Rotavators

Rotavators come in various shapes and sizes. My preferred type of rotavators are the wheeled driven type of machine, unfortunately, these are the most expensive machines, however, they are great for the keen gardener and professional landscaper.

They offer total control while you are rotavating and the flexibility of a gearbox to give you various forward operating speeds and a reverse gear, which makes operation much easier.

The rotor driven type of rotavators can also be extremely useful for the keen gardener, these machines normally start at around 3.5 hp of engine power and go up to approximately 11 hp.

These machines are great for getting a great seedbed on your vegetable plot in the spring.

There are also smaller machines that can be used for breaking up the soil around flower beds and also for hoeing down rows of vegetables. This can be a great time-saving machine and reduces the human effort of hoeing.

Another good place to look for this type of machine can be eBay as sometimes you can find a decent second-hand machine.

Four Main Implements Used With The BCS Two-Wheeled Tractor

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators

Today I want to talk about four main implements used with the BCS two-wheeled tractor for market gardens. And so there are many other implements out there, but I just want to do an overview video talking about the four primary ones you’ll see in market gardens.

So let’s start with the machine itself. This is an old 853 BCS two-wheeled tractor. I actually use a 739 and for my application for the market gardening, I’ve been doing what you guys know me for; it’s served me just fine. It’s, it’s a smaller machine, which I prefer primarily because on my farm, I have 50-foot beds and I do a lot more turning around. So I wanted something that’s a bit leaner, but also because I am loading that into a truck to take it to different plots. So I wanted something that was a little bit light.

The Prime Features

Now for the BCS two-wheeled tractor itself, there are some features that I think aren’t absolutely necessary, I actually, you know what, it’s pretty much just one feature that I think is an absolute must. And that is to have a differential wheel lock. That means that when you turn the machine around each wheel, you can pivot in a perfect 180-degree turn. So when you go down a bed and then stop and turn around, you’re not gonna shift over into the other bed or shift out into the path; the main path between you’re going to stay perfectly stationary. I find that is the most crucial feature of a BCS. Now some of these handles here are things like brakes. I mean, this is your primary clutch on your on here, but then you’ve got these outside ones, which are basically wheel breaks. And I don’t actually find them necessary at all.

It depends on, you know, what some people do. but I find if you have your differential wheel lock, when you put your clutch in and you turn around, you’re gonna turn around perfectly in 180 degrees. And so the wheel breaks aren’t really that necessary. That’s just my opinion. And then this handle here is what actually just rotates the handlebars. This is one thing that BCS is really known for, which is very handy for market gardeners, is because you want to offset your handlebars like this when you’re going up one way in the bed. And then you’ll want, you might want to offset it another way if you’re gonna come back down. So that’s really handy. Now that’s all I want to talk about on this machine. There’s a lot more we could go into and talk about different models, but this is an older 853 and I’ve been using the 739 forever and I think it suits me just fine. The thing that’s important too to understand is that there are certain models that will or will not allow certain implements. The 7 39 that I have is big enough to run all of these implements that we’re going to look at.

Various Attachments

So let’s start with just an overview of our implements that fit the BCS two-wheeled tractor and then we’ll go into each one in detail. So we have a rotary plough here. We have got a power harrow here. We’ve got a flail mower here. And then attached to the machine itself, we’ve got a rototiller equipped with a PDR, a precision depth roller. And I’ll talk about those two things separately as if they were two implements.

The Rotary Plough

So let’s start with our rotary plough. Basically, a rotary plough is a plough that has a screw-like action. And what it does is it shifts soil from one side to the other.

And there are different types of rotary ploughs out there. There are stationary ones and then there are also ones that you can change the direction of the ploughing.

I don’t know anybody using the ones you can change; I find that it does its job just fine if you know which way it goes.

And you just move in a different direction to move the soil from one side to the next. So this tool is typically used with market gardeners for shaping beds. So you can see some beds behind me here to create raised beds.

You can go up one side of the bed and push soil from the walkway into the bed and then you’ll come back around the other side and do the same thing.

I know someone who really made this kind of famous for in his book by showing how they shape beds. Now, this isn’t needed for everybody; like on my farm, I don’t need this tool.

I used it earlier in the day as I really found it was good for ripping up initial ground, like when you’re breaking ground. And that’s another purpose that it has, is one, you know, breaking ground, but you have to be very careful about how you move the earth around.

And another is shaping the ground. So you might want to create some terraces and move a bunch of soil over one way. there are probably other things you can do with it too. But typically, for a market gardening context, people use the rotary plough to shape beds and create slightly healed-up raised beds. Now you’re going to use this tool in tandem with some of the other implements, particularly the power harrow, to finish the bed to get a nice level.

The Power Harrow

So let’s talk about the power harrow. A power harrow is essentially a soil-working implement like a rototiller, but it doesn’t rototill. So on a rototiller, which we’re going to look at, you’ve got tines that have an access that is horizontal, meaning that they turn vertically and that inverts the soil. There are many reasons why you would or would not want to do that, but the power harrow is essentially a solution for people who want to operate low tillage.

So they want to have minimal soil disturbance on the top. They like to be able to create a fresh look, it looks like it’s just been ploughed, but it’s not the tines that turn the soil in this way. And so there’s, this is the newer, 28-inch from Trivia Edge BCS. America sells this particular rotavator

And so the times still really go about two inches deep.

You can see here from the side curtain. And, this is, you know, a finishing machine for the BCS two-wheeled tractor. So what Eric had said he has done for years is he wouldn’t use a rototiller for a long time.

He was just using the rotary plough in tandem with the power har. He would kick dirt from the walkways into the beds to give them a little healing and then finish them off with the rotary plough.

And so many farms can just, could really just use this, depending on what you’re doing. you could do most of your bed prep with this, but probably not initial prep. So breaking new ground, forming new beds, things like that. You’re not going to use this tool for this. A hero is really for a market. Gardens is just used for when beds are, they’ve been shaped and prepared. And this is just what you might use on an ongoing basis. So you’ve pulled a previous crop out, then you’re gonna run this to maybe mix in some new fertilizer or compost to get a nice level bed. And you, and then you’re gonna seed the bed after that. So it has a roller on the back that basically, you know, you’ve got your soil disturbance with the tines that mixes the soil up and

then the roller finishes the bed to give you a nice even level. And you can see, this is a Josephine lever. So you can basically adjust the wheel’s height or the wheel’s depth, I should say, which makes the tines higher or lower off the ground.

The Flail Mower

Here we have a flail mower. This is a favourite of many market gardeners who are trying to keep their organic matter in place. And essentially, what a flail mower does is it’s like a mower, like a lawn mower. But instead of just having vertical access, which spins a horizontal blade, it has a horizontal axis and spins the vertical blades.

