See-Through Combine Designed To Educate

2018 - Volume #42, Issue #6, Page #40

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Art Purdy makes his see-through combines to show non-farmers how the machines work, but farmers usually learn a few things, too. The combines have all the sheet metal stripped away from moving parts, revealing details farmers don’t normally see.
    “My latest one has everything that moves painted yellow and everything else painted green,” says Purdy. “It really shows how everything works, and nothing gets in the way of anything else.”
    Purdy first stripped down a Deere 55 combine for the heritage museum in Beaverlodge, Alta. A Deere 95 went to the Pioneer Threshermen’s Museum west of High Prairie, Alta. After he moved to the Clyde, Alta., area he visited the Canadian Tractor Museum near Westlock, Alta., and offered to do one for them.
    It is a 1968 Deere 95 that was donated by a local couple, Keith and Gail Sterling. Sterling’s brother Brent provided the shop and tools for Purdy to work with.
    “I took everything off so I could remove the tin,” says Purdy. “It didn’t look like much until I spread everything out so I could repaint it. Then you could see what a big job it was.”
    Putting it back together was like working on a puzzle. Occasionally a piece would go in backward or upside down before he realized it wasn’t right. Purdy had help from the Sterlings but did most of the work himself. Donations from area businesses provided tires, paints and some parts.
    “Having done 2 previously, it wasn’t too bad, but it still took 7 hrs. a day, 5 days a week for about 2 months to do the job,” says Purdy.
    He notes that although much of Alberta is ag-based, people only partly associated with farming or even farmers’ wives don’t know how a combine works.
    “The self-propelled combine is really just a threshing machine with a motor,” says Purdy. “Both are just glorified fanning mills, and yet the combine is one of the most important machines on the farm.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Art Purdy, P.O. Box 17, Clyde, Alta. Canada T0G 0P0 (ph 780 552-4388; artpurdy42@gmail.com); or Canadian Tractor Museum, P.O. Box 5414, 9704 96 Ave., Westlock, Alta. Canada T7P 2P5 (ph 780 349-3353; canadiantractormuseum@telus.net; www.canadiantractormuseum.ca).

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See-Through Combine Designed To Educate COMBINES Miscellaneous Art Purdy makes his see-through combines to show non-farmers how the machines work but farmers usually learn a few things too The combines have all the sheet metal stripped away from moving parts revealing details farmers don’t normally see “My latest one has everything that moves painted yellow and everything else painted green ” says Purdy “It really shows how everything works and nothing gets in the way of anything else ” Purdy first stripped down a Deere 55 combine for the heritage museum in Beaverlodge Alta A Deere 95 went to the Pioneer Threshermen’s Museum west of High Prairie Alta After he moved to the Clyde Alta area he visited the Canadian Tractor Museum near Westlock Alta and offered to do one for them It is a 1968 Deere 95 that was donated by a local couple Keith and Gail Sterling Sterling’s brother Brent provided the shop and tools for Purdy to work with “I took everything off so I could remove the tin ” says Purdy “It didn’t look like much until I spread everything out so I could repaint it Then you could see what a big job it was ” Putting it back together was like working on a puzzle Occasionally a piece would go in backward or upside down before he realized it wasn’t right Purdy had help from the Sterlings but did most of the work himself Donations from area businesses provided tires paints and some parts “Having done 2 previously it wasn’t too bad but it still took 7 hrs a day 5 days a week for about 2 months to do the job ” says Purdy He notes that although much of Alberta is ag-based people only partly associated with farming or even farmers’ wives don’t know how a combine works “The self-propelled combine is really just a threshing machine with a motor ” says Purdy “Both are just glorified fanning mills and yet the combine is one of the most important machines on the farm ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Art Purdy P O Box 17 Clyde Alta Canada T0G 0P0 ph 780 552-4388; artpurdy42@gmail com ; or Canadian Tractor Museum P O Box 5414 9704 96 Ave Westlock Alta Canada T7P 2P5 ph 780 349-3353; canadiantractormuseum@telus net; www canadiantractormuseum ca

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