To comment on some things posted here: First off, "if" you can plow it i can rotavate it!! I have rotavated ground full of roots that you "can't plow"!! Stumps, rocks ect, will NOT kill my Howard. I do a lot of custom rotavateing, and "NO", your fields do not have to be "rock free"!! (my fields also have plenty of rocks!) YES, rocks are hard on a rotavator, but that's why i said "don't buy a cheapo tiller"!!! That's "also" why it has a drive line slip clutch!! 20 acres on a Howard????? ????? I get, in "very rough service", about 500 acres out of a set of blades, and i've NOT needed to buy any other parts for my Howards (i have 3) other than a few gaskets, bolts, and drive line slip clutch plates!! This is in over 15 years of service out of the oldest one!!! It still has all the origional berrings, gears, chain ect.. My oldest one, is still today my most used rotavator, and is the one pictured in my "last post". It's made me a lot of money over the years!! As for fragile soil: You "don't" have to pound the soil to death!!! You set the ground speed, tine speed, (the gear box has 4 speeds) and back door opening to get the tilth you want!!! I can leave it in big turned over clods or till it for veggies like in the picture in my other post!! You have to "learn" what the customer wants and give it to them!! Aparently you guys have seen nothing but cheap garden tillers in action, and don't realize what a "field" tiller can do!!! This "isn't" an add for Howard, i'm just trying to get rid of the many myths guys have about rotavators. Most have only seen what a garden tiller will do, and have no idea that with a Howard you can make ajustments to to till a field to what ever level you may want. I rotavate many fields where the owners have a plow, disc. ect., and still call me to till their fields. I use to plow and disc and disc and..... . my ground too. I bought a used tractor and on the back was a Howard rotavator. I had planned to sell it, as i just wanted the tractor, UNTILL i tried it in my own field. After learning how to ajust it, dad came out into the field and was amazed!! He right then and there was totally against me getting rid of it, and we haven't plowed (other than for fun) ever again!! My dad is now 90 and if you asked him today, he'd still tell you he wouldn't use a plow "over" a rotavator. Every time a tiller is mentioned, i see the same things in print, too fragile, don't hold up, pound the soil ect.. These things aren't true, you just need to find a guy that has a rotavator and KNOWS HOW TO USE IT!!! In more than 15 years of custom rotavateing i've NEVER had even one customer, not happy with his field when i'm done!! I've never had anyone tell me, "i wished you had done..... ..." I don't advertise and farmers keep calling me to work their fields, even though i'm trying to retire a bit to have more time to do my own projects! I hope this helps answer some of your questions and comments. Robert
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