So underneath, there are flails. The difference between a flail mower and a normal mower is that the flail mower not only mows, but grinds and mulches up all the organic matter. So you’re left with basically a fine mulch.

You can take this tool and go over two or three feet tall crops.

You will be amazed at how with one pass over, you’re left with basically nothing apart from a green mulch. it looks like everything is chopped up!

Even with fine grass, it does an incredible job.

So if you want to keep your organic matter in place, this is the tool to do it. You run any of your spent crops, you basically running over with this tool, and then you might finish it with a power harrow.

You can then finish by placing a tarp on top.

Now with a tarp on top, it can compost down for one to three weeks and then you come back and then finish the job with the power harrow.

You can use a power harrow to put in your new amendments and then plant again. That’s kind of typically how these are used, though. There are different combinations on how you do certain things. Each market gardener has their own way of doing it, but the flail just mows down and turns your previous crop into mulch.

The Rotavator Or Rototiller

So let’s talk about the PDR and the rototiller. First, we’ll talk about the tiller; then we’ll talk about the PDR.

So a rototiller is very common; it’s probably the most common implement that you could use for any type of two-wheeled tractor.

A tiller basically just mixes up and digs your soil. So it has a horizontal shaft and the tines spin vertically.

I will just point out one pro and one con of rototilling. The pro of rototilling is it allows you to mix in soil amendments into your soil. So, the biggest reason for that would be if you’re turning a raw piece of land over and want to change the composition of the soil; you put in a load of compost and then rotavate it in. That actually allows you to change the physical composition of the soil, which is beneficial to getting production in there quickly. And it also loosens it up so that roots can grow down and there’s more air in the soil and they can grow faster.

Now the main con to rototilling is what’s called hard pan. And this happens with excessive rototilling. If you’re tilling the soil constantly, those tines are spinning. You might be going down about eight inches at the bottom of those eight inches. You’re gonna be compacting the soil down a little bit, creating a hard pan.

So you’ll stick your hand in the soil after it’s been tiled, it looks like nice and fluffy, but then you’re gonna reach this area that’s kind of hard. And what’s going to happen is your roots are going to grow down nice and easy for eight inches and then they’re gonna hit that hard pan and they’re not gonna know where to go. And so that can, can stunt your crops and make your carrots look short and stumpy. There are many, many things that it does.

It can also affect the water flow. It can affect how nutrients and how nitrogen and oxygen cycle through your crops. It does many things, but that’s the most common drawback to rototilling. And what most people actually do to combat the hard pan is to use a broad fork.

And people like Jean Martin Fortier have made that tool famous. And in a market gardening context, that’s how they’re combating hard pan. There are many ways to combat that.

On a larger scale, you could use a subsoil or a certain type of cultivation chisel that basically chisels down the soil and rips up that hard pan.

Precision Depth Roller (PDR)

Now the PDR that fits on the BCS two-wheeled tractor is essentially an implement that I helped BCS come up with where I said I want to have a shallow cultivation, but I don’t want to run a power harrow. The main reason I didn’t want to run a power harrow on my farm is because at the time, it was a lot heavier than it is now.

But also, I didn’t want to have to change implements. I wanted to have something all in one because it’s really all I do on my farm. I don’t change implements, I don’t use any of the other implements. And that’s partly because of the way that we operate our production. And I’ll talk a little bit more about that. But essentially, we wanted to have a cheaper, lighter, and easier-to-use implement that could establish a shallow cultivation. And so we came up with this idea of the PDR. When I came to BCS with this idea, I essentially said, Why don’t we just put a roller on the back of a tiller and see if we can jack it up and essentially do what a power hero does? And that’s more or less what we’ve done. So we have, a roller on the back of a tiller, and it’s attached to a Josephine lever.

And you can adjust the height of the tiller to get a really shallow cultivation. And the thing that happened with this that I really liked the way it is it made it so that the tiller actually operated better because a tiller on its own has a steel curtain on the back that is just attached to a hinge point and it kind of moves freely. So if you’re prepping new ground and you’re rototilling up a big area, those curtains kind of flop around. And so if you hit a, a root in the soil or a rock and your tiller bounces a little bit, you’re gonna see that little wave in the soil. Whereas with the wheel, you actually get a better finish because the wheel doesn’t move around as the steel curtain does. It just kind of keeps it level. And so I found when shaping brand new ground, I get a way better level ground finish with the PDR.

It Keeps The Ground Level

And that’s something we discovered after the fact. That wasn’t something that was initially thought about with the original design. It was just to establish a shallow cultivation. Now there’s one thing I want to point out: a disadvantage with the PDR versus a power harrow. And that is the fact that the tines spin vertically. That means if you’re going through something with a lot of organic matter and say you’re just trying to rototill in an old crop, that crop can get tied up in the tines. And it doesn’t happen with a harrow because the harrow tines are not vertical access, and they spin horizontally. They don’t get tangled up. And so that’s what can happen with the PDR the rototiller can essentially you can get stuff blocked up in the tines, which means that you have to go pull it out manually.

Now the way to combat that is two things. Either run a flail mower before grinding up that crop into a mulch. Then when you go over with your PDR, it’s not going to get tangled up in your tines. The second option is that you actually remove the crop, put that in your compost, then you go over with the PDR; you might put in some new compost or some new fertilizer, basically put in your new soil amendments and then you till them in shallow or however deep you want at that point. So that’s how you get around it. And this is the primary reason why on my farm I don’t use a flail mower and I don’t do it the same way, is because my farm is so small I don’t have the luxury of time to basically flail mow a bed and then run a PDR or a harrow and then tarp that bed for a couple of weeks.

I don’t have that time. My protocol is to fully remove the organic matter, put in some newly finished compost or soil amendments like fertilizers, manure, what have you, and then till them in and then those beds are prepped to plant again. So I’m not doing an active stale seed bedding process in my growing season. I do at the beginning of my season and I do at the end of the season, but not in the middle of the season. And so that’s the difference between a farm like mine and say a farm that Jean-Martin Fortier is doing is that he’s using a tarp in tandem with all these implements to allow the crop to decompose and then they come in and refinish the bed and then plant again. So on my farm, I can’t do that. And so that’s the difference. So for me, I don’t need to even use a quick coupler and I’ll talk about that in a minute.

But I basically have this permanently set up on my machine bolted right to it. And I’m not changing my implements on a day-to-day or weekly basis.

So that brings us to a conversation about the quick coupler. The quick coupler is essentially a piece of steel with a pin in it that can be attached with a simple lever can be pulled out with a simple lever that allows you to change your implements really quickly.

