# converted a mantis tiller to electric



## onesojourner (May 6, 2008)

I have had 2 mantis tillers given to me over the years. I got one running enough to till the garden once. Then it died and the giver wanted it back. The second I could never get going. I had an old and worn craftsman miter saw that wouldn't cut straight any more and the handle was broken.... sooo.... I built my first E(v)T?

here is the washer thing that held the blade on the saw motor. It happened to be the perfect size for the tiller adapter.









I welded the saw washer to the tiller adapter and it fit perfectly on the saw.









saw motor test fit on the the tiller









mounting plate made and mounted


















Issues:
there are only 3 small bolts mounting the motor the the mounting plate.

one of the 4 corners of the mount on the tiller broke. There are only 3 small bolts hoding the motor on now 

I have no idea how long this motor will last in this kind of use.

the tiller goes backwards now. There may be a way to swap some wires to get the motor to move backwards but I wouldn't even know where to start with that.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

Good job, I like a bit of 'make do and mend'.

Rather then trying to revese the motor can you not just unbolt the handles and fit them on the front of the tiller so the tiller frame is reversed?


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## onesojourner (May 6, 2008)

I'm not sure. I would need to change the guard to so I don't fling rocks at myself.


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## zeroemission (Sep 14, 2010)

not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when i think EV conversion, but if you need a roto-tiller, go electric! WTG!


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

onesojourner said:


> I'm not sure. I would need to change the guard to so I don't fling rocks at myself.


That doesn't look too difficult to do either.

The conversion itself looks fine so far though, so I shouldn't think it would be too complicated for you.


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## diydude (Oct 7, 2010)

pretty cool what gave you the idea to do that.....


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