I found a REX on my land, what is it?

[bigpete]

Interesting find. I'll be curious to see the specific original use.

In the Late 40's, 50's and early 60's, thousands of tons of heavy equipment was built, used, and used up building and improving roads. Thousand of state and federal contracts were awarded to almost as many major companies and specialty manufacturers who customized machinery. Ike was a big driver behind the improvement in our transportation industry (Eisenhower Interstate System) and it was contagious (and funded) down to the state level, as well.

Since I can't really make out the details in the pics of the machine (not that I'm an expert anyway /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) I would guess it was a large drawn implement used for roadbuilding or railroad use. My only reason for guessing a non-agricultural use is the type of operators platform you describe, and the fact that it is drawn and not self-propelled.

Unfortunately finding something like that on your land can be as much of a liability as an asset. Kinda' hard to find a home for it. On the other hand, it might be worth a couple grand--who knows.

Keep us posted. Hopefully we'll get a real expert in hear so knuckleheads like me will stop guessing. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Taylortractornut]

Eddie, i took a towed rex and a self propelled one that we were using on a job and tilled 7 acres of composted manure 4 inches deep into the ground for a friends organic produce farm. We pulled it with and old D4 cat and a rubber tired loader and later an older IHC farm tractor. Id cut it out and investigate. You wouldnt want to sell it would ya. Take care Taylor Lambert

 

[BLUEBONNET2]

good morning....

the rex and another mfg (bros) made mixers for road work...
i beleive they are still in business...
the most popular use for the mixer is to mix lime with road bed soil to stabilize the soil for paving..... usually about 6 to 10 inches, depending on the soil conditions....
this turns most soil almost to concrete, so the base is very stable....( i don't think they know about this in Louisiana /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif).....
if you get it out of the brush , it could be worth some money to a contractor, however refurbishing could get expensive....changing those tines is normally a 2 day job /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif....

good luck,

bluebonnet2

 

[BLUEBONNET2]

oh yes......

ONE MANS TRASH IS ANOTHER MANS TREASURE.... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

bluebonnet2

 

[ScottAR]

Caterpillar bought out Bros. a few years ago and rebranded their mixers. Rex is still in business as far as I know.

 

[midlf]

The machines I remember being used were Rex. I believe made in Milwaukee. The way they used them in my home town was to make paved streets. They would start out with a gravel street, use a road grader to mound up the gravel, drive over it with a spray truck and lay down hot heavy road oil, then use the Rex machine to mix it all up. Keep turning with the graders and adding more oil and thrashing it with the Rex and after a while it turns into something like asphalt. The road graders spread it evenly over the street. It is then rolled out smooth with a road roller.

 

[LarryD]

<font color="blue"> My land was part of a WWII army base </font>

Well if you get that thing running, I'd be very careful where I did any kind of aggressive soil displacement. No telling what else has been planted there besides watermelons and roses.

Environmental concerns were not nearly as important back then and somtimes when a unit was moving, not everything went with them. I have a friend who is a migrant bomb picker (his card says Senior Scientist..whatever) and this is just the kind of place he gets to work at.

Have you ever walked around with a metal detector?

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

While exploring yesterday I found a REX abandonded in the trees. The pines were planted in 1998, and it's behind them.

Eddie )</font>
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How long have you owned the land?
What took you so long to find it?

 

[jwnge]

At the price of steel today and the way it is going up, you may have something worthwhile there, if not for anything but scrap...