[AT] Tractor things.

[Indiana Robinson]

	I have been getting some time in on my Farmall S-MTA this summer. It 
works really nice for hay stuff but I need to get a few others involved. 
I mowed another batch yesterday with the MTA and my drawbar semi-mounted 
(number something) John Deere sickle mower. I'll rake  it this afternoon 
probably with the same tractor and my old but barely used Coop rake. 
I'll bale it tomorrow morning with the IHC (#37 I think) square baler. I 
have a hay customer that wants to buy it off of the ground behind the 
baler. Saves me handling it and I cut him a deal on price. I want to get 
a bunch of small lots cut but I don't want too much down at once. I 
would like to have that mower on the back of my 1948 John Deere A but I 
have to change both back tires first. I could do some of the work with 
the Super M but I don't like banging around the hay lots with the loader 
on it and it is not a quick-tatch loader. I do use it with the 3 point 
6' bush-hog to cut some rough hay lots for the first cutting. It grinds 
that bushy stuff up and makes nice looking bales out of it. The Deere 
4020 and Scotts 1755 Oliver are just too big and thirsty for light work.
	That S-MTA also handles my Vermeer 504C round baler very nicely. I'm 
not sure why so many guys think that you need over 100 HP for a round baler.
	I got a call from my scrap guy and I think I will finally get my Case 
VAC, I bought from him a while back, home this week. It was stored in 
the back of a shed with a lot of a third party's "stuff" in front of it. 
I brought the separate parts like the head, hood, grill, gas tank and 
radiator home back when I first bought it. I plan to use it a lot as an 
"easy on - easy off" tractor for a zillion little odd jobs like 
jockeying wagons etc. I have several other small tractors but not 
something that easy to climb on and off of. My Allis C is comfortable to 
use but even with an added step it can be a bear constantly getting from 
the ground to the seat for an old geezer. My MM-R is easy off and on but 
that #$%& hand clutch is awkward and jumpy especially backing. That 
tractor belonged to an uncle and a friend and neighbor of his that 
farmed with him said it was kind of  jumpy even when it was new. As a 
result it really doesn't have all that many hours on it. They mostly 
used it for small disking jobs, some cultivating, and running an 
elevator. Backing a wagon with it is just silly.   :-)   Forward is not 
too bad but not as good as the Deere A hand clutch.
	My little Yanmar 1500 diesel is fairly handy but again not an old mans 
friend when climbing off and on a lot. It is also a little light for a 
lot of small jobs. What I really wish I had was one of the N Fords or a 
TO Ferguson back. I grew up with those. That could happen this fall.
	A few years ago as Diana and I walked around tractor shows I started 
looking at tractors specifically in regards to how easy it is to climb 
on and off often. After a lot of looking and testing a few (only the 
ones without fancy paint) I had concluded that a VAC Case without 
hydraulics would best fill the bill, at least in the proper price range. 
I had been watching for one ever since and I am tickled to death to get 
this one. I paid $300 for this one and "THINK" that I can have it in 
operation for maybe $200 to $300 more. This will be my first Case. I 
have been wanting an SC for a long time but that will have to wait. 
There were quite a few of them around here since we had a good Case
dealer here in the 1950's. Maybe next year...
	My wish list still calls for a McCormick 10-20 and a Shelbyville IN 
made Custom. And... And... And...
:-)




-- 


"farmer"


I wouldn't mind being absent minded so bad if forgetfulness
could just be a little more selective. Just last week I
was saying so to "whats-her-name..."



Hay & Straw Exchange (Buy it, sell it and trade it.)
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/HayandStrawExchange


Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
robinson at svs.net