Without the quick coupler, you have to bring out a wrench and change two bolts every time you change an implement. And that just makes things really slow. So it really depends on your protocol. Just like how I explained the reasons why I’m only using a PDR, it’s because my protocol is to remove the previous organic matter from the crop. Then I run my PDR. If you’re not doing that and you’re running, say, a flail mower and then you’re going to immediately use a PDR or a power harrow right after to finish that off, mix that in with the soil a little bit so the crop can decompose and then you might tarp it or something like that for a couple of weeks.

Then you should have a quick coupler because you’re going to have to change that implement on a regular basis. And by not having that quick coupler, it’s going to be a hassle. So you really need to have that if you’re going to change your implements daily.

So those are the four primary implements that we are using in our market gardens. And yes, of course, there are many different BCS implements out there. You can really go down a rabbit hole, you know, on my farm. I have a snowblower.

I use the BCS snowblower in the winter to manage my sidewalk, driveway, and some of my neighbour’s driveways and sidewalks. It fits on my BCS two-wheeled tractor but that’s not a farm implement. So that’s a whole other conversation. But those are our four main implements, our rotary plough, our power harrow, our flail mower, and our tiller and PDR, I kind of put together as one.

The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller-Special Offer

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews

Today we are looking at the Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller which is currently on special offer. The Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller is currently available for £319.95 which offers a saving of £130.

The Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller is a smallish cultivator that is narrow enough to be used for hoeing between vegetables and shrubs etc.

The tiller is fitted with a clean-running overhead valve engine for maximum efficiency.

A tilling depth of up to 25 cm can be achieved depending on soil conditions. The Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller comes with a peace of mind two-year manufacturer’s warranty.

You Can Purchase The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller Here

Features

A great garden tiller with great reviews and value for money.
Efficient overhead valve engine.
36 cm working width.
25 cm working depth.
Transport wheel for manoeuvrability.
Great reviews.
Two-year warranty for peace of mind.

Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller

The Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller is an ideal workhorse if you have a vegetable plot or allotment. It’s small enough to get between plants for hoeing and large enough to dig a vegetable plot. Petrol tillers take the hard work out of digging and soil preparation for planting.

There are two types of tiller or rotavator, the Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller is a classic type. This type of tiller is generally used by keen gardeners and allotment holders. The tines drive the tiller forward’s. A skid at the rear of the machine determines the depth. The higher the skid is set, the deeper the machine will dig. Obviously, with hard ground, you will have to make several passes to make the required depth.

The other type of machine is the wheel-driven type rotavator. These types of machines are normally used by professionals and contractors, although there are some smaller budgets machines available for keen gardeners. These types of rotavators are generally easier to use since the wheels drive the machine forward and reverse. In many cases, the rotavator can have several forward gears to give the operator more control depending on the conditions and the job at hand.

Petrol Engine

I always prefer petrol or diesel power over electricity, there are no restrictions with cables and generally, they are more powerful than electric machines. The four-stroke 139cc air-cooled overhead valve engine gives the tiller plenty of power for the average gardener. The engine has a traditional recoil start for simplicity and ease of starting.

Digging Rotors

With a digging width of 36 cm, the Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller will soon cover the ground. In most cases, it doesn’t take very long to till the ground with a powered tiller. There are multiple blades that rotate in the soil that help to break and dig the soil. There is a rotor guard that helps to break up the soil and at the same time protect the operator from flying debris.

Many manufacturers now fit a reverse gear to the rotors which helps to manoeuvre the tiller in tight spaces. Unfortunately, the Racing 139PTIL63-C petrol tiller does not have this feature. Fortunately, at just under 33 kg the tiller is not too heavy, you can see more tillers that come with a reverse gear here.

More Features

The handlebars can be adjusted for operator comfort. The machine comes with a transport wheel and depth skid. For ease of operation, the transport wheel is used to move the machine from plot to plot. The weight of the machine is 32.7 kg.

To Conclude

I am always looking for ways in the garden to make life simple. A tiller, garden cultivator or rotavator is a machine that does exactly this. They are great for spring seedbeds and great for digging and mixing compost in the soil.

The Racing petrol tiller has some very good reviews, so customers are obviously happy with their purchase. The two-year warranty is also great for peace of mind and means the manufacturers believe in their machine.

The only downside is that the tiller does not have a reverse gear which helps to make manoeuvring easier. As I mentioned earlier, under 33 kg is not too heavy to drag around. However, we do have more tillers with reverse gears here.

Specification

Engine Make	Racing
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	139cc
Engine Starting System	Recoil
Engine Fuel Tank Capacity	1.2 Litres
Gears	1 Forward Gear
Transmission	TBC
Working Width	36cm
Working Depth	25cm
No. of Tines	24 (6 x 4)
R.P.M. of Rotors	300rpm
Crop Protection Discs	No
Transport Wheels	Yes – Front Mounted
Weight	32.7kg
Warranty	2 Year

Feider FMTB80 Petrol Front Tine Tiller – Special Offer

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Roy Reviews

Today we are looking at the Feider FMTB80 petrol front tine tiller which is currently on special offer. The price at the time of writing is £499.95 including VAT which offers a saving of £150.

We are at that time of year when it’s time to get the vegetable garden, allotment and flower borders cultivated. A garden tiller can save a terrific amount of time and take the hard work out of digging and raking.

The Feider FMTB80 petrol front tine tiller comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty for peace of mind. A premium delivery service is available if you prefer your garden tiller to be assembled and ready for work.

The powerful 7 hp petrol tiller will make light work of cultivating your garden or allotment.

Purchase The Feider FMTB80 Petrol Front Tine Tiller Here

Features

A large great value for money garden tiller.
Powerful 7 hp four stroke overhead valve petrol engine.
24 robust steel tines.
Adjustable working depth.
Reverse gear for ease of use.
Transport wheel.
Detachable transmission for easier routine maintenance.
Takes the hard work out of digging and raking.
Two-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Feider FMTB80 Petrol Front Tine Tiller

As you know I am always looking for ways to make life in the garden easier. A tiller is not something that you use every day, however, it’s a great asset to make life in the garden easier, especially at this time of year.

A garden tiller is great for making a fine seedbed for spring planting. Garden tillers are also great for autumn digging and incorporating compost or manure. The tines can help to break down compost and mix the compost within the soil. Which in turn helps to improve the soil, hugely, in most cases.

There are two types of rotavator, the tine driven type like the Feider FMTB80 petrol tiller. The other type which are generally used by contractors and are more expensive machines are the wheel-driven type. These tillers have a gearbox to the wheels and are generally much easier to use. If money was no object, I would always recommend a wheeled driven type rotavator. However, a budget rotor driven tiller can still save huge amounts of time and effort in the garden and is well worth having. I started with this type of machine when I first started my contracting business 40 years ago.

