Rototiller

[jandtaa]

Hi Folks

After working over some land today with a rake ( some b'stard has half inched my hoe ) I found myself really missing the old Mantis that I use on my salad beds in the UK . I know that there have been several threads on this forum already about the subject but I'm coming from a slightly different angle. This is a very lightweight machine but very efficient and although I could bring one back with me from the UK I was wondering the following :

Would it be cheaper to have one made up out here ? Obviously the frame wouldn't be a problem but is there a compatible engine ?? I'm guessing this is the most expensive component and obviously the heaviest. I could always bring some of the other parts tines etc as "used spares" in my suitcase. In the UK we use the two stroke model which my dad won in an organic gardening mag 12 years ago. It gets a winter service every year and the first problem was last year with the starter cord. I think a fourstroke might be better suited to my needs out here.

I have some background as a draughtsman so could knock up some drawings whilst back in the UK . Any thoughts from any of the engineers amongst you would be most welcome  !!

here's a link to the company's website Mantis UK   

cheers for your help Jandtaa   

[Maizefarmer]

You can purchase small petrol/diesel powered 2-wheeled push along units for around B20K - and you can get small 3point hitch units 2nd hand for less than baht 10K - then find someone with a small 10 - 13hp tractor.

... hs to be alot easier than brining one out from Europe or where ever.

[rice555]

Hello jandtaa, that thing looks like a garden toy, not like a farm machine, you might get some good info here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Organic-Farm...-Kitc-f142.html

We went downtown Korat to the Ya Mo celebrations(ends the 3rd April) and there is a ag show of sorts, they have the small Thai tillers, chippers, charcoal ovens, bio-diesel, mushroom's and a few other odds and ends. Forgot, a nice FROG display, big suckers and a CP chicken evap house(40'W-60'L), not a full size one.

rice555

[jandtaa]

Hi rice 555 

And I thought it was only us Brits that had mastered sarcasm  !!

Glad you enjoyed yourself at  the ag show. Sure it's not the same as the Iron buffalo we have for the paddy but it serves the purpose on salad/veg beds etc which I assume most farmers in the world have in their home plots if they actually feed themselves rather than exporting everything and spend the profit on buying in their food. The Iron buffalo would be a bit of an overkill !! I guess it all depends on what you call a farm we can't all be owners of vast estates and to quote wikipedia 

"A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food (produce, grains, or livestock), fibers and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production.[1] Farms may be owned and operated by a single individual, family, community, corporation or a company. A farm can be a holding of any size from a fraction of a hectare to several thousand hectares."

So whilst the brain is searching for someting witty, the mouth is saying.... I guess you know the rest  !!

Maize Farmer thanks for the info as always useful . cheers !!

I guess it's just a matter of horses for courses and don't think it hurts to think out of the box on occasions !!

cheers for now Jandtaa 

[rice555]

Hello jandtaa, I think I said "rototiller", as in other post about where to find them in LOS, there are links to the Thai Co's that make/sale them, the are small self powered and you walk behind and operate it, 'they are not' an attachment for any type of tractor. If you do a T-V thread search, you will find links and pictures of these rototillers. 7 out of 10 Thai ag magazines have have these adds with pictures so that if you don't read Thai, you can figure it out for your self when you come back.

My BIL uses his iron buffalo to make his 13m X 20m vegie garden, and hand hoe's the weeds, I think a lot of Thai 'farmers' do the same thing, even the OG ones. I'm not Thai, but I had a Thai with a 34HP Kubota plough and make rows for my home vegie garden after doing 2 rai for a chili, farm crop.

This may save you a search: www.nigino.com for the tiller.

rice555

[jandtaa]

^Cheers Rice555

Yeah thats more the job . I like to create raised beds to a depth of about 18 inches using  timber or blocks to shore up the sides and although in the UK they're 1.4 metres wide, out here I'll make them narrower to accomodate the wifes shorter arms so manouevering the tiller up and around is gonna be of importance. I'm gonna end up with 28 six metre long beds and although I dont mind a bit of graft and always hand weed, I've found a rototiller a great help in incorporating green manures and animal manures.

cheers for your help J   

[jaideeguy]

What you're talking about is a 'mini tiller' and it is a completely different animal than a heavy clumbsy roto tiller, as it chops the soil at high speeds and is lite and easily moved.....one hand can carry. being small, it is highly manuravable. Perfect for the small backyard garden. I've had mantises and they are great.

I searched all over LOS for one....couldn't find, then when on a retrun trip to the states, I brought one as excess baggage in the factory box, knowing that customs would hit me and they did for 2,000THB, but I got it on sale anyway and still came out ahead. Instead of a mantis, I got a honda 4 stroke and it is every bit as good as a mantis and engine parts re available here.

I mostly use it for my raised beds and chopping up and mixing my compost .........couldn't live without it!!

[ozzydom]

Many farm machinery outlets throughout Thailand carry versions of the rotary tillers,its just a matter of looking beyond the big boys toys (tractors ). there is even an attachment available which to fit on a weed whacker (whipper snipper ).

