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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt

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  • From: idyllwild farm <idyllwildfarm AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] BCS vs. Troy-bilt
  • Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 06:56:42 -0400

I'd second the experience with Earth Tools. They aren't pushy and will answer any questions repeatedly. For those willing to visit, they'll let you try stuff out or show you the way to get the best advantage of what you're buying. 
Don't forget there is also a BCS twin called Grillo- that's green instead of blue. In some cases a little cheaper but with same implement capability. If I was doing it again, I'd probably get a Honda engine instead of the cheaper one and I'd reconsider getting a diesel one.
But again, if you're not young, farming without help and want to do it for a while and don't have a neighbor who will drop everything to plow for you when it stops raining, I would also check sites like TractorHouse to see if you can get a decent (not 9N) tractor for similar money. Primarily because as great as the two wheel tractors are, chores like rototilling new ground or rotary plowing take a toll.
Regards,
Mike

On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 10:01 PM, Pam Twin Oaks <pam AT twinoaks.org> wrote:
I've used a Troybilt Horse (7 or 8 hp), and now use a BCS 732. Recently I borrowed a BCS 722 (smaller) and a Grillo diesel tiller. We grow vegetables on 3.5 acres, and do tractor work for disking on most of that. For cultivating, and for an area of permanently raised beds, we use the walk-behind tiller.

I'm female, 58, and I manage the BCS 732, including with the hiller/furrower attachment, though I'd rather share the job and do less. I liked the old Troybilt, but the company has been bought out, and I found the replacement parts harder to get and more expensive, and the people a drag to deal with - not so friendly and helpful as in the "old days". Initially we bought the BCS because we needed to replace our Gravely heavy duty grass mower. We bought the BCS with brush mower, and bought a tiller attachment too, as a backup for our Troybilt. Soon the Troybilt was in pieces under a tarp and now we have bought a second BCS, so we don't have to switch it over from mower to tiller (except if one machine breaks down). Now for the comparisons:

The Troybilt was lighter, dug a bit deeper, had a better furrower, had an easier to adjust tine depth, but a harder to adjust handlebar height. The BCS feels more solid, is quieter, with less vibration, both small scale (wrist bones) and large scale (your whole self). It is wider and has more tines and more horsepower. It has a wheel differential lock (not sure I got those three words in the right order) - on easy terrain it can be set to only drive one wheel, meaning very easy cornering and turning. It can have the tiller removed and a mower attached instead. Or various other things I don't need, like a snow blower I think.

We bought ours from Earth Tools in Kentucky, the nicest people to deal with. They are real live people who will troubleshoot problems over the phone, and email photos as needed. They have videos of the machines in action. The website is www.earthtoolsbcs.com and the phone number is 502 484 3988.

(I've got stuck in italics!)

Pam Dawling, Twin Oaks Community, Louisa, VA



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