Retired Farmer Builds Toy Implements

Retired Farmer Builds Toy Implements AG WORLD Retired and with a bad back Tom Mach has discovered that building miniature implements suits him The materials are lighter to lift but the part he enjoys – figuring out how to create design details – is as challenging as working on full size tractors “I had these pedal tractors and nothing to go behind them ” explains the retired Wagner S Dak farmer “I started building implements as a hobby to pull behind them ” His first creation was a folding tandem disk Thanks to a die for the disks made by his son Tracy the project wasn’t too difficult Mach says He trimmed the rough-cut blades to size on a lathe The disk axles run on the same type of ball bearings used in pedal tractors Mounting a 2-row corn picker on a Deere pedal tractor took a lot of trial and error and about a month of work to complete It includes snapping rollers and a simulated elevator “I wanted to get the look of the Deere 227 mounted corn picker ” Mach says He uses 16 to 18-ga metal for most of his projects but used wood for the walls on his third project ­– a grain wagon “I like to play with this stuff ” Mach admits “I belong to a tractor club and show them at meetings ” His next project a field cultivator has him busy figuring out how to make the sweeps in miniature Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tom Mach 611 3rd St S E Wagner S Dak 57380 ph 605 384-5636

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