Home-Built Yard Tractor Features Comfort Cab BALE HANDLING Bale Handling (31B) 17-6-39 When Jon Nelson set out to build his own yard tractor, he wanted to prove that he could build a machine that would be both fun and functional. He says he succeeded with his "Lawn-Jon" tractor that he uses for mowing grass and blowing snow. In fact, he says it's such a success, he plans to build them for sale. Powered by an 88-hp. 4-cyl. Pinto car engine that'll propell it at speeds up to 50 mph on the highway, the unusual-looking tractor is fitted with a full cab off an old combine. The cab provides shade in sum¡mer and is heated for winter work. Nelson says you could easily equip it with air conditioning. It's fitted with a stereo and a comfortable seat with a backrest. The engine shroud on back was taken off the back end of a combine and reshaped to fit the mower. The tractor steers at the rear like a combine which Nelson says gives it excellent maneuverability. He can mow at speeds up to 15 mph so he drives the mower blades on the 6-ft. deck at 4,000 rpm's compared to normal speed of 3,000 rpm. To supply the extra power needed to cut grass at high speed, he fitted the deck with two drive belts rather than just one. With the front-mount deck and rear steering, Nelson says the mower eliminates the need for hand-trimming. "You can whiz up real tight to vehicles, doors and buildings. You can see both sides of the mower deck easily thanks to the windowed cab," he notes. Good visibility also makes the tractor ideal for snowblowing. And because the weight of the cab and blower is over the drive wheels, no chains are needed. The tractor's driven by an automatic transmission that chain-drives the front drive axle (it's a cut-down Ford pickup rear end) through gear reduction sprockets to get the slower speeds needed for mowing grass and blowing snow. The tractor took Nelson, who runs a manufacturing firm, about 1,500 hrs. to build but he says he could complete models on order in about 30 days. He already sold the prototype and has had a number of inquiries through word of mouth. "It's fun to drive yet gets a lot of work done," he says, adding that he's selling units for $4,500. For more information, contact FARM SHOW Followup, Jon Nelson, Nelson Industries Corp., 12329 SW 8, Stewartville, Minn. 55976 (ph 507 533-4815).

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