Honda or Toro rototillers?

[Mountaineer]

I was set on the Craftsman with forward and counter rotating tines, but they are now unavailable in Canada. Seemed like a really good machine.
Also wanted rear tine on the tiller.

My choices look like either a $2k tiller by Honda (20" wide, 5.5 HP), which is too expensive. Then there's the $1k tiller by Toro (17" wide, 6.5HP).

I'm cutting through some hard clay and heavy weed root growth and don't want to be under powered. Sounds like the toro is a "home owner" model
Anyone have the Toro or Honda?

[insanity]

Not familiar with either of those tillers. But i can tell you a forward rotating rear tine tiller will run off with you in hard pack ground. Better plain on having the ground turned under first.
I hear counter rotating is much better. But judging by how my tiller acts I'm not sure i want the tines turning toward me. Id have to run one first. LOL
I have a 196? (i forget.) Troy Built that will whip my butt in hard pack. And thats with it second engine which is just a little 5 hp. (It,s all in the gearing.) You'd never guess it could get up on the tines and run away with you like it does. (It weighs a ton.)
Wishing i had spent my money to have my old front tine Wards tiller rebuilt. I could break rock with it and run much deeper than the rear tine to boot.

[BoldtsWagon]

My brother-in-law just bought a "Cub-Cadet" tiller at Home Depot for about $680. It has a Honda engine and a transmission to operate either forward or counter-rotating tines. He just brought it home yesterday and has not operated it yet. Home Depot just got in the first ones they had, it is supposed to be a new design (or new to Home Depot).

[sleeps723]

i had the craftsman tiller ur talkin about, it never ran straight. darnd crooked rows. started easy n all. optional rotation was ok. didnt have much ground breaking power. i use a troybilt 8 hp 1960s model. does super well. it is rear tine. if ur ground is really packed then start shallow n go deep slow. u can till with anything u just have to adjust how deep u till. i have n xtra troybilt but ur awful far if ur in canada.

[Jeff54321]

My only experience is with Honda lawn mowers and snow blowers. The quality and performance of these units is near perfect. Expensive, yes but worth every cent in my opinion. Were I to buy any small equipment I would buy Honda without question as they are light years ahead of the competition.

[Sand Flat Bob]

Suggestion: Have you considered the two wheel tractors. Take a look at BSC and Grillo. Granted they are more expensive, but have numerous attachments available. They are built like a tank, much better than the old Troybilt Horse I wore out. The Horse always killed me on turning. The BCS and Grillo have steering brakes which make turning much easier. Just google on their names and you can get all kinds of info and testimonals. I am condidering buying one to supplement my 5 foot 3 point mounted rototiller. Also with the mower attachment will replace the DR weed and brush mower I just sold.

Just something to consider.

Bob

[papaw]

Off subject, but I'm thinking on a Mantis for a veggie patch. Any thoughts on them? 2 cycle or 4 cycle? Are they any count?

[Earthbound]

We have a Honda, that we saved and saved for and absolutely love it! It was an expensive unit, but it will be with us until the end. Its pretty incredible what it will go throught and we too have lots of clay here, living on an island.
corry

[brownegg]

I have a troy bilt also. They area great at tilling even hard pack soil, the key to keep it from running away from you in hard soil conditions, is to set the depth very shallow to start with and increase the depth slowly until you have the ground broke well.
By breaking slowly there is no chance of the tiller lunging forward.

[HermitJohn]

I personally would look around for a used old versionTroyBuilt or a Gravely. However you wont be disappointed with the Honda. I have used a rental Honda tiller and its a well made piece of equipment. I dont know anything about the Toro, but would imagine its more like what Sears and the big box stores sell, namely stuff that lasts 5 to 10 years (if you give it meticulous care and are lucky) and not worth repairing when it gives up the ghost.

[widfam]

I don't have a Honda tiller but Honda power equipment is HARD to beat. Yes more money but imha well worth it for my generator, air compressor, snow blower and small 12" tiller.

[Junkmanme]

I have an MTD counter-rotating rear-tine tiller. It has a 5 h.p. Briggs and Stratton engine. I am very pleased with it. They cost about $600.00 brand new.

Hard-pan clay ground. On previously "untilled ground" it does "the trick" if I moisten the ground a couple of days before tilling. No "running away"..no "bouncing". I can easily hold onto it with one hand while tilling.

[Fryegirl]

I'm almost embarrassed to post this but I have a REALLY stupid question...

When starting a garden, I assume you till up the area you want to plant but then what? Do you rake out the grass/clumps/weeds, amend the soil (if needed) and then start to plant? I understand the maintenance part of this - after the garden gets going - but I think I need step-by-step instruction on how to begin on a virgin plot. Many years ago, my husband tilled a large area for a garden and, I swear, within a week you could hardly tell where he tilled.

[arbutus]

I watched my neighbor break sod for a new garden area last year.

He went over the sod about 5 times over the course of three weeks or so with the tines set progressively deeper each time. The few days between passes helped the decomposition process of the sod.

He didn't have to rake anything clumps or anything at all - and the garden produced wonderfully.