Walking plow

[Ale67]

looking for some information on this old plow on how the beam and handles should be and also the length of them.. the current beam and wheel (not really sure if the wheel even goes to it)is just a mock up cant seem to find useful information about it

 

[ponytug]

I've never seen one with a wheel there, but I don't consider myself an expert. The wheel seems too narrow to have provided any leverage on soil while plowing.

Are you thinking of using it? Hanging on a wall? You do want the drawbar parallel to the foot of the moldboard, (as you have mocked up), and beyond that, there are lots of variations. You might look in "Early American Tools" for sketches of various solutions.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Egon]

Depth control.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

This might help...

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[Ale67]

I've never seen one with a wheel there, but I don't consider myself an expert. The wheel seems too narrow to have provided any leverage on soil while plowing.

Are you thinking of using it? Hanging on a wall? You do want the drawbar parallel to the foot of the moldboard, (as you have mocked up), and beyond that, there are lots of variations. You might look in "Early American Tools" for sketches of various solutions.

All the best,

Peter

Thinking on trying to use it i found it in a old field with no wood pieces at all so its hard on the head trying to fiqure out what its actually supposed to look like lol

 

[2LaneCruzer]

 

[JamesHW]

New England Gardener, May 20 1865

 

[2manyrocks]

It's interesting that these plows were once state of the art technology and yet here we are in 2024, and who knows what the dimensions of the handles are supposed to be? I believe some of the handles were steam bent.

 

[ponytug]

It's interesting that these plows were once state of the art technology and yet here we are in 2024, and who knows what the dimensions of the handles are supposed to be? I believe some of the handles were steam bent.

Steam bent, or preferably cut from a root to trunk section of wood; there is a lot of stress on that joint, and there are good reasons why later ones were steel.

Moldboards were critical for turning sod, but they require much more force than previous plow designs. So, larger teams of oxen or larger horses to make it work.

All the best,

Peter