Author Topic: Life with your tillers............... (Read 2711 times)

longwinters · « **on:** February 26, 2012, 02:34:45 PM »

It s that time of year when some of you (lucky buggers) are getting ready to till. Some of us are still waiting for that glorious moment.

But in the mean time please take a few minutes and share what tiller/s you are using, how long you have had it, how much "acreage" you are tilling and the good and bad points of your tiller/s.

I have gotten back into gardening after a sabatical of probably 20 years....so have been back at it for about 15 yrs. We live in town with a small back yard and a basket ball court. So any tiller I have will only be used probably 10 hours a year. I have 5 raised beds that are 4 ft wide and 15-17 ft long. I also till a strip along the BB court that is 14" wide and about 17 ft long and 2 strips of similar size for flower planting.

Like some of you know I am a real fan of the Mantis tiller and currently have one that is a 2 cyl and it is probably 13+ years old. I have seen nothing that tills up the soil like a Mantis. I especially like being able to till backwards so there are no footprints (packed down areas) and being able to till close to the edges and ends of the raised beds. It is not great for breaking sod etc. The only problem has been a bearing job, that was very inexpensive to have fixed. The 2nd handle (plastic) has cracked (the one by the motor) and other than that it has been great.

I also have a Troybilt Super Bronco that is 3 years old. It has been good too except it is too big now for my wood framed raised beds so it is in storage for the future.

Long

keith44 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2012, 03:00:33 PM »

Tillers, well in my family there are quite a few. All but one are Troy built units. That one is an old "Wizard" brand front tine that I have no clue as to age. It is my grandfathers and he has used it as long as I can remember. (He's 92 years old and still using it

). Dad has a couple Troy Builts, one is a newer CRT model, one of the smaller jobs (smaller than my "Super Bronco" ). He also has a 1966 model Troy Built "Trojan Horse". This thing is the beast that won't die. We replace all seals when one starts to leak, and actually wore out one set of tines, and broke one set. The original "Tecumseh" engine just flat wore out in the mid eighties. We replaced it with a 8 hp Kohler, and have used the heck outta it. My Brother has a Troy Built Bronco and I have the Super Bronco. We all swap around all the Troy Builts depending on the job at hand. Busting sod we like the CRT, large or main garden we all use the '66 Horse, flower bed or cultivating for weeding, my brothers bronco is the ticket. Mine is just a good all round tiller for up to 1/2 acre.

The combined duties of our collection include about 12 acres of garden plots, landscaping and water run off control. We have even used the '66 to help dig a pond.

longwinters · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2012, 03:09:51 PM »

You are a lucky guy to have a dad and brother that not only share your gardening passion but live close enough to share tillers. 12 acres is plenty of tilling...you certianly get your moeys worth out of your tillers.

Long

bilmac · « **Reply #3 on:** February 26, 2012, 04:32:30 PM »

I hope I'm still digging in the garden when I'm 92.

I have a Craftsman 5.5hp. About 10 years old now. Had to replace the whole transmission this winter, the tin housing had bent, and it was just a matter of time before the guts would have failed.

Last year or two I have been planting an Obama garden that is getting up to about an acre in size now.

I am going to build some broadforks for me and the kids before I get busy this spring in case we have to pay Obama prices for gas.

charles p · « **Reply #4 on:** February 26, 2012, 04:35:44 PM »

My neighbor and I share a 4-stroke Honda tiller that is small like a Mantis. Does a great job but will not get very deep.

keith44 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2012, 04:57:37 PM »

Quote from: bilmac on February 26, 2012, 04:32:30 PM

I hope I'm still digging in the garden when I'm 92. You and me both

Last year or two I have been planting an Obama garden that is getting up to about an acre in size now.

I am going to build some broadforks for me and the kids before I get busy this spring in case we have to pay Obama prices for gas.

Two questions:
What is an Obama garden?? One that doubles in size every few months??

How are you going to build your broad forks?? I'm asking cause the ones I see that I think would hold up to my heavy clay soil cost north of 200 bucks. The tine design is what I am most interested in. I am about to talk myself into dropping some large money into one that is about 20" wide, and has 16 inch tines that look to be braced against bending.

