My heart hurts. scrapping old equipment

I posted awhile back on someone else's thread about how it is sad to see the old equipment being bought, cut up and sold for scrap. Of course most of you should know that I bought an Oliver 6241 3 bottom rollover plow and have been in the process of putting it back in shape. I am almost there but I need a few more bits and pieces to make it complete. I located another identical plow that was in bad shape, it was salvageable with lots of money but in over all very bad shape. There were however many usable parts on the plow.
I have been watching the plow for several months and yesterday I finally had an opportunity to stop and inquire about the plow. Sadly, a scrapper had picked up the plow and a few other things last week. I missed it by three days. I found out who got the plow and called this morning but it had already been cut up and put on a rail car headed to a iron factory. In this case, I would have paid a bit more than scrap price for it and I'm sure I could have sold a few bits and pieces to others to help them complete their project, but alas it is not to be. I've never been a procrastinator but in this case every time I saw the plow I always said, "I don't have time now but I'll check on it later" NO MORE! From now on if I see something that I think I can use, I will stop right then and ask about it.
I know that there is equipment out there that is just junk and only good for recycle but there are other implements that have value other than that. Sadly, the junk iron dealer doesn't care and apparently neither does the owner.
I understand though, something sits around for years, nobody wanting it, in the way and an eyesore. It finally is disposed of then people like me show up wanting it.
Ya snooze ya lose I guess. or, a day late and a dollar short.
Oh well...
 
I can relate to your story. A coulpe of yeras back when scrap price was hight $300.00/ton I knew the scrapyard owner and she had my phone # for old tractors and implements.but DID NOT CALL ME . I learned that 15 complete tracors and at least 4 baleres went to srcap.

Ya see , once they have them they are worth gold on a resale to the steel mill ( $800 / ton) but to us they are worht much much more.
 
That really sucks, I learned a long time ago, never wait or procrastinate, you see something for sale, or even have to go inquire to see if the owner would sell, do it now, once the deal is done, pay up and remove immediately, this is what happens when you do not.

I'm not even a fan of paying up front, and making arrangements to pick up later, because while its still on the sellers property, it could get sold at a higher price from under you and or how many other scenarios could happen.

I have a plow story too. I always read the CL ads, it pays to do so, different things turn up that you may need or have wanted and the prices are always reasonable and or discounted from new or what it would cost to by new, you just have to look things over and know what you are getting.

I see a 2 bottom 101 Ford plow listed, and I did the same as you, the price was a tad high for the condition, I waited, and actually long enough that it should have been sold, one day I see it re-listed fresh, thinking about my plans for the day and all the rest that would cause me to put it off. I've bought off the seller before too. I decided to call him, did so, was still available, he did drop the price $100 in the re-list, so I said I'd take it and would stop by after work, which I did, had him bring it over, gave him a $10 for gas, as that was sufficient for him. Next day I think it was, we had the local soil test guy out to the other place taking samples of the fields, and he mentioned that he was going to buy this Ford 2 bottom plow that was listed, I did not have the heart to tell him I bought it already. The thing is I know there are a lot of these around, just not here, you just never see these for sale, its a good plow, with coulters, tail wheel, has the trailing adjustment lever, and is manual reset if you trip it. I think it was $250, I just put all new wear parts on it, 'cept moldboards, it does need coulter bearings, they are a little loose, but for about $400 I have a field ready plow of good design, one that you could not buy new at that price, especially with the extra items, seems all the ones I see are bare, and not even trip back, shear bolt protected, and seem to be 3x the cost of rebuilding one like mine.

I could have easily missed out on the deal, without a doubt its just good practice to be of the philosophy, "no time like the present" LOL
 
I sure feel you pain. I used to spray for an Agronomy business north of Madison. I knew of a set of FM cultivators sitting along a fenceline at a customer's place. I told him I liked the look of them and he told me to make him an offer. They were too big for me - 12 row units - so I let em pass. I figured he was thinking a grand or so anyway.

Fast forward to last week, I am still looking for parts for my 6 row FM and I remembered those two twelve row units up there. I called him up. Nope, sold them for Iron last year. Even sent the frame rails with the alignment studs (the parts I needed) and the rear gangs! He got $400 for the pair of them.

Don't hesitate.

BTW, I have a 6342 I need parts for. If you come up with another donor plow, keep me in mind. I'll do the same for you.
 
