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Thread: Rotary hoe capabilities

  1. #1
    Member Littlej's Avatar
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    Default Rotary hoe capabilities

    I am looking at purchasing a rotary hoe and would appreciate any feedback on their capabilities and limitations,
    The main contender at the moment is the Husqvarna counter rotating tines model.

    The main use will be for garden renovations that are getting too big for easily digging by hand and too small to easily justify hiring a hydraulic unit.
    20-40m2 seems to be a fairly common size. Soil is usually not virgin, but compacted and unworked.
    I'm thinking that if I have one in the kit, I should be able to use the pick and shovel a little less and save some money at the physio!

    Cheers, John.

  2. #2
    Member Redeye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    I've got a small honda one - its as useful as a tit on a bull in anything other than loose sand, would like to get a serious counter-rotating rear tyne jobbie one day




    http://curraronggardening.com/

    "All sin is washed away in the Holy goodness of Beer"
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  3. #3
    Member of forum Stump's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    I hired one recently to rip up my front lawn that was badly compacted. Think it was about 13 hp. Only took about 15 minutes to rip up about 60mt2 and left it light and fluffy to a depth of around 20cm. Will never dig again after using it.
    I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Grandfather.....not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car!!!

  4. #4
    Senior Member Mow And Go's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Don't bother with anything smaller than what stump is talking about. Can do a small job with a big machine, not a big job with a small machine.
    I dont break things ...I just use them beyond their operational limitations
    www.mowandgogardening.com.au

  5. #5
    Member Littlej's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Thanks for the feedback so far, I would love one of the big hydraulic Red Roos or similar but the price is getting a bit high. I can happily justify hiring the big units for the bigger jobs, it the smaller end that creates the dilemma between pick and shovel or hiring the big unit.

    So I suppose the question is, will the 100kg 6hp units take 2 to 3 times longer to do the job over the 200kg 15hp units, but still get it done,or are they just a pointless waste of time and money.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Mow And Go's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    My point is that sometimes they just won't mate. In my experience they tend to just bounce around or bog down on the harder jobs, I'm about 120 to 130 kgs and even with me as ballast they fail lol each to their own as usual
    I dont break things ...I just use them beyond their operational limitations
    www.mowandgogardening.com.au

  7. #7
    Member Littlej's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Yeah, I figured that would be the case, just being hopeful about a workable price versus usability point.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Mow And Go's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    hire and include price in quotes ...what I always do after I sold my 6hp
    I dont break things ...I just use them beyond their operational limitations
    www.mowandgogardening.com.au

  9. #9
    Member Littlej's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Quote Originally Posted by Mow And Go View Post
    hire and include price in quotes ...what I always do after I sold my 6hp
    Thanks Mow And Go, The fact that you sold off the 6hp sort of says it all.

  10. #10
    Member of Forum Stripes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Ive got the Huski Rotary Hoe. It's good on soil that isn't too hard, but useless on hard compacted clay. If you are using it on garden beds that have had good soil added before or re-turfing previously top dressed lawns, it will rip it to pieces, but virgin hard clay it will just bounce around. It is a bit flimsy too. Might be beter to hire the hydraulic red roo. I have a Red Roo trencher and it's a beast.

  11. #11
    Member NSW Oli's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Quote Originally Posted by Mow And Go View Post
    Don't bother with anything smaller than what stump is talking about. Can do a small job with a big machine, not a big job with a small machine.
    never a truer word spoken

  12. #12
    Member Littlej's Avatar
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    Default Re: Rotary hoe capabilities

    Quote Originally Posted by Stripes View Post
    Ive got the Huski Rotary Hoe. It's good on soil that isn't too hard, but useless on hard compacted clay. If you are using it on garden beds that have had good soil added before or re-turfing previously top dressed lawns, it will rip it to pieces, but virgin hard clay it will just bounce around. It is a bit flimsy too. Might be beter to hire the hydraulic red roo. I have a Red Roo trencher and it's a beast.
    Good info, thanks for the reply.

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