Ivan Miller has earned an enviable reputation for building high-quality scale-model Rumely tractors that are fully operational – and it all came from a shared dream. “I admired scale-model Rumelys that were displayed at tractor shows,” he says. “When I was about 14 years old, Dad and I dreamed of building our own version. Eventually, years later, we set to work and scaled one from a 16-30 Rumely [Oilpull Model H] that Dad owned.”
By then, Ivan had gained considerable steel fabricating experience and that helped the dream become a reality. Over the past five years, he’s scratch-built four copies of the same model, adding more detail with each build.
Skills gained on the job transfer to a hobby and a sideline
Ivan grew up in Holmes County, Ohio. He and his wife, Martha, along with their young children, now live in nearby Baltic. “In our Amish community, my farm experience consisted of working some for a neighbor who had a small dairy herd,” he says. “But Dad’s metal-working tools drew me to his shop rather than farm work.” The family lived on the same property as his grandparents, and where Ivan’s grandpa had a tractor repair business and housed a collection of Huber and Rumely tractors.
Ivan’s interest in tractors grew from that collection. “I liked working on small engines, like Maytags, when I was a teenager,” he says. That work included engines in the family’s collection and some from other collectors. The family also owns a 1909 Case 30hp steam engine. “I enjoy the mechanical work it requires,” he says, “along with operating it on different kinds of equipment at steam engine shows.”
Ivan took advantage of the opportunities the shop offered by tackling various projects. As a teen, he discovered satisfaction in designing and fabricating items from scratch. “It was a learning process, as everything didn’t always turn out as expected,” he says. “With each failed project, I gained a little more knowledge for the next venture.”
Through experience gained during 15 years’ employment at a metal fabrication company, he launched a related business. “Although I have not named my business, it consists of designing and fabricating custom machinery,” he says. “In addition, I’ll be building scale-model Rumely tractors. Since I have operated vintage tractors, I also plan to provide mechanical repair work on them.”
OilPulls and ToeHolds
The M. & J. Rumely Co. was established in 1853 in La Porte, Indiana. Through several mergers, the company became known as Advance-Rumely. The company grew into a formidable manufacturer of agriculture equipment designed for use on the Great Plains, but it was first known as a manufacturer of reliable threshing machines. As the business grew, it transitioned into manufacture of steam engines.
In 1887, the company name changed to M. Rumely Co. In 1910, the company began building the 25-45 Rumely OilPull Model B. The engine was launched during a time when farmers had high expectations of usefulness and longevity. The two-cylinder engine proved easier to start and more convenient to operate than a steam engine. Designed to run on kerosene, the OilPull was christened “Kerosene Annie.”
In 1912, Rumely acquired designs for a unique orchard tractor from the California firm of Joshua Hendy Iron Works. The product was marketed as the Rumely ToeHold. Questions remain as to whether the ToeHold ever went into full production.
The larger 30-60 Rumely Model E was introduced in 1910, followed by the single-cylinder 15-30 Model F in 1911. Meanwhile, rapid expansion of M. Rumely Co. and Rumely Products Co. generated growing pains. After reorganization in 1915 as Advance-Rumely Co., OilPull production was concentrated at the La Porte plant; production of the company’s steam engines and threshing machines continued in Battle Creek.
Half-scale model based on the 16-30 Rumely Oilpullm Model H
Ivan’s scratch-built half-scale Rumely was patterned off a 16-30 Rumely OilPull Model H manufactured from 1917 into 1924. Rumely built a total of 14 models of tractors from 1910 through 1930. The Model H was modernized in the 1920s, when the original steel channel frame was replaced by a pressed steel frame, resulting in a lighter but more rigid engine.
In 1924, Advance-Rumely purchased Aultman-Taylor Machinery Co., Mansfield, Ohio. Aultman-Taylor built threshing machines, steam engines and tractors. At a time when the market for bigger, heavier tractors was weakening, the acquisition of Altman-Taylor did little to enhance Rumely’s struggling sales.
In 1927, Advance-Rumely purchased all patents and rights to a convertible tractor-cultivator previously produced by Toro Motor Co. of Minneapolis. That acquisition resulted in production of the Rumely DoAll tractor, but sales were disappointing. Meanwhile, interest in the long-established Rumely OilPull tractors had started to lag.
Ultimately, Advance-Rumely was another casualty of the Great Depression. The firm was eventually acquired by Allis-Chalmers in 1931. Allis-Chalmers ended production of all Rumely OilPull tractors but gained the Rumely manufacturing facility and an extensive dealer network.
Advance-Rumely’s headquarters and production facility in La Porte would become known as the “Harvest Capital of the World” with Allis-Chalmers‘ successful All-Crop harvester line. Allis-Chalmers eventually went into bankruptcy. Its vast business interest was dismantled in 1985.
Sounds about right
Through previous experience building a half-scale 16-30 Rumely OilPull Model H, Ivan tweaked his Computer Assisted Design (CAD) system. Using CAD, OilPull parts – including wheel rims – were fabricated by outside sources. The wood framework for the roof and tin covering were also outsourced.
Ivan started with the basic framework. To that he added the power transmission from a John Deere Model 212 garden tractor. He cut and machined the model’s wheel hubs and steering mechanism. He then formed and finished the laser plates, like the wheel spokes.
The 1-1/2hp throttle-governed International Harvester engine was rebuilt by Ivan’s brother Myron. The throttle governor converted a hit-and-miss engine for continuous operation. As a result, it even sounds like an original Rumely.
Multiple parts were then welded, cleaned and prepped for painting, assembly, pinstriping and decals. As with most projects of this type, challenges arose. “For me, the most difficult part to engineer was the clutch/break mechanism,” Ivan says. “With its size, children often operate the tractor. As a result, the tractor’s movement is activated by a single clutch/brake lever. By pushing it forward over center, the clutch is engaged. Conversely, by pulling the lever back over center, the brake functions. That makes it easy for kids to operate.”
Marked by high-quality craftsmanship, the finished tractor is a near clone of the full-size model. And Ivan is just getting started. He’s already planned his next projects: a 16-30 Rumely Model H in 5/8-scale and another in quarter-scale. FC
For more information: Call Ivan Miller at (330) 600-8795 and leave a message.
Freelance writer Fred Hendricks of Mansfield, Ohio, covers a vast array of subjects relating to agriculture. Email Fred at fwhendricks@gmail.com.
Originally published as “Small Wonder” in the August 2023 issue of Farm Collector magazine.
