Posted by Hal/Eastern WA on August 08, 2012 at 13:20:58 from (97.114.119.195):
In Reply to: Threshing with Steam posted by Badger08 on August 07, 2012 at 20:11:14:
Neat! About 100 years ago, my grandfather owned a steam engine and threshing machine. He made a good part of his living by moving it around North Dakota threshing other people"s crops.
I never got to see his machines, since he died when I was a toddler, but my Mom talked about his operation.
My grandfather"s steam engine was usually fueled with straw, at least while they were threshing. He would fill the fire box with straw at night and then sleep for a while with his hand in the fire box. When the fire got close enough to his hand to wake him up, he would fill the fire box again, all night. This had to be done by someone to avoid the long delay heating up the steamer if it ever got cooled down. As fast as straw burns, I would guess that my grandfather got fairly little sleep! I suppose they used wood or coal when they were moving the equipment from place to place.
They must have worked incredibly hard, but a steam powered threshing machine was SO much more efficient than doing all the work by hand or animal power. It was a link in the chain of progress that has led to the combines of today.
Thanks for the photos. We should not lose the memory of how to do things the old ways. We might need that knowledge sometime.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - History of the Nuffield Tractor - by Anthony West. The Nuffield tractor story started in early 1945. The British government still reeling from the effects of the war on the economy, approached the Nuffield organization to see if they would design and build an "ALL NEW" British built wheeled tractor, suitable for both British and world farming.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
Oliver 550 Diesel runs like a watch three point hitch pto engine gone threw about two hundred hours ago nice clean tractor
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
