in the gas and run it to get it into the carb for
winter storage.

To start it (assuming that you use the correct oil mix) just hit the
primer 4 times, put the choke on full and pull the cord until it just
starts to sputter. Then put the choke in and pull it and it should
fire right up. Assuming that you've remembered to put the kill switch
into the run position. (gee, bet you're wondering how I know that huh?
;-) )

The thing's an animal for digging. I love it. I wouldn't want to do a
very large area with it but it's a digging fool.

--
Steve

Men are from Earth. Women are from Earth. Deal with it.

Steve Calvin wrote:

Yup. I have the Mantis and it always starts just fine. I do put some
winter stabilizer in the gas and run it to get it into the carb for
winter storage.

To start it (assuming that you use the correct oil mix) just hit the
primer 4 times, put the choke on full and pull the cord until it just
starts to sputter. Then put the choke in and pull it and it should fire
right up. Assuming that you've remembered to put the kill switch into
the run position. (gee, bet you're wondering how I know that huh? ;-) )

The thing's an animal for digging. I love it. I wouldn't want to do a
very large area with it but it's a digging fool.


Well, that's good to know. The experience with my new string trimmer has
almost made me want to give up on anything with a 2 stroke engine. I put
fresh fuel with the proper oil mixture in it when I wanted to use it for
the first time last June. It was new, right out of the box. It didn't
start and I followed the directions exactly. It was from Sears so I
called the help line they provide. The only help they could offer was to
read the exact same starting directions I already had followed.
I got it started twice all summer. I tried and failed about a dozen
times. I actually used it once for several minutes until I stalled the
engine and couldn't start it again.
Obviously, I'm not real happy about this. I put fuel stabilizer in it
this fall but couldn't start it to run it through the engine.

Steve

Steve Calvin wrote:

Yup. I have the Mantis and it always starts just fine. I do put some
winter stabilizer in the gas and run it to get it into the carb for
winter storage.

To start it (assuming that you use the correct oil mix) just hit the
primer 4 times, put the choke on full and pull the cord until it just
starts to sputter. Then put the choke in and pull it and it should fire
right up. Assuming that you've remembered to put the kill switch into
the run position. (gee, bet you're wondering how I know that huh? ;-) )

The thing's an animal for digging. I love it. I wouldn't want to do a
very large area with it but it's a digging fool.


Well, that's good to know. The experience with my new string trimmer has
almost made me want to give up on anything with a 2 stroke engine. I put
fresh fuel with the proper oil mixture in it when I wanted to use it for
the first time last June. It was new, right out of the box. It didn't
start and I followed the directions exactly. It was from Sears so I
called the help line they provide. The only help they could offer was to
read the exact same starting directions I already had followed.
I got it started twice all summer. I tried and failed about a dozen
times. I actually used it once for several minutes until I stalled the
engine and couldn't start it again.
Obviously, I'm not real happy about this. I put fuel stabilizer in it
this fall but couldn't start it to run it through the engine.

Steve

Well, that's good to know. The experience with my new string trimmer has
almost made me want to give up on anything with a 2 stroke engine. I put
fresh fuel with the proper oil mixture in it when I wanted to use it for
the first time last June. It was new, right out of the box. It didn't
start and I followed the directions exactly. It was from Sears so I
called the help line they provide. The only help they could offer was to
read the exact same starting directions I already had followed.
I got it started twice all summer. I tried and failed about a dozen
times. I actually used it once for several minutes until I stalled the
engine and couldn't start it again.
Obviously, I'm not real happy about this. I put fuel stabilizer in it
this fall but couldn't start it to run it through the engine.

Steve

I got a troy-build (now made by MTD like everything else) last spring,
never had a bit of problems with it. primed it nine times (as per
instructions) set the choke, pulled about 3 times. usually caught ont
he 3rd or forth pull. ran like a champ until the (small) tank was
empty...

I have an Echo chainsaw that sat for almost two years with no
stabilizer or anything.. I figured it was gonna be a bear to start,
but it started.. had to re-prime, and pull about 12 times, but
knocked out my mother-in-law's tree this fall....





email: dallyn_spam at yahoo dot com
please respond in this NG so others
can share your wisdom as well!

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 03:27:51 GMT, Steve wrote:



Steve Calvin wrote:

Yup. I have the Mantis and it always starts just fine. I do put some
winter stabilizer in the gas and run it to get it into the carb for
winter storage.

To start it (assuming that you use the correct oil mix) just hit the
primer 4 times, put the choke on full and pull the cord until it just
starts to sputter. Then put the choke in and pull it and it should fire
right up. Assuming that you've remembered to put the kill switch into
the run position. (gee, bet you're wondering how I know that huh? ;-) )

The thing's an animal for digging. I love it. I wouldn't want to do a
very large area with it but it's a digging fool.


Well, that's good to know. The experience with my new string trimmer has
almost made me want to give up on anything with a 2 stroke engine. I put
fresh fuel with the proper oil mixture in it when I wanted to use it for
the first time last June. It was new, right out of the box. It didn't
start and I followed the directions exactly. It was from Sears so I
called the help line they provide. The only help they could offer was to
read the exact same starting directions I already had followed.
I got it started twice all summer. I tried and failed about a dozen
times. I actually used it once for several minutes until I stalled the
engine and couldn't start it again.
Obviously, I'm not real happy about this. I put fuel stabilizer in it
this fall but couldn't start it to run it through the engine.

Steve
Steve, Buy a can of "Starting fluid". that's what I do when I have
trouble starting my machines.
Jerry

Jerry Minasi wrote:

Steve, Buy a can of "Starting fluid". that's what I do when I have
trouble starting my machines.
Jerry

That sounds like it just might be a good idea.
Years ago I used it on a car. I forgot all about that stuff.
How, exactly do you use it on a little 2 stroke engine? Where do you put
it?

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
news
Thanks Bob.

Steve


Bob Provencher wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message
news
Richard's question got me to thinking...
What do those of you who use them think?
Steve Calvin, you said you have a Mantis tiller. How is that one working
out? Does it start OK?
How about the other makes of small tillers? Anyone here using them?


I have a Mantis that is a two stroke. I also have a larger honda tiller
that is a 4 stroke and I love it. If you are looking for a small 4
stroke
tiller I know Honda has the FG100
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/fg100.htm that is close to the size
of
the Mantis.

In general 4 stroke technology is getting a lot better. I agree those
in
the other thread that predicted 2 strokes going away. About the only
thing
you may need a 2 stroke for is an application where the motor can't be
kept
level such as chainsaws.



I have the small Honda 4 cycle and do like it. The thing will start
first or second pull after being in the shed for 2 or 3 months. The engine
it will run in any position. I've laid it down with it running and it kept
running.
Mack

"Jerry Minasi" wrote in message
Steve, Buy a can of "Starting fluid". that's what I do when I
have
trouble starting my machines.

I've found a squirt of gas in the carb does the job in most
cases.

Bob

"Jerry Minasi" wrote in message
Steve, Buy a can of "Starting fluid". that's what I do when I
have
trouble starting my machines.

I've found a squirt of gas in the carb does the job in most
cases.

Bob