Old (Antique) equipment

[Curtis B]

How many folks actually use, not just display, old/antique equipment? I know that some folks on this forum still use horse drawn equipment on occasion, but what about the smaller types such as grain mills. For some reason I have been pondering how useful some of it still is, other than decoration. I am going to another auction this weekend to try and pick up some "newer" equipment I need, and the old retiring couple has tons of the nifty old items, and I have been drooling as I look at the sale bill online. I think I am trying to justify trying to pick up some of the old items.

[Chixarecute]

We use the horse drawn potato digger behind the tractor - works well...as long as you don't tip it over on a too-narrow corner. DH prefers to use it, even though we usually only plant a few short rows.

[sammyd]

All our scythes are antiques from the back of sheds at auctions.
We use an old hand cranked corn sheller and occasionally an old Clipper fanning mill.
Most of our farm machinery although not horse powered could be considered antique.

[fols]

We just restored a Burr mill to grind corn. We guess it is from the '30's. It was rusted and stuck when we got it. We changed it from a pully/belt system to a 3-point/PTO system. It will grind ear corn and works wonderfully! The ground corn is much more efficient for the cattle. We just started using it and will be grinding corn about every 3 weeks.
You just can't find something new that will work like this old one does. But, you definitely don't want to get your clothing or hand down in it or you can kiss it good-bye!

[Wisconsin Ann]

We bought a lovely big old burr mill last fall. Great find. works really well, but I'm having a devil of a time finding new burrs for the thing.

Big wheel push hoe thing is an antique, I suppose. Works too well to be put up on a wall, tho.

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by Curtis B

How many folks actually use, not just display, old/antique equipment? I know that some folks on this forum still use horse drawn equipment on occasion, but what about the smaller types such as grain mills. For some reason I have been pondering how useful some of it still is, other than decoration. I am going to another auction this weekend to try and pick up some "newer" equipment I need, and the old retiring couple has tons of the nifty old items, and I have been drooling as I look at the sale bill online. I think I am trying to justify trying to pick up some of the old items.

Most of the old antiques are still quite useful, and I hate seeing them used as decorations. Nearly ever piece of equipment I use around here would qualify as "antique", including the operator!!

[clovis]

I don't use any antique equipment, but I wish I could!

I do use tons of antique tools, though. When working on something, I generally use antique hand tools for the job. Sure, I have new tools too, but can you beat a Yankee drill, a brace and bits, Stanley hand planes, or a 100 year old pair of nips?

[PyroDon]

My tractor plow disc slip harrow mower are all over 60 years old.
I got a horse drawn sickle mower thats being repairs so It can be pulled by my 40 year old garden tractor . its hard to beat old iron even century old iron is still usable and functional it was built simple and tough to last

[Pelenaka]

How many folks actually use, not just display, old/antique equipment?

One of "our rules" is that our antiques must be in useable condition unless it's a family heirloom. Granted these a few of old treasures that we have only used once but we feel that they are valuable enough to justify keeping.

Cider press - circa 1900s - 1930's. It's a small press that hubby restored and while we don't consume cider like we use to (diabetic) it's a good homestead item to have for bartering. If free apples are plentiful then we might press cider for gift giving this year.

Parlor stove - we bought this stove @ auction for $100 with the intention of using it in a cabin. After research I found out that it's from a foundry in Rochester, N.Y. circa 1840s to 1850's. It's in great shape no cracks or missing pieces. I'd never hook it up now. When I'm tired of it as a decoration in our bedroom (a light a candle in it) then I'll donate it Genesse Counrty Museum.

I also have a Standard brand treadle sewing machine that doesn't get much use but it's a keeper since it's in working condition and beauitful to look at.

1930's ice box that I restored we used for over two years before Woods inheirited his grandparents 1940's Westinghouse.

I have a collection of kitchen tools that are mostly retro (1940s & up) that I use daily because they are non-electric. Next to my shovel my favorite garden tool is a 3 legged hoe that dates to the 1900s. Yes, I enjoy saying the name.

Almost for got my canning stove - orginally a coal burning ranchers 4 burner stove/water heater that would have been plumed in the a homes water line. I fire it up with scrap wood and do my canning out on my patio.

