Question for 20 Reeves Highwheeler (threshers)

[Alek77]

Ever ran or worked on threshing machines? If so, what make and size.

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

Alek 77,
I'm not your brightest thresherman and have never really desired to attain that status. I have turned threshers with a steam engine quite frequently. I prefer to watch the separator man itch in the chaff while I stoke fires. I've turned Minneapolis, Case, Red River special, Advance-Rumely and several McCormick-Deerings. The only ones I can tell you the size of are the McCormicks, two 22" and one 28". I've probably only pitched three or four bundle wagons in my life as well. Again, I prefer watching them from the engine.

I'm not a complete loser on a thresher when needed be however. I grew up on a wheat, oats and barley farm. I have months on combines. I understand setting the concaves to the cylinder, the beaters, the straw walkers, the sieves, the grain pan and cleaning fans. I know what those things do in the harvest process, as to what to do to stop what comes out the back end besides straw.

I've only done light work on threshing machines however. I've changed sieves, tightened elevator chains, feeder chains and the like, besides setting the sieves and blower.

I own five or six 3-tine pitchforks, a couple of belt lacing machines and lacing, a tachometer, extra belting, scoop shovels, trucks to haul the grain and the binder to give a job to the bundle pitchers. But like I say, I have no desire to become a real devoted thresherman. I'll help them when they need it, otherwise, you'll find me on the engine deck.

This first picture is of me turning the Minneapolis.

This picture also shows me turning the Minneapolis, but the Advance-Rumely is setting beside it. Both of these threshers are pretty good size threshers, but I can't tell you the numbers. I lack that brain capacity desire. Gary

[GaarScott]

Gary,

In your first photo, is that one of the Barnes gal's that you have spoken frequently about on here in past?

The big Peerless looks like a slight overkill in power in the Case seperator.

Lawrence

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

Lawrence,
Lanceine (Barnes) is the "thresherman" in both of those pictures. The second picture shows Grandpa Clifford Barnes before he died. That is also a Minneapolis, not a Case. That separator was big enough it would handle four pitchers. That Peerless is kind of overkill on any task you give it. We were talking about Baker fans this morning. I remember when we backed it into that belt onetime. I don't think it even opened the governor. It just turned it over and didn't seem to notice a load of anykind.
Gary

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

Alek 77,
This was my first time threshing in Montana's Flathead Valley after moving here, over 20 years ago.

This was another McCormick Thresher here in the valley.

This is me again, another McCormick.

I don't know what this little handfed thresher was, but I ran the 18hp Case portable turning this thing some too. Gary

[Alek77]

Thanks for the photos and info. Is that a rare International truck in the 1st pic of the last set of photos? Looks like the 200 Camper Special I saw in Vintage Truck?

BTW, I am going to restore a big Mccormick thrasher this summer.

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

Originally Posted by Alek77

Thanks for the photos and info. Is that a rare International truck in the 1st pic of the last set of photos? Looks like the 200 Camper Special I saw in Vintage Truck?

Alek77,
The truck in that first picture of post #5 is a F-250 Ford extended cab. The third picture has an IH R-160 grain truck under the grain spout, though. Good luck restoring your McCormick thresher. They are quite plentiful out here. Once in a while, you'll find one that is shedded and original and respectable condition. This one of son Mike's behind the F-12 and F-14 is about as nice of an original, shedded, late model 22"X38" McCormick-Deering thresher as they come. Good luck with your restoration.
Gary

[greysteam24hp]

Alek Here are the two photos One is 22-38 Mc Cormick thresher. My cousin is pitching wheat. Another one is a red Greyhound grain thresher 26 X 42 is mine. Both were demonstrated at Northeast Indiana Steam and Gas Association of lagrange, Indiana second weekend of August.

[greysteam24hp]

Here is my rare first year production wooden Greyhound Bean and Pea thresher. This is the only example I can find. Found this in the barn in the woods half mile over the hill from farm house. Thresher sat inside for 37 years and finally out November 2006. Check my youtube user greyhoundsteam of thresher moving seven minutes video. Good shape no rot wood.

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

greysteam24hp,
Those are interesting pictures of the Greyhound threshers. That bean & pea thresher is really interesting to an old ex-flatland, dryland farm boy who's never seen anything like it. Thanks for posting them!
Gary

[FWurth]

Alek,

If you need any information while restoring (or before) just give a shout. We've got a fairly complete McCormick in the shed, along with a couple of Keck Gonnermann's. I'll see if we have any books on them, but I don't think we do.

Frank W.

[Tom Sampson]

These pictures are from my Great Uncle Klooz's auction back in 03. The first two are of a Huber Thresher and the second two are the Ohio Bailer. They Sat in the barn for many years. My dad told me that he remembers my Great Grandpa Klooz running them on the farm years ago. Tom Sampson

[Casemaker]

My dad always said that lots of threshing machines were built off of the Rumely patents....does anyone know what makes were built from the Rumely design..... I know dad said that Mccormick Deering was a Rumley in Red....

[Colin]

heres an illinois thresher our friend got restored a couple years ago. (feeder wasn't installed yet)

I think these were built off Rumely, or rumely bought them out?
we ran it the first time with his 110 the fall before last. never missed a beat

[greysteam24hp]

Reeveshighwheeler,

Here is a link of beaner thresher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rivl1iVEnus

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

greysteam24hp,
Wow what a legacy that slide show leaves. That shed was sure full of "threshing goodies!" Thanks for posting it.

Colin,
Thanks for posting the Illinois thresher. I certainly don't know, but I sure agree with you about it following the Rumely lines, right down to the hump back. That's a real beauty and I'll bet it was fun to thresh with and you understand the "firing the steam engine concept" as well don't you!
Gary

[Farquhar]

I was just comparing the pics of the Illinois, with the pics of 60Case's wooden Rumely, in ND. There are some striking similarities, for sure.
I have seen 60Case's rumely in action too, and it does a good job also.

[Alek77]

Thnx. More Pics Please!

[Ron Vance]

Wasn't a member of the Rumely family involved with the Illinois Thresher Co. in Sycamore?

[HalfKeck]

yes, the founder of the Illinois company was the son of the M Rumley who started the company of the same name.

At one time as a young lad, I wanted to make a half scale of an Illinois engine. Another one of those childhood dreams that never got past the planning phase.....