Resurrecting the Mantis
Written: Sep 20 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A great garden helper managable by young and old.
Cons: Best suited for small jobs, larger tasks are challenging.
The Bottom Line: Save your back, and still manage your garden.
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| dncswknivs's Full Review: Mantis Tiller |
This summer, while stumbling around in the confines of my tool shed swiping at spider webs and cracking my shin against rake handles, I discovered a Mantis tiller. I dragged it out of the shed to inspect it and determine whether it was usable, or simply scrap metal. It was in an obvious state of disrepair and neglect, but I knew that there was a chance that I could breathe some life into it.
I set about building a new handle out of some tubing I had available and reattached the throttle cable. Though it had been neglected and left outside in damp weather (albeit in a shed), I was surprised to find that it was durably constructed and showed remarkably little weathering or rust. With some help from a neighbor, we adjusted the carburetor, figured out the correct fuel mixture and got the engine running.
This particular Mantis is an older model. It has a two-cycle engine, and solid state electronic starter. There is a centrifugal clutch, so it operates much like a chainsaw. The tines engage only when the throttle is fully applied (providing a measure of safety against the “runaway tiller” scenario).
Perhaps the most well-praised features of the Mantis are its small size and light weight, which make it not only easy to operate for people of all ages and experiences, but also easy to store and maintain.
I’ve used it successfully in my garden for the following chores:
Tilling flower beds: It definitely digs deep. I haven’t measured, but it probably comes close to the advertised 10” depth. Our garden, and all the soil in our yard for that matter, is very very rocky. I would have expected to bust the tines of the blades, but in all the tilling I’ve done, not only have they not broken, but they’ve unearthed rocks nearly the size of a grapefruit. No wonder the Mantis Co. guarantees the blades for life.
Mixing compost: We keep a compost pile and the Mantis does a great job of mixing it up in just a few minutes—a job that would probably take two to three times as long to do by hand, and one that the mantis does much more thoroughly.
Edging: Not my favorite job, and one that I perhaps don’t have the best attachment for. The edging attachment is a single blade opposed by a wheel on the far side. The blade makes a knife-thin cut, but the wheel keeps it too high, so unless you tilt the machine, it doesn’t dig very deep.
One task I find virtually impossible to do with the Mantis is to till garden or flower beds where there is already growth. Even with the power of a two-cycle engine, roots bind up the tiller tines and make it necessary to stop and clean them out every two or three minutes. Perhaps I’m trying to use the wrong tool for the job, but this is a little disappointing as even small roots kill performance. There may be a clutch/carb setting/age issue that limits my power, but it’s still annoying.
On the positive side, changing attachments is very easy. Simply tap out the shear pin and slide the attachment off the D-shaped drive shaft. Slide on the new attachment and insert the pin and you’re ready to go. Maintenance is relatively simply. The universal gear is enclosed in a tough housing that needs only occasional lubrication on the bearings where the drive shaft meets the gear. Other than that, simply wiping it down, making sure you have the correct fuel mixture, and good spark are the only maintenance needed to keep it running. I haven’t performed any major overhauls yet.
Though there are newer versions of the Mantis with four-cycle motors, it seems like the basic design and purpose have remained the same over the years. What amazes me most though, is that it’s been sitting in our shed all these years, and a few hours of repair (for the broken handle) and maintenance were all that was needed in order to get it running again. All things considered, the Mantis is an easy to use powered garden tool that is worth the investment and will probably serve my needs for another decade.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dncswknivs
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Location: USA
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 23 members
About Me:
Traveler and writer, I've traversed four continents and 16 countries.
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