Which combine would be good for me a pt allis chalmers or a sp massey harris combine

[masseyharriskid]

Hey I was wondering what would be better for me a pull behind allis chalmers combine or a massey harris combine. Im looking to do oats and soy beans this year, I am a massey guy so I would rather have the massey combine but im concerned about price getting it from Wisconsin to Michigan.
And I know there probably not as efficient as a newer model but I cant afford those. I am open to other old combines in Michigan near Lansing ish 1,500 or less but im only 16 so im just trying to get something worth the money not great condition just good enough to get buy looking to upgrade next year also if I get a pt type of combine ill be pulling it with a massey 33 of 44sp so nothing special I was just giving reference as I've seen some pretty big pull type combines on YouTube so I can't pull nothing to big. My boss also he said he didn't know how they would fair with soy beans would either be good with soy beans.

 

[NY 986]

I have quite a bit of time I work from 5pm to 9pm milking and I could take some days off school if it was necessary. I Looked at the john deere that you said and it is definitely a better option I went on tractor house and found one for 3,500 I just would need to get small loan from my grandparents I think im gonna look at some auctions first and see if I can find one cheaper.

You saw the same combine(s) that I saw on Tractorhouse. Don't worry about the 3,500 dollar combine as it is in MO and the trucking would be expensive. There is a 3300 scheduled to sell at the next Y & F auction which is a whole lot closer to you. Also, local ads and auctions typically have lower prices than what is seen on Tractorhouse. The nice thing with the self propelled combines are that most of them have variable speed allowing travel speed to match crop conditions. A lot nicer than feathering a tractor clutch to do the same. Just make sure a combine such as a 3300 meets your budget. If driving it home make sure things such as transmission and brakes work properly. Most of these combines were not the best on steep hills. I am not saying that other combines are not capable. My father had a MF 300 and it was a good combine but try to find one that has not been left to deteriorate will be difficult.

 

[DanielW]

I have quite a bit of time I work from 5pm to 9pm milking and I could take some days off school if it was necessary. I Looked at the john deere that you said and it is definitely a better option I went on tractor house and found one for 3,500 I just would need to get small loan from my grandparents I think im gonna look at some auctions first and see if I can find one cheaper.

How many acres are you planning? If you can finagle up to $3500 and have a place to shed it, I'd think you could get a solid SP unit, or a really, really solid PT unit.

Around here no one wants any older SP units anymore: Far more cost effective for to just hire one of the few guys in the county with a new Claas/Lexion with 45+ feet of header to do the whole farm in a couple of days, and save the maintenance/ownership/storage costs of your own combine. For that reason a lot of older, solid SP combines go for peanuts. Lots of Deere 4400-6600's ones, Gleaner F/K/L's, etc. go for nothing. I have a friend with a White 7300 and it seems like a really dandy unit. I bought a Gleaner F last year for $390 to replace my All-Crops. Always shedded, but hadn't ran in 20-25 years. Put in a carb kit, alternator, and a few other tune-up parts in and drove it 4 hours home (some of it on some pretty busy highways). For a smaller acreage and starter combine, I'd think something like that would be dandy.

As others have mentioned, you really, really want to get something that's been shedded and not rusted out. That's far more important than brand/model. If you start having to patch every bin and auger bottom and replace every bearing that's been washed out, the cost and frustration could add up pretty quick.

Details of my $390 Gleaner adventure: https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/threads/390-gleaner-f-adventure-questions.1785223/

 

[NY 986]

How many acres are you planning? If you can finagle up to $3500 and have a place to shed it, I'd think you could get a solid SP unit, or a really, really solid PT unit.

Around here no one wants any older SP units anymore: Far more cost effective for to just hire one of the few guys in the county with a new Claas/Lexion with 45+ feet of header to do the whole farm in a couple of days, and save the maintenance/ownership/storage costs of your own combine. For that reason a lot of older, solid SP combines go for peanuts. Lots of Deere 4400-6600's ones, Gleaner F/K/L's, etc. go for nothing. I have a friend with a White 7300 and it seems like a really dandy unit. I bought a Gleaner F last year for $390 to replace my All-Crops. Always shedded, but hadn't ran in 20-25 years. Put in a carb kit, alternator, and a few other tune-up parts in and drove it 4 hours home (some of it on some pretty busy highways). For a smaller acreage and starter combine, I'd think something like that would be dandy.