More Garden Tillers And Rotavator’s Here

Petrol Engine

The Feider FMTB80 petrol front tine tiller is powered by a four-stroke overhead valve engine. The 212cc engine develops 7 hp which is plenty of power for a tiller of this size. The engine is started by a traditional recoil start mechanism.

Gearbox

Many garden tillers do not have a gearbox, they just have one speed forward. More and more manufacturers appear to be adding a reverse gear which makes the Feider FMTB80 petrol front tine tiller much easier to use.

I remember my first garden tiller which was a Merry Tiller, something that’s not produced anymore, unfortunately! The tiller had just one forward speed which meant that I had to drag it backwards when I came to a corner or a narrow space. A reverse gear certainly helps to make a garden tiller much easier to use.

Rotors

The Feider FMTB80 petrol tiller has a considerably large tilling width at 79 cm (just over 31 inches) so you can quickly cover the ground. There may be some instances where this will be too wide, fortunately, you can take a set of rotors off to narrow up the tiller.

There are six rotors which comprise of four tines on each rotor, which totals 24 tines. The maximum rpm of the rotors is 320, the rotor speed can be varied on the throttle according to the conditions you are working in.

Find Stump Grinders On EBay — **Find Garden Tillers On eBay**

Transport wheel and skid

A front transport wheel helps to make it easy to move the machine around the garden. There is a rear skid that controls the depth of the machine. If you want to go deep, lift the skid up to allow the machine to go deep. Or if you are creating a fine shallow seedbed, put the skid down so that it keeps the depth shallow.

Folding And Adjustable Handles

The Feider FMTB80 front tine tiller has adjustable handles making it more comfortable to operate. The handles can be adjusted so that you can still work up against a wall. Another useful feature is the fact that the handles can be folded up for storage or for transporting the tiller.

To Conclude

Fieder products appear to continually receive good reviews and offer excellent value for money. The Feider FMTB80 petrol front tine tiller certainly offers a lot for the money. With a 7 hp engine, it should be able to cope with almost any task in the garden or allotment.

The great thing is that the Fieder garden tiller comes with a two-year warranty for peace of mind.

The machine is delivered to your door and will need some assembling. If you would like the machine already assembled there is a premium service that is available at the checkout.

Specification

Engine Make	Feider
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	212cc
Engine Power	7hp / 5.2kW
Engine Fuel Tank Capacity	3.6 Litres
Oil Tank Capacity	1.6 Litres
Gears	1 Forward / 1 Reverse
Working Width	79cm
Working Depth	-100mm to -160mm
No. of Tines	24
R.P.M. of Rotors	320rpm
Handles	Vertically and Laterally Adjustable
Wheel Type	Retractable – Front Mounted
Sound Level	98dB(A)
Weight	57kg
Warranty	2 Years

Using A Howard Gem Rotavator (Dowdeswell 650) To Prepare For A New Lawn

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews

Today I was using a Howard Gem Rotavator (Dowdeswell 650) in preparation for creating a new lawn. This is one of the later Howard Gems as they were taken over by Dowdeswell in the ’80s, hence the Dowdeswell logo on the rotavator.

The Dowdeswell 650 is a great machine for reclaiming ground, creating lawns and general rotavating in the garden, nursery or allotment. Over the years I have owned seven different Dowdeswell and Howard Gem rotavators. Unfortunately, the Dowdeswell Rotavators are no longer made and are getting fewer and fewer every year. I believe production stopped in the late 80s or early 90s.

My preferred model is the 30-inch model which comes complete with dual wheels which make it much lighter on the freshly tilled ground. The 30-inch models seem very rare, I don’t believe there were many produced, I have owned one 30 inch model.

I believe the most popular model is the 20-inch model due to its ability to be able to get into most places. The model in the video is a Dowdeswell 650 24 inch powered by a 10 hp single cylinder Acme diesel engine. The most popular diesel engine model is the German Hatz diesel engine, a great engine that has lowdown torque. Other diesel engines have been fitted including Ruggerini, Sachs and probably more!

You Can See The Howard Gem In Action Below

In this particular garden, the turf had already been removed by a turf cutter. Removing the turf isn’t a five-minute job and there’s also the job of disposing of the turf. If you have space it can be composted. In this particular case, a 16-ton lorry was used to take the turf away.

Fortunately, the soil was very free draining and easy to rotavate, it was literally drying with the March/April winds by the time I was ready to give the ground a second pass with the rotavator.

The next process will be a combination of raking and rolling to level the area and then a layer of quality topsoil from the sugar beet factory.

Feider Pro Garden Tiller

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews, Special Offers

Today we are looking at the Feider Pro garden tiller; this is a petrol garden tiller that quickly eats up the work with a 100 cm working width. I believe this is the widest rotor driven garden tiller that I have come across. This is certainly a tiller that can cover the ground quickly!

The Feider Pro petrol garden tiller is currently on special offer at £799 including VAT, which offers a £100 saving.

Recently we looked at the Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm, a much smaller and compact tiller. The Racing garden tiller is available for £279.95 p offering a saving of £120 on the retail price.

If you’re a keen gardener or a professional gardener looking to make life more comfortable in the garden, then a garden tiller can be a great help. Garden tillers are often referred to as, rotavators, garden cultivators, petrol cultivators. They come in different shapes and sizes, my preferred type of machine being the wheel-driven type. The wheel driven type of machine is more expensive but is generally more comfortable to use, and many are more aimed at the professional market. Having said this, we do also have some budget wheeled driven tillers available.

You Can Purchase the Feider Pro Garden Tiller Here

So let’s take a closer look at the Feider Pro garden tiller.

Features

A powerful 4 stroke 7 hp petrol engine.
A heavy machine that helps the digging performance.
A maximum digging depth of approximately 160 mm.
Three-speed gearbox plus one reverse gear for manoeuvrability.
Adjustable handles that can be offset.
Comes complete with eight rotors for a 1 m digging width.
Two-year manufacturers warranty for peace of mind.

The Feider Pro Petrol Garden Tiller

I have to say that this is probably the widest rotor driven garden tiller that I have come across. For most gardeners, this petrol garden tiller is probably too wide to use effectively for most jobs. If you have an extra-large vegetable patch, this machine will obviously cover the area very quickly, so it definitely has its uses. I have owned professional machines that vary between 20 and 30 inches wide, approximately 50 to 75 cm wide. It’s amazing how much work you can cover even with a 20-inch machine. I really feel that a 3’3″ (1 m) is slightly overkill!

I do not want to put you off purchasing a large machine; I want to be real about it!

