Comments on Mantis tillers?
 

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.

Doug Kanter wrote:
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.



I have a Troy-Built version that I use only occasionally. For a small
garden it's probably sufficient. For a 40x40 I'd rate it seriously
undersized. It's basically a 2-cycle chainsaw engine driving the tiller.
Small buzzy thing. It digs OK, but I find the tillers with driven wheels
easier to keep in line (although the line is wider). My small Troy-Built
has no wheels -- just a bar that drags to keep the machine from running
away. Nothing to keep it from moving sideways except the skill (?) of
the operator. If you have rocks, it will bounce in random directions.
This is true of the larger tillers also, of course, but they're heavier
and able to withstand moderate sized rocks.

I also got an edger attachment for it. Don't bother. It turns too slow
and gathers debris on the edger wheel, causing the line it cuts to widen
and increasing the force required to hold it back (you don't use the
drag bar for edging). I got an edger that goes on my brushwhacker and it
works much better.

The bigger rototiller I have (Troy-Built horse) takes a learning curve
to operate easily. Initially it was a real struggle to turn it, but I
find that if you lift the tines out of the soil at the end of the row,
step to the side and push one handle up and sideways so it's balancing
on the opposite wheel, it turns fairly easily. It does take some
strength to lift the handle (my wife can't do it) but not nearly as much
as it does to try to horse it around with both wheels on the ground.

If you don't want to buy your own, consider hiring someone to do the
work for you. It's probably competitive with renting a machine (and
dealing with getting it from the rental place and back) and definitely
much easier on your back.

dps wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're
cheaper than renting one three times around here, and at least
according to the promo material, they're much easier than trying to
wrestle with the bigger units. I'll be using it to create a 40x40
vegetable garden, and as many flower beds as I can find time to
fiddle with.



I've got one; it's a horrible little device, and impossible to keep
running after the first year. Mine is in the shop right now, and I may
not bother to pick it up when it's ready and just let the shop keeper
have it. I don't have problems with any other 2-cycle equipment, just
the Mantis. Maybe mine just came from the factory with a bad carburator.

Also, it's too light to use to *create* a 1600 sq ft garden
unless your soil is mostly sand. It might be OK for cultivating a
garden that big after the soil was broken and most of the weeds removed.

OTOH, I bought a Honda FG-100 tiller earlier this year and it is great.
It is a little bigger and heavier than the Mantis, but that's a good
thing because it doesn't bounce around so much. It has removable
transport wheels like a big front-tine tiller if you are too weak to
carry it ;-) The Honda could probably handle a job that big without any
trouble, but it would take a while.

Best regards,
Bob

"dps" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper
than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.



I have a Troy-Built version that I use only occasionally. For a small
garden it's probably sufficient. For a 40x40 I'd rate it seriously
undersized. It's basically a 2-cycle chainsaw engine driving the tiller.
Small buzzy thing. It digs OK, but I find the tillers with driven wheels
easier to keep in line (although the line is wider). My small Troy-Built
has no wheels -- just a bar that drags to keep the machine from running
away. Nothing to keep it from moving sideways except the skill (?) of
the operator. If you have rocks, it will bounce in random directions.
This is true of the larger tillers also, of course, but they're heavier
and able to withstand moderate sized rocks.

I also got an edger attachment for it. Don't bother. It turns too slow
and gathers debris on the edger wheel, causing the line it cuts to widen
and increasing the force required to hold it back (you don't use the
drag bar for edging). I got an edger that goes on my brushwhacker and it
works much better.

The bigger rototiller I have (Troy-Built horse) takes a learning curve
to operate easily. Initially it was a real struggle to turn it, but I
find that if you lift the tines out of the soil at the end of the row,
step to the side and push one handle up and sideways so it's balancing
on the opposite wheel, it turns fairly easily. It does take some
strength to lift the handle (my wife can't do it) but not nearly as much
as it does to try to horse it around with both wheels on the ground.

If you don't want to buy your own, consider hiring someone to do the
work for you. It's probably competitive with renting a machine (and
dealing with getting it from the rental place and back) and definitely
much easier on your back.

I've been trying to find someone to do it for the past two weeks. It's
unreal - I've called 32 landscapers so far, with no luck except for one guy
who said he does rototilling, but will be out of work till December due to a
back injury. Great. The ground will be frozen by then.

