altivo

After a quick stop by the guild meeting to drop off show entries (three handspun skeins for my boss, who couldn't attend due to a funeral, and eight for myself) we dashed down to Sycamore, Illinois for the 51st Steam Threshing Bee. We met

quickcasey there by prearrangement, and proceeded to tour the stationary engines, steam tractors, conventional Diesel and gasoline engine tractors, hit-or-miss engines, and flea markets, as well as watching the parade of equipment, enjoying a thresher's luncheon (grilled chicken and pork chops, baked beans, cole slaw, cottage cheese, applesauce, bread and butter, and cold beverages) and [mostly] resisting the urge to buy toys and junk.

	Altivo and Quickcasey At the Steam Threshing Bee, posed with a Minneapolis-Moline that was being raffled by the Future Farmers. Note carved walking sticks we purchased in the flea market. Mine has a horse head, while Casey's has a wolf. Casey and Gary each bought a ticket on the tractor, though neither has any particular idea what he'd do with it if he won.
	Illinois Thresher Co. steam tractor Made in Sycamore, Illinois, this one got the honor of being the first steamer in the afternoon parade. There were a huge number of steam threshers by different makers in the show, and my limited bandwidth only allows me to show you a couple of them.
	Port Huron Engine Co. steam tractor These were made in Port Huron, Michigan and featured a dual cylinder that made use of the steam twice, if I understand the design correctly. Most of the steamers in the show were very well-restored and painted. They made smoke, but were amazingly quiet compared to the Diesel and gasoline engine tractors. Also, much of the mechanism is on the outside and visible, so you see valve sliders, cams, and governors in operation as they go by.
	Porsche gasoline tractor Did you know that Porsche once made tractors? I didn't. There were two at the show, both carefully restored like the one pictured here. Note the streamlined styling of the engine cover, unlike anything else of its era (the 1940s I believe.)