FG110 mini tiller review

My review of the Honda FG110 mini-tiller using it to work up some pretty hard ground.

[@Nadziak19]

Found one of these for $35.00 at a yard sale, replaced the fuel lines and filter and it runs like a beast!

[@timdouglass9831]

Awesome deal!

[@JuniorFarquar]

Got me one 2 weeks ago. We're engaged! Love this beast. Using only the 2 inner tines is sometimes better at breaking up very hard soil. Barely even sips the gasoline. Like vermouth in an extra dry. THANKS!

[@bgrove3166]

I've had one for 2 yrs with no problems. What a beast.

[@timdouglass9831]

This will be the 5th year for mine. Still running great despite being *very* hard used.

[@Shawn-vk2fh]

We love ours! Great product for sure! Highly recommend to all

[@barrymcclelland9719]

great video thanks for taking your time to show the Honda Tiller. Im thinking of getting one.

[@madcrabber1113]

I am considering buying one of these. I have always used giant machines in the past but I am seriously downsizing my gardens now at my old age of 54. I have always had great experiences with Honda products from 1970s cars through 1980s up until my latest 2015 Civic SI. I have loved my Honda generators and outboard motors as well. I looked at a larger, rear tine Honda tiller but it is over $2500 and I just can't justify the expense for what it is that I am looking to do. Wish I could find something in the middle between this one and the very expensive model.

[@timdouglass9831]

I have a tractor with a rotovator that I work the garden up with in the Spring. After that the little Honda does all the cultivating. If I had a smaller property I would probably rent a bigger rear-tine tiller each year to do the initial tilling and then do the rest of the season with the little one.

[@yellow3222]

I have one and I love it . I mostly use it for weeding the garden.

[@JuniorFarquar]

Great for incorporating Black Kow, my fave, etc., into the soil much more efficiently. I can already tell my hostas,spurge, coralbells, etc are extra happy.

[@leydenhumphries4158]

Very nice video. Well explained! Fantastic machine.

[@lionsdejudah]

Works good while it lasted. After 2 hours of running it the Motor sounded funny and 30mins later it died, drained the oil and it looked like a Metallic Silver Cup of OJ. Engine damaged no doubt.

[@timdouglass9831]

Honda makes some of the best small engines out there, so I think you are in the very small minority - unless, as happens more that most stores will admit, someone bought one and started it up before realizing it came with no oil in it so they cleaned it and returned it as unused for full credit. The store just puts it back on the shelf and the next guy buys it, puts oil in and runs it like normal, but the bearings and cylinder bore are already trashed from the previous guy. Still have to say it's a great tiller. I have well over 200 hours on mine - maybe more and it is still going strong.

[@lionsdejudah]

@@timdouglass9831 I found out what caused the engine failure, it was a very lose Spark Plug.

[@timdouglass9831]

@@lionsdejudah That's an odd one! Never would have guessed.

[@johncyr181]

@@timdouglass9831 Picked up a used fg100 , non running for $25. Replaced$the carb, oil changed, cleaned fuel tank and replaced filter and hoses. Fired right up! Opened up the transmission, cleaned and inspected, some wear on brass gear but after assembly and greasing, works like a champ. I have a 18yo Gx22 weed trimmer and it still runs great. Will keep em running as long as I can.... Love these Hondas!

[@cetuspa]

This was a great review

[@robertogrebe351]

Buen día. Miré su video, varias veces. Me resultó interesante, y es el único video, que veo trabajar a la FG110 a full. Quería saber, lo veo ahí, pero me cuesta creer, si sirve para hacer canteros donde hay césped. Y su costo en su país. Desde ya muchas gracias.

[@robertogrebe351]

Buen dia.Lo compre.A las nueve am espero estar en camino a la chacra.700 dolares pague,muy caro en mi nacion,si me da el resultado que espero,el gasto es lo de menos.Abrazo.

[@paulmo4076]

You are abusing that machine. It's a wonderful tool for loosening a growing bed. Its even good for tilling a small previous garden. Breaking hard ground is beyond it s capabilities. You could have at least wet down the ground a day before

[@joannaj74]

Where are you located with that clay soil? Just curious, I’m in central Texas and have hard clay here too.

[@timdouglass9831]

This is the Willamette valley in Oregon, South of Portland. Most of the soil here isn't quite this hard clay, but there are pockets. I've moved a few miles away from where that was filmed and my soil here is more of a mix of sand, clay and rocks. See my follow-up video on the tiller to see that soil.

