Tiller Tillers

[ddl]

I being a farm raised person looks at the setup and think hey a chisel would work , where you look at it and say, looks like something to tear up an area. both will work but a chisel just has to work better!!!

Dan L

 

[JATO_RaT]

Mark, I think the rippers are a great idea, not only will they help out the tines but find obstacles just beneath the surface like roots and rocks. I could see rigging up a pantograph type setup with one hydraulic cylinder to lower a ripper rack down to the point where you could go full rippers with the added weight of the tiller or out of the way altogether. I did not check your profile, but will have to and see if you list the brand of tiller. What are your thoughts about it? I see alot of folks have tillers and think highly of what they have. Again, I remember your picture from before, just never put two and two together but now that its been refreshed, I have a few ideas to work on when I get the time, Rat...

 

[MChalkley]

Rat - I've got an Agric tiller - made in Italy. It's been a good tiller, no doubt about that - as with most of my stuff, I've abused the stuffings out of it, and it's never failed me. If I had it to do over again, though, I'd buy an all-gear-drive tiller, because you could basically use it as a reverse-till unit when that worked best, and a regular one re rest of the time.

In fact, Agric makes an all-gear-drive tiller that is reversable (without going backwards - the gearbox lets you select forward or reverse operation) and has 2 or 3 speeds. I don't remember how much it costs, though - not cheap, I'm sure.

 

[PaulT]

Bird,

I read a post of yours on a related thread just AFTER/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif I posted my comments. I appreciate your feedback. As usual - concise, practical and right on the mark. After considering your points, you have converted me to a forward rotating disciple, especially with Mark Chalkley's suggestion of a scarifier bar! The only thing that might get me to buy a counter-rotating model is the road construction idea. (see my response to RonL)

 

[PaulT]

Adding portland cement to a gravel drive is an interesting idea, Ron. I have a 800 foot long gravel drive, and that would make a nice surface, especially for plowing in the winter. It seems like it might be expensive. How much do you need to add in to the gravel base per linear foot of driveway, assuming a 12-14 foot wide road? How much would that amount cost? Where would be the best place to purchase it? Also, wouldn't tilling into a compacted gravel driveway be murder on the tines? I know the only thing under my #2 gravel is rip rap and dirt. The rip rap may have settled in below the tiller depth by now, but still, seems like your just asking for trouble with the tines/clutc/shear pin/gear box. COme to think of it, everything! Anyone ever use a tiller like this in a mature (compacted) gravel drive?

 

[PaulT]

<font color=blue><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

As the saying goes, if you're going to go to the trouble to do it, you might as well do it right...

<hr></blockquote>

</font color=blue>
My grandfather owned/operated a woodshop in a small town. Next door to him lived what could only be described as a hermit. He had some great sayings that my grandfather related to me. His version of your "old addage" was "Better to do it right than in the first place" Certainly that was advice you couldn't argue with. My grandfather's favorite was "Nature is almost as good as the real thing"

 

[RonL]

Paul

I have only just started to research this. Before I get to this stage in construction I intend to thoroughly research this option. My take on it so far is that it is not used on base that has already been brought in and compacted. It is used on sandy subsoils (gravel). The topsoil is stripped. Portland cement is tilled into the subsoil and compacted.
When I get all the research sources together I'll post them.

RonL

 

[RET]

Doe anyone have experience with the 'First Choice' brand of tillers? My local dealer says he can get me the First Choice brand for a few hundred less than the equivelent Land Pride.
But, he just started carrying this line and does not know much about it. Any comments? I'm not at all familiar with First Choice. Any info on any of their implements?
-R

 

[gerard]

re mixing cement - I read an article once on how to make an inexpensive basketball court and it was to till one bag of dry mix per sq yard then tamp. That would be quite a bit for a driveway. I have used the same concept when doing horse stalls blending the dry mix with the stone dust, makes for a harder surface than the stone dust alone.

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Tillers w/scarifiers

Terry - Here's a pic of the scarifier mod to my tiller, as promised, though a lot later than promised...