Your first combine

[Rareearth]

Yup, I was the lead combine 914, probably 14 ish. Dark, at night got to the end of the field and fell asleep waiting for the other combines . They wentt a few more rounds( hours) back door opened and I almost fell out. Trees sloughs I was whipped.

Fond memory, thanks for reminding me, things are so easily forgotten.

[sumdumguy]

JD95 with a Super 92, then Cockshutt 555.

[jake550]

Started with dads pull type 914 at age 9 or 10. Lots of good memories. In fact I enjoyed harvest a lot more then than I do now with all the latest and greatest.

[Flatlander]

First combine I drove was a 510 Massey. No cab. Before I was old enough to drive it I remember making the first round of a field with dad. The phone line was right beside us, he reached over and let it run through his hand. Probably '71 or '72. '73 the phone went underground. I think that combine had a 350 or a 327 in it. Man did I love the sound of those pipes when she'd really bark.

[sawfly1]

first combine i drove , was a Claas Matador Giant, about a 1967, 12,000$
50 inch cylinder . 80 bushell hopper extended to 100. variable speed

we had the yellow fellow too , new holland's predecessor. 1965 ? 42 inch cyl.
they both had cabs, no air, no heaters
melrore pickups.

filling the diesel , with a quart a stroke pump, a lot of strokes.
opening the door or window on the clean side , closing on the dirty side.
then there was the direction where you had to close it all up and cook.

at least at night you could close it up and try and keep from freezing.

first modern combine was a new 81 1460 ,73,000$, great machine but should have bought
the 1480 for 93,000

[fjlip]

A 1964 403, too short to use seat so I stood all the time. Braced myself against the seat to use clutch and shift gears. Had to stand on unload auger lever to engage. Yup the dirt and chaff, filthy and cold.
Why did parents trust us out there?
Then 815 gas, very poor design, cab and heater but NO ac. Brand new was $12000. So enough IH, 6600 diesel, cab,chopper, ac and heater! Even tried a 7720 and 7721 with a 4640 and 4650 PS. Oops a 1680 for 3 years, then 9500, bullet proof, then 9600 only stopped for 3 hrs in 11 harvests.
Just had to try a 9870 STS, should be in the farm auction....most expensive repairs, spent more "fixing" it than all the combines prior added together! Cost more than prior 3 combines. About double a 9600 when DRY straw...

[Hopalong]

First one I operated was Massey 90, had Masseys in earlier years and JD in recent ones.
History on our farm use dates back to 1920's when great uncle had a McKormick Deering but stopped using it during thirties and went back to threshing.
In mid forties got a Massey pull type and a Massey 27 a few years later.
Kept seperater in shed for a few years and traded it for a new side delivery rake.
Harvest was and still is a joint effort with uncles, cousins, nephews and niece.

[crusher]

There wouldn't be any kids staying on the farm if combines hadn't improved exponentially. I started riding/sleeping behind the seat of a MF 510. Pretty sure dad didn't give me any earplugs. Then went to a MF 851PT, 860, then tried gleaners with an R50 and R60. Changed colors again to NH with a couple of TX66's. Now running JD 9760 and 9870. They keep getting better but I'm the first to agree the cabs are no hell in those JD's. I think we'll stay green for a while, dealer support is the reason.....but I do spend too much time at rbauction.com

[Hopalong]

Was told that my great uncle wanted to do custom work with first combine but was discouraged by his father who thought it would wear it out.

[bgmb]

There wouldn't be any kids staying on the farm if combines hadn't improved exponentially. I started riding/sleeping behind the seat of a MF 510. Pretty sure dad didn't give me any earplugs. Then went to a MF 851PT, 860, then tried gleaners with an R50 and R60. Changed colors again to NH with a couple of TX66's. Now running JD 9760 and 9870. They keep getting better but I'm the first to agree the cabs are no hell in those JD's. I think we'll stay green for a while, dealer support is the reason.....but I do spend too much time at rbauction.com

You just about wrote my combine story word for word