TRACTOR TRIVIA and other interesting stuff 7/7/2024

[953 nut 55,194]

Mighty Man Garden Tractors

 

Marine Iron Works of Tacoma, WA, spent the war years as a heavy forging factory building valves, capstans, and other gear for the US Navy.  As military contracts wound down in 1946, the men leading Marine Iron Works were ready to “beat swords into ploughshares” and began searching for a post-war product that would keep the factory and its employees in business.  Those ploughshares turned out to be a small 3-hp garden tractor named “Mighty Man.”

Marine Iron Works, in order to maintain quality, precision-built all of the Mighty Man’s components except for the Wisconsin AKN Engine.  This included a nickel-alloy steel helical gear reduction unit with all gears mounted on oversized bearings and a “quick-hitch” that could convert the Mighty Man from a two-wheel unit to a four-wheeler with the addition of a riding sulky.

Barney A. Winter, an aviation engineer, came up with the design and served as production manager.  Rolling off the assembly line at the end of November 1946, the Model 7 and Model 9 was developed to answer the post-war need of commercial gardeners, small-farm owners, and home owners with light plowing needs.  Within a year, a full line of implements (snow plow, front/back blades, harrows, sickle bar, etc.) were offered to maximize the usefulness of the Mighty Man.

In mid-1947 the Model 5 Mighty Man ‘Junior’ was introduced for use on residential properties.  Using a Clinton 700-A 1-1/2 hp engine, this Junior Mighty Man became the company’s big seller from 1949 to 1955

This will be my last daily Tractor Trivia posting, there are a few more in the works that will be posted from time to time. When I began writing this series of posts, I was primarily house-bound while recuperating from a stroke. Learning more about the various tractor and agricultural equipment manufacturers was an interesting way to keep myself entertained during this time and I hope you have enjoyed it along with me.

[ebinmaine 67,435]

24 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

This will be my last daily Tractor Trivia posting, there are a few more in the works that will be posted from time to time. When I began writing this series of posts, I was primarily house-bound while recuperating from a stroke. Learning more about the various tractor and agricultural equipment manufacturers was an interesting way to keep myself entertained during this time and I hope you have enjoyed it along with me.

 

 

Enjoy your outdoor life and continue to heal well. 

 

I've certainly learned alot and enjoyed the articles. 

 

 

[WHX?? 48,815]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

This will be my last daily Tractor Trivia posting, there are a few more in the works that will be posted from time to time. 

Does this mean you are going to start your "on this day posts" again??? 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,146]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

I hope you have enjoyed it along with me.

I surely did enjoy the tractor trivia and talking with you at the show.

 

                               

[rjg854 11,360]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

I hope you have enjoyed it along with me

Sure have enjoyed learning about all these different brands and the people behind them.  Thanks for having the time to do all of this for us.  I bet this even aided in your recovery.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,535]

Thank you!!! 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,297]

Thanks for your articles I have enjoy each one and always was the first post I read every day. Glad you are doing better. I guess I will have to go back to my other pastime " Messing with @squonk "

[953 nut 55,194]

10 hours ago, rjg854 said:

different brands and the people behind them

For me that was the most interesting part. There are so many unlikely entrepreneurs who left their mark in the tractor and farm equipment industry. I have a few good ones in the works that will require a bit more time than I can devote to them right now.

Our church has its annual Bazaar coming up in a couple of weeks and I will be working at the county fair grounds in preparation for it every day. We accumulate items to sell for about six months and fill all of the buildings with treasures to sell in two days. The past few years we have averaged $ 35,000 to $ 40,000 for missions so it is a very worthwhile event.

11 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Does this mean you are going to start your "on this day posts" again??? 

 

I turned that franchise over to you,        Get to work Jim.             

[JoeM 7,873]

Well, i will say one thing. This thread has been good reading. 

Having now entered into the 95/5% stage of thought, (5% retention), the info in these articles made me look differently at the machines (the 5% part). Engineering marvels! 

Every tractor has a story. And most stories should have a tractor. 

Richard, what a wonderful out come.

A good thing coming from a bad situation. Nice.