Machines

[Gravdigr]

Yeah, we've had these on before, but, I haven't seen a self-propelled one before:

[xoxoxoBruce]

Steam power...

[xoxoxoBruce]

I'll bet my Uncle would have killed for one of these while trying to build a temporary airstrip when the Marines were hardly off the beach and Jap snipers everywhere.

[xoxoxoBruce]

A fine Gentleman sent me these pictures of a Farmall Double A tractor.



Researching it, seems it's a homebuilt one-off.

Twin Farmall Causes Double Takes
After seeing a couple of side-by-side tractors that other collectors made by putting two tractors together, long-time Farmall collector Clare Kerns, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, figured he could do it, too. The result is a tractor that is a real eye catcher at shows.
　　Kerns worked out a design that allowed him to put two A Farmalls on the same rear end and have it powered by either engine or both.
　　"Kerns bought two A's - one made in 1944 and the second from 1946. "Except for the year, the two tractors are identical."
　　The transmission and differential are offset to the right on the A. This allowed him to cut into the axle housing on the left side and attach the transmission from the second tractor. "I used the original rear axle from one of the tractors. It had a gear on the side opposite the transmission. I had that machined off and splines cut on it to match the other side, so I could attach it to the second transmission," he explains.
　　He centered the operator's seat and steering wheel. One clutch pedal disengages both clutches. With just one clutch pedal, he can power the tractor with either engine or both at once. He left both throttles in place. "I thought about trying to hook up one throttle so it would control the speed of both engines, but if you're using both, you can match the speeds just by listening to and matching the pitch of the engines," he says.
　　Kerns made use of both sets of rear wheels by mounting duals on the rear axle. "I've used it for pulling and it does pretty well. Even with the duals, it runs out of traction before it runs out of power," he says.
　　While either engine can be used to power the tractor, Kerns put just one battery and generator on his double tractor. "It doesn't take two batteries to run it and I didn't figure I needed the second one, nor the generator, either," he says. But he notes that if he doesn't use the engine with the generator on it, he could run down the battery.
　　He says he did have to beef up the front end so it would be heavy enough to hold up both tractors. And he lengthened the drawbar. Overall width of Kerns' double A is only 7 ft., even with the duals in place.

link

Also came across this dude.

Rare Side-By-Side Tractor Completes Lee Collection

Over the years FARM SHOW has published a number of stories about the amazing tractors built by Harry Lee of Elnora, Ind. After retiring from farming, Harry built nine different one-of-a-kind tractors. Most are replicas of prototype tractors made by different tractor manufacturers. All of the tractors are in working condition.
Now 83 years old, Harry recently sent us photos of his "newest" tractor, which he did not build but which fits right in with his collection. It's a 1956 factory-built prototype from Garrett Mfg. of Enumclaw, Wash., and is called the Twin Drive 400 IHC diesel. Two tractors with identical engines mount side by side. The tractor has two transmissions, and each engine drives its own set of wheels. Harry bought the tractor in January 2002. He hauls the tractor - along with all his other home-built models - to shows throughout the U.S.
"It handles beautifully. I really enjoy driving it, especially since I built my own Farmall F-20 twin engine tractor that is somewhat similar," says Harry. "The diesel engines each have about 60 hp. At the time it was made, it was the largest farm tractor equipped with rubber tires and weighed 15,380 lbs. When I first got the tractor I used it to pull a 4-bottom plow and a 15-shank field cultivator. Now demonstrating it at shows is my full-time hobby.
"The tractor was originally owned by a Washington farmer who used it for 30 years. He estimates the tractor traveled about 96,000 miles during its career in the field. Garrett Mfg. repurchased the tractor from the sons of the original owner in 1985 and then two years ago I bought it from them. The engine was overhauled once, and the original tires were replaced after they wore out. Otherwise, it has required only routine maintenance."
To honor the original builder, Harry left the Garrett name on both sides of the tractor. "Mr. Garrett is 87 years old now but he still stays in touch with me," says Harry. "For him it's a great thrill to know his tractor is still out there in the public eye and that people recognize him as the builder. He recently sent me a check for $100 and told me to take my wife out to dinner."
Harry recently drove the tractor in a parade at the National Red Power Show in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and also demonstrated it in a tractor pull. "I did a corkscrew spin by putting one side of the tractor in reverse and the other in forward and went around and around like a doughnut. A lot of people used their video cameras to film the event. It seemed like everyone had a video camera. After the pull, one guy came up to me and said he would liked to have had all the money that was spent on video film that day. "
Lee has appeared in shows as far away as Florida and Texas. After this year he will cut back considerably.

link

This shit is much more difficult than it seems, the guy has a lot of time and money tied up here. Probably his wife was grateful to get him out from underfoot, though.

[Griff]

This is apparently a thing.

[xoxoxoBruce]

What could possibly go wrong?

[xoxoxoBruce]

I suspect there isn't much information in existence, at least in English, about this forge.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I think I was still in High School when I read the Arms of Krupp, big fucking book, 400 years of Krupp.
Just couldn't put the damn thing down.