Four Stroke Petrol Engine

With a 212 cc overhead-valve four-stroke Einhill petrol engine, which develops 7 hp, this garden cultivator certainly has plenty of power. With the efficient overhead valve technology, the engine is built to last and for economy. The engine comes with a straightforward recoil start for easy starting.

The four-stroke engine comes with a heavy-duty air filter. I see far too many people not checking that air filter regularly enough. It is of great importance that the air filters are cleaned regularly to keep the engine working efficiently and to give the engine long life. Failure to do this will result in poor engine performance and premature engine wear.

The engine is mounted in a slightly different place to the majority of garden cultivators. Most garden tillers have the engine mounted immediately above the rotors. However, on this Feider rotavator, the engine is mounted in more of a forward position. I guess this is to try to get more forward weight onto the rotors for digging efficiency.

Four Gears

With three forward gears, the Feider Pro garden tiller has a speed to suit almost any conditions. It appears that many manufacturers are adding a reverse gear, this makes the machine so much easier to manoeuvre. Traditionally rotor driven tillers only had one forward speed, this was good for simplicity but not quite so good for manoeuvrability. The reverse gear enables you to get out of tight spaces easily and efficiently and with minimum effort.

Rotors

The Feider Pro garden tiller has a 100 cm digging width, which is exceptionally wide for this machine type. There are a total of eight cutters and 32 tines on this machine, that’s quite a few tines!

The depth is controlled by a rear skid that can be adjusted up or down to get the required digging depth. If you are digging hard ground, it pays to go over the ground several times, increasing the depth at every pass. There is no point in trying to force a machine to do too much.

For safe operation, the garden cultivator is fitted with a dead man’s handle. In other words, if your hands are removed from the handlebars, the dead man’s handle will stop the machine for safety.

Adjustable Handles

It’s very important to have adjustable handles on a garden tiller, not only up and down movement, but also from side to side. It’s important to be able to adjust the handles for operator comfort. However, it is also a necessary feature to offset the handles so that you are not walking on freshly tilled soil. If the soil is dry, it is not too bad treading on the soil; however, when you are cultivating the soil, it will come up damp and sticky. So it’s important not to leave unsightly footprints on your wet soil or to cause soil damage.

Removable Belt Drive

Another one of the Feider tiller features is that it’s designed to have a removable belt drive and chain. This is great for easy maintenance and cleaning.

To Conclude

As I mentioned earlier in this post, the machine is probably the widest machine I have seen of this type. I would think for most gardeners this machine is not a practical solution. It’s probably worth taking a look at the Oleo-Mac MH175RK Garden Tiller or the Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator, a wheel-driven machine. You can see more of our various garden cultivators here.

Once again I don’t want you to put you off this machine if you have a huge vegetable patch, it would certainly cover the ground quickly. French manufacturer Feider does offer good value for money; their machines seem to receive good reviews.

The Feider pro garden cultivator comes with a two-year warranty for peace of mind.

Specification

Engine Make	Feider
Engine Model	4-stroke Einhell OHV
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	212 cm³
Engine Power	7hp
Engine Fuel Tank Capacity	3.6L
Oil Tank Capacity	0.6L
Gears	3 Forward / 1 Reverse
Transmission	No
Drive	No
Working Width	99-100cm
Working Depth	Working depth: 100 mm Maximum working depth: 160 mm
No. of Tines	3-4(8 sets 32Pcs )
R.P.M. of Rotars	3200 min^-1
Handles	Handlebar height adjusting height and side
Wheel Type	Retractable front wheel
Sound Level	Guaranteed noise level – 98dB(A
Vibration	Left: 6,14m/s2 Right: 5,48 m/s2 K=1,5m/s2
Weight	98kg
Warranty	2 Years

Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews, Special Offers

Today we are looking at the compact Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm. As far as garden tillers go, the Racing cultivator is quite small for tiller standards. It’s not quite a micro tiller, but maybe in between the two types of tine driven garden tiller.

The compact Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm is available at a very attractive price of £279.95. At the time of writing, this is a £120 saving on the retail price and includes VAT. It also comes with a two-year peace of mind warranty.

Recently we looked at the very popular Oleo-Mac MH175RK Garden Tiller which has excellent reviews. This is a larger machine, but still offers excellent value for money at £395 including VAT. At the time of writing this is a £204 saving and definitely worth a look due to the numerous reviews and value for money.

It never fails to amaze me how much having the right tools for the garden can free up so much time and make life so much easier. The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm is one of those tools that helps to do free up time and save loads of back-breaking work. With some excellent reviews, this tiller is definitely worth taking a look at.

Racing is one of those companies that appears to be able to produce budgets garden machinery at good prices and their products receive good feedback. The Racing garden tiller is powered by a fuel efficient overhead valve engine and offers compactness and agility where larger tillers cannot go.

You Can See More On The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm Here

Features

A budget garden tiller with great reviews.
Efficient four-stroke overhead valve petrol engine.
A smallish tiller that goes where other tillers can’t go.
Sharp steel rotors for cultivating.
Adjustable skid for accurate working depth.
Stone guard.
Transport wheel.
32.7 kg enables the machine to be lifted into a car boot.
Two years warranty.

The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm

Garden tillers come in all shapes and sizes, they will often be referred to as, cultivators, rotavators, tillers, micro tillers and more.

If you’re looking to free up time and save some energy, a garden tiller is definitely a tool that can help take the pressure off in the garden. There are different types of garden tillers ranging from my preferred type which is the wheel driven machines. These machines have powered wheels that normally offer a selection of speeds with a separate drive to the digging rotors. These tillers are more expensive, but offer more versatility and are easier to use.

The second type of tiller and most popular are the rotor driven type which we are looking at today. These offer an easy way and a relatively cheap way of taking the hard work out of digging and creating those spring seedbeds.

The third type of tillers are the micro type, although these tillers are very small, however, they can still be extremely useful in the garden. I find a micro tiller is great for hoeing between vegetable rows and for tidying flower and shrub beds. Being small they can quickly weave between plants and shrubs making your traditional garden hoe almost redundant! Although these cultivators are small, they still have surprisingly excellent capabilities.

Four Stroke Petrol Engine

The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm is powered by a four-stroke overhead valve 139cc petrol engine. This air-cooled engine has plenty of power to power the 36 cm digging rotors. The four stroke engine gives excellent economy and efficiency.

Digging Rotors

With a 36 cm digging width the Racing garden tiller is certainly one of the more compact machines on the market. Even with a 36 cm digging width, it’s surprising how quickly the machine can cover the ground. The sharp steel rotors quickly dig into the ground making light work of those hard digging tasks. The machine is also great for making spring seedbeds and hoeing.

