Nancy's new hay rake

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

We had some problems with thick grass that did not get cut on the hay field.

Gave us problems when trying to rake and even more problems when trying to bale.

There was a "mess" left over that needed to be cleaned up.

Some of y'all might remember my post about dump rakes a few weeks back.

Located <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osvyzXyy0p8">a complete, working rake</a> that we thought would help us clean up the mess.

It is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCuZWL9hbts">McCormick-Deering Model M</a>; don't have a clue as to its age.

Was lucky enough to find 2 owner's manuals on eBay for the old rake so I bought both of them.

Old <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOKFDbRTlZQ">rake works</a> exactly as we expected and does exactly what we needed it to do.

Looks like I'll need to get some red paint for the rake and cream colored paint for the wheels.

Brian G. NY · Aug 30, 2010

We routinely used the dump rake after baling each field back in the 50s. We would "dump" the hay in one or two rows across the field and then bale those rows. Waste not, want not!!

Mike (WA) · Aug 30, 2010

Well, first off, you gotta have somebody (Nancy comes to mind) on that seat, to dump it when it gets full. You try to line up the dumps across the field, so it will be easy to either bale, or pick up with pitchforks onto a wagon. If the reason for the empty seat was that Nancy was too smart to get involved in this whole dog and pony show, I certainly understand.

The other thing is, you do this when it is freshly cut, not after a couple week's regrowth.

Last time I operated a dump rake was when I was about 8- I didn't realize at the time that I had learned enough about the process to comment on it now.

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

We will probably "role" this up into a bale and sell it as straw; it has no nutricional value.

Sure hated to leave it on the ground, but we could not rake it or bale it at the time.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 30, 2010

I did not know they made a JD 2 pop with a foot cluch?????

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

This operation was strictly a clean-up effort.

Original idea was for Nancy to clean this mess up "manually" with either a yard rake or pitch fork.

Used this "reasoning" to justify buying another piece of antique hay equipment to prevent Nancy from doing the manual labor; it worked.

I did ride on the pan seat for a short while making a "hands on" video; not too good so will wait until another day.

We were both pleased on how it worked.

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

Yes sir, the Ms and the MTs have a foot clutch.

Sure takes some "getting used to" after using the hand clutch on all our other tractors.

Sam#3 · Aug 30, 2010

Dad had a rake just like that one when I was a kid. The seats on the rake and a John Deere #4 Big mower molded my ah uh ... character for life. Dad already knew the score so he drove the tractor, a John Deere H.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 30, 2010

When I was a kid, we had a 40 J.D. and later a 420 J.D. and both had foot clutches.

DeltaRed · Aug 30, 2010

My inlaws(Susan's dad)used to "scatter rake" after baling on the mountain meadows in Gunnison,Co.untill the '80s.Saved a lot of hay.The old worn out dump rakes finally got turned into a "meadow dragon"

Anonymous-0 · Aug 30, 2010

Wow!! she needs to learn how to drive a tractor. she was almost bucked off the seat popping that clutch.. she better stick to a pitchfork the dump rack and tractor are over her head

Leroy · Aug 30, 2010

Perhaps this will help. Just happened to have a parts manual laying at my desk. The McCormick-Deering (dump) Hay rakes Formerly McCormick) 1989 and since. Newest date in parts book is 1938. McCormick-Deering New Ideal Hay Rakes (Formerly Deering) (1910- 1925) in 6 1/2', 7 1/2', 8', 9', 10', 11', &12' models. Book is Hay machines repairs catalog McCormick-Deering No. 29-HM and has mowers in as well, Says the No. 7 mower 1932 and since. Found out that the No. 7 went to 39 when the No. 9 started. To pick up a No. 7 & No. 9 wed plus a JD Big 4. It does not give models for the rakes.

Dave Sherburne NY · Aug 30, 2010

I used to run one of those when I was a youngster about 55 yrs ago. Had a 2"ring wire to the bottom of the seat, a rope from the tractor thru the ring and tied to that thing under the seat. When the wheel of the rake hits the one you dumped previously, pull the rope the rake dumps and you can make a pretty straight windrow with a little practice. That rake is just like the one we used to have, used it to rake "scatterins". The old side delivery rakes we had missed a lot.

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

Measured the rake before we went to pick it up.

It is a 10ft wide rake.

We guessed the age at 85-100 years old.

At any age it still works good.

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

Nancy will probably use it to clean up the ends of windrows next time we rake hay.

She was well pleased with how it worked; the old rake should see a lot of work.

James Howell · Aug 30, 2010

See by your "guest" status that you may be new to the Tractor Talk forum.

Your "alias" and reply reminds me of someone from Winona, MN.

Since you are somewhere near Baraboo, Wi, do you have any relatives named [b:654c4848f0]Joe Dan[/b:654c4848f0] in Winona, MN?

James Howell · Aug 31, 2010

The pan seat was off when we got it.

Put it back on last weekend before the trip to the hay field.

Took a short video from the pan seat, but it didn't turn out too good.

James Howell · Aug 31, 2010

You're right; from the MT "evolved" the 40 and 420.

We really like our 2 MTs; will probably get another one when the time is right.

They are very handy little tractors.

Inno · Aug 31, 2010

Thanks for the videos James. The sound of that old 2 cyl. reminds me of a small JD crawler my Dad had when I was a kid. Very distinctive "putta-putta-putta" sound.

Jim in Ma. · Aug 31, 2010

You should run a small rope back to the trip lever under the seat (not the foot pedal). Saves getting off to dump it.

James Howell · Aug 31, 2010

Glad you liked the videos; we enjoy sharing them with all the folks on the YT forums.

James Howell · Aug 31, 2010

The trip lever you mention is spring loaded and has 4 different settings.

Haven't "studied" it very close, but will experiment with it using a rope as you've suggested.

Brian G. NY · Aug 31, 2010

Most dump rakes are lawn ornaments nowadays.

James Howell · Aug 31, 2010

Folks that we bought this rake from were also using it as yard art.

They were second owners and said that they bought the rake from a farmer who lived within one mile of their home.

They were glad that we were going to put the old rake back to work.

Thanks for sharing your photo with us.

Sam#3 · Aug 31, 2010

The rope idea will work if you're just puttering around but if you ever plan to do production raking it doesn't work as well. The big pedal locks the rack down and prevents it from starting to ride over the load. The hand lever allows you make a short lift and drop rather than a high lift a long drop before you start raking again. It will make for a cleaner job. Dad's old saying, "The big farmer leaves more in the field than the small farmer puts in the barn." well applies to hand haying.

James Howell · Aug 31, 2010

Did some mowing in "the bottom" on Saturday.

Could have used the old rake to remove some of the old, dead grass from the previous mowing.

Seems like we can always find more work to do with newly aquired equipment.

Nancy's new hay rake

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