[AT] Observation

[Francis Robinson]

    We were at the Conner Prairie living history museum Country Fair event 
last weekend. It has become our most important event of the year for 
demonstrations / educational displays. The tractor show part of it is a 
fairly small show but it has a totally different flavor to it than any other 
show. The crowd is largely families with lots of very interested kids, all 
anxious to be involved. We were crowded for time this year but we did have 
Son Scott's MM sheller there powered by My MM-R. We also had my Allis C 
running my old buzz saw with a long flat-belt. We still had our old hand 
sheller mounted on a box where we allowed kids to shell an ear and then take 
the cob with them. I'm always amazed at how excited those kids get about 
getting to keep the cob. There is always a few international tourist there 
and many of them (adults) also shell an ear and keep the cob.   :-)   Last 
year I had an old swing frame there with two block & tackle setups where 
guest could pull ropes and see the difference in effort required to lift 
identical weights (a couple of big old hog oiler half balls) using first a 
single pulley then a double pulley setup. This year I did the same but made 
two tripod stands using some 3" x 8' saplings for a more rustic look. I also 
had two levers with identical barbell weights but with the weights suspended 
at different points on the lever so they could lift first one then the other 
to feel the difference. Next to that I had my #$%& CUB sitting with a large 
heavy jack stand a few inches behind the right side of the drawbar and a 
large pry bar sitting in its saddle where you could easily lift the back of 
the tractor with one hand using easy pressure. On the other side of the 
drawbar I had one of my loading ramps sitting with the upper end resting on 
the drawbar where I could easily roll a heavy cast iron wheel from an old 
horse drawn sickle bar mower up the ramp to show how a load that was very 
heavy to lift could be raised easily by using the ramp (inclined plane). I 
also had a bunch of misc. "old stuff" around to look at. It all went over 
quite well.
    I guess one reason I love this event is that most of the crowd is not 
farm savvy and is extremely hungry for information as opposed to the usual 
collection of old farts that want to play correct police or just want to 
walk around knocking everything they see. Just a whole different attitude... 
I always like to look at old tractors with ATIS folks since they have a good 
attitude about showing, being very tolerant of different folks approach to 
shows. The museum folks are really a great bunch and treat us very nice. 
They set up tents with tables and chairs for folks to gather and sit and 
talk to help encourage the display folks to stick around rather than just 
park tractors and leave. We also have a great pitch-in dinner on Saturday 
night. All exhibitors are free to visit all parts of the museum both indoors 
and out. There are two reconstructed villages with folks in costume doing 
things, one set in 1836 and the other in 1886 as well as the main museum 
structures.

    Now for the observation... There were maybe 100 tractors there along 
with maybe 25 stationary engines, several Model T's and a very old (teens or 
20's) Buick and 5 or 6 steam engines. I was very surprised at how many new 
tires were there on tractors. I had noticed that trend at some other shows 
too. Either tractor collectors are getting more wealthy than they were a few 
years ago or more people with money to spend are getting into the hobby. I 
well recall us talking here some years ago about creative patching of 
rotting or damaged old tractor tires on show tractors especially on odd-ball 
sized tires. Bolt in or wired in patches were fairly common just a few years 
ago. I suspect that the new tire rate was close to 90% at this last show. 
Ten years ago on many tractors at shows anything where you could not see the 
air in the tire was OK...   ;-)   After a fair number of years my MM-R is 
still running the "low traction" tires That George Willer gave me that he 
had taken off of his SC Case (Thanks again George).


--
"farmer"

Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
robinson at svs.net