What are the items that have caught your eye ?


~~ pelenaka ~~

[FarmboyBill]

1934 CC Case, 1948 H Farmall, 1940/1945 John Deere A, 1950 IHC Cub Demonstrator. 1940s Wards garden tractor 2 wheel. Steel wheel 1 16 IHC plow, 2 14 IHC plow, 3 14 Case plow. 18ft single IHC disc. 8ft horse disc, 2 section harrow. IHC 4 section roatery hoe, 1950s, IHC & MH 6ft horse mower, IHC #27 simi mount tractor mower, 7ft. JD & Case steel wheeled side rakes. 1960 Case bailer, 1940s AC Combine, 1950s IHC 1 row corn picker, 1 row IHC corn binder horse drawn. NI husker shredder 1926. Horse grander. Steel wheel running gears 1889. Buzz Saw, 1939, steel wheel high wheel grain wagon. Steel wheeled Texas Terricer. 2 row Horse cultivator, 1934 Case Cultivator, tractor, 1924 IHC grain drill. Steel Wheeled horse manure spreader. Old granular fertilizer spreader. Kelly Ryan grain elevator, 1940s. 1960s sprayer, Wetmore hammermill. 1878 walking drill, 5 hole if I remember, Wood beam walking plow. 5 schovel, double schovel, 1 row corn planter, walking lister, walking 1 row expandable harrow, walking horse slip. Tractor tumble bug. 1934 White 1 1/2 ton truck.
I put out, when I farm around 5 acres corn and 7 acres wheat, 12 acres haygrazer, 5 acrew pararie hay.

[Curtis B]

Ok, Pelenaka here ya go.


Pedal grinder, I think I have only seen one ever, but I don't get out much
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Correct me it I am wrong, but a cider press?
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Another Press? Looks rebuilt from the pic
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Seed/feed grinder?
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Not sure, maybe someone here could help.
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2 row planter?
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[springvalley]

Wow, cool picture Curtis, wish I could go with you to the auction. The second to the last photo is a hand corn sheller, in very good condition I might add. Made not to far from me either, should bring 2-300 dollars over this way. The planter is a lister planter, not common to my area, used more out your area. The item next to the planter is an ensilage cutter, used to chop corn silage years ago. Corn was cut with a binder or by hand, hauled in the the cutter which was set up at the silo, and corn was hand fed into it and cut and blown in the silo. It should have up and down spouts for it along with a goose neck to get it over the top of the silo. My Dad use one of these when opening up fields in the fall, and got the cows use to feeding corn silage. Have fun and show us more pictures. And yes most all of my equipment is older than I am , but I do have some newer stuff. Thanks Marc

[Pat Lamar]

I had homesteaded back in the 1970's up in the wilds of the Adirondack mountains in upstate NY... with 6 kids, too! No electricity or running water until we sunk a well and installed a hand pump at the kitchen sink. Before then, we hauled water from our creek. Items I used were: a cast iron wood cook stove, pot-bellied wood heating stove, a heavy cast iron iron for ironing, copper wash boiler, folding tub stand and hand wringer, wash board, antique ice box, antique pedal sewing machine, counter-top glass butter churn, and many more household type items I can't remember at the moment. I always told folks that "I'm an antique USER, not an antique collector!"

Pat Lamar

[springvalley]

Originally Posted by FarmBoyBill

1934 CC Case, 1948 H Farmall, 1940/1945 John Deere A, 1950 IHC Cub Demonstrator. 1940s Wards garden tractor 2 wheel. Steel wheel 1 16 IHC plow, 2 14 IHC plow, 3 14 Case plow. 18ft single IHC disc. 8ft horse disc, 2 section harrow. IHC 4 section roatery hoe, 1950s, IHC & MH 6ft horse mower, IHC #27 simi mount tractor mower, 7ft. JD & Case steel wheeled side rakes. 1960 Case bailer, 1940s AC Combine, 1950s IHC 1 row corn picker, 1 row IHC corn binder horse drawn. NI husker shredder 1926. Horse grander. Steel wheel running gears 1889. Buzz Saw, 1939, steel wheel high wheel grain wagon. Steel wheeled Texas Terricer. 2 row Horse cultivator, 1934 Case Cultivator, tractor, 1924 IHC grain drill. Steel Wheeled horse manure spreader. Old granular fertilizer spreader. Kelly Ryan grain elevator, 1940s. 1960s sprayer, Wetmore hammermill. 1878 walking drill, 5 hole if I remember, Wood beam walking plow. 5 schovel, double schovel, 1 row corn planter, walking lister, walking 1 row expandable harrow, walking horse slip. Tractor tumble bug. 1934 White 1 1/2 ton truck.
I put out, when I farm around 5 acres corn and 7 acres wheat, 12 acres haygrazer, 5 acrew pararie hay.