The adjustable digging skid helps to determine the right depth depending on the task ahead. If you pull the skid right up, the machine will go deep; if you put the skid down, the machine will not dig deeply, which is ideal for spring seedbeds.

A Compact Garden Tiller

Due to the 36 cm digging width which is relatively small for a garden tiller. The tiller is able to go where other garden tillers cannot go. One of the most useful features are to be able to hoe between rows of vegetables and to hoe flowerbeds and shrub borders. There are micro tillers available, however, with the tiller of this size you must have the best of both worlds.

This compact garden tiller weighs just 32.7 kg so it can literally be picked up and moved from site to site. Or even put in the back of a car boot, very easily indeed.

To Conclude

The Racing 139PTIL63-C Petrol Tiller 36cm is a budget garden tiller with excellent reviews. Being a relatively small garden tiller, the machine has the advantages of making it more universal and being able to reach smaller places. If you’re on a limited budget, this garden tiller is definitely worth a look. Going by the reviews, customers are very satisfied with this machine, it can certainly make life much easier in the garden.

Racing obviously trusts their machine as it comes with a two-year warranty for labour and parts.

Specification

Oleo-Mac MH175RK Garden Tiller

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews, Special Offers

Today we are looking at the Oleo-Mac MH175RK garden tiller. The Oleo-Mac MH175RK Garden Tiller offers excellent value for money and is currently on special offer at £395 including VAT, which saves £204.

Yesterday we looked at the larger MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller. The MTD tiller is available for the higher price of £759 including VAT. It does, however, offer a much larger digging width and it also can be reduced to a very narrow 33 cm width. This is ideal for hoeing between vegetable plants and within flower and shrub borders.

Now let’s get back to the Oleo-Mac MH175RK garden tiller. The Oleo-Mac garden tiller has 21 reviews and a star rating of 4.9/5, so it looks like customers are pretty satisfied with their purchase.

Oleo-Mac is an Italian company that makes various machines suitable for the garden. This garden tiller can be a time and labour saving investment for the keen gardener and allotment holder. The heavy-duty steel blades and the powerful Emak overhead valve engine will help make light work of your cultivation tasks.

One of the great features of the Oleo-Mac MH175RK garden tiller is the reverse gear. The majority of tine driven cultivators only have one forward speed, this means that the machine has to be dragged backwards. However, Oleo-Mac has overcome this issue by adding a reverse gear. This takes a lot of hard work out of using a garden tiller.

You Can Purchase The Oleo-Mac MH175RK Garden Tiller Here

Features

A great value for money garden tiller top reviews.
Heavy-duty steel blades.
Powerful Emak overhead valve petrol engine.
Reverse gear for manoeuvrability.
Belt drive with overload protection.
Top reviews.
Front-mounted transport wheel.
Adjustable handlebars vertically and laterally for minimal soil damage.
Adjustable tilling width.
Five-year warranty.

Oleo-Mac MH175RK Front-Tine Tiller With Reverse Drive

So let’s take a closer look at the Oleo-Mac MH175RK garden tiller. As you know, I’m always looking for ways to save time in the garden and garden tiller is definitely a laboursaving tool in the garden. Garden tillers can often be referred to as rotavators, cultivators and tillers. They are basically all designed to dig and cultivate your garden or allotment.

My preferred type of tiller is the wheel-driven type which does cost more money, however, they are much more user-friendly. The second type is the rotor driven type like we are looking at today. And thirdly, there are the small tillers that can be used mainly for hoeing. These micro-tillers may not look like much, however, it’s surprising how much these machines can do and how universal they can be.

Petrol Engine

An Emak overhead-valve four-stroke engine powers the Oleo-Mac MH175RK garden tiller. With the 183cc engine, the engine gives plenty of power for the cultivating needs of the average gardener. The overhead-valve engine helps to keep the engine quiet and gives great fuel economy.

Rotor Drive And Reverse Gear

One of the best features of the Oleo-Mac Garden Tiller is that it has a reverse gear. As I mentioned earlier in this post, it makes manoeuvring the tiller much easier, especially when working in tight spaces.

The Oleo-Mac garden tiller has an 80 cm (approximately 2’8″) tilling width, which can be reduced to 60 cm (2 feet) when working in restricted areas. The crop protection discs at each end of the rotors protect other plants being entangled in the rotors, a handy feature.

Transmission To Rotors

The power to the rotors is transmitted via a V belt from the engine which connects to the slimline chain drive that in turn powers the rotors. This is a simple and yet effective way of transmitting power. The V belt also protects the engine against overloading or sudden stoppages.

Foldaway Handles

If you are creating a fine seedbed it’s important not to walk on your freshly cultivated soil, especially if the soil is damp. The Oleo-Mac garden tiller allows you to adjust the handles to avoid working on the freshly cultivated soil. The handles also fold away to allow for transport and storage.

To Conclude

The Oleo-Mac MH175RK garden tiller offers excellent value for money, especially with the discounted price. Judging by the number of positive reviews, customers are very satisfied with their purchase.

With a five year warranty, I guess that customers have greater peace of mind.

Specification

Engine Make	Emak
Engine Model	K800H OHV
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	183cc
Engine Starting System	Recoil
Gears	1 Forward / 1 Reverse
Transmission	Belt Drive
Working Width	80cm / 60cm
No. of Tines	9
Crop Protection Discs	Yes
Handles	Height Adjustable / Laterally Adjustable
Depth Gauge	Yes
Transport Wheels	Yes – 1
Dimensions (HxWxL)	145cm x 80cm x 97cm
Weight	60kg
Warranty	5 Years

MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews

Today we are looking at the MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller. The MTD Tiller is a large tiller designed for the keen homeowner and allotment user. The MTD front Tine Tiller is available for £759 including VAT.

Yesterday we looked at the Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator. I prefer the wheeled driven type of tiller as they are much more user-friendly and easier to use. However, there is a price to pay. The Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator is available for £1139 which offers a saving of £110.

The MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller has an impressive 81 cm working width; furthermore, this can be reduced to a 33 cm working width. The highly effective heat-treated self-sharpening sprung steel tines give excellent digging capabilities. The MTD tiller is powered by an MTD overhead valve 5.5 hp petrol engine.

As you know, I’m always looking for ways to make life more comfortable in the garden. Garden tillers can be referred to as rotavators, garden cultivators and tillers. They all do the same job; they can dig your garden and produce an excellent fine seedbed! A garden tiller can take the hard work out of digging. They are a tremendous laboursaving tool for the keen gardener and allotment holder.

