Massey No. 22 Disc --- Can anyone answer a couple questions for me?

[Rford]

If my picture upload worked, here's a disc I'm considering buying. It's advertised as a Fergusson No. 22. It looks like a No. 22, but it has that deal on the front that looks like a weight rack. I've looked at a manual, read a bunch, looked at pictures and haven't seen another one with that feature.

Also, by looking, can anyone tell me if this would have the wooden "bearings."

I can buy this for about the same price as a used King Kutter --- I like the idea of old iron, but worry about a lot of down time trying to find parts if I need them.

Thanks for any help

 

[Rford]

I haven't gotten an answer, but I've been searching around the net and found a source for the wooden replacement bearings and thought I'd share it. This outfit makes them, which I think is pretty cool. It's Woodex, they are out of Maine.

 

[npalen]

I can't help you with info on the disc but do want to thank you for the wooden bearing source. I've often wondered whether anyone still makes them and, yes, very cool indeed.

 

[DJ54]

Yes, that is a weight box, and actually the first one I've seen, other than the parts book picture. And yes, they have wooden bearings. And I also thank you for pointing out the Woodex site. Mine doesn't need them quite yet, but would be nice to have a set onhand.
I don't think you will need any weight, unless you're disking really tough ground. I have one just like it, and it cuts very well in the sandy loam I have. Goes clear into the spools on the second pass. If you do happen to get it, I think you will like the easily adjusted gangs. Mine is a 6 footer, and I pull it with my 3 cyl. Ford 2000. Set at full cut, you definitely know it's back there. It's nice to set it at just a couple notches from straight, and finish. If you notice, the gangs sort of semi float. Not like a rigid frame disk, where if you hit a high spot, it will lift the whole front or back off the ground.

Not quite the finish I get with the old drag disk, but darn close. And for me, just handy to pick up and go.

 

[MIKE R]

Thanks for the link for the bearings. I was thinkin of machining some new ones for mine but if I can buy them.

The adjustable gangs are real nice to have.

 

[npalen]

I like the levers also for gang adjustment. Lots of the older equipment had levers with notched quadrants for adjusting whatever. A designer or manufacturer today would be laughed at for having levers sticking up in the air. Way too practical and not streamlined enough.

 

[DJ54]

I like the levers also for gang adjustment. Lots of the older equipment had levers with notched quadrants for adjusting whatever. A designer or manufacturer today would be laughed at for having levers sticking up in the air. Way too practical and not streamlined enough.

That's because they probably neve used one. That's why they should have to be sent out, and change their own set ups, with the crudest of tools, in the hottest weather, before they are ever allowed to sell such a thing. JMHO :laughing:

 

[Gary Fowler]

That looks like a fine disk. I have one that you have to slide by hand and a few weeks ago I was doing some maintenance on it and decided it would be better to take out some of the slop in the floating gangs on the rear so I put some spacer metal in and welded it up. Come time to move the gangs to put more set and I couldn't make it slide by hand, foot or pry bar. I had to hook a chain on it, run it under my tractor and on to the FEL and use the power of hydraulics to move the gangs. Took maybe 5 minutes on the front gang that was dangling loose. Photo shows how I filled in about 1/2" gap to stiffen up the gangs but didn't account for how hard it would be to move.