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
dps wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're
cheaper than renting one three times around here, and at least
according to the promo material, they're much easier than trying to
wrestle with the bigger units. I'll be using it to create a 40x40
vegetable garden, and as many flower beds as I can find time to
fiddle with.



I've got one; it's a horrible little device, and impossible to keep
running after the first year. Mine is in the shop right now, and I may
not bother to pick it up when it's ready and just let the shop keeper
have it. I don't have problems with any other 2-cycle equipment, just
the Mantis. Maybe mine just came from the factory with a bad carburator.

Also, it's too light to use to *create* a 1600 sq ft garden
unless your soil is mostly sand. It might be OK for cultivating a
garden that big after the soil was broken and most of the weeds removed.

OTOH, I bought a Honda FG-100 tiller earlier this year and it is great.
It is a little bigger and heavier than the Mantis, but that's a good
thing because it doesn't bounce around so much. It has removable
transport wheels like a big front-tine tiller if you are too weak to
carry it ;-) The Honda could probably handle a job that big without any
trouble, but it would take a while.

Best regards,
Bob

What did the manufacturer say about the problems with the engine?

Well, I like my Mantis. It's light, easy to maneuver. The edger blade is
not all that great.
It cranks, first time, every time for me. But I use it often, and the
carburetor doesn't have a chance to gum up on me.
If I had to buy another small tiller, it would be a Mantis.
Perry
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"dps" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper
than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the
promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.



I have a Troy-Built version that I use only occasionally. For a small
garden it's probably sufficient. For a 40x40 I'd rate it seriously
undersized. It's basically a 2-cycle chainsaw engine driving the tiller.
Small buzzy thing. It digs OK, but I find the tillers with driven wheels
easier to keep in line (although the line is wider). My small Troy-Built
has no wheels -- just a bar that drags to keep the machine from running
away. Nothing to keep it from moving sideways except the skill (?) of
the operator. If you have rocks, it will bounce in random directions.
This is true of the larger tillers also, of course, but they're heavier
and able to withstand moderate sized rocks.

I also got an edger attachment for it. Don't bother. It turns too slow
and gathers debris on the edger wheel, causing the line it cuts to widen
and increasing the force required to hold it back (you don't use the
drag bar for edging). I got an edger that goes on my brushwhacker and it
works much better.

The bigger rototiller I have (Troy-Built horse) takes a learning curve
to operate easily. Initially it was a real struggle to turn it, but I
find that if you lift the tines out of the soil at the end of the row,
step to the side and push one handle up and sideways so it's balancing
on the opposite wheel, it turns fairly easily. It does take some
strength to lift the handle (my wife can't do it) but not nearly as much
as it does to try to horse it around with both wheels on the ground.

If you don't want to buy your own, consider hiring someone to do the
work for you. It's probably competitive with renting a machine (and
dealing with getting it from the rental place and back) and definitely
much easier on your back.

I've been trying to find someone to do it for the past two weeks. It's
unreal - I've called 32 landscapers so far, with no luck except for one
guy
who said he does rototilling, but will be out of work till December due to
a
back injury. Great. The ground will be frozen by then.

On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 13:49:18 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


They are okay for light use. Can be hard to start, rather on the
expensive side for what you get. For a 40x40 garden, a larger tiller
is much better.

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 13:49:18 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


They are okay for light use. Can be hard to start, rather on the
expensive side for what you get. For a 40x40 garden, a larger tiller
is much better.

I've heard that (about size), but based on past experience, I'll be using it
to create NEW garden space, but not for ongoing maintenance. This is what's
got me wondering if the thing would be appropriate in that regard.

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


I love mine, I've had it for five years now, it starts every time I
ask it to G and does exactly what I need. We've got a bigger
Troy-built that we use on the large veggie gardens, and to break sod,
etc. but for the smaller raised beds the Mantis works well.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I've heard that (about size), but based on past experience, I'll be using it
to create NEW garden space, but not for ongoing maintenance. This is what's
got me wondering if the thing would be appropriate in that regard.

I wouldn't want to break sod with it.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 13:49:18 GMT, Doug Kanter wrote:
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.

I have the electric version, and it's worked well for me in heavy clay.
Hate 2-cycle engines, and have no real need for a tiller capable of handling
large spaces (I'd hire a neighbor with a tractor for that sort of thing).

I've dug 40x40 gardens by hand... it's not so bad if you put down
occlusive mulch to kill the sod first. I suspect the Mantis is probably
going to get really boring if you're going to use it to create large beds...
its strength is in "detail work".

