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- Implement & Tractor, May 1, 1997
- by Lynn Grooms
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James Homann, of Ft. Atkinson, WI, has collected and restored antiques - tractors, gas engines and a steam engine for 25 years. To date, he has restored 40 tractors and more than 50 gas engines. He has a library any tractor buff would envy and a toy tractor collection beyond description.
It all started when Homann needed to harvest corn he had planted to feed his small flock of poultry. The acreage was not large enough to warrant buying a used picker (in 1972, one cost about $500) so friends suggested he visit the Rock River Thresheree near Edgerton, WI. He bought a binder and a shredder for about $15 each.
Homann soon joined the Thresheree, an organization of people who collect and restore antique farm equipment. A carpentry contractor by trade, Homann started his new hobby by restoring a Cletrac Crawler gas engine. Water had run down through the engine rendering it inoperable, but Homann found the appropriate Hercules parts and restored it to working order.
Homann then began working on tractors as well as gas engines. One of his more unusual tractors was built by Thieman Bros. Established in Albert City, IA, in 1921, the company sold ensilage harvesters, livestock feeders, waterers and other farm equipment. In the 1930's, Thieman Bros. introduced a tractor consisting of a frame but no motor. The idea was that farmers could salvage an engine from a junked Model "A" or Model "T" and install it in the tractor. The company sold a kit which enabled farmers to install a transmission and rear axle on the Thieman, making it an economical tractor during the depression.
Another standout in Hornann's collection is a Rumely Do All. The Do All, which could be converted from a four-wheel tractor into a cultivating machine and vice versa, was manufactured from 1928 to 1931. Its back axle tips forward to become a steering axle. In tractor mode, it steers like a car. In cultivator mode, the drive wheels are hinged on pivot pins. This allows the machine to be steered along crop rows. Homann said the linkages on the Do-All's shaft were "frozen." He softened the rust by soaking the shaft in a 50-gallon tank of water. He also replaced valves and welded the head, which had cracked.
While Homann's tractors draw attention at antique equipment shows, people seem most impressed by his steam engine. Huge steam engines, such as his 65 Case, were used to break the prairies, as well as to thresh grain and crush rock. Homann credits his friend Elmer Taylor for teaching him about steam engines, including how to keep them in safe running order and how to clean flues. Homann has also learned how to make his own grease. "Steam cylinder oil isn't what it used to be," he says.
What does Homann like most about restoration? "The challenge of finding parts and seeing if you can get a machine running. Sometimes that means letting a project sit until you find the right parts," he says.
For kids who are interested in restoring old tractors, Homann recommends a rebuild kit that includes all necessary parts.
"Otherwise, they could become discouraged," he says.
He also advises helping someone else before starting one's own project. "Learning by doing is the best teacher. You pick up a lot of hints by watching someone else," he says. Over the last 25 years, Homann has learned (and says he is still learning) a great deal from books and trade publications, as well as from keeping "ears and eyes open" and talking with people.
"It helps to be a good people person," he says.