Old Syko · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2012, 05:16:26 PM »

I have 2 Craftsman rear tine jobs, one of which has counter rotating only while the other is shiftable from counter to forward. Both are around 10 years old and have done a fantastic job. The counter only machine suffered transmission problems due to water contamination and I didn't hesitate to replace the transmission last summer. They each work a bit less than a half acre garden plus other duties such as flower beds and other planting plots.

On the smaller side I have a 2 stroke Mantis and a 2 stroke Murray. There is little difference between these two other than color and price. The Mantis was around $300 and the Murray was $149. I needed to dig 6 post holes last summer in ground that was hard as concrete and full of rock. Diggers proved to be of little use real fast. The Murray, although it was a handful, dug the 16" X 42" holes so that I could clean out with the diggers easily.

We've had 2 Troy Built and will never make that mistake again even though I wish everyone who has one the best of luck.

bilmac · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2012, 06:14:11 PM »

Obama Garden---Gardens that have sprung up almost every where or expanded greatly in size since the elections of 2008

Obama gas prices--- Oh you know about that.

I'm going to make my tines out of old dump rake forks. I suppose they may bend occasionally, but I'll just straighten them up. What concerns me more is whether I could do a good enough weld, I'm a gobber. Then I came up with an idea, I am going to drill holes in some 1 1/2" pipe for the tines. Even a gobber could probably keep the tines in place like that.

Gobber--- Untrained unskilled guy with a stick welder.

OLDHandgunner · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2012, 09:15:39 AM »

This is only my opinion. The Matis is only good for soil that is not packed or have no stones. I know several people in my area that sent them back. Up around here the soil is pretty boney.
The Matis commercial make them look so easy to use but look at the soil. It is all nice soft loam. But the folks that have that nice soil like them.

Myself I've always had a Troy Bilt. My oldest came from my father-in-law. It has a 7hp Kohler? ( early 60's ).
The one I use the most now is my Troy Bilt Pony ( older model ) with electric start and a hilling attachment. Great for between the rows tilling and hilling.

And now I have a real old Troy Bilt with a "Tecumseh". It was setting beside a back road at the end of a driveway with a FREE sign on it. It looked in very good shape, tines were not worn much. So I called my son who happened to be close by. Needed help loading it. This thing was heavy. Brought it home, put a few dollars on a tune up and new oils. Great back up tiller.

longwinters · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2012, 01:22:55 PM »

Well the new Mantis came yesterday. The DVD on puting the thing together etc... was very good. The written instructions were, mmmm, not so good. Found one part mis-labeled and the pics (black and white) were not always real plain. Still for the mechanically sound person, it would probably take 20 min to put together. It took me an hour.

Course we're having a blizzard tonite and tomorrow so it may be a while before I get to use it. Probably 2 months or more.

Long

jvs · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2012, 11:16:44 PM »

I just went to the Mantis website and they look ok if you have a small garden and somewhat softer soil conditions. We have too much Shale here. I would have a problem using a tiller like that if I was opening up and area for the first time. I may not really need a rear tyne tiller now that I am basically raised bed or the fact that I use alot of leaves on a regular basis, but it is alot quicker. A little over an hour and I'm done. Besides, I bought the rear tyne tiller used at what I thought was a real good price.

I also have a small front tyne tiller that I bought a long, long time ago, and that thing can sometimes be like riding a bull in my soil conditions. It might be an older Mantis but I can't tell because it has a 10 yard paint job on it since before I have it. The small one is quicker than digging with a shovel but I'm just as tired after using it as I would be with a using shovel. It would be good for weeding between rows and side dress fertilizing, if I didn't already use weed block cloth. I suppose I'm getting lazyer.