I"ve got a Mantis with a 4 stroke Honda engine. It works great. It's
not what I'd recommend for the first till in a big garden though. Rent
a big rear tine for your first time and then use the Mantis after
that. It"s usable in a very small space so works out well for flower
beds and cultivation.

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

I've heard that (about size), but based on past experience, I'll be using
it
to create NEW garden space, but not for ongoing maintenance. This is
what's
got me wondering if the thing would be appropriate in that regard.

I wouldn't want to break sod with it.

Do you own one?

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


I love mine, I've had it for five years now, it starts every time I
ask it to G and does exactly what I need. We've got a bigger
Troy-built that we use on the large veggie gardens, and to break sod,
etc. but for the smaller raised beds the Mantis works well.

Ann, have you tried breaking sod with it? What were the results? What kind
of soil were you dealing with?

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Do you own one?

Yes I do. I've tried to break sod with it, it worked, but it was a
struggle. The Troy-built Pony works much better G.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Ann, have you tried breaking sod with it? What were the results? What kind
of soil were you dealing with?

As I said in my other post, I've broken a small bit of sid with it, it
was a struggle. I do have lots of rocks, too, it's been jammed once
or twice, but it's easy to free it up. I use it mainly to mix in
leaves in the fall and manure in the spring. It's also great to churn
up a compost pile with.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Ann, have you tried breaking sod with it? What were the results? What
kind
of soil were you dealing with?

I'm not sure if you've already made-up your mind on size or brand, but
this is the tiller I have:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...subcat=Tillers

I've ripped-up sod, I've prepared new beds, and I, of course, turn over
my vegetable bed each year.

It's a little bigger than you may want, and it's no good at all for
cultivating between rows, but when I chose mine, I wasn't looking for
something to cultivate, which isn't that big of a deal physically. I was
looking for some way to save my back from having to do a lot of digging.
I'm very satisfied that I fulfilled my goal effectively, and
economically.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Fahrenheit 9/11 ships 10/5. Order your copy now:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/911.html

"Warren" wrote in message
news:C%m9d.88197$He1.34652@attbi_s01...
"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Ann, have you tried breaking sod with it? What were the results? What
kind
of soil were you dealing with?

I'm not sure if you've already made-up your mind on size or brand, but
this is the tiller I have:


http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...subcat=Tillers

I've ripped-up sod, I've prepared new beds, and I, of course, turn over
my vegetable bed each year.

It's a little bigger than you may want, and it's no good at all for
cultivating between rows, but when I chose mine, I wasn't looking for
something to cultivate, which isn't that big of a deal physically. I was
looking for some way to save my back from having to do a lot of digging.
I'm very satisfied that I fulfilled my goal effectively, and
economically.

--
Warren H.

Looks like an interesting machine. But, I may have found a solution. I had a
stroke of genius (duh!) yesterday and called the yard equipment place where
I bought my lawnmower. They sell tillers, and were able to recommend a
person who offers tilling as a service. I don't know why it took me a week
to think of this.

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


Have had my Mantis for several years now and wouldn't part with it. I have
absolutely horrid soil, very hard and has to be amended many times over
before things will grow. Have only run into one patch that we had to get
out the farm tractor for, and that was a large garden that bulldozers had
run over a number of times. Otherwise the Mantis does it all. It's light
and easy to move about. It starts every time and I have had no problems
with it at all. In fact, my brother who is getting ready to open a
greenhouse business borrows my Mantis often instead of using his own horse
of a tiller. And my cousin who is a professional grower uses Mantis
exclusively. BTW... I don't work for the company or anything. I'm a 58
year old flower fiend with arthritis. lol Suz

"Suuzzee" wrote in message
...

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper
than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


Have had my Mantis for several years now and wouldn't part with it. I
have
absolutely horrid soil, very hard and has to be amended many times over
before things will grow. Have only run into one patch that we had to get
out the farm tractor for, and that was a large garden that bulldozers had
run over a number of times. Otherwise the Mantis does it all. It's light
and easy to move about. It starts every time and I have had no problems
with it at all. In fact, my brother who is getting ready to open a
greenhouse business borrows my Mantis often instead of using his own horse
of a tiller. And my cousin who is a professional grower uses Mantis
exclusively. BTW... I don't work for the company or anything. I'm a 58
year old flower fiend with arthritis. lol Suz

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before storing the
tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.

