[AT] repairing machined tractor parts

[James Peck]

A Foundryman named William Amman wrote a number of books about hobby casting. I bet they are still available. I seem to remember that MetalMeet or another online site also had a Foundry subgroup.

It appears Deere may be operating one or more foundries. That is getting to be the exception.

Spencer Yost AT List Owner (spencer at rdfarms.com); I know nothing about cast work. In high school shop we did steel fabrication and welding and there was one little lesson on sand casting.  Even then the teacher did everything and we just watched. But I do remember it was real hard to get an object to look the way you needed/wanted it to. There is definitely an art to it.

My relevant antique tractor reference is feed covers for an old Massey Harris grain drill.  Originally  the drill had little cast covers in the bins - if I remember right about 10-15 of them - to cut the flow in half.   It was missing most of the covers.  Since I was seeding grass seed I needed them.  It cost me a pretty penny to have additional covers cast from one of the few that I had. 

The reason I went through the trouble was because  I was restoring it and wanted to actually use it to over-seed my pasture.   Did pretty well actually.  I sold it to a guy that just had to have it.   To be honest I am not sure that the modern no-till Drill I now rent from the county is all that much more successful.  Germination is similar except the new drill does have slightly better coverage.   I pull  the modern drill with my Ford since I have to have remote hydraulics to raise and lower it.


I doubt I made money selling that MH drill unless I ascribe value to the fun I had messing with it - which I do (-;

James AT List Member (jamesgpeck at hotmail.com); Most of the cost is in getting the first one made. I'd get a baker's dozen, one for you and 12 to sell. Shifter forks are not likely plain jane cast iron.
 
 Steve W. AT List Member and Sun machine owner (swilliams268 at frontier.com); I know of a few folks who have had similar work done. There are small iron foundries located all around the US who do small production or one  off work. The more work you can do saves money on that end. It's not  real cheap but when you need a part for something that is not available  it might be worth the money.