Re: [gardeners] Mantis Tiller..
Kay Lancaster (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 13 Apr 2002 13:50:04 -0700 (PDT)
On Sat, 13 Apr 2002 Rockymrw@aol.com wrote:
> so or something...Anyway, What I am asking is there a Mantis tiller that has
> electric start? I just know I saw one advertised a few weeks ago. Now all
> I see is the pull cord ones.. Did I dream I saw this?
Troybilt has or had one, but it's a monstrous big thing, about 10 HP.
> Also along this same thought..what about the battery operated weed cutters?
Generally speaking there's less torque from an electric engine than
from a gas engine, and less oomph from batteries than one connected to
the extension cord. Using a light gauge cord definitely can decrease
the performance of something that's electric, too. My mom has a
battery powered weed whacker, and I can trim her fencelines faster
with a pair of kitchen shears than I can with the line trimmer.
About 20 years ago, there was a kit to modify your gas lawnmower for
starting with an electric drill... basically you used the torque of
the drill to spin the recoil starter instead of hauling on a rope.
Haven't seen one of those for awhile, either-- I suspect too many
liability issues. I believe my husband told me once that it wasn't
all *that* difficult to retrofit a pull-the-cord engine to a battery
start, but I haven't done it, and he'd have to talk me through it.
Kay Lancaster kay@fern.com