That's an important point. Many people don't even like to read the manuals.
Of course they are going to have problems starting the engine next season.

I enjoy the tough little mantis. I actually used it for the initial
breaking of the sod on my garden. It got grass tangled around the tines the
first time I tried it, but then I mowed the area short and the Mantis chewed
through the clay like a champ. It also pulled up some substantial sized
rocks out of the planting bed. I started piling them up next to the 20 x 30
garden area and will have a good amount of nice looking river rock for
decorating.

Mine still starts on the first pull. All it takes is a few minutes of
maintenance, from time to time.

Paul

Doug Kanter wrote:

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before storing the
tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.




I have 2 Echo chainsaws and an Echo weed trimmer, and a 4-cycle mower,
and a new Honda tiller that is too new to make a judgement about its
reliability. I run the same gas in all the 2-cycle engines, and I run
them dry in the fall or whenever I'm not gonna use them for a while.

The Mantis tiller is the only one I've had any problems with; I thought
it had an Echo engine. The Mantis is the only one that has a carburator
that's partially made out of plastic, and last time the tiller was in
the shop (because it wouldn't start again) they said that plastic plate
was warped and they replaced it. It ran again for about a year. Maybe
the newer ones have a different design carburator; mine is about 11 or
12 years old. (the big chainsaw and the weed trimmer are much older)

Buy whatever you want, and good luck with it.

Best regards,
Bob

"Paul" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.

That's an important point. Many people don't even like to read the
manuals.
Of course they are going to have problems starting the engine next season.

I enjoy the tough little mantis. I actually used it for the initial
breaking of the sod on my garden. It got grass tangled around the tines
the
first time I tried it, but then I mowed the area short and the Mantis
chewed
through the clay like a champ. It also pulled up some substantial sized
rocks out of the planting bed. I started piling them up next to the 20 x
30
garden area and will have a good amount of nice looking river rock for
decorating.

Mine still starts on the first pull. All it takes is a few minutes of
maintenance, from time to time.

Paul

This is driving me nuts. Half the responses say to stay away from the thing,
and the other half are like yours. :-) I **do** read instructions, sometimes
multiple times. Maybe that's the key. And, my soil's not clay unless I go
down about 3 feet.

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before storing
the
tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.




I have 2 Echo chainsaws and an Echo weed trimmer, and a 4-cycle mower,
and a new Honda tiller that is too new to make a judgement about its
reliability. I run the same gas in all the 2-cycle engines, and I run
them dry in the fall or whenever I'm not gonna use them for a while.

The Mantis tiller is the only one I've had any problems with; I thought
it had an Echo engine. The Mantis is the only one that has a carburator
that's partially made out of plastic, and last time the tiller was in
the shop (because it wouldn't start again) they said that plastic plate
was warped and they replaced it. It ran again for about a year. Maybe
the newer ones have a different design carburator; mine is about 11 or
12 years old. (the big chainsaw and the weed trimmer are much older)

Buy whatever you want, and good luck with it.

Best regards,
Bob

Ya know....I could do this with a spade & fork if I could just get everyone
to LEAVE ME THE &$%@ ALONE for a weekend! :-) If you saw a gardener with
explosives and wires duct taped to his chest, would you leave him alone, or
try and chat?

Doug Kanter wrote:
"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...

Doug Kanter wrote:

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before storing

the

tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.




I have 2 Echo chainsaws and an Echo weed trimmer, and a 4-cycle mower,
and a new Honda tiller that is too new to make a judgement about its
reliability. I run the same gas in all the 2-cycle engines, and I run
them dry in the fall or whenever I'm not gonna use them for a while.

The Mantis tiller is the only one I've had any problems with; I thought
it had an Echo engine. The Mantis is the only one that has a carburator
that's partially made out of plastic, and last time the tiller was in
the shop (because it wouldn't start again) they said that plastic plate
was warped and they replaced it. It ran again for about a year. Maybe
the newer ones have a different design carburator; mine is about 11 or
12 years old. (the big chainsaw and the weed trimmer are much older)

Buy whatever you want, and good luck with it.

Best regards,
Bob


Ya know....I could do this with a spade & fork if I could just get everyone
to LEAVE ME THE &$%@ ALONE for a weekend! :-) If you saw a gardener with
explosives and wires duct taped to his chest, would you leave him alone, or
try and chat?