[soidog2]

Hi Folks

After working over some land today with a rake ( some b'stard has half inched my hoe ) I found myself really missing the old Mantis that I use on my salad beds in the UK . I know that there have been several threads on this forum already about the subject but I'm coming from a slightly different angle. This is a very lightweight machine but very efficient and although I could bring one back with me from the UK I was wondering the following :

Would it be cheaper to have one made up out here ? Obviously the frame wouldn't be a problem but is there a compatible engine ?? I'm guessing this is the most expensive component and obviously the heaviest. I could always bring some of the other parts tines etc as "used spares" in my suitcase. In the UK we use the two stroke model which my dad won in an organic gardening mag 12 years ago. It gets a winter service every year and the first problem was last year with the starter cord. I think a fourstroke might be better suited to my needs out here.

I have some background as a draughtsman so could knock up some drawings whilst back in the UK . Any thoughts from any of the engineers amongst you would be most welcome  !!

here's a link to the company's website Mantis UK   

cheers for your help Jandtaa   

Jandtaa , this is what I use.

This morning, I just tilled a large parcel for Edamame, ( about 50m x 30m ) in 45min.

It’s a “ BCS” tractor with an 11 hp Honda gasoline engine.

It will do anything but the dishes, the bad part it’s not cheap and I don’t know if you will find it in Thailand.

I bought in the US, it’s also available in Europe. Made in Italy.

Regards

http://www.bcsagri.it/index.php?id=24&L=1

http://www.bcsshop.com/price_list.htm

http://www.bcsshop.com/index.htm

PS, I have a Mantis too, stays mostly in the garage, I only use it in really tight spaces !

Edited March 29, 2009 by soidog2

[jandtaa]

Cheers guys 

Yeah these are all worth considering ! It's really a case of balancing up the cost against what the machine is capable of and what I need now and what I might want in the future. I really think as far as value for money goes the Mantis would be hard to beat, I know the machine, it has multiple attatchments and great in tight spaces. For the future I could upgrade the Iron buffalo we have (an ancient beast but a good workhorse) , The 12 rai of paddy we have is likely to increase as family members become to old to work their land ( my wife is the youngest of 7 her eldest brother being 65 ) and I would seriously consider converting some of it to grow fruit or vegetable crops on a larger scale, or if I win the lottery I could buy a small tractor ( I really do have a tight budget at the moment) So another couple of questions how do these mid size walk behinds compare to the Iron buffalo can they work as a pump either with a longtail or other means ? Can they be fitted with paddy paddles ?

Soidog2 if the mantis is in a garage out here and you run out of tight spaces I would be really interested .

Cheers all Jandtaa       

[soidog2]

Cheers guys 

Yeah these are all worth considering ! It's really a case of balancing up the cost against what the machine is capable of and what I need now and what I might want in the future. I really think as far as value for money goes the Mantis would be hard to beat, I know the machine, it has multiple attatchments and great in tight spaces. For the future I could upgrade the Iron buffalo we have (an ancient beast but a good workhorse) , The 12 rai of paddy we have is likely to increase as family members become to old to work their land ( my wife is the youngest of 7 her eldest brother being 65 ) and I would seriously consider converting some of it to grow fruit or vegetable crops on a larger scale, or if I win the lottery I could buy a small tractor ( I really do have a tight budget at the moment) So another couple of questions how do these mid size walk behinds compare to the Iron buffalo can they work as a pump either with a longtail or other means ? Can they be fitted with paddy paddles ?

Soidog2 if the mantis is in a garage out here and you run out of tight spaces I would be really interested .

Cheers all Jandtaa       

Here’s another incarnation when I was leveling the driveway.

Notice the wheels !

Yes, it works in the (small) rice field, It has a standard PTO output.

Within the HP range, whatever you can attach to it, will work. ( the only limitation is the tractor weight !)

The Mantis, I will keep it, still handy sometimes!

If you really want one , I may be able to get it, if you can cover shipping & customs. PM for details.

regards

[brahmburgers]

Hey Jandtaa, we spoke some about rototillers the other day in person.

If you get close to actually fabricating one, let me know how it goes, as I've been wanting a roto-tiller for years.

Haven't ever found on for sale in any of the dozens of farm equip outlets here in C.Rai for 10 long years. However, just recently I saw some for sale at one place, but they were over Bt.50k each (for either front or rear tined types) they had some fancy flanges sticking out in weird angles (unnecessary) and were heavy.

There was one smaller model for just over Bt.20k, but that's still over-priced for what it is.

In the States, rear tined are always more expensive than front tined models. I actually prefer rear tined, in spite of them being tougher to jockey around - because they're particularly good for terracing ( I like to work on hilly terrian). Am also planning to carve a long motorbike trail which will traverse a hillside. about 200 meters, so a front-tined machine would work well, if in able hands.

[jandtaa]

Cheers Soidog2

I'll bring my own Mantis in, maybe I can persuade the old man to upgrade in the UK and I can bring the old one broken down into spares !! Your reluctance to get rid of confirms what a great tool it is !!

cheers J