Best Loader Ever

This is a nice picture of a Farmhand F-10, which to my mind, is the absolute best loader ever conceived by mankind. This one is wrapped around an IH 656.

Note the mouning bracket/truss assembly under the belly of the tractor constructed from 3/8 x 4" angle iron to insure that the tractor did not break in half.

Allan

How would I get that thing in my 8x8 foot barn doors to scoop manure? Another of those deals, worthless thing 'here', indespensable tool 'there'. :)

I've seen about 2 of those contraptions up around here in my life, don't think they ever caught on. Way, way too hilly to lift as high as you are talking about, and we need much more manuverability/ fit-through-the-door type loaders around here. You could about sell a good one for scrap price locally.

Again, I'm commenting only to compare how the different regions need/ use different things. I enjoy seeing how things are done in different places, and what is valued and what is 'junk', and how that can be the same item! :)

--->Paul

What's manure doing in your barns anyway? Those critters are 'sposed ta be out on the open range, don't ya know. :>)

Yep, I know what ya mean, one man's junk and another's gold, or so the saying goes.

Allan

Shifting knee & back of head & back (after finally remembering to remain stooped at all times....) sure hurts when the day or 3 is over..... ;)

--->Paul

What he means about the 15 bales is that he could "sweep" up 15 bales without stopping and heading to the stack. With a 656 like that, the sweeping can be done in road gear, low T/A.

The trick was to sweep up 11 bales end-wise and then grab 4 across front of those by sweeping them 'side-ways' giving a full sweep load of 15 bales before you had to run back to the stack.

Other than a stack wagon, it is the easiest & fastest way there is to handle small square bales.

RJ talks about breaking sweep teeth on the earlier sweep heads. We didn’t keep that style of head too long, maybe a couple of years.

When Farmhand came out with that big steel toothed outfit, we were on it like fleas on a dog. Plus, it had that nice big aluminum push-off rack, which would let you reach to something like 27'.

I never stacked baled hay or straw that high, but we repeatedly stacked loose hay just as high as the old gal would push 'er up there.

When the loader was extended all the way up, the back of the bucket or hay head was directly up over your head. I wish I could find a picture of one of these things fully extended; it is quite a sight and makes these little F-11s look like mere toys.

Allan

d

Looks like a tank headin' off to war. Quite a bit more steel there than in my F11.

Have a great Turkey Day,

Dug

I really can't tell you what the model number was 'cause they kinda predate me and I just never paid any attention to 'em. :>)

Those were the ones that had the tilt cylinder/cable winch standing up and down behind the operator instead of inside the arm and they also had that old "wedge" shaped oil tank? I know that they were all the rage right after the war.

There is one just over the hill from me mounted on an old JD. Maybe I can get over there sometime today and snap a picture of it.

This things are built right down there in your back yard at Fort Collins, aren't they?

Allan

After the war? Would that be the Revolutionary war, or the Civil War?

Happy Thanksgiving oldtimer! John

Same to you ol' Pard. :>)

They sure are good loaders.We only wore out 3 of them. We had a hay buck for stacking loose hay. A grapple fork head for unstacking the hay and loading manure. The first one was mounted on a TE-20 Ferguson and later switched it over to the TO-30. The 2nd one was bought as a unit and was mounted on a Cockshutt 30. Wore out both the loader and tractor. 3rd.one was also purchased as a unit and was mounted on an M Farmall. We stacked alot of hay with those loaders. They did tie up a tractor tho.

steveormary