Best of both worlds: Illinois collector builds his favorite engines in small sizes.

Farm Collector, April, 2004 by Hollis, Scott

The concept of scale model farm machinery isn't novel by any means--the idea's been around at least since Jean Schoenner of Nuremberg, Germany, crafted a three-cycle, flame-ignition engine some time between 1880 and 1890. A quick glance through a September/October 1951 Iron-Men Album proves engine and steam machinists have been showing off their homemade handiwork at threshing reunions and engine shows since those events began in the early 1940s.

While the prevalence of scale models wasn't widespread during the early years of these shows, today scale models occupy their own healthy-and-growing niche right along other heavy-weight farm show categories such as tractors, stationary engines and steam traction engines. Talk to any scale model builder or...