Grain Drill Converted To A 3-Pt Model

Grain Drill Converted To A 3-Pt Model PLANTING EQUIPMENT Drills (19) 19-4-36 This old 1950's Massey Harris 14-ft. grain drill was converted into a 3-pt. model that I use to plant soybeans as well as small grains. Works great for replanting wet spots and for planting small fields. I removed the drill's drawbar hitch and bolted a toolbar fitted with a 3-pt. hitch onto the drill's frame. I cut off the drill's depth levers, reversed them, and welded them back on with the handles facing toward each other so they wouldn't interfere with the tractor tires. I welded a steel plate vertically onto each end of the toolbar and bolted a pair of steel rods on between the plates and the drill to reinforce the hitch. A chain connects the top link on the drill with the tractor's 3-pt. hitch, allowing the drill to flex up or down. I bought the drill in 1956 for $125 and spent about $100 for scrap iron to build the hitch. The drill is equipped with seed cups instead of gears so it handles seed gently. I use it a lot for replanting wet spots in the field because I can raise the drill and turn without destroying the crop. Another advantage is that the drill's narrow width makes it easy to fit through gates. However, it's too small to plant big fields - I use a 12-row planter to plant most of my beans. Originally the operator had to reach back and pull on a rope to disengage the seed drive system. Now the drill automatically disengages when it's lifted. The drill is quite heavy when full so it takes a tractor with a good hydraulic system to lift it. I use an Allis-Chalmers 6080. (Lloyd Robertson, Rt. 2, Box 68, Worthington, Minn. 56187 ph 507 376-4033)

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