As others have mentioned, you really, really want to get something that's been shedded and not rusted out. That's far more important than brand/model. If you start having to patch every bin and auger bottom and replace every bearing that's been washed out, the cost and frustration could add up pretty quick.

Details of my $390 Gleaner adventure: https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/threads/390-gleaner-f-adventure-questions.1785223/

All good points but try to find a drive belt for a White or Gleaner on a hot day in August will be difficult and most likely expensive. Even a combine that has had excellent care still cannot avoid a belt that has dry rot creeping in. The 4400 combine around here would be 4-5,000 dollars and the 6600 starts getting into big combine repair costs. Custom hiring can be a problem if nobody wants to do the job or is slow to get around. If the land in question is not going up for sale that usually kills the interest of somebody doing custom work. Also, I think the kid wants to do this for the experience as much as anything.

 

[miangus]

As said above I would look for a nice Gleaner K but if you insist on a pull type I would go with the AC 66. You will need the correct screens for beans. Dad ran soys through the 66.

 

[MeanGene1]

I've always wondered what happened to gramps' 91 and 93, both Bean Specials, and the 91 had the windrow pickup on it. 93 was real clean, never used in beans, they were located in Wallace NY. Gramps also had an AC 66 that he'd had forever, and one of his guys was really good with it. For years he had a lot of combine work, his own plus custom stuff, and he liked to keep "the boys" in work. It was used with an M for years, but the guy was in hog heaven when the 706D showed up with T/A and IPTO- and an IH umbrella lol. It got sold off around '67 when gramps had his stroke and sold off the lime spreading business and downsized

 

[NY 986]

The AC dealers around here were quite upset when the K2 was dropped around 1980 as they still had demand for them. There was a K2 sold new to a farmer just around the corner from us. K & K2 were good combines and 30 years ago it was not much trouble then to find a good used one. Combines such as a Gleaner L get complicated because if they have a good diesel engine in them they usually bring 3,000-3,500 dollars just for the donor aspect. The same with some IH and JD combines if the engines had more than one application.

 

[EFV]

Seeing no one has asked yet how many acres will you harvest ?

 

[masseyharriskid]

How many acres are you planning?

 

[masseyharriskid]

About 15 but im gonna farm more next year

 

[NY 986]

About 15 but im gonna farm more next year

I know that I have more than my share of say but it sounds like a small self propelled combine w/ 10 ft cut would be the way to go. A 6 ft cut pull type is going to make for a few long afternoons with just 15 acres. Unlike cutting hay usually cutting oats is very late morning to about dinner time or 6PM or maybe a little longer. With oats late weed emergence such as ragweed will make the experience more difficult therefore more time consuming.

 

[rrlund]

It takes about three days for somebody to say that you need a machine with rear wheel assist that'll handle a 20 foot grain head and 6 row corn head. One day down, two to go.

 

[EFV]

With fifteen+ acres of crop to harvest it's tough to own any combine. What is the availability and per acre cost of
custom harvesters in your area ?
Is there any fresh market vegetable potential in your area ?

 

[NY 986]

It takes about three days for somebody to say that you need a machine with rear wheel assist that'll handle a 20 foot grain head and 6 row corn head. One day down, two to go.

Around here a 6 row machine with rear wheel assist on 15 acres was already done back during the 1970's with the tax shelter crowd. That aside I think the young man wants some real life farm experience and I don't see the need to deny it. I loved my dad but most days he was so grumpy I learned very little from him about farming. With a little guidance from our army of experts the OP may learn a great deal and with no personal involvement by any of us there is no reason for any of us to be grumpy.

 

[petertay]

Hire someone to do the combining! It’s worth the cost. And it will get done right, no matter what the conditions.

 

[rrlund]

Around here a 6 row machine with rear wheel assist on 15 acres was already done back during the 1970's with the tax shelter crowd. That aside I think the young man wants some real life farm experience and I don't see the need to deny it. I loved my dad but most days he was so grumpy I learned very little from him about farming. With a little guidance from our army of experts the OP may learn a great deal and with no personal involvement by any of us there is no reason for any of us to be grumpy.