I'd get a lawn chair and a beer and I'd watch (from a safe distance)

Chattingly, ;-)
Bob

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

This is driving me nuts. Half the responses say to stay away from the thing,
and the other half are like yours. :-) I **do** read instructions, sometimes
multiple times. Maybe that's the key. And, my soil's not clay unless I go
down about 3 feet.

I keep mine in the cellar over the cold of the winter. It starts
reliably each spring. 5 years now. I highly recommend it.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...

"Suuzzee" wrote in message
...

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...
Anyone have one? I'd appreciate comments pro or con. They're cheaper
than
renting one three times around here, and at least according to the
promo
material, they're much easier than trying to wrestle with the bigger
units.
I'll be using it to create a 40x40 vegetable garden, and as many
flower
beds
as I can find time to fiddle with.


Have had my Mantis for several years now and wouldn't part with it. I
have
absolutely horrid soil, very hard and has to be amended many times over
before things will grow. Have only run into one patch that we had to
get
out the farm tractor for, and that was a large garden that bulldozers
had
run over a number of times. Otherwise the Mantis does it all. It's
light
and easy to move about. It starts every time and I have had no problems
with it at all. In fact, my brother who is getting ready to open a
greenhouse business borrows my Mantis often instead of using his own
horse
of a tiller. And my cousin who is a professional grower uses Mantis
exclusively. BTW... I don't work for the company or anything. I'm a 58
year old flower fiend with arthritis. lol Suz

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before storing
the
tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.

Ayup. We always winterize our garden equipment at the end of each season.
The Mantis and the lawn mowers and the farm tractor ... all get cleaned and
drained or antifreezed or whatever they need. We aren't neatness nuts by
any means. It just makes sense to maintain equipment to make it last.
Suz

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...

"Paul" wrote in message
...
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Others have said they have problems starting the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type
of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.

That's an important point. Many people don't even like to read the
manuals.
Of course they are going to have problems starting the engine next
season.

I enjoy the tough little mantis. I actually used it for the initial
breaking of the sod on my garden. It got grass tangled around the tines
the
first time I tried it, but then I mowed the area short and the Mantis
chewed
through the clay like a champ. It also pulled up some substantial sized
rocks out of the planting bed. I started piling them up next to the 20
x
30
garden area and will have a good amount of nice looking river rock for
decorating.

Mine still starts on the first pull. All it takes is a few minutes of
maintenance, from time to time.

Paul

This is driving me nuts. Half the responses say to stay away from the
thing,
and the other half are like yours. :-) I **do** read instructions,
sometimes
multiple times. Maybe that's the key. And, my soil's not clay unless I go
down about 3 feet.


You can send it back within the first year if you don't like it. No
questions asked. This is why I purchased it in the first place.
Suz

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before
storing
the
tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting
the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the type
of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.




I have 2 Echo chainsaws and an Echo weed trimmer, and a 4-cycle mower,
and a new Honda tiller that is too new to make a judgement about its
reliability. I run the same gas in all the 2-cycle engines, and I run
them dry in the fall or whenever I'm not gonna use them for a while.

The Mantis tiller is the only one I've had any problems with; I thought
it had an Echo engine. The Mantis is the only one that has a carburator
that's partially made out of plastic, and last time the tiller was in
the shop (because it wouldn't start again) they said that plastic plate
was warped and they replaced it. It ran again for about a year. Maybe
the newer ones have a different design carburator; mine is about 11 or
12 years old. (the big chainsaw and the weed trimmer are much older)

Buy whatever you want, and good luck with it.

Best regards,
Bob

Ya know....I could do this with a spade & fork if I could just get
everyone
to LEAVE ME THE &$%@ ALONE for a weekend! :-) If you saw a gardener with
explosives and wires duct taped to his chest, would you leave him alone,
or
try and chat?


Keep an extra couple of spades and forks around for company. Tell them, "We
can chat while we work." Word should spread fast that there is a lunatic
gardener digging up your yard and everybody best stay away until the digging
is done. ;)
Suz

"Suuzzee" wrote in message
...

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:

Do you or someone else take care of draining the gasoline before
storing
the
tiller for the winter? Others have said they have problems starting
the
engine after a year or so, which makes me wonder if they did the
type
of
maintenance required of ANY yard equipment.




