About Rototillers
A rototiller or garden tiller is a motor driven tool used to till the soil, loosening it so that seeds can be planted and plants can be transplanted. Tillers come in a variety of sizes and several styles. Most are gasoline powered, although some smaller ones are electric. Rechargeable rototillers are also available, but somewhat harder to find. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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Rototillers come in two basic varieties: front-tine and rear-tine. A front-tine rototiller is the cheapest to manufacture, and was the first type produced. Front-tine tillers are difficult to operate, especially larger models, which require considerable physical strength to control. Rear-tine tillers are self-propelled on tires with heavy treads. Rear-tine tillers are far easier to use and require less upper body strength to control. However, their bulkiness can present a problem with storage or when working in confined areas. Several companies sell very small tillers for flower gardens or small landscaping jobs. These small tillers are usually available in electric and rechargeable versions, and are best suited to light use.
Function
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All rototillers perform the same function, but each type approaches it differently. A large front-tine tiller chews at the earth while the operator holds it back. This requires a healthy adult with a strong back and good upper body strength to maintain control of the tiller as it attempts to propel itself over the surface of the earth, instead of knocking out chunks of soil from the ground. Front-tine tillers have a stake--a semi-sharp piece of bar stock--that hangs down behind the rear wheels. The stake is designed to help hold the tiller back, but its effectiveness is limited and brute strength is still required to maintain control of the tiller.
Rear-tine tillers approach the job in a somewhat different manner. The tiller tines rotate in the opposite direction of travel, and the entire tiller is propelled by the wheels. The operator is only required to steer the tiller, and it does its job as the operator walks behind guiding it. So that the rear-tine tiller can be capable of this, it is quite heavy. Rear-tine tillers are also roughly 33 to 50 percent larger to accommodate drive wheels and related extra equipment that allows the machine to be self-propelled. -
Considerations
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Never buy more rototiller than you can handle. Most tillers are large and heavy, and cannot be transported by a single individual. Smaller tillers and micro-tillers are easy to move and most can be picked up and carried for a distance, but they are not designed for large-scale gardening and should be used only for flowerbeds or for turning already loosened or tilled soil.
Expert Insight
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By far the best rototillers are the rear-tine variety. Unfortunately, rear-tine tillers can be quite expensive. Many TV commercials and advertisements suggest that the smaller "micro-tillers" are capable of tilling an entire garden, but with few exceptions, these claims are exaggerations. Some micro-tillers may be physically capable of tilling an entire garden, but due to their diminutive size, will require days to do so.
Warning
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Rototillers are powerful and potentially dangerous tools. Read all warnings and the operator's manual thoroughly. All tillers are equipped with a clutch, which must be engaged to set the tiller in motion. Releasing this clutch causes the rotating tines and other parts to stop immediately. Circumventing this safety device by wiring it into the engaged position is a dangerous and potentially deadly practice.
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