Dinosaurs Made From Old Farm Machinery

Dinosaurs Made from Old Farm Machinery AG WORLD Ag World 10-4-20 Thanks to a talent for turning old junk machinery parts into visual treats, Bill Swets has attracted a lot of attention to his farm near Ft. Collins, Colo. The biggest attention-getter is his collection of 38 dinosaurs made from salvaged farm machinery, cars, trucks and whatever else he can find in his junk pile. The dinosaurs are full-size, ranging from 2 to 40 ft. in length, 7 to 14 ft. high and weigh from 500 to 1,200 lbs. Joints are built into the animals so they can be taken apart and moved. "During the summer we get anywhere from 2 to 12 groups a day from art classes, museums and private individuals from as far away as Scotland. Small children, in particular, are excited by the animals. At this time they are displayed in our farmyard. However, I'm open to all offers for setting up in other locations," says Swets. The 38 animals in his zoo range from a 2-ft. grasshopper named Hooper to a 40-ft. brontosaurus named Dino. Swets has also gained notoriety for a huge 10-person bike he built and rides, along with nine friends, in parades. "I used parts from a motorcycle, corn cutter, beet topper, other bicycles, and so on. The frame's built from 1 and 2-in. sq. tubing and 6-in. channel iron. It's 25 ft. long, weighs 530 lbs. and has a top speed of 20 mph. There are 5 sets of pedals so every other person pedals. It has brakes front and rear and is propelled by a 60-ft. long chain salvaged from a beet harvester. When I first built it, both my brother and I had three kids so we could take the whole family out," says Swets. He says there's at least one larger bike in the world ù a 34-seater built in Australia. Other than difficulty in making sharp turns ù it needs 150 ft. to turn around ù Swets says his bike is not difficult to ride. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Swets, 4801 E. Harmony Rd., Ft. Collins, Colo. 80525 (ph 303 484-9509).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.