Miniature Tractors

Miniature Tractors AG WORLD Ag World 16-4-18 "People get a kick out of them," says Albert Rothenburger, Lampman, Sask., about his home-built miniature "oil pull" Rumely tractor and articulated 4-WD tractor equipped with dual wheels. The 6-ft long, 4-WD tractor is powered by a 20 hp Continental 4-cylinder gas engine off an old 1944 International 62 com¡bine. It's equipped with 15-in. dual wheels from a junked self-propelled swather and has hydrostatic steering. "The combine engine didn't have a starter so I had to install one off another tractor. The tractor is equipped with two hydraulic pumps - one to operate the steering cylinder and one to raise or lower rear-mounted implements. I built a dozer blade and pull-type land leveler for it." Rothenburger narrowed up a pair of rear ends off Ford Model T cars for the drive axles. The straight axle in front is steered by apair of cables. Tierodends off an old truck are pushed or pulled by a hydraulic cylinder for articulated steering. The miniature Rumeley tractor is mod¡eled after old 1920's-era Rumeley tractors that ran on kerosene. The steel-wheeled tractor, made mostly from scrap iron, rides and drives almost like the real thing. It's 5 ft. long and 3 ft. high. It's powered by a "hit and miss" 1 1/2 hp Deere stationary gas engine. Its 3-speed transmission comes from a Model A car. Rothenburger built his own transfer case, using chains and sprockets to gear the transmission down. The differential comes from a Model T. "It makes a good parade tractor and really draws a crowd," says Rothenburger, who spent three weeks building the tractor. "I call it `Hope' because I was still painting it the night before its first parade. I told a friend that I hoped it made it through the parade without breaking down. "The water pumps on real Rumelys were known to leak and so does mine. It's mounted under the tractor. The tank on my miniature Rumely is mainly for looks. Engine exhaust runs through a pipe to the tank where it it makes a mellow sound just like the old tractors did. The exhaust comes out of an opening in the top of the tank so it looks just like the real thing," says Rothenburger, who notes that he didn't build the tractor exactly to scale, but simply proportioned compo¡nents according to the size of the wheels. Rothenburger used steel tubing to build the front and rear axles. He used steel wheels off an old harrow for the tractor's front wheels, and the wheels off a horse-powered binder for the rear wheels. The steering gearbox was salvaged from a 1929 Chev¡rolet car. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Albert Rothenburger, Box 5, Lampman, Sask., Canada SOC 1N0 (ph 306 487-2225).

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