I`ve seen a lot of tractors over the years and often wondered why would some poeple cut up 2 or 3 good tractors and bolt them together to make one. When they could`ve sold them seperately and made some good money.What goes through a persons mind to build something like that? just curious,no harm intended.
- Thread starter num hutz
- Start date
Never could figure that out, but to some.........
First comes the idea!
(I wonder why no one built one?)
Then the bright idea!
(Hell! I know I can build one)
Now you're the proud owner!
(Looky what I can do!!!)
Now you haul it from show, to show, to show!
(Since you found out you don't build what's not practicable)
Moral :
There's a reason why some things aren't made
First comes the idea!
(I wonder why no one built one?)
Then the bright idea!
(Hell! I know I can build one)
Now you're the proud owner!
(Looky what I can do!!!)
Now you haul it from show, to show, to show!
(Since you found out you don't build what's not practicable)
Moral :
There's a reason why some things aren't made
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Some people are cheap. They figure they can spend all winter putting together a Frankenstien machine. With thousands of dollars in custom parts, electricty, shop heat, welding rod, steel, partsb tractors etc.
Just to have some abomination that doesn't work as well, costs more and is only worth scrap steel price.
Instead of purchasing a good running used machine with gfactory parts and service support.
Just to have some abomination that doesn't work as well, costs more and is only worth scrap steel price.
Instead of purchasing a good running used machine with gfactory parts and service support.
Lets see...
The Power Wagon blew th buick V6. The Electra shelled the TH400 pulling the horse trailer. Swapped the 455 in place of the V6, blew the rear end. Couldn't find a 59 power wagon but the one out of the 64 Chevy was the right width and gear. had to cobble the drive shaft though. And while we are working we might as well replace the rotted radiator with the one out of the Ford...
Lets see, the WC will fit between the trees but won't pull the tiling plow to depth. The D19 will pull it but wont fit between the trees. The 72 chevy wont fit (and the trans is broke anyway)but there's a real nice 292 in it that would pull the plow IF we put in in the WC. Will need the tires from the D19. Custom rim adaptors (courtesy torch and welder) take off the brakes (for tire clearance) and lengthen the frame for the 292. Keep the PS pump and we now have live hydraulics on the WC!
Seriously, if you need 200 hp and have 2 120's, it may be cheaper to 'recyle' the old ones. And early on there just wern't any 200 hp machines so you had to make do.
My inlaws had a 59 Dodge that went thru 6 motors including a 307 checvy that larter appeared in their 69 chevelle with 1 307 head and 1 350 head. Because that was what they had or could afford... labor was cheaper than parts.
The Power Wagon blew th buick V6. The Electra shelled the TH400 pulling the horse trailer. Swapped the 455 in place of the V6, blew the rear end. Couldn't find a 59 power wagon but the one out of the 64 Chevy was the right width and gear. had to cobble the drive shaft though. And while we are working we might as well replace the rotted radiator with the one out of the Ford...
Lets see, the WC will fit between the trees but won't pull the tiling plow to depth. The D19 will pull it but wont fit between the trees. The 72 chevy wont fit (and the trans is broke anyway)but there's a real nice 292 in it that would pull the plow IF we put in in the WC. Will need the tires from the D19. Custom rim adaptors (courtesy torch and welder) take off the brakes (for tire clearance) and lengthen the frame for the 292. Keep the PS pump and we now have live hydraulics on the WC!
Seriously, if you need 200 hp and have 2 120's, it may be cheaper to 'recyle' the old ones. And early on there just wern't any 200 hp machines so you had to make do.
My inlaws had a 59 Dodge that went thru 6 motors including a 307 checvy that larter appeared in their 69 chevelle with 1 307 head and 1 350 head. Because that was what they had or could afford... labor was cheaper than parts.
Mathias NY
Well-known Member
I'm working on a project this winter to build a 2 row self-propelled transplanter. I will be using parts from an old Bolens hydrostatic lawn mower, an Army surplus generator engine, wheels from an Allis B, etc. All together it will cost around $1000 to complete. I have the time, the know-how, the tools, and the components.
Sure I could have sold all these items induvidually for total of $600. Then spent $3000 on a brand new planter, $8000 on a tractor to pull it, and $5/hr to hire the neighbor kid to ride on it while I drive the tractor... but what fun would that be?
Sure I could have sold all these items induvidually for total of $600. Then spent $3000 on a brand new planter, $8000 on a tractor to pull it, and $5/hr to hire the neighbor kid to ride on it while I drive the tractor... but what fun would that be?
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Buickanddeere & bruster,
Some of us grew up with little extra money and had parents who live thru the 1930 depression and learned to make do with what was available. I thank God for the ethics that they gave me and the talent my brother and I have to make things work the way we want them, not the compromise design to fit all purposes. Neighbors $1000 sprayer monitor/foamer quit and he finished with my homemade ($62 cash and spare pieces{documented because we like to know what we spend}, SOMETIMES it would have been more economical to buy.
Some of us grew up with little extra money and had parents who live thru the 1930 depression and learned to make do with what was available. I thank God for the ethics that they gave me and the talent my brother and I have to make things work the way we want them, not the compromise design to fit all purposes. Neighbors $1000 sprayer monitor/foamer quit and he finished with my homemade ($62 cash and spare pieces{documented because we like to know what we spend}, SOMETIMES it would have been more economical to buy.
Ian Jones, Nanaimo, Can
Member
As a guy in product development at a tractor/combine company told me once about farmer inventions,contraptions, You have no idea how many guys have been hit by lightning on a combine!!!
