The Rural Voice, 2000-02, Page 42AgriTech
Going parts, antique shopping on-line
By Janice Becker
With very little snow to plow this
season — so far — there should be
plenty of time to check the equip-
ment, make repairs, consider new
purchases or even tinker with that
antique machinery
which has been sitting
in the back corner of
the shed for a couple
years waiting for a lit-
tle attention.
For me, winter has
always been a time to
plan for spring while still having time
to enjoy a sometimes slower pace. I
would imagine it is also a time when
most farmers give their machinery an
overhaul or indulge a hobby.
Well, if parts for tractors or farm
machinery are on the shopping list,
almost anything can be found by
searching the web.
The most obvious place to start is
by simply punching in the brand
name for which you are seeking.
Numerous dealer sites are sure to
avail themselves.
However, for something a little
more interesting, I cruised the web
for used and antique parts as well as
equipment.
A Sudbury -based company,
Northern Consolidated Equipment
Sales and Service Inc., www.iron-
web.com/ncesales had an easy-to-use,
straight -forward site. Though special-
izing in New Holland, there is a
selection of used farm, industrial and
outdoor power tools listed, most with
photos. Prices and model years are
.provided. An on-line contact form to
submit if interested in a specific piece
makes interaction simple.
For farther afield sites, Used
Equipnet, www.usedequipnet.com/,
deals with machinery from Alberta,
Saskatchewan and the United States.
With a simple search engine, agricul-
tural and construction equipment can
be located, particularly under the
Case IH brand name.
Machinery On-line, www.agricul-
ture.com/machinery, from Iowa,
might not be useful in terms of the
auction prices indicated, but there is a
load of other material worth looking
through.
Aside from listing suppliers, clubs
World-wide
websites
connect
collectors
38 THE RURAL VOICE
and restoration tips through the
Ageless Iron link. the site provides
information on new inventions and
product picks. A catalogue of equip-
ment can be viewed through a free
Adobe Reader download or subscrip-
tions to various magazines and
digests ordered. Discussions allow
for comments in response to others or
questions seeking information.
Farmers Implement Home Page.
www.farmersimp.com/. from
Colorado. lists Case IH dealers with
photos and includes farm toys. an
ever-growing collectible interest.
However, the site which should
draw a lot of traffic. and deservedly
so, is Agtique Online at www.
agtique.com/ out of Illinois. a small
family -run business which specializes
in John Deere.
Focusing on antique farm machin:
ery, the site not only allows visitors a
look at the family collection, but
links surfers to more than 140 sites
around the world through the Vintage
Farm Tractor Ring.
With connections across the States,
Canada, the United Kingdom, Aust-
ralia and even Sweden, if you are
looking for a piece of equipment or a
part which went out of production
years ago, you are likely to find a link
here.
Be sure to check for websites from
local farm businesses as well. Many
are now on-line, providing their cus-
tomers with an at-home glimpse of
their inventory. While I had more dif-
ficulty tracking down sites of dealers
in Wellington County, three Huron
County businesses were quick finds.
Huron Tractor in Blyth, Vincent
Farm Equipment Ltd. in Seaforth and
McGavin Farm Supply and Farm
Equipment Ltd., Walton, were easily
located. Let me know who's on-line.
It may just be a matter of a few
mouse clicks to order that needed part
rather than driving to the lot. Not
only is the dealer now closer to you,
but their use of the internet can help
them locate parts for you.
Suggestions, feedback or interest-
ing websites can be e-mailed to beck-
er@wcl.on.ca.
Janice Becker is a computer enthusi-
ast and journalist living near Walton,
ON.
People & Products
Vacuum ethanol
distiller
CPS companies (Crop Power
Systems) has recently introduced a
complete line of Ethanol Distillers
for farm or industrial use.
The new CPS Ethanol Distillers
are available in capacities ranging
from 50 gallons of ethanol per day,
100 gallons of
ethanol per day, 250
'gallons per day,
500 gallons per day,
1200 per day on up
in sizes to commer-
cial custom engi-
neered plants capa-
ble of pro-
ducing a
million gal -
Ions per
day.
The CPS
Still (for farm
use) can pay for
one season. It operates on
a vacuum system that eliminates
explosion dangers, as only 122
degrees of heat are needed rather
than the 173 degrees needed for
conventional ethanol stills.
The price per bushel of corn is
more than doubled by distilling it
and the still will cover any high car-
bohydrate material into ethanol
(including sugar beets, potatoes,
other grains and even garbage).
The mash remaining after removal
of liquids is extremely high protein
and can be used for feed or sold for
prices ranging from $60 (US) to
$100 (US) per ton (17# of mash
produced from one bushel of corn).
The still is complete, ready to
run, fully guaranteed and a way to
more than double crop prices!
For more information write: CPS
Companies, LLC, Attn: Bob
Johnson, 10617 France Avenue
South #323, Bloomington, MN
55431 or call CPS at 612-379-5946
or send a fax to: 612-881-0375.0
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