Iowa Farmer Builds Working Replicas Of Old Farm Equipment

Iowa Farmer Builds Working Replicas Of Old Farm Equipment AG WORLD 31-1-22 "Can you keep this a surprise?" asked Doris Christensen of Chariton, Iowa, who recently emailed FARM SHOW about her husband Ronald's homemade working replicas of old farm equipment. "Over the years, Ronald has built a variety of machines without any particular scale and without using any blueprints. He just looks at the original equipment or at photos. Then he finds some wheels and scales the rest of the machinery around the wheel sizes," says Doris. "He finds most of the parts at swap meets, flea markets, etc, and does all of the work in his welding shop. We often take the machines to shows and parades. He's quite proud of what he's built, and so am I." Here's a quick rundown on the machines Ron has built. Hoist Wagon - It's patterned after a Deere flare box wagon made in the 1950's and has a plywood box that measures 36 in. long by 54 in. wide. The box is raised and lowered by a 12-in. hydraulic cylinder. It's fitted with the wheels and axles off a riding mower. Moldboard plow - This 2-bottom moldboard plow is patterned after a Deere rope-trip plow made in the 1940's. The 8-in. moldboards are off a plow built for a garden tractor. The cutter blades were cut down from a field cultivator. The two front wheels are off a side delivery rake, and the single rear wheel is off a Lincoln welder. Manure spreader - It's patterned after a 1953 Deere H spreader and has a box that measures 36 in. wide by 72 in. long. The 15-in. wheels are off a horse spreader and the 500 by 15 tires are off a Deere B tractor. The floor chain parts and various sprockets were salvaged from an Allis Chalmers round baler, Kelly Ryan elevator, and International Harvester endgate seeder. The beaters were made from scratch. Waterloo Boy - Ronald patterned this tractor after a Model N Waterloo Boy, which was manufactured from 1918 to 1924. It measures 96 in. long by 45 in. wide by 46 high and is powered by a 1-cyl. Associate gas engine built in Waterloo, Iowa (the real tractor was fueled by kerosene). The Peerless transaxle transmission has four speeds forward and one reverse. The body is made with 3-in. channel iron and 14-gauge plate material. The rear wheels are off a manure spreader, and the front wheels are belt pulleys off a pair of threshing machines. The seat is from a horse-drawn mower. The radiator was built from scratch. Horseless carriage - Patterned after an 1899 Packard, Ronald's horseless carriage is powered by a 5 hp Tecumseh engine and has a Peerless transaxle transmission. There are three forward speeds and one reverse. The body and seat were made from 3/4-in. thick oak plywood, while the chassis was made with buggy springs and 26-in. bicycle tires. A bicycle horn and ornamental lanterns serve as the lights. International Harvester mini baler - It's patterned after stationary balers built in the 1930's that use blocks and wire tires, and makes bales that measure 10 in. wide by 18 in. long. The unit is belt-driven with gears from a pump jack. "The Waterloo Boy is used to belt-drive the baler," says Doris. The axles, as well as the rest of the baler, were made from angle iron and plate steel. The baler rides on 10 by 18 by 7-in. wheels off a riding mower. Deere miniature baler - It's built much the same as the IH baler except that power is supplied by a 5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine. "Ron sometimes sells the bales he makes at a local pumpkin patch fall festival," says Doris. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ronald Christensen, 50753 200th Ave., Chariton, Iowa 50049 (ph 641 774-4901; comado@lisco.com).

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