I have 2 Echo chainsaws and an Echo weed trimmer, and a 4-cycle mower,
and a new Honda tiller that is too new to make a judgement about its
reliability. I run the same gas in all the 2-cycle engines, and I run
them dry in the fall or whenever I'm not gonna use them for a while.

The Mantis tiller is the only one I've had any problems with; I
thought
it had an Echo engine. The Mantis is the only one that has a
carburator
that's partially made out of plastic, and last time the tiller was in
the shop (because it wouldn't start again) they said that plastic
plate
was warped and they replaced it. It ran again for about a year.
Maybe
the newer ones have a different design carburator; mine is about 11 or
12 years old. (the big chainsaw and the weed trimmer are much older)

Buy whatever you want, and good luck with it.

Best regards,
Bob

Ya know....I could do this with a spade & fork if I could just get
everyone
to LEAVE ME THE &$%@ ALONE for a weekend! :-) If you saw a gardener with
explosives and wires duct taped to his chest, would you leave him alone,
or
try and chat?


Keep an extra couple of spades and forks around for company. Tell them,
"We
can chat while we work." Word should spread fast that there is a lunatic
gardener digging up your yard and everybody best stay away until the
digging
is done. ;)
Suz

The word's already spreading, although the dog owners are responsible. I've
asked a few to NOT stop their dogs on my property. Some of the morons ask
why. I asked "Excuse me??? I asked you politely". The nerve of me, thinking
I have something to say about what happens on my property. Must be out of my
mind.

Doug Kanter wrote
"Suuzzee" wrote
Doug Kanter wrote

Keep an extra couple of spades and forks around for company. Tell them,
"We can chat while we work." Word should spread fast that there is a
lunatic gardener digging up your yard and everybody best stay away until the
digging
is done. ;)
Suz

The word's already spreading, although the dog owners are responsible.
I've
asked a few to NOT stop their dogs on my property. Some of the morons ask
why. I asked "Excuse me??? I asked you politely". The nerve of me,
thinking
I have something to say about what happens on my property. Must be out of
my
mind.


Ahh yes! The nerve!! :))
Ain't it a shame that doggie doo doo don't make good fertilizer? ;)

Suz

How deep ya digging? I got a small Ryobi tiller that scratches the surface down
to 3-5"

"Ann" wrote in message
...
c (TOM KAN PA) expounded:

How deep ya digging? I got a small Ryobi tiller that scratches the
surface down
to 3-5"

My Mantis will go down 11" or so if I work an area thoroughly.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

I solved my tiller problem yesterday. Found a guy who will do JUST what I
need for $70-$100, which beats buying or renting a tiller.

Ann wrote:
...My Mantis will go down 11" or so if I work an area thoroughly...


Impressive. At that depth you would have only the top of the engine
sticking above ground level.

dps expounded:

Ann wrote:
...My Mantis will go down 11" or so if I work an area thoroughly...


Impressive. At that depth you would have only the top of the engine
sticking above ground level.

There abouts. But the soil is mounded up around, and I move it back
and forth. It's very well worked soil, few rocks, I only do this once
a year, in the spring, to break things up for the season and work in
organic matter. Does the job.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

Doug Kanter wrote:


"Ann" wrote in message
...
c (TOM KAN PA) expounded:

How deep ya digging? I got a small Ryobi tiller that scratches the
surface down
to 3-5"

My Mantis will go down 11" or so if I work an area thoroughly.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

I solved my tiller problem yesterday. Found a guy who will do JUST what I
need for $70-$100, which beats buying or renting a tiller.

No it doesn't, nothing beats having a good tiller handy when you want it or
need it.

--
The Hawke

"Bill" wrote in message
news:m8fcd.192843$wV.39845@attbi_s54...
Doug Kanter wrote:


"Ann" wrote in message
...
c (TOM KAN PA) expounded:

How deep ya digging? I got a small Ryobi tiller that scratches the
surface down
to 3-5"

My Mantis will go down 11" or so if I work an area thoroughly.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

I solved my tiller problem yesterday. Found a guy who will do JUST what
I
need for $70-$100, which beats buying or renting a tiller.

No it doesn't, nothing beats having a good tiller handy when you want it
or
need it.

--
The Hawke

Maybe for new garden creation, but unless you trample the soil in your
existing beds, you shouldn't need a tiller to loosen the soil each year.
Now..having said that, I will include the fact that my vegetable gardens
have never been larger than about 30x30 ft, easily manageable with a fork.