Treasure trove of handy farm devices & instructions how to make them (100-year old manual!)

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henkmeuzelaar

henkmeuzelaar

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Nov 26, 2010
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Targhee NF, ID
Looking for the name of a simple pole leverage-type lifting device that I still often see here in the west near farm fences but cannot seem to remember the name of (maybe I never knew) I came across this incredible 1910 how-to-build-your-own "handy farm device" construction manual.

It pretty much contains instructions how to build your own farm, including hundreds of devices small and large.

I imagine some of the more selfsufficient woodsmen and backwoods hunters/farmers among us might find inspiration here.

In case anyone does; please show us some pictures of the results!

Henk

PS: Pleezz DO tell me the name of the derrick-type (?) lifting device shown on the front page in case you happen to know. I have searched high and low in the manual itself but didn't find that particular image back, nor any reference to it
 

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It's called a well-sweep. Many historic houses have them around here for shallow wells.
 
Thanks-a-million!

Henk
 
I have an old book,picked at monthly flea market last year- Blakelee's Industrial Cyclopedia:
How To Make And How To Mend.Almost 700 pages with over 200 illustrations,with 1884 publishing date.Both covers are gone,the spine is pretty worn,but all the pages are intact with no tears,dirt/grease or writing on them.I've looked through it some,you could spend 2-3 entire days & not see everything in it,the volume of info is amazing.
 
Thistle said:
I have an old book,picked at monthly flea market last year- Blakelee's Industrial Cyclopedia:
How To Make And How To Mend.Almost 700 pages with over 200 illustrations,with 1884 publishing date.Both covers are gone,the spine is pretty worn,but all the pages are intact with no tears,dirt/grease or writing on them.I've looked through it some,you could spend 2-3 entire days & not see everything in it,the volume of info is amazing.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great find!

Perhaps you could get Google Books to put it online?

Or otherwise the <journeytoforever.org> website that also published the "Handy Farm Devices" manual?

I don't think there are any copyright problems with books that old.

Henk
 
fishingpol said:
It's called a well-sweep. Many historic houses have them around here for shallow wells.
Click to expand...

Just realized that the name you gave probably does not quite apply to the pole levers that some farmers here in the West still use to lift stuff over fences. Perhaps the term "sweep" is generic for this type of device, though. If so, could those be called "fence sweeps" perhaps?

Henk
 
PyMS,

I finally figured out that the "NF" in your address stands for National Forest, not Newfoundland. I couldn't understand why you kept referring to Newfoundland as "the West".
 
localLEE said:
We call'em "pig poles".
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info!

If they are strong enough to lift hogs over the fence, (Curious) George should have no problem lifting a barrel full of wood splits onto his deck, I think.

Henk
 
DanCorcoran said:
PyMS,

I finally figured out that the "NF" in your address stands for National Forest, not Newfoundland. I couldn't understand why you kept referring to Newfoundland as "the West".
Click to expand...

Sorry for that misunderstanding.

No I am not a Newfie, although I realize that the coastal-looking avatar may have reinforced that false impression.

I will make it Targhee NF, ID right now.

Henk
 
PyMS said:
Thistle said:
I have an old book,picked at monthly flea market last year- Blakelee's Industrial Cyclopedia:
How To Make And How To Mend.Almost 700 pages with over 200 illustrations,with 1884 publishing date.Both covers are gone,the spine is pretty worn,but all the pages are intact with no tears,dirt/grease or writing on them.I've looked through it some,you could spend 2-3 entire days & not see everything in it,the volume of info is amazing.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great find!

Perhaps you could get Google Books to put it online?

Or otherwise the <journeytoforever.org> website that also published the "Handy Farm Devices" manual?

I don't think there are any copyright problems with books that old.

Henk
Click to expand...

Its pretty cool alright.Everything from 'how to make a mitre box' to grafting trees & shrubs,building chimneys,fences,gates,you name it.I'll look around,they're might be more copies at Amazon booksellers & other used book places.Who knows,it might've been reprinted several times up until the 1940's or so,that might make it easier to find copies.
 
I will admit that I looked up Targhee NF also, simply because I have never heard of the location. The blue water in the avatar looked tropical to me.

If this type of reading is of interest to you, try to read the Eric Sloane series of books from the 1960's and 70's. I have seen them on-line for sale. These books are about early american living, woodworking, and architecture of early structures. The drawings are of pen and ink and there are many tool references in these books. It is most interesting to read these books on cold winter nights. It makes you appreciate the difficulty of living back in the day and how good we really have it now.

They also used well sweeps to remove the dirt from the well as it was being dug down.

Jon
 
fishingpol said:
If this type of reading is of interest to you, try to read the Eric Sloane series of books from the 1960's and 70's. I have seen them on-line for sale. These books are about early american living, woodworking, and architecture of early structures. The drawings are of pen and ink and there are many tool references in these books. It is most interesting to read these books on cold winter nights. It makes you appreciate the difficulty of living back in the day and how good we really have it now.
Click to expand...

2 of my favs are 'A Reverence For Wood' & 'A Museum Of Early American Woodworking Tools'.Had them for years,will get the other books someday. I also recommend Old Ways Of Working Wood & The Tools That Built America by Alex W.Bealer plus any of the 6 books starting with The Woodwrights Shop by "St.Roy" Underhill.I've followed his work & craft since I was in high school over 30 yrs ago.
 
Right on, I have them both too. I used to watch the woodwright shop on PBS back many years ago. Didn't have much interest back then since he didn't plug anything in. :lol:
 
fishingpol said:
Right on, I have them both too. I used to watch the woodwright shop on PBS back many years ago. Didn't have much interest back then since he didn't plug anything in. :lol:
Click to expand...

:lol: Back a few months this retailer - Highland Woodworking in Atlanta,did a demonstration of that high tech SawStop commercial 3hp table saw.If you're not familiar with it,its got a patented mechanism with the blade arbor & motor,that stops the blade in like 1/10th second if anything soft (like your finger) comes in contact.Its something revolutionary thats never been done before.Roy was there demonstrating one of his foot-powered treadle lathes,he helped with the saw demo,actually turned on the switch (First time I seen him use anything with electricity lol),and "Since we're in the heart of the South,instead of using a hot dog like Saw Stop does in their commercials...I'm a gonna use this here fine piece of southern fried chicken!!" So he slowly pushes that drumstick towards the blade & WHAM!!! Blade stops like clockwork.

He then takes a bite & waves to the crowd who's quite entertained by now....Video was on YouTube last I checked,should still be if your interested. :coolsmile:
 
When I was in High School I watched Roy Underhill every weekend, Even built a few of his contraptions. Sad to say......I always liked it when he cut the hell out of his self or had stock fly out of a lathe chuck and Bap him on the chin. He does know and love wood both growing and the harvesting of stock for a project.
 
Thanks for posting this info, it has been Bookmarked. I have a few old books/manuals like this and enjoy them.
 
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