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Mantis tiller

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Warren

05-09-2003 09:27:08




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This is a little off the topic, but it is a tool and you guys probably know more about this than the rest! I am thinking of buying one of those small tillers - a Mantis, for my wife. When I looked at them, found out that they come as two cycle or 4 cycle (Honda) engine. Do any of you have experience with these things? I am leaning toward the 4 cycle ($50.00 more). I have a large tiller that I use, but I thought my wife could use the smaller one for cultivating and for use in the flower beds.

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Bill

09-01-2003 06:22:56




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
I have used A 2 cycle mantis tiller for 5 seasons, and am happy with the performance of the engine. I had my first problem with it this year. The motor stopped when the tines got entangled with long weeds (you will learn this tiller does not chop up weeds - they just get wrapped around the tines). It would not restart that day or the next. The air filter, fuel filter and spark plug looked OK, so I sprayed some Gum-Out in the carb and waited a few minutes, and mixed up a fresh batch of fuel, and off it went as good as new!

I am considering getting the hedge trimmer attachments, but I don't know how much of a hassle it will be to change the motor back and forth. You can't use these trimmers with the 4 cycle engine option.

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jokers

05-10-2003 09:36:36




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
My dad was recently in the market for a Mantis so I started looking around at the other mini tillers. What I found was that the 4 stroke models are all heavier(no surprise) and the price was higher for machines with the same capacity. Ultimately we found a used but like new 2 cycle Mantis for a very nice price, just needed a carb cleaning and it runs strong. In fact this little tiller has plenty of jam for anything it should be used for and using a name brand oil at 40:1 with the carb properly adjusted it hardly smokes. Echo engines, which the Mantis uses, are known for being just as reliable as Honda engines. Because of the distance form the engine and probably the size, noise isn`t any issue. Our initial impressions of the 2 cycle Mantis are all positive.

Russ

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EARL S.

05-10-2003 08:58:08




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
Great little tiller. I use the dethacher to get the rocks out of my grass that the snow plow left over the winter.I use the slicer for reseeding the bare spots . In tilling the instructions are to pull backwards ,not forward like the bigger tillers. Earl



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Guy

05-09-2003 18:24:25




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
I bought a Homelite copy of it about 10 years ago. Then my uncle pasted away and ended up with his Mantis. Theres no comparasion. Like the the sayinig gos, "you get what you pay for". That Mantis is a handy machine. I'd like to check out the 4 stroke.



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Cheap

05-09-2003 16:30:30




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
My wife wanted one of those things, so we went to one of them Home centers to look at one. She was checking them out and all I did was look at the price. Man they cost alot! I looked over and seen a hoe for 9.95 grabed it told her lets go and went home. (65 miles) She loves that hoe and I love that hoe too.



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T_Bone

05-09-2003 15:23:14




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
Hi Warren,

A good friend had a Mantis tiller for the past 30yrs and she loves it. The first one lasted 25yrs with any problems until it died. She bought another and after two hours had a carb problem.

She called the company and they next day shipped a new one free of charge and paid for the return shipping. The new one is now 5yrs old without any problems.

Pretty good service if you ask me! I also would pay extra for the Honda engine.

T_Bone

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Robert in W. Mi

05-09-2003 12:40:41




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
I bought the "genuine" Honda mini tiller. It's so MUCH quieter than the two stroke Mantis, and uses less fuel with NO smoke! The 4 stroke is the one you want, and go to a Honda dealer and see if you can get it cheaper than from Mantis. It's every bit as good of a tiller as the Mantis, and in fact i think it has the same worm drive to the tines. Did i mention it is MUCH quieter???? :>) Robert

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Ron from IL

05-09-2003 10:30:53




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 Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Warren, 05-09-2003 09:27:08  
Warren,

I bought my wife one three years ago for either her birthday or Mother's Day--I forget. It's been GREAT! We also have my father's TroyBilt, and it now hardly sees any action. The Mantis is a TILLING MACHINE! It is light weight, easy to start, and very aggressive. It takes a little getting used to--it has such a high tine speed that it tends to 'bounce' when digging if you don't hold it at the right angle, but that's easy to find. Just push the handles a little lower than upright, and the bouncing stops. I feel that it's worth every penny of the $300 or so it cost. It's sure saved a PASSLE of shovel and cultivator work!

Ron

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Waltert Mo

05-09-2003 12:12:20




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 Re: Re: Mantis tiller in reply to Ron from IL, 05-09-2003 10:30:53  
My wife bought a mantis tiller two cycle.
A great little machine. It works best when pulled backwards. This way it doesn't try to climb out of the soil and bounce.
waltert.



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