new powermate tiller.... what a letdown

[Naughty]

Sad part is that the first time I pulled it out of the box... it was a pain to start. I will try to clean it though cause I hate to lose money... and i'l need a small one for between rows. It is so nice to see such helpful folks

 

[Durgan]

Sad part is that the first time I pulled it out of the box... it was a pain to start. I will try to clean it though cause I hate to lose money... and i'l need a small one for between rows. It is so nice to see such helpful folks

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.

 

[joz]

Not only bad gas, but regular gas, can make a newer gas-powered appliance difficult to maintain.

The ethanol content of regular-market gasoline is increasing. I'm not exactly sure what it does to metals/silicones/rubbers/plastics, but I do know it screws things up. My motorcycle and scooter (and ATV and sometimes even jetski) mechanic boyfriend has to deal with the fallout pretty frequently.

Put ethanol-free gas (usually available where there are tractors and/or boats) in your stuffs.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

yeah, i know about the ethanol laced crap they're calling gas lately. with my tiller there's a note about using gas either without the ethanol or using an additive to help coat the tank from the corrosive effects the stuff can have on non treated surfaces inside the machine.

 

[DigginWithJon]

I thought up to 10% Ethanol was standard, and had been for at least 20 years?

Is your tiller a 2 stroke or 4 stroke? The 2 strokes require and oil additive in the gas. 2 Strokes can be a pain to get used to starting but if you can remember to, prime it, full choke and pull till it kicks over and stalls. Then switch the choke to off and re-pull till it starts up. If it stalls repeat the process. This is the technique I use, seems to work 99% of the time on the first try.

I taught my girlfriend this technique to start her 2-Stroke mantis. She hasn't complained about hard starting since.

 

[vfem]

My general rule is this....

Buy used!

I go on craigslist, I buy something that is just 'beat' and if I go to look at it and it starts right up I'll buy it. Those thing look terrible, but take a beating and go on for a lifetime. They run better then half the new garbage out there. We're on our 3rd riding mower. I loved the first one because I got it for $300, and it was an old craftsman. That would be the one I ran into the pond. I emptied out the water, dried everything for a day or 2 and she started right back up. She needed welding work so we sold her for $200 to someone who did welding. We were given a second one that we ran for a few weeks, and the engine needed to be rebuilt so gave it to a friend. Now we got another one for free because it wouldn't start... rebuilding the carburetor and replaced a hose and she'll be up and running.

You can't beat a good piece of old junk... because it looks like junk and is still a good buy. They just don't build things like they used to.

 

[vfem]

I thought up to 10% Ethanol was standard, and had been for at least 20 years?

Is your tiller a 2 stroke or 4 stroke? The 2 strokes require and oil additive in the gas. 2 Strokes can be a pain to get used to starting but if you can remember to, prime it, full choke and pull till it kicks over and stalls. Then switch the choke to off and re-pull till it starts up. If it stalls repeat the process. This is the technique I use, seems to work 99% of the time on the first try.

I taught my girlfriend this technique to start her 2-Stroke mantis. She hasn't complained about hard starting since.

We have to do that with the weed whacker, but it does start up by the 2nd try most times.

 

[DigginWithJon]

Naughty, another thing you can try is Seafoam, you can buy it at any big box store or ace hardware. Just get the stuff that mixes with the gas, and add it to the gas - if the gas needs to be mixed with oil, still mix it with oil. Then press the primer bulb about 10x. Let it sit for an hr or two and prime it again. Additionally you can spray 1 shot of starting fluid into the air intake. It should start up and if it trys do die, prime it to keep it running. That seafoam should do a fairly decent job cleaning the carb. A lot of people swear by it. If it doesn't at least try to start I would suspect a fouled spark plug, or ignition issues.

 

[lesa]

Before we found our used one, we had good luck renting them from our local Agway store. It was under 40 bucks for the day. We did that for a few years- seemed like a waste to buy a tiller, when you really only use it twice a year...

 

[Nyboy]

Vfem I thought I was the only one who ever drove a lawn mower into a pond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine was brand new I never drove one and fgured it would steer like a car. Ended up in middle of pond I had to call a towtruck, everyone in the neighborhood came out to watch. Cityboy never really livid that down. Now I have someone cut the lawn for me!!