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Is old Iron a Thing of the Past or Just the Forums

14K views 35 replies 23 participants last post by  JD2840 
#1 ·
I belong to a couple of forums for Antique tractors, this one and Canadian Antique Tractor which has now closed. The operator of the forum gave up the ghost as there was just not enough members posting to make it worth while. Sad to see it go as I met quite a few members and learned a lot along the way. This forum too has slowed down also and I was wonder what the thoughts are on this. Is restoring old iron fading into history or is it just that the forums are the things that are fading away?
 
#2 ·
Alot of people are using Facebook. Otherwise it is the people on the forums whom post. They may join and only lurk, never wanting to step off the edge and test the waters with their knowledge. If enough people learn that it is ok to post, then there will be a greater participation.

So delve into the posts with knowledge or polite gratitude and make a difference. Then you too can help make it more active.
 
#4 ·
I'm old I don't do much if anything on face book. Very comfortable visiting sharing and learning. So what forums do I frequent?

OCC Only cub cadets, Learned lots about restoring a 1971 Cub 147 and implements

Maple Trader, Where I improved our maple syrup hobby business,

Sugarbush.info, Additional maple syrup information

Red Power, Learning and discussing IH equipment

Allis-Chalmers forum, Lots of help during tractor restoration

Garden tractor forum, Where I get my fix for the John Deere , Massey and David Bradley.

My wife says I am on here way to much!

Sure have met a "lot" of good people. I do look forward to seeing what folks are doing in there neck of the woods too.

I dont have the answer. I do know that these things did not exist 30 years ago. Things change.

Old iron will be here for a long time. But even that will change slowly. Will the young folks be interested in old iron? Some of the things are already lost. A lot of old Iron is and has been related to farming. Look around the farms that still exist are mostly big and modern.
Are my kids going to be interested in old iron? I dont think so. They did not grow up with some of these tractors and old equipment like I did.

Regards,
Chris
 
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#6 ·
There is one other old iron place I visit and post once in a while. I mostly go there in the hopes of learning something new. I have gotten in the habit of searching the net for specific things if I have a question about something and I cannot get enuff info here. Facebook has a place but I'm not a fan. I go there some to see what the grandson and family are up to, and read about some of the stuff close neighbors and friends are into but I generally do not post new topics there. I worry more now than a few years ago because of all this electronic gadgetry that not enuff of our younguns and grandkids will be attracted to old equipment and the way of life that came with it. I think that a large contributor to many problems that society is experiencing is due to people forgetting their past and not remembering how they got where they are. History is more important than recognized today.
 
#7 ·
You got that right Jim I took my Ferguson for a blast around the block and saw school children
coming my way they stared in disbelief and piled up as the first row stopped and the rest piled
into them,so I stopped and they asked me what it was I passed them over to the teachers but
they did not know anything so they asked if I could tell them what it was and what farmers did
with them,spent half an hour explaining what they were used for they seemed happy to listen
to an old bloke who had never been much at school got more pleasure out of the telling.
 
#8 ·
I have found lately that when I have had time to post a photo or hopefully start a new thread, it seems to be the same group of regulars who post replies with comments etc. What can we do to encourage the newer members to join in more?

Best wishes for the new year
John
 
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#9 ·
On the CAT site, there was a lot of lurkers and very few who posted. The few that did post gave excellent info. I notice it is the same on this site, very knowledgeable individuals here but only a few core members do the posting.
 
#10 ·
I certainly don't know the answer to the original question, but my suspicion is that like all things there is a continually changing 'flow' in interest. I don't necessarily believe lack of forum participation really means there is a waning of interest in the 'old iron' category. It's just that there is just soooo much available to occupy a person's time. The busier I get with life in general the less time I have to lurk around on the few forums I belong to.

Also there is such a plethora of venues that cover the same topics...tractors, motorcycles, sawmills etc... that if you let it you can get lost in the trivia and not make it back to a desireable location on the web. That's why the regular old 'regulars' kinda 'feel at home' here providing the (sometimes) daily staple of 'forum fodder' for each other and passersby that happen to stop by.

Whether a post creates a smile or a scowl, whether it is an informative post with lots of technical info or if its just a funny comment or story about a recent experience....it doesn't matter. What matters is that its posted.

Greater activity creates more traffic, and out of that additional traffic will be the few that kinda hold on for a while then too may become one of the regular 'regulars'.

I'm guilty of 'lurking' and not commenting on occasion and it really is all about the lack of time to dedicate to it (for me anyway).

I agree entirely with Willy's (Lovesthedrive) comment above though I could never state it so sucinctly.
 
#11 ·
Good post Wendell. Many of us have so many things that we are into and not enuff time. We get a few curve balls along the way too. Some would say it's a curse but I consider it a privilege to be able to enjoy so many of life's challenges. Also I really enjoy educating younguns about farming and old iron. Too many of them never get to see any real country.
 