I agree with you wholeheartedly, but these guys who push bigger, more expensive equipment than a new comer needs aren't doing them any favors. Let them experience long days with less than ideal equipment, and they'll be on cloud nine with better stuff when they expand and can afford better. 75 years ago, an Allis Chalmers All Crop 60 or 66 would be doing a ton of custom combining.

 

[NY 986]

I agree with you wholeheartedly, but these guys who push bigger, more expensive equipment than a new comer needs aren't doing them any favors. Let them experience long days with less than ideal equipment, and they'll be on cloud nine with better stuff when they expand and can afford better. 75 years ago, an Allis Chalmers All Crop 60 or 66 would be doing a ton of custom combining.

Interestingly enough a 66 combine is going to be auctioned this Saturday a ways SW of me. Dann Auctioneers. Jack Drumm sale. Item 852 (only 4 pages or 100 items total so no sitting waiting until night to see what it sells for).

 

[DanielW]

I don't necessarily agree with the oft-repeated argument you hear on this forum to 'hire it done'. You read it a heck of a lot in haying season. In principle, I suppose I agree with the theory: In many cases it would make most fiscal and logical sense to hire it out.

But if the sole purpose of our ventures is only to do whatever's most fiscally-sensible and logical on paper, then 90% of what we talk about on an 'Antique Tractor' forum should be abandoned. If you take that argument to its next logical step, it would make most sense for me to hire out the hay I do at one of our farms, and hire out all our combining. But if you're going to make that argument, you'd want to carry it to its next logical step. In that case, it would make more sense for me (and likely most of us on here) to sell all our old iron and buy one 40 HP Mahindra compact tractor to do yard work, and hire 90% of the farming out to custom guys. Or just rent out the land. But carrying that argument even further to its logical conclusion, it would make most sense for us to go one step further and sell everything and live in a condo in the city. With the price of farmland these days, I'd never make more money farming our pokey little cow-calf operation than I would by selling out. Even if I lived to 200.

But we're not selling out. Nor am I selling all my old iron to buy a compact tractor. Nor am I hiring out any of my work. The value in farming and fooling around with our antique tractors (and remember: This is a forum dedicated to antique tractor lovers) is not monetary. It's the intrinsic value and satisfaction of doing the job yourself, and enjoying the job, the equipment, and the challenge.

Of course, it's a case-by-case basis. Some folks might not want to fool around nor have storage capacity for a combine, which I completely understand. Or some folks might not enjoy combining - which is admittedly one of the more tedious jobs. In those cases they might want to hire it out, and I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for doing so. But if the OP has storage, wants the challenge, wants the ability to work at his own schedule, and wants to have fun, I say go for it. You're likely not going to make any money in the first year. But there are far worse things a 16 year-old can do with his time and money than buy and old combine and have some fun in some oats. I say go for it. Look for a good-condition PT or SP combine that you can have some fun with (but as per my first post, I'd shy away from the All-Crops if I had a choice). Before committing to a make/model, maybe post a wanted ad locally on Facebook Marketplace. You'd be surprised at what might come out of the woodwork. I know a couple guys with IH 82's and Gleaner K's sitting in sheds that haven't moved in years, and would probably be eager to see them go to a young go-getter.

 

[rrlund]

I don't necessarily agree with the oft-repeated argument you hear on this forum to 'hire it done'. You read it a heck of a lot in haying season. In principle, I suppose I agree with the theory: In many cases it would make most fiscal and logical sense to hire it out.

But if the sole purpose of our ventures is only to do whatever's most fiscally-sensible and logical on paper, then 90% of what we talk about on an 'Antique Tractor' forum should be abandoned. If you take that argument to its next logical step, it would make most sense for me to hire out the hay I do at one of our farms, and hire out all our combining. But if you're going to make that argument, you'd want to carry it to its next logical step. In that case, it would make more sense for me (and likely most of us on here) to sell all our old iron and buy one 40 HP Mahindra compact tractor to do yard work, and hire 90% of the farming out to custom guys. Or just rent out the land. But carrying that argument even further to its logical conclusion, it would make most sense for us to go one step further and sell everything and live in a condo in the city. With the price of farmland these days, I'd never make more money farming our pokey little cow-calf operation than I would by selling out. Even if I lived to 200.