[@mwv8408]

Over revving it, you only need to give it enough throttle to keep it digging! The bar he removed is called a depth bar, and for his case it would have worked better with it still installed, he would not have had near as much of the tiller jumping around.

[@timdouglass9831]

Actually I have to disagree on just about all counts. The tiller works best at full throttle, especially in hard dirt. This was just slightly softer than concrete. With my full body weight (250lbs) I could only put a shovel in about 3 inches. Likewise with the depth bar. Overall I've found it to pretty useless unless your soil is soft and free of rocks. I have a *lot* of time in with this tiller now and most of what I had figured out there in the first day is still true. The depth bar is a nuisance in my garden, because it prevents me from rolling the tiller to change the angle of attack as easily. As for the jumping around, pretty hard to stop that without adding a lot of weight. You trade mass for tine speed to make it dig effectively, but when it hits a rock or particularly hard soil it's going to bounce. In that soil I bounce the rotovator behind the tractor when it hits stuff. You may find things to be different, but I can't agree with your conclusions.

[@mwv8408]

@@timdouglass9831 With the little engine screaming WIDE OPEN and the tiller tangs bouncing I'm more than certain that its a bit abusive, you need more throttle when the tiller tings are DEEP and stirring lots of dirt, in your case its only chipping away at the service which leaves the little engine pretty much free revving and not under any real load, now once you get some dirt piled in around the tiller tangs then the engine isn't free revving. But! Its your tiller, and its for sure your going to run it to suit yo as it should be I tilled yesterday for about two hours in back back yard that was filled in with gravel filled road side ditch dirt about 25 years ago and it was so PACK that nothing much of anything would grown in it, the tiller did what it was supposed to do and did it well at about half throttle, at lest at first until I got some dirt around the tangs. My comment is as much for others as you. For some like me these little tillers are really expensive @ almost $400.00 at the door with tax, so the little screaming engine dancing around with the tangs just chipping the surface makes me cringe in pain for the engine. Mine is brand new and I've had it going pretty hard for the past two days in hard dirt! I don't have ANY garden dirt of any kind. Thanks for the video!

[@timdouglass9831]

@@mwv8408 Mine is quite a bit older and has probably close to 100 hours on it so I'm not too worried about longevity! Small motors produce power by RPM, and it doesn't hurt them to run at high speed for long periods of time. On that particular soil lower speed did absolutely nothing, it didn't even begin to cut into the soil so I used what worked and it seems to have done fine. As a general rule you wouldn't try to tear up that hard-packed a patch with a tiller like this - and outside of testing for ability I made sure the ground was damp and it was a lot softer - but it did the job, and that was impressive.

[@mwv8408]

@@timdouglass9831 I've been a mechanic for most of the past 40 years. If these engines were govern that would be one thing, but they will over rev in certain conditions, like with mine. Throttle cable vibrated down through the nylon cable ties and started pulling the housing out of the lever housing causing the idle to increase, (shortening cable) so a full pull of the lever over revs the engine (I had to fix the cable on mine). So, unlike 2-cycle engines that produce max torque at a much higher RPM 4-strokes most time produce their torque a lower RPM . And we are coming to the same point! its not about tang rotation speed, nor MAX engine speed, its about enough power to get the job done, or enough throttle to get enough torque to not bog the engine, anymore is wasted and if things gets just a tad off at the throttle cable or the carburetor then it will allow the engine to over rev and become abusive to the engine. I've had weed eaters that do not over rev at full throttle and I run them full throttle, but my current one will over rev (SCREAM) so I apply throttle as needed to get the job done, and when I'm trimming heavy tall weeds the demand for power is greater, I throttle more. I hope my tiller last me the rest of my life, so I don't want to buy another one. Also, I process my on gasoline to remove all the ethanol from it so I only run ethanol free gas in my lawn equipment, which is maybe three gallon a year now. Again, thanks for your video's and sharing your views!

[@odysseusfromithica]

nice review

[@alexsong136]

How much did you pay for? Compared to other tillers do you think the price is compatitive? Or expensive or reasonable or cheap? Thanks in advance ~

[@timdouglass9831]

I think I paid about $350 for it. Overall I think it's competitive price-wise and for me at least an excellent value at the price. There are some cheaper ones but they are 2 cycle motors, which I wanted to avoid.

