# Farmer Built Tractors.



## Coondle (Aug 28, 2013)

I have just posted on a thread about one way disc ploughs including use of them to clear new land.

That reminded me of how a group this pioneering farmers in about the 1960's and 1970's in pursuit of more horse power and traction took to building their own equal 4WD tractors.

In a small hamlet the good people have collected some of the tractors from around the district and put them on display in a roadside shelter.

The early 4WD was the Case 1200 and followed soon after by a range of articulated equal 4wd by such manufacturers as Versatile, through to Big Bud. ( I know Massey Harris built an equal 4wd in the 1920's but that was relatively small).

There were numerous examples of farmers hooking wheel tractors in tandem. I know of one that was a triple (International Super WD 9's) and hooked to 6 shearer sovereign one way disc ploughs, sadly I do not have any photos.

The two tractors in tandem here are Chamberlain 9G's; Chamberlain made an earlier version designated 6G, the difference was the 6G had 6 gears, the 9G 9 gears and a lower ratio final drive. The 6G factory direct had a top road speed of 30 mph, impressive in the 1950's.

Here are some photos of the ones on display. The range of cabs include pick-up trucks, a Ford tractor and a 7 ton truck.

Most travellers barely give a glance at the display, I however savoured it.

Enjoy the resourcefulness shown by these farmers.


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## Coondle (Aug 28, 2013)

Some may be wondering about the mention of "Chamberlain" as a manufacturer of farm machinery (tractors, tillage equipment , front end and rear end loaders etc)

Chamberlain was a company established afterworld War 2 and made tractors at first, utilising a recently disused munitions factory in the suburb of Perth Western Australia. It was purchased by John Deere before ultimate closure.

The initial offerings used Power Kerosene, sometimes also known as parafin or vaporising oil. It has properties very close to Jet Turb (jet turbine fuel) or lighting kerosene mixed 3:1 with petrol. The engines were started on petrol and when warmed up changed over to power kerosene which had a flash point higher than petrol. A special carburettor warmed the power kerosene up to aid combustion.

Here is a link;

Chamberlain Industries | Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki ...

tractors.fandom.com › wiki › Chamberlain_Industries

The Super 90 model is keenly sought after locally and by overseas collectors.

These tractors were built very heavily and often modified like in this Youtube clip. The original tractors were Super 90's and had 3cylinder 3/71 gm diesels upgraded to 6/71 diesels showing how robust the transmission was. Here it is pulling a David Shearer wideline seeder, note the A frame on the left side of the seeder allowing an end pull to transfer between paddocks or down the road. These were developed before air seeders appeared.


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## Tightwad (May 29, 2016)

Really cool! Thanks for sharing.


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## Greystone (May 19, 2010)

Thanks for the share. Would be neat to see a video of the two tractors pulling a ship's anchor chain!


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## Coondle (Aug 28, 2013)

Greystone said:


> Thanks for the share. Would be neat to see a video of the two tractors pulling a ship's anchor chain!


Here is a link to clearing with chain and balls. This method was in use in Oz too, but usually only one ball.

Lighter land was cleared with a heavy chain between 2 dozers and in some situations a second chain with a long loose loop hanging behind the first. Debris like roots and broken vegetation ripped up bt the first chain, would collect in the sagging loop and when a lot had collected the loop of chain would ride up and over depositing a heap ready for burning

Another clip from OZ


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Wow....that’s some real torque to tackle that job. The transmissions musta been “up to par”....


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## Tightwad (May 29, 2016)

Neat video. Once the land has been chained, what's the next step? Do you round up the debris and burn, or ?????


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Tightwad said:


> Neat video. Once the land has been chained, what's the next step? Do you round up the debris and burn, or ?????


Here's a video from the panhandle, where they call it "chaining", to be able to replant after a hurricane.






Larry


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## Coondle (Aug 28, 2013)

Tightwad said:


> Neat video. Once the land has been chained, what's the next step? Do you round up the debris and burn, or ?????


There are lots of newer videos of rotary pin wheel rakes but here is a home made double head tractor and at 9.19 there is a short sequence of a pinwheel rake that can windrow sticks and stones. When in the windrow.






The early pin wheel rakes were relatively small. Here is a modern version






There is another raking system developed in Western Australia, called te Mungy Rake.

This is te nearest I can find of what one looks like.

https://images.app.goo.gl/bee621cdpnREukpy7

I will try and describe its construction.

The frame is angled like a one way disc plough, made of heavy box steel and filled with concrete to boost weight. Large tractor or bomber wheels are used. Bomber tyres were 32 ply so erat robust and puncture resistant. The whole frame could braised and lowered hydraulically. On outriggers from the frame, set at regular intervals is suspended an old crawler track chain say off a D9. Atop the links of the track chain are plates of steel welded onto each individual link and set at an angle with each plate overlapping the plate in front such that each link with plate above can move and the plates go behind the plate on the link in front. It is like a flexible grader blade with the base of the links the cutting edge and the plates above acting as the mouldboard but straight vertical not curved like a grader blade. The track chain can be raised or lowered by the frame being raised or lowered . Driving along with the track chain on the ground the debris, rocks sticks etc are pushed along by the track chain and the debris cannot rise over the top because of the overlapping plates and the debris is slid sideways into a windrow for pick up or burning depending on what is in the windrow,

I had one on my farm for a time but never thought to take a photo.


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## Tightwad (May 29, 2016)

Thank You!


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