I want to be informed when FBB is going to have his auction also, not to soon Bill. > Thanks Marc

[Pelenaka]

Just to let you know Curtis B, I neither have the dead presidents nore the pole barn to even attempt to go to an auction with you.

The 1st pic of the cider press also has a grinder with it. Restored it would be a sweet operation to own. In the background is that a wall mounted hand cranked drill press ?

We have a small work bench hand cranked grinder. I've seen the pedal ones but not complete. Most are used for lawn ornaments. I think that's a small blacksmith forge in the background, has the pile of rusty nails & tong laid on top. Horse shoes, portable right ?


~~ pelenaka ~~

[Curtis B]

Lord knows what the folks I know will say if I bring any back with me, since if I get something it will be used at some point in time. The freinds and family that have been over since I got my "new" 64' IH tractor just look and say "but its old, why would you get that". Cause it runs good, and will probably outlast your new shiny one. Here is the link, there are things there that I have no idea what they are, but still look cool, and could probably work with a bit elbow grease.

http://http://www.swensonauction.com/htm/auctionlistings/03-26-10.html

[MOgal]

We have a '53 Ford Jubilee, a '50 IH manure spreader, a forge like the previous shown one, a treadle powered grinder that I still use to sharpen axes and hatchets, a cast iron "laundry" stove small enough to carry outside when needed but it still has two additional burners and an oven for cooking on laundry day. We also have a corn sheller that you clamp to the side of a box or on a post. I can't remember other things but I know we have them.

We also have two grain mills, one with a fly wheel and has to be bolted to a table top--a HEAVY table top. The other is an A.H. Patch from Clarksville TN. At some point, a clever person attached a recycled electric motor to a board via a wooden cradle and used that to power the mill. I use it regularly enough that I broke the cradle recently and DH did a great job of fixing it for me.

I also have a number of butcher and kitchen knives that DH has brought home from auctions. We cleaned them up, sharpened them and they are great to use.

I also scored a very old AA canner at auction last February. We replaced the petcock with a new vent pipe and weight, bought a new rack for it and it works like a champ. I don't know how long AA canners have been in production but the lettering on the gauge looks like the late 20's or early 30's. By the way, the gauge is still remarkably accurate although it's just a guide--I use the gauge's jiggling when canning in it.

[tallpines]

We use the OLD sausage stuffer and kraut cutter on occasion.

The old cistern pump is used as a pond decoration.

[FarmboyBill]

I have an apple grinder, all the metal parts that is. Have a squeezer also, but on seperate stand. Have a hand crank grinder, and a IHC corn sheller. I think I forgot I have a 2 row IHC 1920s tractor AND horse planters. Both almost amde the same way. Tractor planter is built stronger, and 3 section brillion rollar packer, a JD spring tooth harrow that I reconfigurated so as to let 2 rows go by while useing it to cultivate them. I harrow once with regular spike harrow. Week or 2 depend on the rain I go over the corn with this spring tooth harrow, Then, week or two, its time to be plowing corn with the tractor cultivator. Do that 2 or 3 times, and the corns 3ft high

[NewGround]

1950 Farmall Super A
1959 Farmall 140
198X Allis Chalmers 6080
1951 David Bradley "Super Power" walk behind
1956 All Crop 66 Harvester
David Bradley Hammer Mill
David Bradley Corn Sheller

Plus some other stuff. I'm still looking for me a grain drill and manure spreader. New a few more tractors, at least one with a loader/fork combo

With luck I can find what I need at a price I can live with...