OT....about that hay raking picture.

Couple days back someone asked about buddy seats on Farmall B's and I posted this pic. It shows my youngest on "her" tractor learning how to pull a rake. Somehow I missed that a few people had questioned that she was raking in the wrong direction but, being that it's so slow around here lately, I was reading back and found those replies last night.

Yes, she is raking in the wrong direction. The field has heavy woods on the north and west sides and a tall tree line on the south. In addition it has a deep swale running NE to SW about midway thru the western line into the woods. We rake the west and south borders INTO the field to get them away from the trees. If we do not do that the hay, especially later cuttings, will never dry along certain parts of the tree line...mostly on the south end and where the swale hits the woods. Her instructions were to make three passes along the trees and then switch directions. After the field is raked we come along and combine those three light rows along the wooded sections. They dry fairly well but there are still some years I won't sell those bales. We take them straight home and put them right out for feed. I think Matt had the clearest idea of what we were doing. Now on that east side we are wide open to the sun and wind and sometimes I combine rows just to keep it from drying too much. You cut a field for enough years and you start to learn what has to get done.

Hard to look at pictures like that in January!

I didn't see the original post, but looking at the photo I would have assume you were raking out from the treeline like you described.

I do the same thing, dries the hay a little better and if you raked towards the woods the windrow is right on the edge of the field and thus so is the baler. Straddle row baler (round / inline) you'd want the windrow out a ways anyway!

Good to see a 60+ year old tractor earning it's keep. I learned on a '41 B when I was a young boy. My grandfather purchased it new in March of '41 and I still use it to rake hay, pulling a McCormick rake on steel.

Is the seat and floor plate an IH addition or is it home made? Will they mount on either side? I am in the process of restoring a B and was contemplating the other seat for mine. Do you have a close up of the installation?

Thanks,Joe

That tractor works hard. I load about 125 bales on my old 16' wagons and use that tractor to haul them up out of the back of the field. A good Farmall B is a great work horse.

Joe...I bought all the parts to put that buddy seat on from Gene Bender on this site. They came blasted and primed and the floor pan cut to size. The fit was so precise I actually had to grind about 1/16 inch off of one spot but otherwise perfect. It was well worth it as his price was very fair. All the parts for the buddy seat are the same as for the right side seat...just a little bit of trimming on the floor pan to make it work. I don't have a picture but, take my word for it....it works just like on the opposite side. Passenger needs a foot rest and uses the steering column for a brace. Driver needs to be light on the brakes! My biggest worry actually was that I would have trouble with the new bolts in the old holes on the left side installation. Used a lot of WD40 on those and VERY carefully cleaned them out with a tap.

Thanks for the information. It sounds easier than I thought. I will contact him when I get to that end. I'm into the engine right now.

Here's a pic of my B before my students began restoration on it this school year. Adding the second seat isn't too hard and is definitely worth the trouble.

I'm planning on making a toolbox that slides out like a drawer under the "passenger" side floor pan and matches the curved mud guard over the pedals on the "drivers" side.

I want to be in driver's seat, where I have something to hold onto...steering wheel. Give that poor passenger a grab bar!

nicde pic

nicde pic