TheBanyanTree: The Bailer

[Mark Funk]

Life on the Farm - The Bailer
 
Stories of life on a farm on the rich "corn belt" plains of southwest
Minnesota during the sixties.

One of the implements I mentioned in my story about farm innovation was
the bailer.
 
My uncles had a New Holland model probably manufactured sometime in the
1940's.  It had a Wisconsin, air-cooled engine with a magneto ignition
and a hand crank for starting.
 
It was well know for being a bit cantankerous.  There were two problems
that seemed to work together to cause one big problem.
 
The first was a common event intended to prevent damage to the bailer. 
If too much hay or straw, commonly called a "slug," entered the bailing
chamber, a bolt would sheer disengaging the fly wheel from the bull
wheel, that drove the piston in the bailing chamber.  
 
When this would happen, the engine would have to be shut down to
replace the bolt.  This led to the second problem; the engine did not
want to start when hot.  Consequently, we might be standing around for a
protracted period of time turning the crank and waiting for the engine
to cool off enough to re-start.
 
My uncles discussed converting the engine to a battery ignition, and
adding an electric starter, but never did so.
 
I must admit that as a young boy I was fascinated with this
"contraption," but I was told to leave the engine alone.  They worried
that a backfire could pull the crank from my hand and possibly cause
serious injury.
 
One day, despite these warnings, I connected the crank and tried
turning it.  At first the crank turned with ease but eventually it
encountered compression resistance.  I toyed with it for a while,
allowing the engine to reverse to a rest point and then tightening it
again against the compression.  One of those times I went a bit too far,
actually turning it past the compression point to the point where the
cylinder would fire.  To my surprise and instant fear, the engine
started.  I knew I would be in for a good tongue lashing as my uncles
were both within earshot and would know what I did.
 
My lesson was learned.  I left the bailer engine alone after that until
my uncles told me it was OK.