Rotavator V Mantis (or whatever) Tiller

My be have a word with your local tool hire shop ? The people running these are usually very knowledgeable in my experience, and they want you to get something which is going to do a good job for you.

As daft as it sounds, I hadnt thought of asking them for advice...... doh!!!

Don't even think of using either a tiller or a rotavator on very wet soil. It'll be extremely hard work and counter-productive. Wait till it's dry enough for you to consider digging it with a fork or spade.

Just so's you know, I have a Mantis. There are other small tillers on the market that I've never used, so I can't really compare. But I love my Mantis. I'm short and not particularly strong, plus I have a bit of arthritis in my hands, and I can use it.

Asking at an equipment hire shop, as nickdub suggests, is a great idea. If you think it might be too heavy for you to handle, they might have someone who could wield a rotavator for you. It would cost you more, of course, but you might think it worth it just to get it done.

Good luck either way.

Yes, sounds as if you'll have to wait a few weeks before you get onto the swamp. The hire shop will have a range of equipment and advice.

My understanding is that a tiller it a light weight device - does not have drive wheels - and jumps about when the hit stones... perhaps 1' / 300mm cultivating width. In good soil will be easy enough to use. Harder ground and stones ?
Rotorvators tend to have drive wheels, much heavier but easier to control and work. Some are said to bury the stones (blurb is all about direction of rotation). Many you can fit a Blade for snow clearing. Others you can pull a trolley with.

Edit....

And the weight of the rotovaor makes it easier to operate - once you get it home. A bit like difference between a lawn Mower and a Self Propelled Lawn Mower

Yes, my Mantis has problems with stones fist-sized or larger. But it does bring up other stones to the surface, making them easy to remove. Occasionally, I come across a stone of a size that will jam between the tines, making the machine stop rotating. But I guess that could happen to any machine of this type.

As for bouncing, mine does if it comes across a lump of hard-baked clay. However, I tend to dig a bit to remove the worst of the weeds and I try not to use it when the soil is hard. Mr Snoop was sceptical when he saw it, but he agrees that it does everything we would have wanted a bigger rotavator to do. That said, I wouldn't use to break up ground that had never been dug over before.

There are Three types of Machine in play here. The mantis style which will scratch the surface and is about 12" wide. The Rototiller where the shaft turns and is the cutting and motive power held back by the 'Leg' at the back. A Rotovator where the drive wheels provide forward motion and the cutting/churning is done behind separately. They are the easiest to use for the novice but still require some grunt to turn etc. The deeper you till the more air you get for a better lawn later, if you can work in some organic material too, so much the better.
As others have said the soil needs to be moist rather than soaked else you get clods that then dry like small bricks, and the soil will dry faster once it's been worked.
You will benefit from a wide rake to level the softened earth, keeping it slightly frieble will enable the turf layers to run thier fingers through it to smooth out as the go. I have seen a thin layer of sand applied directly under the turf, this helps get a super smooth surface and forces the grass roots down to fing moisture and nutrients, it also means less problems with the grass being to wet years later.
Laying turf is like decorating, it's all in the preparation, yes you can roll out the turf on some soil but to look at it in 3 months and be pleased with the results the preparation will show.