Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1911 — Winter Months on the farm [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Winter Months on the farm

How to Improve Them

Work for Farm Mechanics Inhering the Dull Day, Wkh Handy Job* of Construction or Repairing

By PROF. C. A.

OCOCK

Wkcomht Colitg* of JlgrlcttkaT*

Covrright, igto, by Wastarn Nawapapar Union

Every farm should be equipped with * farm shop in which the owner can repair broken parte ot farm machines or make new ones and thereby save both time and money by making, use of the winter days when other work ts slack. The shop may be either a small building by Itself or simply corker of the barn or implement shed fitted up as a shop. One rule however should be rigidly enforced; that the shop is a storehouse for the tools, and that every tool should he returned to its place In the shop after being used. ; MS'?. S-. > f /-' The Farm Workshop. Among the essentials In the farm shop are a strong, durable work bench, an iron vise, an efficient forge, anvil, and a supply of carpenter’s tools corresponding to the needs of the Individual farmer. A good forte suitable for general farm work can be purchased for $5 to sl2, or where an extra large one is desired it will cost

about S3O. In some cases one can build his own forge and the only expense will be for the bellows, which will cost about $4, second-hand. The best plan is to get a forge of No. 5 size, which will cost about $lO, and is both practical and efficient

The supply of carpenter’s tools In the shop will vary with the Individual, but a few of the necessary tools Include a cross-cut saw, rip saw, compass or keyhole saw; hammers, drawshave, hatchets, axes, saw set saw file, 8 chisels (Vi,l and 2 inches)/brace and set of bits, 3 planes, smoothing, finishing and block), a steel square, tri-square, bevel-square, and a spirit level. With such an equipment the average farmer can do the greater part of his repairing on the home farm.

Home Carpentry for Farmers, Among toe various tasks, which should occupy the farm mechanic during toe slack winter period are building or repairing chicken houses, hay racks, wagon boxes, hog racks, portable panel hurdles, farm gates and various other implements, which the amateur carpenter can successfully construct or remodel. The matter df farm gates seems simple, yet on numbers of farms toe makeshift gates in use are a disgrace. A serviceable and attractive gate can be easily built with double cleats at each end and the middle, and a double brace running diagonally from the top of each end cleat to toe bottom of the middle cleat for re-enforcement.

Repairing Tools. The farm mechanic can use his forge to excellent advantage to repairing machinery parts, broken tools, horseshoeing, and in numerous" ether odd jobs which are continually turning up around the farm. With a little practice he can soon acquire ability to weld together broken parts. He can alio use his. forge In repairing or tempering shovels, pickaxes, grubaxes, broken log chains, and other articles

of this nature. Practice is toe only essential necessary to make the fanner proficient to both welding and tempering. - Concrete Work. The farm shop, or a portion of one of toe barns where it Is warm enough *o keep concrete from freezing, Is an excellent place in which to make concrete feeding troughs, fence posts or other devices during the winter. The feeding troughs are made either Vshaped or half-round like a hollowed out tree trunk. The concrete posts may be either hollow or solid, and are re-enforced with steel or iron rods. For the feeding troughs toe forms are made of green lumber, to the form of two boxes, one about four Inches larger than toe other. Turn t&4 smaller one upside down on a smooth floor and put the second, which has no bottom, around the first Fill the space with concrete and cover the bottom of the smaller box’ four or six inches deep to form the bottom of the trough. After toe concrete is thoroughly hardened these forms can be knocked off. In case of the V-shaped trough there are two triangular end boards, and the two side boards united st the bottom of toe trough.

The mixture used in feeding troughs is a 1-3-5 combination; that is, 1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 6 parts clean broken stone or gravel. > The stone or gravel shpuld not he larger than onehalf inch in diameter. Hie sand should be free from sticks, straw or dirt, and the cement a good grade of Portland. Place the cement In the center of the pile of sand at one corner of the mixing box and mix dry until the mixture has the same color throughout. In the opposite corner place the stone and wet thoroughly; after this mix stone, sand, and cement, adding water until the whole mass has a medium consistency. Use a mason's brick trowel to work out ail air bubbles, leaving a smooth sur- ' face. When desired a finishing coat of 1 part cement and 2 parts sand ’ can be used. The re-enforcement can be either. 3-16 inch steel or iron rods or double twisted barb wire. Place the re-ea-forcement the same distance from the surface as its own diameter. The reenforcements should run lengthwise of the trough, with a strand at each end and one in me middle running crosswise. Making Concrete Fence Posts. In making solid concrete posts a mixture of one part cement, 2% parts sand, and 5 parts clean broken stone or gravel is used. The preparer tlon of the concrete is the same as for the troughs. The post forms should be made of a fair grade of rather green lumber, should have the inner surface smooth, and all joints tight, to prevent the cement from leaking away with the water. The forms permit of the post being made 7 feet long and 4x4 Inches square at the ends. The bottom board has holes to correspond to the dowel pin in the side boards, the iron clamps used preventing the aide boards froni spreading. The same re-enforcement as for feed troughs can be used. When filling the form with concrete, place Yt, to h' 1 inch in -the bottom ot the form, then lay in two rods one on each side; continue the filling until within % inch of the top, when the remaining two rods should be properly laid in Each rod should have a hook at

each end about 1 Inch long to prevent the steel from slipping In the concrete when a strain la put upon the post • • • ■' , * i - To provide for fastening the wire fence to the post use the longest galvanised Iron staples that can be purchased, and while the cement la still soft set them the same as you would drive them Into a wooden post Hollow Concrete Post For hollow concrete posts the operation Is the same except that there la a hole left In one of the end gates of the form to receive the Iron core. This core should taper from 2% Inches in diameter at the bottom ' to 1 Inch at the top. In using the core it should be covered with a coat of oil or grease and then it can be removed In from 3 to 6 hours after the post Is molded. The wood core is made In fourpieces. The two sides are flat inside and curved outside. The two- central pieces are 1 Inch thick and taper from 1% Inches to 1 Inch fix' width. This core is 2% inches in diameter for its entire length. When using the wooden core it Is more desirable to make the post square from top to bottom. To successfully use this core, wrap it with old newspaper or thin wrapping paper. This prevents the cement from coming in direct contact with the wood and permits of the removal of the core in 10 to 20 minutes after the post is finished. Curing the Poets. The side boards of the forms should be removed in 24 to 48 hours after pouring, but the posts should not be moved for at least one week and then very carefully. In the meantime they should be sprinkled with water several times dally and protected from sun and wind and from frost ts it be freezing weather. Posts should cure at least 60 days before being set ini the ground. During this period thsy should, if possible, bo placed upon a bed of moist sand and thoroughly wetted each day. Prioes of materials may vary in different localities, but the average price Including labor will range from 25 to SO cents per poet

Form* and pores for molding solid and hollow concrete posts. At Ala shown the parts of a form for a solid post. At 8 those parts are assembled ready for making the solid post. At C Is shown the same forms with the core In It for a hoi* low post. At D a tapering metal core, and at E a soltd wooden core In four parts, which are separated at F to show details of construction..

Plan of a good farm shop to be bullt On the end of a machine shed.

PLAN OF HAY KACK