Small Rototiller

Durgan

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A small rototiller. Honda FG110G
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZDDKN 26 May 2008 Planting Red-haven peach Tree. Honda in action.

These small machine reduces the labor for backyard gardening by a guess-a-mate of about 80%.Demonstrated is the manual kick sod cutter, and reducing sod so the grass roots are killed in the chipper/Shredder.

Small Cultivators Honda FG110G.
I bought mine in 2005 (Honda) and it has to be my most valuable tool in the garden. I use it like a shovel, hoe and rake combined. To plant trees, shrubs and to make a simple hole for some plant, for edging, and working established beds, and for breaking up chunks of earth it cannot be beat. The tine shaft runs about 180 RPM, which is much much faster than larger tillers. Note: No rototiller made will break up sod sufficiently to prevent grass growth. The Honda is four stroke. I dont have a two stroke garden tool, due to the misery in starting if the oil gas mixture is slightly off, which is common.

The Honda FG110 was used to work reasonably good soil, clay with much compost with no rocks. The area worked was over 1500 square feet. This little tiller did a perfect job. If the tiller got clogged with fibrous plant strings, I simply removed the outer tines and cleared the obstruction within one of two minutes. The tiller engine starts with one or two pulls of the starting cord.

To plant onions, and other vegetables, I removed the outer two tines and pointed the remaining two inwards and got a perfect row for planting about 4 inches wide. I use the tiller by gently pulling backwards without the drag bar. All the work was done at full throttle as it should be with such a small engine. I consider the operation to be effortless, and the result on the soil is simply not achievable with hand tools.

The noise level is for all intents and purposes not noticeable, since it is a four stroke engine. It is well built, and has no appearance of fragility or poor workmanship. I simply carry the tiller from place to place as required.

To use this small tiller amongst large rocks is misuse in my opinion. I have no rocks. Used with common sense, and not attempting to work it in conditions where a larger machine is clearly required this little machine should last a long time.

To make a small bed I remove the sod with a kick sod cutter, spade the compacted earth to the proper depth, then put the tiller to work to condition the soil. On large chunks it jumps around a little and reduces the chunks, but that is to be expected. A larger machine simply kicks them out without beating them into small pieces. The result is near perfection.

Worrying about turning a garden into flour like soil is probably little to worry about. I have spend my life trying to get the chunks small enough for a good garden. Usually I have had clay, but by adding compost and composted wood chips the soil is friable.

I also have a larger tiller, but use it selectively now.
 

digitS'

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Durgan said:
A small rototiller. Honda FG110G
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZDDKN 26 May 2008 Planting Red-haven peach Tree. Honda in action. . . To use this small tiller amongst large rocks is misuse in my opinion. . .
I've got the same one. Or, I may have the later model having worn the 1st Honda out.

Rocks? Yeah, rocks! Originally, I'd planned to use it weeding the paths but found that most of my paths are too packed & too rocky for the little critter. Still, I can use it in what I call the "little veggie garden" because the rocks there mostly amount to pea gravel. I would also use it to mix fertilizer into the soil surface on already cultivated beds but I've got a till attachment for the weed whacker that does that fairly well. Also have a larger, rear-tine tiller that I'd just as soon retire :/.

Both little Hondas were very quiet & easy to start. And, I do the same as you - walk backwards, pulling it. I lot of folks really like the Mantis but they need to know that their Mantis has a Honda motor and that's about all there is to these little things.

Very nice display of photo's on that webpage, Durgan :).

Steve
 

Smart Red

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I purchased a Mantis - or rather it was a birthday present that I ordered.

I have been so disappointed with it. I know it doesn't have three hours - probably not even two - and it smokes terribly. Now it has an oil leak somewhere.

I much prefer my 8-horse tiller. Unfortunately it won't fit inside my raised beds.

Love, Smart Red
 

Durgan

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I compared the Honda to the Mantis and the Honda wins hands sown. Not all Mantis have the Honda engine which is the major difference. Also the Honda tines (four) are individual, which makes removing trapped vines relatively easy by removing the tines. I also dislike two stroke engines due to starting problems as compared to the four stroke. I never had an opportunity to compare the many others now on the market.
 

Smiles Jr.

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Those itty-bitty tillers are worth their weight in gold on some applications. I had the Honda 4-stroke for a while until it was stolen out of my utility trailer several years ago while stopped at a restaurant. I purchased a Troybuilt 2-stroke at a yard sale two years ago and it has served me very well but I do prefer the 4-stroke engines.

We must remember that these little tillers are not designed to break new hard packed soil or any soil with old growth weeds/grass on the surface. They are primarily for weeding and for prepping already tilled beds for planting.
 

Durgan

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For my small Honda rototiller the digger tines were purchased and this was a big improvement. They are all I use now. Often it is used with the outer tines removed to make planting rows. I wouldn't garden without it now.
 

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