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Of course someone EDUCATED and in product development is way smarter than the people who have to use the product. Cars you had to jack the engine up to change plugs, tractors you took the cab off to replace a filter, combines that take 4 hours to change a belt. YEAH, product development is great.
fixerupper
Well-known Member
Because it's there to be done. Some of these oddball projects are done for the challenge. If we sit on our duffs and don't put our creative talents to the test and stick our necks out, we'll never grow, and for the rest of our lives we'll be destined to turning wrenches on something someone else built .
I'm sure the first person who belted an engine to a running gear so it would move on it's own was thought to be some kind of wierd person with devious intentions. Grrrrrr! Jim
I'm sure the first person who belted an engine to a running gear so it would move on it's own was thought to be some kind of wierd person with devious intentions. Grrrrrr! Jim
Mathias NY
Well-known Member
Engineering oversights like those are what pushed me from a career as a heavy equipment mechanic to a mechanical engineer. I figured, if I could get through the classes I wouldn't spend my life cursing stupid engineers. Instead I could be the guy everyone else curses under their breath...
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
After reading the posts makes me think of the old wood box manure spreader that someone put a motor in the back and put a steering wheel in front and had a selfpropelled old manure spreader. They put it in the parade on the 4th of July. I thought it was interesting someone that had the idea and had fun building it. It did not have any real purpose except the parade ride. I bet they had a ball making it along with the old brain getting excersise..
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Back in July there was a pic on the net of a self-propelled device that I put together over a period of years. I don't know if it's still around or not. I guess you'd call it a portable hydraulic power pack. I use it mostly to power my woodsplitter. The announcer at one parade remarked that that's what happened when you spent too much time in your garage.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Great in theory but fail in practical service.
We all see these home brew rigs at auction sales and salvage yards.
Great ideas and intentions but...........The majority of the time the Frankenstien outfit costs more all totaled.Than a good working used unit.
The tinkerer gets tired of it or runs out of money 9/10's finished. Or once the tinkerer who operates the Frankenstien is gone. The family of business can't get rid of the thing fast enough.
Anybody else ever seen somebody pay $5.00 to save $3.00 ?
We all see these home brew rigs at auction sales and salvage yards.
Great ideas and intentions but...........The majority of the time the Frankenstien outfit costs more all totaled.Than a good working used unit.
The tinkerer gets tired of it or runs out of money 9/10's finished. Or once the tinkerer who operates the Frankenstien is gone. The family of business can't get rid of the thing fast enough.
Anybody else ever seen somebody pay $5.00 to save $3.00 ?
jack harmon
Member
LETS SEE why would anyone climb Everest,jump off a bridge with a rubber band on their leg etc-etc-etc just because that's why!!!! why did john deere make his plow that would turn sod?because ,didn't need to he was happily making wagons.sometimes you've gotta do things just because!!
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Why... becuse we are well trained to do so. The people on this forum and other farmers are the best engineers, machinists, welders, and innovators that anyone can find. We are constantly around mechanical things around the farm. And when there is a breakdown, we always find a way to get it back together and get the work done.
How many of you guys purchased a New piece of Equipment and tried it out... and found yourself inside the shop "trying to make it better" or to do what you want it to do?
How many of you guys purchased a New piece of Equipment and tried it out... and found yourself inside the shop "trying to make it better" or to do what you want it to do?
Mathias NY
Well-known Member
bruster - Thanks kinda funny. I had to reread your post a couple times to understand what you meant. I hadn't recognized a difference between a 'usable' machine and one with no purpose. I just always assumed that everything was built with a purpose, even if that purpose isn't terribly obvious.
Wallace Farmer had a section of farmer built equipment, lot of them came out of northern states. Question was why so many there and Canada. Theory was that at middle of January on to spring field work was slack time and wives said get out of house and stop bothering me. Farm shops had saws and welders, local salvage yards had some odd usable parts to add to farms and/or neighboring farms spares, Husbands had to do something besides drive to town and get drunk in bars(wives wouldn't have approved, sleeping in barn alone in winter not healthy) so the odd work job that had annoyed husband or wife was thought out as- what can I make do do this? Result featured in mgazine, wife happy, husband has a job made easier and some iron back to use. Cabin fever incidents of domestic violence reduced. How true the theory was - you make up you own mind. RN
John M
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nunyafn business
BEWcause 2 or 3 arent worth much, and wont sell as fast, as 2 or 3 hooked together! They somehow magically become extremely rare and hard to find and the only prototype ever built, and some dumb sucker will beleive it. This holds especially true for John Deeres. Of course a rusted up falling apart, smoking heep will bring 3000 if its got the John Deere name on it.
Wesley Stephens
Member
Sometimes people spend more time and money on cobbled-up mess, but sometimes it's very successful. I have always enjoyed seeing things that were innovative and really showcased someone's brain power and mechanical ability. Even though it caters to the upper mid-west and Canada, we have subscribed to Farm Show magazine for years and I always look forward to it.
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Everyone spends there money on something different. As long as you don't owe me money I don't care what you spend yours on.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I built a log hauler for 200.00.I had the wheels and tires, all steel was bought new.A commercial ready made one costs 1500.00 plus 360.00 trucking.Welded up out doors with welding rod friends gave me.Welder cost 10.00 in a junk yard in the mid 50s.4X6 hack saw cost 125.00 many years ago.Ive built a cultivator,carry all, boom pole, tire changer,welding table,Utility trailer,working on a sharpener and setter for my band saw mill.The trailer was built in 1965 and is still used to haul out sawed fire wood.Some things cant be home built.You just have to know when to build and when to buy.Every thing Ive built works well. dont paint us all with the same brush, we have skills to build things.Looks like you dont.
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