RRF
(quoted from post at 20:20:21 01/22/13) I sure feel you pain. I used to spray for an Agronomy business north of Madison. I knew of a set of FM cultivators sitting along a fenceline at a customer's place. I told him I liked the look of them and he told me to make him an offer. They were too big for me - 12 row units - so I let em pass. I figured he was thinking a grand or so anyway.

Fast forward to last week, I am still looking for parts for my 6 row FM and I remembered those two twelve row units up there. I called him up. Nope, sold them for Iron last year. Even sent the frame rails with the alignment studs (the parts I needed) and the rear gangs! He got $400 for the pair of them.

Don't hesitate.

BTW, I have a 6342 I need parts for. If you come up with another donor plow, keep me in mind. I'll do the same for you.

RRF, I know where another 6241 is located that the guy is going to part out for parts to repair (guess what) a 6342. I have asked if I can have a few parts and he said I could if I was willing to wait, so I'm waiting. What do you need for your plow so I can latch on to them if they are available. From my experience (limited) with this guy, his prices will be reasonable.
 

Billy, tell me about your coulter "bearings" If they are like the ones on my Ford plow and are cast iron and aren't completely worn out, you can tighten them up.
 
Might be able to save you some money on those colter bearings. Its been a long while since I owned one of those 101 plows, but if I remember correctly the colter bearings are adjustable. They have some play to them even when adjusted properly as they are a cone and cup arrangement instead of being ball or roller bearings. Joe
 
Allen, Let me share a plow story. i had an Oliver 566 plow. Nice shape. Not bent,beat up or welded on. did need new wear parts. Tried for 2 years to get 300.00 out of it. would have taken less if offered. Advertized local on criagslist, here on YT. and even run it through Ebay. Not 1 response. After 2 years I cut it up and got my 300.00. Would much rather someone bought it, but how long do you wait? Got a couple oliver balers I'm getting tired of looking at also.
 
(quoted from post at 02:09:09 01/23/13) Allen, Let me share a plow story. i had an Oliver 566 plow. Nice shape. Not bent,beat up or welded on. did need new wear parts. Tried for 2 years to get 300.00 out of it. would have taken less if offered. Advertized local on criagslist, here on YT. and even run it through Ebay. Not 1 response. After 2 years I cut it up and got my 300.00. Would much rather someone bought it, but how long do you wait? Got a couple oliver balers I'm getting tired of looking at also.

Exactly what I'm talking about...
Quoting myself.
"I understand though, something sits around for years, nobody wanting it, in the way and an eyesore. It finally is disposed of then people like me show up wanting it."

Still hurts my heart.. I don't know the solution. :(
 
I have tried telling people how bad it is to waste farm equipment. Yes I do know that there is old junk out there, old junk combines, balers ect. They think an old LA Case or G Moline and 3 or 4 bottom trip plow is junk,,, Wait until they don't even have horses or a plow to work the land with... We will see how much of a piece of junk it is then,, Same for the rest of it. Being without learns one a GOOD sound lesson...

I do care about preserving history and our heritage. However the primary reason I save what I can and HATE to see it being scrapped is because of the practicality and durability of it. Farm machinery are tools. They cost $$$ to buy new. Scrapping it is like selling $10,000 for $100.... There are many places in this world where people would not know how to act if they had some of the "junk" that we scrap. We stand a good chance if seeing what it feels like to have land and no way of working it except for handmade utensils.


When the bad times arrive, and they will, the world will realize the need for the good solid simple practical farm implements and tractors which will be in very short supply. When they realize that is where their food comes from they will see. This is a learn the hard way deal. I am sick to see our country and the world go this way but it is going to come apart. Sad to see us wind up in economic ruins. It is sad but I can see it coming... I am sorry for the long post and rant but we are heading for bad times. Anyone who thinks otherwise is avoiding facing the truth.
 
I feel your pain, and I"m the same way. I use this stuff. True, I don"t have to make a living with it and feed my family, but I would rather drag an old piece around with my old tractor any day than use a new-fangled, high-tech, made in China waiting-to-become-obsolete piece.

This is what I use to disc up around my 10 acres...slim

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank">
disc002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket
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It's one thing when a scrapper cuts up usable old
equipment, but I think the worst scrapping ever is
when a nearby museum in southern Ohio raised 2.3
million to save the Silver Spade because it was the
last of the 'super strippers'. Consolidated scrapped
it anyway. Just type in 'video of silver spade' if
you want to take a look at this thing.
 
