Fraase Excavating is located just west of Springfield, IL. Lloyd Fraase is in the excavating business with his son, John. Their excavating business specializes in conservation tillage, ponds, terracing and clearing. Their business headquarters is located on the homestead of the family farm. Lloyd Fraase said he began operating a bulldozer in a construction equipment operation in 1958. When the owner of the business retired, Lloyd took over. This was about 20 years ago. Fraase Excavating has done a lot of unique operations around the central Illinois area. It dug several catfish ponds for a catfish farm just north of Springfield. It also built a ski lake for a doctor that lives in rural central Illinois Most of Fraase’s work is done with either its 1993 Case 9030 or its 214S JCB. According to John, “The long reach boom on the Case 9030 works well to clean out ponds or ditches.” The Fraase family also is crazy about antique machinery. Lloyd still has the 1957 Cat D7 that he began the excavating business with. He also has a retired 1950s Austin Westin scrapper that has been put out to pasture. The family has a new semi and Dynaweld trailer to haul its equipment from place to place, but Lloyd also would like to restore his 1955 International Harvester semi, the first one he bought. Along with using and keeping new and old construction equipment, the family has a penchant for antique farm equipment. That is, mostly Massey Harris farm equipment and old steam engines. It seems that tractors and steam engines figure heavily into the Fraase legacy. Lloyd currently owns two steam engines, a 19l5 36-60 Keck Gonnerman as well as a Case engine and separator that his father bought new back in the 1920s. As with many collectors, Lloyd’s love of collecting runs in the family. Lloyd explained, “My Dad was always interested in steam engines. I picked it up from [him] and then taught the kids. I grew up on steam.” The Fraase family was so interested in steam engines that for years they held an annual threshing show. The work and time involved eventually made them decide to forgo the event. They had their last show in 1984. Really old farm machinery can be rather unusual to find, but on the Fraase farm, there is a multitude of it. Besides the steam engines, which require a lot of work to operate, run and keep up, they also have an old sawmill that was built by Lloyd’s grandfather. In this family, many of the items have been handed down from generation to generation. The sawmill still works and on occasion they use it to cut board lumber. Just as the love of steam engines came from Lloyd’s father, the love of Massey Harris tractors did too. In fact, one of Lloyd’s favorite tractors is the 1944 Standard that his Dad bought new in 1947. “Dad bought it at Blackley Implement in Springfield. Dad used it to farm. He also used a 1935 Allis Chalmers W C.” Lloyd still has the Allis too, but the rare standard model Massey has been restored and is in prime running condition. Besides the Standard, Lloyd also has a 1949 55 Massey LP that came from Alabama. This tractor was bought from a man in Petersburg, IL. Most of Lloyd’s tractors date back to before 1950 He has a 1945 101 Senior Twin Power that he bought at an auction about 25 years ago. This tractor took a complete restoration job, though you would never know it to look at it now. The Fraases also have a 1941 201 they bought at an auction in Maryland. While there are other tractors on the place and a variety of engines and old farm tools, it is clear that old machinery is a hobby that keeps Lloyd busy year round. Lloyd’s son John said that during the off time in the winter, Lloyd always has two tractors in the shop ready to work on at any time. Besides collecting the big tractors, Lloyd also collects Massey toys. Lloyd said that sometimes the toys are harder to come by than the tractors themselves. “The Massey toys are hard to find. I buy them at toy shows and auctions.” Love of machinery is common with those in the construction equipment industry, but this family adds an unusual antique twist to its collection.This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.
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