This IS a drill

[British Red]

I have enjoyed chatting about old tools with members of the forum several times in the past - from restoring and updating "Yankee" screwdrivers to using "Handy Billy" block and tackle rigs.

With that in mind I thought you might like to see one of my planned "Winter" projects - restoring an old seed drill

This is the drill


Seed Drill by British Red, on Flickr

The Wheels are adjustable along the axle to change the row spacing and there are a variety of holes on the dispenser for various seed sizes and planting densities


Seed Drill Adjustable Wheels by British Red, on Flickr

The brush to move seeds from the hopper to the drill is still in place - although I may make some more to vary the dispensing rate


Seed Drill Hopper and brush by British Red, on Flickr

I got this old war horse from a retiring farmer up the way, whose son has no desire to work land. The guy recalls his granddad drilling two acres of onions in a day with this . Its a lovely old tool - far nicer than the modern plastic jobs, so I intend to put it back as it should be....and maybe in fifty years, we will be commonly using such things again

 

[Robbi]

lovely

i hope you'll call it Jethro

 

[WULF]

Wow,what a great bit of 'old' kit.
Be sure to show the restored job Red........im sure you will.

 

[petrochemicals]

Have you got one already ? very nice.

lucky so and so, possibly equal to the plough in importance to modern agricultural society the seed drill. Tell the farmer I'll come and work his fields for him.

 

[Macaroon]

There're not many greater pleasures than ressurecting lovely old tools and machinery and that drill looks like a great candidate for rescue; I'll look forward to seeing the results...............atb mac

 

[British Red]

Have you got one already ? very nice.

lucky so and so, possibly equal to the plough in importance to modern agricultural society the seed drill. Tell the farmer I'll come and work his fields for him.

He's given up pc - rented his fields out to "big agriculture". Very sad. I promised him some proper bread and beer - he misses the days when bread didn't last more than two days. It was a small farm - they just can't compete now with the demand for "cheap food" - particularly proper mixed farms.

 

[shaggystu]

That's a great looking bit of kit, is it for tensioning fencing wire?

 

[Shambling Shaman]

The only responce I've got is.......


Jethro Tull

 

[HillBill]

Nice one Hugh. A worthy project

 

[British Red]

That's a great looking bit of kit, is it for tensioning fencing wire?

<chuckle>

No, but I can do you a picture of a wire strainer if you like!

 

[petrochemicals]

He's given up pc - rented his fields out to "big agriculture". Very sad. I promised him some proper bread and beer - he misses the days when bread didn't last more than two days. It was a small farm - they just can't compete now with the demand for "cheap food" - particularly proper mixed farms.

It is a shame, that farms and rural communities have headed the way they have, but thats the modern world. Problems are no social lives and isolated children. If they want my advice the only way for young folk to get into farming is to farm from towns until the kids are older and they want to retire to the countryside. If this blokes son and the neighbouring farms got together, they could commute to the farm from the town. One could always do night duty if needed! Bigger farm cooperative, economies of scale, social lives, and mixed farms too.

 

[rik_uk3]

Sorry I misread the title, thought you meant this

[video=youtube;W3-BeTuEOZg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3-BeTuEOZg[/video]

Its so bad its great

 

[British Red]

I was going for the Kentucky Fried Movie reference

This is not a drill - drills go Black-and-Decker-Black-and-Decker-Black-and-Decker...

 

[feralpig]

Still a very practical piece of kit. Lot better than sowing a drill by hand.

 

[British Red]

Just so - I have a nasty modern plastic one at present - but I hope to replace it with this one!