Rotary hoe/roto-tiller first test

[Paul Allwood]

We bought a second hand rotary hoe/roto-tiller a couple of months ago - it's a Sovema brand and is about 1 m wide. At the time I was looking for a cheap rear diff assembly to use to start building one but saw this one advertised close to home for only $400 when all others were over $1,000.

I had been waiting until I had an easier way to connect it as it is pretty heavy and awkward to move - the quick hitch I finished off yesterday made it easy. I picked it up (easily ) with the new quick hitch and took it up to the shed, changed the oils, and greased where necessary. I also added a leg to the front so it can sit without tipping when not connected.

Lucky there's lots of holes in the top hook and brackets ( @McMXi ) - I needed them all to fit the rotary hoe/roto-tiller.



Here's the first test in the shed.

Here's the first test in some dirt. I'll need to take the mower of before I do too much with it but I just had to test it today.

This is a pretty soft patch of dirt, but still pretty impressed with how well it works for a $400 second hand thing.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

“Rotary hoe"?

Hhahahha………..I had to click on it to see what it is, but much like the “metric system”, it makes total sense.

We call it a “tiller” over here. (AKA roto-tiller)

Looks like it will save you a ton of work though…..Nice!!!!!

 

[Paul Allwood]

“Rotary hoe"?

Hhahahha………..I had to click on it to see what it is, but much like the “metric system”, it makes total sense.

We call it a “tiller” over here. (AKA roto-tiller)

Looks like it will save you a ton of work though…..Nice!!!!!

Haha - updated to help overcome the language barrier.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Nice find for a used unit. Looks well built and seems to fit your tractor well.
For $400 I'd have grabbed that in a blink.

 

[McMXi]

Lucky there's lots of holes in the top hook and brackets ( @McMXi ) - I needed them all to fit the rotary hoe/roto-tiller.

It's almost as if you planned it that way!

 

[TheOldHokie]

We bought a second hand rotary hoe/roto-tiller a couple of months ago - it's a Sovema brand and is about 1 m wide. At the time I was looking for a cheap rear diff assembly to use to start building one but saw this one advertised close to home for only $400 when all others were over $1,000.

I had been waiting until I had an easier way to connect it as it is pretty heavy and awkward to move - the quick hitch I finished off yesterday made it easy. I picked it up (easily ) with the new quick hitch and took it up to the shed, changed the oils, and greased where necessary. I also added a leg to the front so it can sit without tipping when not connected.

Lucky there's lots of holes in the top hook and brackets ( @McMXi ) - I needed them all to fit the rotary hoe/roto-tiller.

View attachment 172361

Here's the first test in the shed.

Here's the first test in some dirt. I'll need to take the mower of before I do too much with it but I just had to test it today.

This is a pretty soft patch of dirt, but still pretty impressed with how well it works for a $400 second hand thing.

You disappoint me. When I saw the title I was expecting a Howard rotovator.

Dan

 

[skeets]

Ya done good mate. When the wife got sick, things went south and my till was one of them, ya do what ya have to do. Wish I would have never let the little beast go. And trust me you will find more uses for the little beasty than just flower gardens

 

[Paul Allwood]

You disappoint me. When I saw the title I was expecting a Howard rotovator.

Dan

They do come up for sale quite often on Facebook marketplace but they are always expensive.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Ya done good mate. When the wife got sick, things went south and my till was one of them, ya do what ya have to do. Wish I would have never let the little beast go. And trust me you will find more uses for the little beasty than just flower gardens

I'm finding that with the little tractor - don't know how I managed without it.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

nice find. I too would have bought it at that price. The title got me reminiscing a bit too!!

i love hearing all the different names people in different places call stuff.
Here the tines are most often hooked so we call it a roto-tiller used for deep / slow passes.
If tines are straight we call it a roto-hoe meant for shallow / high speed passes. Jokingly called crust busters but more accurately sold as a scarifiers.

And the fussy folks will say Roto-Hoe is actually a company/brand that made all sorts of engined and non engined small equipment like walk behind snow blowers, chippers/shredders, roto-tillers, etc... They started making stuff well before before WWII in OHIO USA.

man I can go off topic and down the rabbit hole wickedly quick these days.

jealous as there seems to never ever be any used small tractor sized implements for sale in these parts and on rare occasion something pops up the price might as well be as much as new.

 

[Chanceywd]

nice find. I too would have bought it at that price. The title got me reminiscing a bit too!!

i love hearing all the different names people in different places call stuff.
Here the tines are most often hooked so we call it a roto-tiller used for deep / slow passes.
If tines are straight we call it a roto-hoe meant for shallow / high speed passes. Jokingly called crust busters but more accurately sold as a scarifiers.

And the fussy folks will say Roto-Hoe is actually a company/brand that made all sorts of engined and non engined small equipment like walk behind snow blowers, chippers/shredders, roto-tillers, etc... They started making stuff well before before WWII in OHIO USA.

man I can go off topic and down the rabbit hole wickedly quick these days.

jealous as there seems to never ever be any used small tractor sized implements for sale in these parts and on rare occasion something pops up the price might as well be as much as new.

View attachment 172440 View attachment 172441

I find I can go off topic too!
Here I go, sometimes a topic makes me feel like we are old friends on here and sitting around a table having coffee or a beer and conversation goes all over the place.
When I can exchange an idea or complement someone's efforts on the other side of the world or across the county with a little typing that is something I really enjoy.

Bill

 

[Paul Allwood]

I find I can go off topic too!
Here I go, sometimes a topic makes me feel like we are old friends on here and sitting around a table having coffee or a beer and conversation goes all over the place.
When I can exchange an idea or complement someone's efforts on the other side of the world or across the county with a little typing that is something I really enjoy.

Bill

And that conversation, the ideas and the compliments are all really appreciated from this table on this side of the world. Thank you.