Depend on whether you are using for commercial. If for your own home only, how big. If it is under 3000sqft, I would look at the Craftsman front tine for $329. I had talk about this in quite a few posts lately, go do a search. I think we are beating this to death already. If you have very big open yard, then pay more than double to get a rear tine. But they are much heavier.

Hey Canuckistani,

If you're truly talking ACRES, and want to go walk behind, I wouldn't even look at anything other than Diesel powered BCS or Grillo with a rotary plow. Nothing else new today will stand up to acres of sod busting. You might get away with a rototiller on the BCS, but the rotary plow would do a more effective job. You're looking at over 6 grand if you go new, though.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earth Tools in Owenton KY

Why would you want to break acres of new ground with a tiller? There are farmers around who still have small tractors in the 60 hp range that can easily pull a three furrow plow and then a set of double-discs. Pay him to come and break the area open initially and then in a weeks time he can come back and run the discs over it plus a drag harrow to level it out.

From that point on, you should be able to use a tiller on it but if you're talking about more than 2 acres, then you need to start thinking about something bigger than a walk-behind tiller. You don't mention how many acres are involved but once you're over an acre, then a decent quality garden tractor with a tiller on the back starts to look pretty goood.

Hey guys,

I want to use the tiller for a couple of purposes. To break new ground in home lawns I'll be doing landscaping for and also to till already broken ground for my own farm field. I'm looking at a 7HP OHV BRIGGS & STRATTON INTEK PLATINUM PLUS TILLER. Any opinions on whether a machine like this in good condition would be able to stand up to that kind of workload?

All that describes is the engine. What make and model tiller is it on?

It doesn't matter what machine it's on. An Intek is a homeowner's motor. Any machine that has an Intek on is also a homeowner's tiller and that means "low duty cycle". If you are in business to make money, then choose professional equipment. In the long run it pays. All the landscape PRO's I know use Honda rear tine or BCS tillers.

They don't have time to fool around with some toy tiller designed for Martha's veggie garden that gets used twice per season and only for an hour or so at at time. So to answer your question as to whether some Intek powered tiller will stand up to the sort of use you describe..... the answer is no.

So a Honda rear tine and a BCS are the only way to go for heavy duty work?

Hey Cankuckstani,

There are other machines out there that will stand up to years of use and abuse, but BCS is the only one with which I have experience. I think BCS trumps Honda and others simply because you can go Diesel and you have the ability to change implements. Goldoni, BCS, Grillo, Ferrari, SEP are all brands imported from Italy that can change implements. BCS has the best dealer network. The link I provided is the website of the biggest dealer in the states. If you're willing to go used and have the time to search crigslist, you can step into a 735, 737, 830, or 850 for under 1500 bucks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earth Tools in Owenton KY

At the very least, you should be looking at a Honda rear tine tiller. But I totally agree with farmerboybill. If you want the toughest tiller, then pick the BCS or one of the other European brands. Yes.... they seem to be expensive in comparison domestic brands but they will work hard for you every day with very few problems.

If you also cut grass as part of your services, then you wouldn't buy a lawn tractor from Sears because while I am not knocking their product, the Sears branded tractors were never designed for commercial use. The same thing holds true for tillers. The brands farmerboybill mentioned are all proven units from a continent where huge gardens are the norm.

Another option would be to get a good used small tractor with a three point hitch mounted PTO driven tiller. This tractor would also handle a landscape rake that could be used to rake off rocks and debris and level the ground for seeding.

I agree. If you're doing commericial landscaping work then get a tractor w/PTO driven tiller and front loader.

Hey Dave and Berry,

He said he wanted to rototill for others. That means it's likely he'll need to get into tight areas and narrow backyard gates. A 4 wheel machine of the same quality as a BCS 2 wheel tractor is much more money and much less maneuverable.

i have a BCS tiller and last year alone i made almost 500 dollars tilling up gardens for people they would see me out side tilling and stop and ask me to till there these BCS tillers ar unreal work horses turn hard clay into dust LOL they are well worth the extra money for them !!!!

Thanks for the info guys. Seems like the BCS is the first choice and the Honda tillers are a distant second. I do want to get a rear tine walk behind tiller rather than a lawn tractor because I will be working on small/medium yards and will have to deal with a lot of tight spaces- also don't mind a bit more physical exercise. Sounds like a BCS would be perfect for the job.

For breaking new ground - rental. You never know what you are going to find in terms of rocks, roots and other stuff. I would price tilling new ground differently.

The best tiller I have used for new ground is a front tine Snapper. I not sure if they still make them. What made this great for new ground was that it could turn VERY slowly, so that anything you dug up was not immediately jammed between the tine and housing.

Currently I'm still using an old Ariens rear tine. Built like a tank. I'm real hesitant to use it for new ground as it will bounce if the ground is hard packed.

Most of the responses above require brute force to break the new ground. There is another way.....

Interesting jtc001. Are there adjustable speed tillers out there?

Yes, even my Poulen front tine( same as Craftsman front tine) can adjust speed. I adjust the speed and it will maintain the rpm....at least it tried to maintain the rpm.

On my Ariens rear tine, there is a lever to adjust the tine speed. It has slow and fast (relative speeds).

jtc001,

"The best tiller I have used for new ground is a front tine Snapper. I not sure if they still make them. What made this great for new ground was that it could turn VERY slowly, so that anything you dug up was not immediately jammed between the tine and housing."

The Snapper tillers were made for them by Merry Tiller, and the accessories were interchangeable for that reason. Unfortunately, Snapper no longer carries tillers.

The top-of-the-line Merry Tillers still feature the triple reduction transmission and dual V-belt clutch that gave their tillers such slow tine speed and irresistible high tine torque. You set the tine speed with the engine throttle setting.

ZM

Would a typical lawn tractor/tiller attachment be a lot more reliable than a walking tiller? What would last longer?

I'm looking at a Kobuta lawn tractor and John Deer tilling attachment.

Also looking at a decent Honda rear tine rototiller which is half the price.

How much longer would you guys expect the lawn tractor with the tilling attachment to last if both are used on untilled ground?

Probably cleared his lot and has moved on within the last 10 yrs lmao .