I hope your new Mantis works out for you. If you got the big one, it has a Honda on top, which is a big plus. Too bad yours doesn't make a snow-plow attachment.

powderman · « **Reply #11 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:30:05 AM »

My ol tiller is an 8 hp troybilt I bought used at least 15+ years ago and it was 8 yrs old then. I started it yesterday and tilled flower beds. It took 2 pulls to start after sitting all winter. POWDERMAN.

Mxpe78a · « **Reply #12 on:** February 29, 2012, 11:31:08 AM »

I have 2 Honda tillers one large I bought in 1978, the other is the mini I bought in 2001, haven't had a problem with either one. Honda is the only one for me.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #13 on:** April 19, 2012, 02:19:56 PM »

I do most of my garden tilling with a small tractor and Howard Rotavator. It just does so much better job than any other till i've owned/used.

I have a Troy horse and i rarely use it these days, they are just waaaaay to much work! I also have a Honda mini tiller and it does get some use for "weeding" in tight quarters,

Anyway, that's the two that get used here year after year in my gardcens...

You guys buying those Mantis tillers, have you looked around for used ones?? I bought a like new one for 60 bucks and passed it on to a friend who was borrowing my Honda mini all the time. Now i had another one given to me, that's also like new. I like the Honda 4 stroke motor so much better, i'm going to pass the 2 stroke Mantis on too... The Honda mini is just so much quieter and nicer, and the rest of the tiller is almost identical... (same worm gear drive)

Point being, look around before you pay that big Mantis price!!

DM

longwinters · « **Reply #14 on:** April 19, 2012, 03:23:52 PM »

Looks like a great rig. Just sitting there drinking a coke and watching it till away...yep, it would be the way to go. My problem is that I don't have enough room to even turn it around in my yard

Long

Drilling Man · « **Reply #15 on:** April 20, 2012, 02:20:19 AM »

Of course you have to size your tiller to your garden size. Those of us that have bigger gardens can lower our work load drastically by buying a small tractor/tiller. And i don't know of any better way to incorporate compost into gardens, like i'm doing here.

It tills deep and throughly mixes what ever compost you add, like it has done so here, in my tomato, mellon and flower garden,

Best part is, i make a little side money each year tilling a few gardens for others, with my tractor/tiller. Not only do i get to use it FREE, it makes me money! I bought it in the mid 80's, and i doubt i have even one penny into it at this point...

DM

longwinters · « **Reply #16 on:** April 20, 2012, 11:25:57 AM »

THAT is some major compost. Do you use telephone poles for staking them up?

I use my Troybuilt and Mantis to till for other people, but they always want me to do it as a favor which I don't mind doing for a couple of people, but not a bunch.

Long

Drilling Man · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2012, 02:30:17 AM »

Yeaaa, i like to put the compost to my gardens! lol It's a good way to get a LOT of veggies in a smaller space,

I control all the weeds with mulch,

I don't use any chem. fertilizers, sprays or any chemicals at all,

DM

longwinters · « **Reply #18 on:** April 21, 2012, 03:34:11 AM »

You'd better send your pics to Gurney's or someone. They might put em in their catalog.

Long

Drilling Man · « **Reply #19 on:** April 21, 2012, 05:56:57 AM »

Quote from: longwinters on April 21, 2012, 03:34:11 AM

You'd better send your pics to Gurney's or someone. They might put em in their catalog.

Long

I did send them to "someone", i sent them to GBO, and you are looking at them! lol

I don't think i'll be helping out any of the seed catalogs, i buy what i need "local", to help the locals out...

DM

Cornbelt · « **Reply #20 on:** April 23, 2012, 03:40:56 PM »

We usually rent one for a half day to go behind the family tractor. For $45 bucks a year, I can't afford to buy another engine for the walk-behind.
Have another 3.5 HP walk behind I call the "bone shaker", but the rings are getting so bad with so much blow-by, the only way it will stay running is to pull off the spark plug wire and let it dangle about 3/4" away from the plug. By the time the spark gets to the end, it is hot enough to ignite the gas/oil "mix". About a half acre this year, and due for rings.
Already have brussel sprouts up 4' tall. The durn things just wouldn't die this winter.

cjclemens · « **Reply #21 on:** April 23, 2012, 06:33:51 PM »