#12 ·
A real irony about todays younger crowd. At one time I used to have a scale diesel locomotive that pulled passengers ( live steam hobby). A young man saw the locomotive in the back of my truck and asked me what it was. I told him it was a functioning diesel locomotive. With a total blank face the child asked me "What is a locomotive?". Yup, kids these days are so far removed of knowledge.

 
#14 ·
Now thats a little scary. What is this world coming to?

Thats one nice looking engine, my dad always thought it would of been cool to have a live steam layout running around the property.
 
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#13 ·
Willy,
Just have to say Wow! That locomotive is a thing of beauty! Guess that why I keep coming back and making the daily rounds.
Wendell, Very good comments!
I spend probably way to much time on the 'puter. But I still have a old flip phone.
Before I retired it was my job to be on one of these 8 hours a day. Typing keeps me tuned up and works the brain a little.
Me, I am still learning!
I do hope some kids get interested in old iron too!
Regards,
Chris
 
#15 ·
I also belong to few forums and yes this one seems to not have to many post at times.

If I am doing a project, try and post much as I can or if I can try and give some information that I have learned.
But sometimes work and other things get me very busy.
IE like right know working on trying to figure out what to do with the 2003 6.0 Diesel motor!

I do like this forum because it covers different models.

We sell few tractors.
I find there is some younger people buying and try to help them to keep the hobby going.

But for the most part older men are buying tractors and are at the auctions.
Price is down on the Common tractors.
The cost for restoring can be scary at times and if a person needs return on there money most likely will loose money.

Personally I have move to restoring my rare tractors and selling off few of the common ones if possible or if I have to we part them out, this is not favorite option, but sometimes it is the only way to get my money back out of the tractors, because I gave more money than most people want to give.
even sometimes selling the rare or not as common tractors is not easy.
 
#16 ·
I think its the forums, alot of tractor related things on facebook and the instant replies / comments i think fuel the interest.
 
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#17 ·
I would never even consider facebook, evilest thing on the plant as far as im concerned. as far as "old iron" goes I've ben watching tractor sales for a number of year now and im seeing the "old" stuff getting a lil cheaper and the lil newer iron get more costly. just look at the average price of a 1206 IH now and then 5-10 years ago! ive also noticed from talking to folks at the shows every year that pretty much most people restore or have a tractor that "dad" had or "grandpa" had and they feel a conection with that tractor or brand. now as time passes on I see a lot of guy's my age (mid 40's) doing the same thing, but instead of goin and finding dads old JD A or uncle hennrys oliverr 88 there pickin up ones "they" grew up with like the 1206's or 4020 deeres. I know that's the exact reason I went and tracked down every tractor we had on our farm back in the day starting with my Nuffield. oh shure we've got a lot of older ones from 1941 up to the mid 50's but when its time they'll be the first to go.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I think the old iron bug starts with trying to find or keeping a family tractor as Bert mentions. The hobby grows from there if a person really gets into it.Willy, the engine is a thing of beauty.
 
#19 ·
Yep, first one (Jubilee) was one I remember my great Uncle Bailey having when I was 10. Second one was Dad and moms WD. then it was a parts tractor WD, that I just had to get running. And another parts WD to GET the second one running. Then my Uncles WD that they thought should go with the first one. Then the TD-6 that was payment for cleaning up the Uncles farm. That's within the last 4 years. Yea I need to pass this problem on to a few others to share the load! Sure hope some kids get interested in old iron.
Try to mentor a kid in this hobby may help keep it going. I had a son and two grandsons and a grandaughter in law helping move and drive tractors last fall. Maybe something will stick.
Daughter wants to start a hobby farm, maybe raising and selling sheep. Humm..... may need some tractors for that too?:)
Regards,
Chris
 
#22 ·
For sure, there is just is so much instant info you can tap into now days. Friends crack the sads at the missus and I because we refuse to get onto facebook and equivalents. Frankly I dont care if you have a Corn Flake that looks like Jesus!!!!!!

I'm as a guilty as the next guy.... on several forums on a few different topics. Work for myself, so am somewhat time poor. Of course I dont have ownership on that.

Knowledge on tractor stuff is a bit limited, so do lurk more than post on most tractor forums. Picking up all kinds of useless info, :read: so all good.

Then theres always that compliant from across the sofa of I spend more time on the incanink than with .......

Oh well.....thats life I guess.
 
