Revitalization
With a few warm-ish days at the very end of November, I turned my attention back to the antique furrow maker. The old handles were shot, split at the bolted end that takes most of the load and one of the handles had been broken off. As you might notice, I broke the other handle taking it apart. I obtained a new oak board and fashioned a new pair of handles seen above.
I cleaned off all the metal parts and gave them a couple coats of paint. The wheel was the hardest of all the parts because several of the spokes were bent from having been stepped on over the years and there were some flat spots in the rim. I banged the spokes straight and rounded out the flat spots as best as I could. It doesn't have to be perfect and it isn't, but it is a lot better looking now than before I started.
Finally, I sanded the new oak handles so everything is smooth to the hand and slightly rounded over edges to prevent splinters. I then gave everything a couple nice coats of linseed oil as a protectant. Unseen, but I ordered all new stainless steel fasteners and they have arrived and are ready to go. Hopefully when things dry, I can figure out how to reassemble it again.
And then what will you do with it?
ReplyDeleteFor now, it is in our storage shed out back by the garden. In the spring, I will use it to create rows for planting seeds at the proper depth and in a straight line in the same garden.
DeleteI bet you won't have any trouble putting it back together.
ReplyDeleteOther than a mistakenly unordered replacement nut, it went back together pretty easily.
DeleteYou need to post before and after pictures.
ReplyDeleteI have some after pictures in this coming Monday's post.
DeleteGreat work! I like how you're fixing the furrow maker instead of throwing it away. My late husband used to rant about our throwaway culture.
ReplyDeleteIt had two things going for it. One, we still used it every spring and two, it is made from steel that will still exist long after I'm gone. Other than the handles and a loose nut, it was still in great shape.
DeleteI remember my grandparents having one of these. Nice looking handles!
ReplyDeleteI suspect from my internet research that they were quite common back in the day. I guess they just aren't common these days because we no longer plant gardens and buy everything from a store.
DeleteI love old tools. There is something very special about them and amazing that they did a great job without electrical power.
ReplyDeleteI'm generally not a fan of old tools, especially the electrical ones. But in this case, I do make an exception especially since there isn't anything else to do what it does, as well as it does, on the market.
DeleteInteresting project but I'll bet you don't use this one in the field.
ReplyDeleteIf I did, I would upgrade to one that could be horse drawn!
DeleteThose parts look really nice now. The handles are beautiful! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI had to look up what a furrow maker was, Ed. It seems like it will be a nice tool for you once it warms up again. Good work as usual.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the name either when I started this project. I had to fumble around on google before I settled on furrow maker as being the most common term.
DeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteI thought it turned out quite well, especially since I'm not in the habit of restoring old things.
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