Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1544539
initially used on a prototype N6 and was running at 4 miles per hour vs. the N7'S at 2.8 mph. In the same field, there also were a couple IH 1460 combines with 24-foot heads that could only combine at 2.5 mph. In another field, the head was put on one of Bob's N7's. Running side-by-side against another N7, a 27-foot head at the same speed as the machine with the 30-foot draper head would average 17 pounds of turbo boost vs. 19 pounds of boost on the 27-foot machine. After a week of testing in multiple conditions, the head was sent back to MacDon, where it was reportedly installed on a White 9700 for testing. Bob Gattis was a very good operator and was questioned extensively about the head. In reports submitted by Enzmann, he said "he had reservations about it when he first saw it but was quite impressed with its performance when we got the initial bugs out." He did, however, question its acceptance by custom harvesters. He stated that a custom harvester is looking for a rugged, rough and dirty header that will get the job done without any fanfare while taking a lot of abuse. Losses are only as significant as the farmer makes them. If the farmer doesn't complain, Bob doesn't get excited. Performance would be important if it meant he could cover more acres in a day without sacrificing reliability. Some of Bob's major concerns about the draper header were the reliability and maintenance of the drapers and overall size of the header. He felt it would be hard to load it in his grain trucks. Once Enzmann submitted his report, it was up to the marketing department to work with MacDon and see if there was a possibility of them working together. Unfortunately, no agreement was made. Interviewing Enzmann on this subject, he said, "So I had to drop the idea of working with MacDon. I left Gleaner in April 1989. I joined Case IH in June of 1990, and one of my responsibilities was the MacDon draper head, which Case IH added to their product line." Enzmann has many fond memories working with MacDon and remembered a quote from Joe MacDonald, the owner, that said, "Whatever we're going to do, guys, we have to be the best at it. We can never get distracted from that." Today, the farm majority of large grain heads are draper heads, and MacDon is the leader. Gleaner fully discontinued their auger heads a number of years ago now and only offer drapers. I often use, and have written in prior articles, the phrase "necessity is the motherhood of invention." This story is proof of that. limiting factor. The header's performance on the MF combine was certainly impressive. I do have some reservations, however, as to how it will perform on an N7. First, the feeder house is only 40 inches wide on the N7, compared to 58 inches on the MF. Second, I feel an N7 would harvest at least 50 percent faster than we could cut with the MF. I tried everything I could think of to push the MF to a feeding limit, but I don't think we will know its N7 limitation for certain until we actually run a header on one of our combines. I recommend we work with MacDon to have a header adapted to an N7 for Allis-Chalmers to evaluate next season. FROM: Michael Enzmann, Project Engineer, Headers Continued from Page 6 Parts from the Past The Eastern States Allis-Chalmers Collectors Association will again this year offer a $1,000 scholarship and free year's membership to the ESACCA for any student furthering their education via college or a trade school. The purpose of the ESACCA is to educate people about A-C and continue to preserve and promote the legacy that is A-C. Requirements for the scholarship include good grades, farming with A-C or restoring an A-C product, and a resume' describing your accomplishments and future plans. Applications for this scholarship are available by sending an email to easternstatesallischalmers@yahoo. com or rjbjboll@yahoo.com. Follow the ESACCA on Facebook at "Eastern States Allis-Chalmers Collectors Association Official Page." Eastern States club offers scholarship Show it off! We'd all love to see how you're celebrating Allis-Chalmers this show season. Send a photo with caption or short story to oldallisnews@amerytel.net or Old Allis News, 471 70th Ave., Clayton, WI 54004. 41 OLD ALLIS NEWS