[@davejoseph5615]

@@timdouglass9831 Wow, so the $450 it goes for now isn't just pandemic pricing? I have one of these on loan and was shocked when I looked up the price. These baby tillers now cost as much as a "real" tiller used to cost, and you can still buy old used Troy-bilts for low prices.

[@user-mu6qc4on2w]

What do I do if it’s medium size rocks in my soil

[@scottlytton5328]

youd do yourself a favor to periodically mist your soil. youd notice your more than half of your dust is gone.

[@timdouglass9831]

This particular case was more about seeing how the tiller would do in very dry, very hard clay. The dust was a by-product of that. Normally I would have soaked the soil 2 or 3 days ahead to soften it up, which would also keep the dust down.

[@amandahenderson70]

Just bought this and I cant start it. Put the oil and gas in primed and turned the knob to on. Help

[@timdouglass9831]

Not sure what might be going on. The only times I've had trouble starting mine have been when I've accidentally had the switch off. Even after almost 2 years in storage when we moved it started after 5-6 pulls. Make sure it is choked and that the spark plug wire is in place (they do sometimes get loose) and re-check everything and try again. If it absolutely won't start my guess is always something in the electronics.

[@FrankDTaff]

It is very difficult to start. If you don't follow the instructions EXACTLY, you will be frustrated. Even then,, you never know whether it will start.

[@timdouglass9831]

@@FrankDTaff Can't agree. Possibly the easiest to start of any piece of equipment I've owned in over 40 years. Somehow "flip the choke on, push the primer bulb 3-4 times, turn the switch on, and pull the cord" doesn't seem like a particularly difficult or precise starting procedure.

[@zjm68]

With Honda power equipment I Prime and Give one pull with the Choke On if that doesn't work turn the choke off and it starts

[@stephenlnoe]

Very dusty condition, make sure to clean and oil the air filter or you will destroy the engine rings with all that dust.

[@Bettebet79]

Are the outer tines removable to make a narrower width cut?

[@timdouglass9831]

Yes, although I have to admit that I've never done that, so don't know how well it works that way.

[@robertmantz5014]

It's not meant for that kind of soil

[@Gurdeepsingh-mb7ir]

Price

[@timdouglass9831]

I paid about $350 for mine a couple years ago.

[@Robert-pi6vs]

How much are they worth, any body know.

[@timdouglass9831]

I paid $350 for mine.

[@candicemartinez3649]

Looks just my f clay soil planting is a bitch

[@shadwell749]

My small craftsman would have bee tangled with grass.

[@damonejohnson6098]

Why the gloves ?

[@timdouglass9831]

Why not?

[@anibalcolon2234]

Dude that’s so loud

[@markmark8866]

I wouldn’t have that thing 😂😂

[@timdouglass9831]

Based on what? My opinion is based on a couple hundred hours of use where it has performed admirably doing all the cultivation on nearly 5,000 sq. ft. of garden every year. Please give a reason for your opinion.

[@markmark8866]

@@timdouglass9831 I went back and watched some more of your video and I be honest I don’t have all day, just get a self propelled tiller, less work and faster, I think that thing was made for a small flower bed, it does have its place

[@timdouglass9831]

@@markmark8866 Like I said, I use it for cultivation. I rotovate with the tractor then plant. The small tiller lets me keep rows closer together so I can fit more into the space and it's worlds faster and easier than hoeing, which is what I did before getting this. I haven't used my rear-tine tiller in years because it is too wide and forces me to plant more than twice as far apart. The Honda is a very durable and efficient tool in that role.

[@stevenjames1951]

Nope no good to slow. I'm buyin a mantis

[@sureshjadhav1620]

Sir apka mo do

[@FrankDTaff]

Don't be fooled. This machine is difficult to start.

[@timdouglass9831]

Considering that in all the time I've owned mine the most it has taken to start it is 5-6 pulls after over a year in storage I beg to respectfully disagree.

[@FrankDTaff]

@@timdouglass9831 Fair enough, Tim. Come and start mine. FDT

[@coasterbrookie]

Frank D. Taff never a problem with either of mine... ever.

[@vpv68vpv]

Frank D. Taff I’ll buy yours from you if it’s not starting.

[@ramakrishnand419]

Price

[@timdouglass9831]

I paid about $350 for it.