A real delimma. My late parents grew up in the Depression and didn't throw anything away. The barns, sheds, and hollows were filled with old trucks, combines, tractor carcasses, and every type of starter, generator, or radiator ever made. Collectors got a lot, scrappers got the rest. Still, I use equipment that others consider collectable.
 
Same here. Alot of the equipment that most refer to as "collectable" and so forth is alot more practical and affordable than the alternative. Seems like things are backwards from where they should be!!! I will never understand people....
 
I would like to say that J.I case, IHC, Massey Harris would come back, but it's not and once you scrap something for pocket change it's not coming back!I do scrap stuff to keep the yard clean, but never a full piece of equiment, just bits and piece of scrap like pop cans. If you drive by my place you'll never see that I have about 40 pieces of farm equiment all from below the 1950's mark, I have a 60 acer treed land with a 5 acer field in the back. It's nice to have that because if you dont want to look at it you dont have to. most of the stuff I have I bought form people that were going to hual it off to the scrapers that year. I've bought side dilavary rake for $35 a piece, or a JD dubble disk for $30 i just cant say no to stuff like that.
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a97934.jpg
 
Great to save as much as possible. That rake for example, that rake could rake a LOT of hay to feed alot of stock which in turn feeds people or at least a family. Something like that in due time could be like a glass of water to a THIRSTY man. A rake like that's value could easily be realized.
 
I've found around here - if you can SEE a piece of old equipment from the road - it's either not going anywhere because the owner is attached to it - OR - it's going to the scrap yard any day now.

Because if you can see it - scrappers can see it too. And they drive around specifically looking for that very kind of thing.

So most of the visible stuff is gone now.

The worst part of that is that SOOO many people I've talked to have given in to a scrapper with the "I'll load it myslef and get it out of your hair for FREE" deal.

In my area I post regularly on craigslist asking for old equipment to be donated to our 4h club.

We've had a surprising amount of success with that. So the club is doing its best to keep some of the old stuff alive.

We're restoring the equipment and putting together an entire haying operation. We have access to a town owned field to work.

I'm hoping to promote this idea with other clubs around the country.

It's a fantastic opportunity for the kids to learn some mechanical skills, save some great old equipment, and help some of the more urban kids get "free" hay to support their project animals - instead of paying for bales.

On top of that - having a full 4h haying group gets the kids parents involved in the club too. I find a lot of the parents are anxious to get involved - this gives them something real to do. Many of them have never been on a tractor.

It's really been working out well.

(and there are some on this board who have contributed to this. I think this spring when I get some good haying pictures, you'll see how important and valuable your donations have been!)
 
I'll have to take another look, but it appears that I recall what you describe as being what I have.

They're seem to have some play in them, I have a single bottom 110, shear protected Ford plow, and the coulter on that one seems to be tight, the plow has all its original wear parts, likely not seen a lot of use, just now needing a shin and share.,

I'll have to go over and look, take a photo or 2.
 
Yes and Big Muskie went bye bye too. I would have loved seeing it working close up. I did see it working from a distance, the surprising thing was it was so quiet.. (running on electric motors).
 
It's a real dilemma. I've come across some really neat pieces
and just flat didn't have the time and money to deal with them.

When I finally get the time and money the opportunity has
passed.

Best/ worst one was a Farmall Super M i missed. Friend of a
friend wanted to sell one cheap. I didn't have time to go look
so turned it over to a buddy.

He went to look at it. "Cheap" meant free. Seems guy was
moving and couldn't take it with him.
 
Old thread I know, but just wanted to say another reason to keep the old stuff running is because when I go to an "Agribition" or whatever show, (here in Alberta, canada) we only see field equipment that is as wide as a double highway, or tiny, as in a 3-foot set of discs for an acearge guy.
No in-between, just great big stuff.
The writing"s on the wall for small farmers, and the only way to survive is use some of the older stuff.
Still, for some reason I get a lot of satisfaction out of fixing old stuff!

Richard.
 
I agree with u all. I just saved 3 jd#5 mowers from the scrap yard. I too am always on the look out for used farm equipment. I have an 80 yr just retired farmer who will not part with any of his old machinery. He swears up and down someday we will need the plow again.
 

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