Throwing out fertilizer this spring

Since it's so hot, I figured I'd put a little "cool down" photo on here. Spreading 13-13-13 with the '63 2000. Took this in late April, boy was it a nice day to work!
Mac

I like your spreader - what's the story behind it?
David

Well David, it's a bit of a long one, but here she is.

About 10 years ago, I wanted to put out some pelletized lime, but
didn't have a spreader. So, I asked my neighbor if he had one, he
says yea, it's rough, but it will work. So I went a mile and a
half up the road to get it, had two flats and the spinner locked
up. Air up tires, dragged it home and introduced it to the fire
wrench. Freed it up and spread my lime. About two weeks later, I
go to haul it home. Pull up in driveway and place is empty! They
moved out! Tried calling the guy, no luck. So I just kept it and
used occasionally and thought, if he wants it back, he knows where
it is.

Fast forward to this year. Seen the guy, said hey, your fertilizer
distributor and manure spreader are still at my place. He says,
heck, keep 'em! I don't need them where I live. So, I needed to
spread two ton of fertilizer this spring, and decided to fix the
old girl up. I patched some holes and put two wore out (free)
tires on it, and painted it IH red, with some leftover implement
paint. I cut an IH stencil out of cardboard, and painted one on
the back and front, just because. And there you have it.

See, told you it was a long story.

Mac

a good story tho - I have a soft spot for pieces like that spreader, they tend to get used up and set outside and corroded away - post some pictures of the mechanism sometime, I'd bet there'd be interest -

I worked on a spreader earlier this year, still have a bit to do on it, I'll get some pictures and post and use this thread if it's alright with you -

David

Go right ahead! I like pictures! I'd get some of the mechanism
now, but it's raining here. Not griping though. We sure needed it.
It was over 100 today.

Mac

mac,
piece of advice, for what its worth.

great looking little spreader, glad you were able to save it,

I saved the one in the attached picture, similar story, I borrowed it, then the neighbor owner just said keep it, so I did. I insure it is well oiled as it was also hard to get freed up and working properly.

but the tractor hitch is my concern.

the way you have it hitched, the fertilizer spreader might never do it, but it could,

when loaded it could tip backward raising your lift arms hard and fast jamming the pump mechanism in the up position. this can cause serious damage to the lift system. my second picture shows my little fertilizer seed spreader attached to my tractor with the stay bars installed to insure the spreader stays at the same height all the time. note to file: lift lever must be locked down to insure it does get moved to the raised position or you have a bent set of stay bars.

I would have the factory angle stay bars installed when pulling from the cross bar,
you may not have a set, but would be worth the investment, if you are going to use the cross bar as a hitch.
stay bars run from the ends of the cross bar hitch up to the bolt under the top link hitch on the tractor, insuring the lift arms do not go up/down while pulling from the crossbar.

just my two cents.

Well, Wellmax, its funny you mention that...

I usually don't use this tractor for spreading. I use my 300 Farmall. However, it was down with a cracked manifold about this time, and rain was in the forecast, so the stuff had to go out.

However...

I do agree with you. Like you said, it's never done that. Never offered to tip back, nothing. But, better safe than sorry. Also, I generally use my swinging drawbar on this tractor, but it disappeared (gotta love neighbors, right?). I have intended to buy some stay bars for some time, but I just haven't yet.

Having said all that: did you happen to notice that the tongue is bent? It was bent when I got it, too. I'd love to know the story on that...

Anyway, thanks for the comment, and your concern. I appreciate both.

Mac

This is a 'Skibee' spreader, made in MI I think, probably from the 50's or 60's - I got it 25 years ago or so - didn't take much to make it serviceable, but this year it was time to do a refurbish - the spinners were rusted and one was bent, the bushings were pretty well gone from the spindles, belts frayed, the lower metal frame rusted, etc -

It's a 3pt mount and a bit of a PITA to get hooked up, but the drops are adjustable so I can set them to throw under trees, which is nice for what I do -

the hoppers hold 3 bags of fertilizer each, for a total load of 300 pounds at a time - mounted on one of my 900 Fords, it's a bit high to heft the bags up to fill the machine, particularly the second ton -

Nice.. these old girls love to work!