You Can Purchase The MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller Here

Features

An excellent petrol tiller for demanding home and allotment use.
Self-sharpening steel sprung tines.
Overhead valve engine with cast iron liner.
Quiet exhaust system which reduces engine noise.
Worm drive for excellent torque transfer.
Three-stage tilling width for flexibility.
Fold-down handlebars for storage and transport.
Transport wheel for ease of use.

The MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller

One of the MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller’s main features is the sizeable digging width of 81 cm; this is approximately 2’8″. The large digging width of MTD tiller quickly makes large vegetable plots appear relatively small. The great thing is that the digging width can be reduced to 33 cm for more delicate row crop work and also for tilling between shrubs and plants in borders.

Find Electric Garden Tillers On EBay — **Find Petrol Garden Tillers On EBay**

Petrol Engine

The powerful petrol engine gives the MTD tiller plenty of power. Believe it or not, it doesn’t take too much power to drive a rotavator or tiller. The tiller is powered by an MTD 4 stroke 179’cc overhead-valve single-cylinder engine. The engine develops 5.5 hp and offers great economy with low emissions.

The low tone muffler helps to keep engine noise to a minimum. The cast-iron cylinder liner helps to prolong engine life combined with a dual-element air filter. I cannot stress the importance of keeping the air filter clean for engine efficiency and economy. Your engine must breathe clean air; failure to do this will considerably shorten the engines life.

Gearbox

The MTD garden tiller comes with one forward and one reverse gear. The reverse gear is a handy feature as many of the rotor driven cultivators only have one forward speed. The reverse gear helps to make the machine much easier to use and reduces operator fatigue. Most of the rotor driven tillers that I have used have only had one forward speed, which means the machine has to be pulled backwards, physically.

Power to the rotors comes from a V belt from the engine and then from the V belt to a chain drive that drives the rotors.

Rotors

Another great feature of the MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller has the ability to be able to change the working width. It’s great to have a cultivator with a large working width to cover the ground quickly. However, this can sometimes be an obstacle if you’re working in narrow spaces. The MTD garden tiller is designed to work at 81/61/33 cm widths, making it great for getting in tight spaces. The MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller could be used with the various working widths for hoeing vegetables and getting between flower and shrub borders.

The rotors are made of a highly effective heat-treated self-sharpening sprung steel that gives the tines the ability to stay sharp and cut through hard ground.

The front Tine Tiller comes with a depth skid. This determines the depth and helps control the machine, particularly when you don’t want to dig too deeply. If you want to dig deep, lift the skid directly up if you want to go shallow, put the depth skid right down.

More Benefits

The MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller includes foldable handles which are great for storage or transporting. The machine comes with a front transport wheel to manoeuvre the garden tiller to different areas of your garden or allotment.

To Conclude

The MTD T380M Front-Tine Tiller has a large digging width which can quickly cover the ground. I like the idea that the digging blades can be removed for working in tighter spaces; this is really useful for hoeing and working between shrubs.

My preferred type of rotavator is the wheeled driven type; however, these machines cost more money. The MTD garden tiller has a reverse gear, which helps make the machine more manoeuvrable, which is a big plus point.

The MTD garden tiller offers good value for money and a wide working width backed up by a one-year manufacturers warranty.

Specification

Engine Make	MTD
Engine Model	ThorX 55 H
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	179cc
Engine Power	3.1kW
Engine Starting System	Recoil
Engine Fuel Tank Capacity	2.2 Litres
Gears	1 Forward / 1 Reverse
Transmission	Chain Reduction Drive
Working Width	33cm / 61cm / 81cm
Working Depth	TBC
No. of Tines	6
R.P.M. of Rotars	137rpm
Crop Protection Discs	Yes
Handles	Foldable
Depth Gauge	Yes
Transport Wheels	Yes
Weight	58kg
Warranty	1 Year

Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews

Today we are looking at the Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator, this is a wheeled driven tiller designed to make light work of those heavy jobs. TheStiga Silex 103B Cultivator is currently on special offer at £1139 which is a saving of £110. The price includes VAT.

The Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator is a compact and yet powerful machine ready to tackle all types of cultivation tasks in your garden. The powerful Briggs & Stratton overhead valve engine gives the Stiga Rotavator plenty of power. For flexibility and manoeuvrability, the machine has a three-speed gearbox, making the machine almost effortless to use.

Stiga is a Swedish company that started in business over 80 years ago. They have a vast selection of horticultural products, ranging from mowers, hedge cutters, strimmers and brushcutters, rotavators and more.

Features

A powerful garden cultivator at a decent price.
6.5 hp overhead valve Briggs & Stratton petrol engine.
Two forward and one reverse gear for manoeuvrability and performance.
Pneumatic tyres with optional cast-iron wheels available.
Adjustable handlebars.
Wheel driven tiller for ease of use.
Two-year warranty.

Types Of Tillers And Rotavators

We are now in February and next month Spring will be upon us. As you know, I’m always looking for ways to make life in the garden easier, over the next few days will be looking at some of our garden tillers. There are basically three types of tillers and cultivators. The first type and my preferred type of rotavators are the wheel-driven types. These machines are driven by the wheels and the rear digging rotors are driven independently. This offers much more control and they are much more user-friendly.

The second type of tiller is the rotor driven type. In other words, there are no wheels to drive the tiller, the rotors actually drive the machine. The speed is controlled by how much weight you apply to the handles and how fast the engine is running. The more you push down on the handles, the deeper the tiller will dig, subject to ground conditions of course. The rotor driven type of tiller is more physical to use, however, it is much easier than using hand tools!

The third type of tillers are the small hoeing machines, as I call them. They can make light work of hoeing between shrubs, perennials and vegetable plants. Being very narrow and compact they are ideal for going up rows of vegetables and keeping your ground free of weeds. In general, these tillers used for digging by simply turning rotors around, which in turn makes the machine dig deeper. They are much more universal than they actually look.

Find Electric Garden Shredders on EBay — **Find Electric Garden Tillers On EBay**

Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator

As I mentioned earlier, the Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator is a wheeled driven machine that makes light work of cultivation tasks in the garden. The two forward speed and one reverse gear make the cultivator very easy to manoeuvre and to adapt to various soil conditions. The rotors are independently driven and the forward speed is determined through the gearbox.

There is an adjustable skid at the rear of the machine which determines the digging depth of the machine. If you require a shallow depth, set your skid to a low setting, this will restrict the machine from digging too deeply into the soil. By adjusting the skid to a higher setting the cultivator will dig deeper. If you are digging hard ground or the soil has not been moved recently, it’s advisable to go over the ground multiple times to gently break the soil up.

Three Speed Gearbox

With a three-speed gearbox, including a reverse gear, the Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator can be manoeuvred very easily and effortlessly. If you are digging hard ground, use a low gear. If you are making a spring seedbed and the ground has already had frost on, a higher gear would be more suitable as the soil will break down easily.