I incorporate a fairly large amount of manure and residue every year, so I usually end up doing fall tillage with an old Ferguson Moldboard plow. Its not the best for preserving soil structure, but its necessary - otherwise I wouldnt get a tiller through it in the spring. My tiller "fleet" consists of a couple tractor mounted tillers, and old Troybilt (not sure what model it is), and a Stihl Yard Boss. I usually use one of the mounted tillers to work the whole garden(and the neighbors). I use the Yard Boss to cultivate between rows after planting. I used to use the Troybilt for cultivating between rows, but its pretty big and heavy. The Yard Boss allowed me to plant narrower rows and it hardly burns any fuel. The tillers I have are overkill for what I do, but they sure do make short work of it all...

Drilling Man · « **Reply #22 on:** April 24, 2012, 03:18:02 AM »

Having a good tiller not only makes for a good garden, it also makes your gardens look good too... This is my "early" spring tilling, when it first gets dry enough to till...

Front Garden

Back Garden

Pumpkin, squash garden

Each gets tilled one more time, while i'm planting them...

DM

Cornbelt · « **Reply #23 on:** April 24, 2012, 05:36:13 AM »

That's a good looking patch of dirt.

longwinters · « **Reply #24 on:** April 24, 2012, 01:41:03 PM »

DM,
With all the woods around your garden I'm surprised the deer aren't feasting on a regular basis.

Long

Drilling Man · « **Reply #25 on:** April 24, 2012, 03:09:42 PM »

Last year was the first time they bothered anything. They got some pumpkins but they never bother anything else... They just have too much other food around here, to bother my gardens much...

DM

keith44 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 25, 2012, 06:20:39 AM »

Quote from: Drilling Man on April 24, 2012, 03:09:42 PM

Last year was the first time they bothered anything. They got some pumpkins but they never bother anything else... They just have too much other food around here, to bother my gardens much...

DM

Last year I planted corn, green beans, taters, cukes, carrots, radishes, and three types of tomatoes. The deer took half the corn(the entire stalks were pulled to the edge of the woods, one or two at a time), All the tomatoes, except one were gone just before being fully ripened. The green beans (plants) had the leaves all eaten off when the plants were about 3 inches tall. A week later as they tried to put out new leaves and bloom, they were cut off at the ground and deer tracks were seen next to where the rows were. Nothing else was disturbed, and of course as the hunting season neared they all disappeared.

Drilling Man · « **Reply #27 on:** April 25, 2012, 07:20:16 AM »

Deer walk right past and sometimes in, my back garden and they never bother a thing.

I live in a food rich area, and also i DO have food plots planted for deer/turkeys and to take the hay off, they must like all that "other" food better and yes, i do have a LOT of deer here, even in season.

I do have some rabbit and woodchuck problems, i shoot the WC's, and fence the rabbits out as best i can. I only fence the front garden, so i plant the things that rabbits like, in it. I fence it because i just don't care to shoot all the rabbits, except in rare cases i will shoot one.

DM

plumberroy · « **Reply #28 on:** May 02, 2012, 01:13:53 PM »

I used a gravely for years . It died about the time my job went away in 2008. didn't know when I would be working again so it went away . Bought a yard machine reartine last 4 years before having major problems, fixed it last year ,broke again this year

bye bye . since gravely is no longer made I have studied long on a replacement . next week I'm going to go get a grillo 85D walk behind tractor a 22" tiller and a mower deck . I would prefer American made equipment, But sadly there isn't anything comparable made here any more .
I only have 1600 sq. ft garden and that is a lot of tiller for that space. But my garden is my sanctuary when thing get to me I want to know my tiller will work if I want to turn some dirt to calm some nerves
I also use a little 2 cycle earthquake for tight spots and when I had the gravely I did garden tilling for extra coin
Roy

Drilling Man · « **Reply #29 on:** May 02, 2012, 02:29:36 PM »

I think the best built walk behind tiller made today is an BCS. No belts and it has bearings all through it. VERY well made.

DM