Recommendations for a new rotivator gladly received!

[Sprocket*]

It is a sad day but my faithful hand me down rotivator has gone into retirement.... tried to get it mended but the man just laughed, laughed a bit more and then explained that it had been in service for about 50 years. Bless, all that hard work it has done (dragging me for the last 3 years across the lottie with no control at all.....)

On a more serious note I am going to go halves with my dad and am wondering if anyone can recommend one. Have looked at the Mantilla(?) advertised in the magazine but OH is convinced it is too small for out 90m x 30m plot. Then my father doesn't want anything modern (aggghhh) as he does not believe in new fangled gadgets and won't try anything different.

If anyone can help then it will be a great boost to my sanity.. and my garden.

[bubblewrap]

This would suit your father!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...er_plowing.jpg

[SarzWix]

We've got a Mantis, and 2 allotments, one down to 6 big beds and the other is smaller, edged ones It does a great job, and you can get some really handy extra attachments for it too.

[PAULW]

SPROCKET
What type of machine did you have, what is your soil type, do you want a rotorvator or a tiller.

[Sprocket*]

We had a Rotivator - not sure what type as the paint went years and years ago. It had wheels at the back with a shaft leading to the prongs. It was a petrol beast that had a mind of its own and left you feeling like it would have been easier to tackle Tyson. If not handled with force it would quite happily dig a large hole.

Our soil has large patches of clay but Dads is pretty much normal.

[NOG]

If you have clay then the mantis will not be up to it.

The Honda's are ment to be good.

I would recomend that you look at something with at least 3.5hp and 4 stroke so you dont have t muck about with mixing oil.

[tootles]

I have a 3.5hp Briggs and Stratton (birthday pressie). It will do an 82cm wide run and is magnificent. I would recommend the reverse gear too. I can't find any reference to in on the internet though, sorry!

[Hans Mum]

we have a Honda on our allotment site and it is used by 60 odd plotholders and is a real workhorse,

[SarzWix]

We're on clay NOG and the Mantis does fine, as long as you don't try to work it when it's very wet...

[Burgerboy]

I swear by the old merry tiller that i use. Its forty years old and had a knackered engine on it when i bought it for forty quid but a a friend who works for a hire company acquired me a 5hp honda engine for nowt. It went over rough ground full of rubbish and was throwing up concrete blocks as it went!

[digthatchick]

I would not be without my Mantis - best £300 spent.

[Gwyndy]

My Mantis is excellent. I bought it second hand on e-Bay a couple of years ago and it's still going strong. Warning - if you do buy one don't over-use it on your plot. It breaks the soil down in to a very fine tilth and I think that if you use it too often on the same patch you end up with soil that is too fine and dusty. I use mine once a year basically, after I have weeded, just to get the plots ready for planting.

[NOG]

We're on clay NOG and the Mantis does fine, as long as you don't try to work it when it's very wet...

if my plot is dry its like tesco carpark. My Manits will not even scratch the surface. I need to give it a going over with my 3.5hp Mountfield. Then break the lumps with the Mantis.

[essox lucius]

i have an ardisam earthquake brill m/c 6.5hp b&s engine no probs on clay or uncultivated soil