Briggs & Stratton Engine

The Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator is powered by the well-proven Briggs & Stratton engine. The Vanguard overhead valve 205cc engine develops 6.5 hp which gives plenty of power. I have owned and used machines with Briggs & Stratton engines for many years. Over time, I have had minimal issues with Briggs & Stratton engines. I like the fact that parts are readily available and sensibly priced, there are Briggs & Stratton agents across the world.

The Briggs & Stratton engine features a transport guard system that automatically shuts off the oil and fuel and ignition during transportation.

Rotors

With a 60 cm (approximately 24 inches) cultivating width, the Stiga Silex 103B Cultivator will easily fit through a standard garden gate. It is also surprisingly quick on covering the ground, the rotavator doesn’t take long to cultivate the average size vegetable patch.

The six rotors which each have four blades on, quickly cultivate the soil, making an excellent seedbed for spring sowing. Using the gearbox and the depth control determines how fine and deep your seedbed will be. There are occasions when a rough finish is needed to overwinter your veg patch.

Rotavators are a very useful tool for reclaiming land. For example, if you want to create a new veg patch or flower border in your garden, a rotavator can quickly transform the area.

The Stiga cultivator is equipped with three-position handlebars, the handlebars can be adjusted to suit the operator. This is also a useful feature as if you’re digging deeply you can then raise the handlebars according to every situation.

Accessories

Stiga has a number of popular accessories for Stiga 103 Rotavator. The two most useful accessories are the cast iron wheels which help to give a better grip. The second option is a ridger attachment for baulking up potatoes, a very useful feature indeed.

To Conclude

As I mentioned earlier in this post, I much prefer the wheel-driven rotavators as they are far easier and better to use than the traditional rotor driven machines. £1139 is a good price for a wheeled powered Rotavator, it’s amazing how much more you get for your money when you spend a bit more!

The Stiga comes with a two-year manufacturers warranty.

Specification

Engine Make	Briggs and Stratton
Engine Model	Vanguard™ OHV
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	205cc
Engine Power	6.5hp / 4.8kW
Engine Starting System	Recoil
Engine Fuel Tank Capacity	3.8 Litres
Transmission	Gears + Chain in Oil Bath and Belt
Differential	No
Gears	2 Forward / 1 Reverse
Clutch	Yes
Handles	Adjustable
Power Take Off	Yes
Wheel Type	with Pneumatic Tyres
Wheel Size	330mm

Feider FMTB8300 Petrol Tiller

Roy Bretton Rotavators, Rotavators Tillers And Cultivators, Roy Reviews

Feider Petrol Tiller 196 cm³ - 4-stroke engine - 8 Cutters - 85...

The Feider FMTB8300 Petrol Tiller is a traditional cultivator which is designed for the keen gardener for efficient soil cultivation. This petrol-driven cultivator features a powerful 196cc overhead valve technology which in turns gives economy and reliability.

Recently we looked at the Feider RTF220 Pro Rear-Tine Tiller, which offers excellent value for money for a wheel driven Tiller. Today we are looking at a more traditional rotor driven cultivator which are more popular with gardeners due to the cheaper cost. However, the wheel-driven type of rotavator is my preferred machine, although, there is normally a slightly higher cost involved. But well worth the extra cost in my mind, due to the ease and extra flexibility that it brings.

At just £579 and a two-year warranty, the Feider FMTB8300 Petrol Tiller offers value for money and a time-saving investment for the keen gardener and allotment holder. The Feider petrol tiller is designed for keen gardeners and allotment holders, if you are a contractor I would go for a rear tined wheeled machine.

You Can Purchase The Feider FMTB8300 Petrol Tiller Here

Features

Powerful four-stroke Feider overhead valve engine developing 6.5 hp.
Robust cultivator tines.
Dead man’s handle for safety.
Adjustable handlebars for operator comfort.
Two-year warranty.
Premium service available.

4-Stroke Einhell OHV Engine

The Feider FMTB8300 is powered by a single-cylinder 196 cc engine, developing 6.5 hp. The engine is a robust four-stroke overhead-valve engine, which offers plenty of power and economy. The 3.6 L fuel tank offers plenty of work time between fill-ups. The engine is started using a recoil start cord.

The Feider FMTB8300 Petrol Tiller

The Feider FMTB8300 petrol tiller is perfect for the keen gardener or allotment holder who wants to make life easier in the garden. The 85 cm working width quickly and officially creates perfect seedbeds. The digging depth of up to 250 mm is more than enough for most gardens. The adjustable depth wheel helps to make using the Feider FMTB8300 petrol tiller easier. For example, if you just want the machine to go very shallow, set the depth wheel to a high setting and it will control the depth.

With two gears, (one forward and one reverse) the Feider FMTB8300 petrol tiller becomes very manoeuvrable. The reverse gear helps to make turning much easier. All the tine driven machines I’ve used have not had a reverse gear, which means the machine has to be physically pulled backwards. The reverse gear will definitely save a lot of physical effort, especially when turning.

Tiller Tines

The strong tiller tines allow the machine to penetrate hard soil, but at the same time can be used to create a fine seedbed. There are a series of eight tines on each side of the drive housing. The tine guard helps to break down the soil and protect the operator at the same time.

Safety is always important, the manufacturer has fitted a dead man’s handle. As soon as you release the handle, the machine will stop.

Adjustable Handles

This was good to be able to use a machine comfortably. The Feider FMTB8300 petrol tiller comes with adjustable handles that offer four different positions.

To Conclude

Any cultivator or tiller will quickly make life easier in the garden. The first tiller I purchased when I was started out in contracting was a rotor driven machine, not something I’d recommend for contracting! However, it’s all I could afford at the time.

A rotor driven machine works absolutely fine for the keen gardener, especially if you’re on a limited budget. However, if money is no object then it is better to go for a wheel driven machine. Either type of machine will definitely make your garden easier.

For peace of mind, the Feider FMTB8300 petrol tiller comes with two years warranty.

Specification

Engine Make	Feider
Engine Model	4-stroke Einhell OHV
Engine Type	Petrol 4-stroke
Engine Capacity	196 cm³
Engine Power	6.5hp
Engine Fuel Tank Capacity	3.6L
Oil Tank Capacity	1.6L
Gears	1 Forward / 1 Reverse
Transmission	No
Drive	No
Working Width	85cm
Working Depth	Working depth : 250 mm Maximum working depth : 200 mm
No. of Tines	8
R.P.M. of Rotars	3200 min^-1
Handles	Handlebar height adjusting (level) : 4
Wheel Type	Retractable front wheel
Weight	52.5kg
Warranty	2 Years