But we're not selling out. Nor am I selling all my old iron to buy a compact tractor. Nor am I hiring out any of my work. The value in farming and fooling around with our antique tractors (and remember: This is a forum dedicated to antique tractor lovers) is not monetary. It's the intrinsic value and satisfaction of doing the job yourself, and enjoying the job, the equipment, and the challenge.

Of course, it's a case-by-case basis. Some folks might not want to fool around nor have storage capacity for a combine, which I completely understand. Or some folks might not enjoy combining - which is admittedly one of the more tedious jobs. In those cases they might want to hire it out, and I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for doing so. But if the OP has storage, wants the challenge, wants the ability to work at his own schedule, and wants to have fun, I say go for it. You're likely not going to make any money in the first year. But there are far worse things a 16 year-old can do with his time and money than buy and old combine and have some fun in some oats. I say go for it. Look for a good-condition PT or SP combine that you can have some fun with (but as per my first post, I'd shy away from the All-Crops if I had a choice). Before committing to a make/model, maybe post a wanted ad locally on Facebook Marketplace. You'd be surprised at what might come out of the woodwork. I know a couple guys with IH 82's and Gleaner K's sitting in sheds that haven't moved in years, and would probably be eager to see them go to a young go-getter.

Love it! I've had arguments about this with people on here who either don't farm or don't have a lick of sense. "By the time you figure your time and labor...." I'm a farmer, this is what I spend my time laboring at. It's as bad as that stupid saying, "I couldn't afford not to". How does that work? Did somebody pay you to take it?

 

[masseyharriskid]

With fifteen+ acres of crop to harvest it's tough to own any combine. What is the availability and per acre cost of
custom harvesters in your area ?
Is there any fresh market vegetable potential in your area ?

There's not great vegetable market in my area and every one and there brother grows pumpkins. i do what to grow cucumbers and pickle them on the 2 acre garden just to try it

 

[NY 986]

I don't necessarily agree with the oft-repeated argument you hear on this forum to 'hire it done'. You read it a heck of a lot in haying season. In principle, I suppose I agree with the theory: In many cases it would make most fiscal and logical sense to hire it out.

But if the sole purpose of our ventures is only to do whatever's most fiscally-sensible and logical on paper, then 90% of what we talk about on an 'Antique Tractor' forum should be abandoned. If you take that argument to its next logical step, it would make most sense for me to hire out the hay I do at one of our farms, and hire out all our combining. But if you're going to make that argument, you'd want to carry it to its next logical step. In that case, it would make more sense for me (and likely most of us on here) to sell all our old iron and buy one 40 HP Mahindra compact tractor to do yard work, and hire 90% of the farming out to custom guys. Or just rent out the land. But carrying that argument even further to its logical conclusion, it would make most sense for us to go one step further and sell everything and live in a condo in the city. With the price of farmland these days, I'd never make more money farming our pokey little cow-calf operation than I would by selling out. Even if I lived to 200.

But we're not selling out. Nor am I selling all my old iron to buy a compact tractor. Nor am I hiring out any of my work. The value in farming and fooling around with our antique tractors (and remember: This is a forum dedicated to antique tractor lovers) is not monetary. It's the intrinsic value and satisfaction of doing the job yourself, and enjoying the job, the equipment, and the challenge.

Of course, it's a case-by-case basis. Some folks might not want to fool around nor have storage capacity for a combine, which I completely understand. Or some folks might not enjoy combining - which is admittedly one of the more tedious jobs. In those cases they might want to hire it out, and I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for doing so. But if the OP has storage, wants the challenge, wants the ability to work at his own schedule, and wants to have fun, I say go for it. You're likely not going to make any money in the first year. But there are far worse things a 16 year-old can do with his time and money than buy and old combine and have some fun in some oats. I say go for it. Look for a good-condition PT or SP combine that you can have some fun with (but as per my first post, I'd shy away from the All-Crops if I had a choice). Before committing to a make/model, maybe post a wanted ad locally on Facebook Marketplace. You'd be surprised at what might come out of the woodwork. I know a couple guys with IH 82's and Gleaner K's sitting in sheds that haven't moved in years, and would probably be eager to see them go to a young go-getter.

Like I said before you have to find somebody who is willing and reliable for custom work. Difficult to do around here and the conversation soon turns to when are you selling your ground? When you say it is not for sale that either kills the interest or invites shenanigans in terms of letting your crop get ruined which they presume will put your place on the sale block.