his poster for the
European market shows a right-hand binder in the lower
left panel. Starting in 1898, the McCormick Harvesting
Machine Company and, later, International Harvester, tried
to popularize the right-hand binder, whose cutting path
was on the driver’s right side. This seemed to be a
sensible idea, since the majority of mechanical mowers
and reapers also cut on the right, and most horses were
trained to turn in that direction. However, many farmers
disliked operating control levers with their left hands
and the design never caught on.
his poster for the
European market shows a right-hand binder in the lower
left panel. Starting in 1898, the McCormick Harvesting
Machine Company and, later, International Harvester, tried
to popularize the right-hand binder, whose cutting path
was on the driver’s right side. This seemed to be a
sensible idea, since the majority of mechanical mowers
and reapers also cut on the right, and most horses were
trained to turn in that direction. However, many farmers
disliked operating control levers with their left hands
and the design never caught on.