#23 ·
Hey, we got jatt on here! This is working! Now we just need some pictures of his tractor, we could get another cup of coffee and set back and tap away on the incanink. What the heck is a incanink? Just shows how far out of it I am, almost back into it!:)

Regards,
Chris
 
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#24 ·
Nah. people Love to look at "th olde stuff". I have some old Bedfords - equivelant to late 50s & 60s Chev pick ups . I had an old "Signal arm" on it , used to wave to all th kids with it , they loved it . Got a mate to borrow another one , came back , "th battery is flat" , I went out , got th "crank handle " & started it . Ya should have seen th look on all th young semi drivers. A couple of the "oldies" Loved it. YEP . Long Live rusty iron.
PS I belong to th "Rusty Iron" club in Aussie , our rally is held fathers day w/end . 1st w/end in Sept for Aussie dads.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I can only tell you about how I see it. I make no claim it's the be-all, end-all answer. The first is this particular post. I missed it until today. I don't know how, or why, but that's the way it is. I can't answer a question that I don't know is there. Another is, for myself, I tend to try to keep my eyes and ears open, and my word-hole shut. If I'm unsure of the answer, I'm gong to be gun shy to say it where somebody can read it. If I get jumped on, it's just going to frustrate me more. Which brings me to the third point. Of all the forums I'm on, and there's a pretty good batch if I say so myself, this one is by far, the nicest people. In two of them, I've asked questions that I thought were reasonable. In over 100 views, no answer. Not so much as a " that's a stupid question, leave our forum". At least then, I'd know where I stand in the food chain. Another thing is, it's REAL easy to take the written word wrong. If you read something when you can't see the writers face, or hear their tone of voice, it can be hard to understand. Next, I'd rather be outside, doing something to my tractor, my stationary engine, or looking for a belt-driven machine shop, than on a computer. Not just because that's my way, but also because I understand them better. I only just got a computer less than a year ago. I went kicking and fighting the whole way. It's easy to get frustrated on the computer. I think I'm up to sixth. I can't tell you how hard it is to get on here, and say something. Just haul off, and start talking to people you don't know, oh my goodness. In my own case, believe it or not, it's a health thing. Everybody has their own reasons. Finally, like it or not, life gets in the way. For me, winter is my busy time. Actually, usually between about Columbus Day, and the end of sugaring time. I have times that when I'm home, all I do is sleep, and wash clothes. The computer is the last thing I want to know about. Anyhow, now that you're thoroughly bored, that's some of the reasons I don't always post


Edit: Now you know you guys are the nicest. I haven't written that much on the computer in total before!
 
#26 ·
Clem,
Thanks! Looks like you got a lot off your chest in a good clear post!
How did you do sugarin? We just finished up making syrup March 10th.
Hey I just went and bought some more old iron a 8K GVW car hauler. I will start a post about that project when I get some pictures. I spend way too much time on here. But do like to see what others are doing on there old iron projects.
Regards,
Chris
 
#30 ·
Hi Chris. I don't know there was anything to get off my chest, really. I think I got to where there were so many things roaming around my mind, that I was afraid I'd forget to say one of them. When somebody asks about things that are important to me, as old iron is, and all history for that matter, I tend to want to say everything I know, hoping some little bit will help. I didn't do any sugaring this year, unfortunately. I couldn't find anybody that wanted my help. I di d email some with one of the guys at the nature center where I used to volunteer. To be honest, I don't remember how much they made. I do remember he narrowed it down to that it wasn't their best, or worst year. He was afraid he'd be boiling water for their show weekends. It seems like it always comes pretty close. It's tough in an all-volunteer situation. I get myself involved in alot of those. I think he said it was just about the 10th that they pulled the taps. I'll be waiting for pictures of the car hauler, and I imagine there will be more people waiting, too. Good hearing from you!
 
#27 ·
There are several issues at play here:

1) This forum is very difficult to find on the net. There is another large antique tractor forum of yesterday that comes up first in a google search. When one types in "antique tractor forum" in a google search that page comes up first.

2) This is not the case on this page, but on some of the other forums members are not very welcoming to new members who post. Some members are downright rude, who wants to post when the post is insulted by others.

3) Facebook has taken the place of on line forums.

4) My generation, is raising a family, many of them didn't grow up on a farm or around equipment, do not have disposable income to spend on a restoration, and do not have time to dedicate to a hobby with family and other obligations.

I do have a Facebook page for my business, you're welcome to take a look if you'd like:

https://www.facebook.com/vermonttractorparts/
 
#28 ·
I've noticed that some days not much is posted, but sometimes things beyond our control limit our time. And alot of times if I search past posts I find the answer to my question. The only thing that got me going with old iron is buying the tractor I learned to drive with. (and having a place to put it)Then that turned into the challenge to get a no cost to me rust bucket Massey that hadn't run for years running. (then you have to have a plow to put behind it) Unfortunately, neither of my boys are interested in old iron. Hopefully as they get older and I retire, they decide to catch the bug and join a forum like this so they can learn like I did.
 
#29 ·
I wish I could work as good at 60+ years of age as these old tractors still can. I'm like Ernie in that I enjoy the tractors that I grew up with. I still remember their working songs echoing through the woods from neighboring farms as a kid.
 
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