Weekend Steam II: Coppards Steam Ploughing Crowborough

Merle picked a topic that is not well known in North America. I first saw this system in the Iron Men Album, back in 1965. It is a fascinating operation. Thank You, Merle!

Coppards: 

Ploughing By Steam

"Steam ploughing with a set of Fowler BB1 Ploughing Engines, No. 15145 'Rusty' of 1917, and No. 15222 OF 1918. The engines are being used with a Fowler 2 furrow balance plough from about 1870.

Ploughing engines are a specialised form of steam traction engine used for ploughing. Each engine has a winch underneath that is used to haul the plough back and forth across the field. The engines then move forwards alternately, allowing the whole field to be plough. The twin engine system was developed by John Fowler in the 1860s and 70s, and the firm bearing his name manufactured them up until the 1930s. Fowler engines were exported throughout the British Empire, and further afield. These particular engines were built as part of an emergency order from the Ministry of Food in WW1, due to the limited food supplies making it through to Great Britain from America as a result of the U-Boat attacks in the Atlantic. The idea was to use the ploughing tackle to get as much waste land into production as possible."

Weekend Steam: SS Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty Ship

 Many Thanks, Merle!

Poppy, Foster Schipperke

 Poppy may be a mix. Her face is a bit chihuahua-like, with a steep forehead. She is a retired dog from a breeder in the Midwest, and has always lived confined. We are working on housebreaking, toys, going in and out, and being a pet. Dogs from breeders often don't want to sit in your lap, but they eventually come around. Poppy is making great progress, and she sleeps through the night in her kennel.

Don't Rock Your Saw!

 Here is a simple and easy method to keep your saw out of the dirt, rocks, or concrete while bucking logs. Plant the tail!

Keep It Sharp, Stop And File Often!

Your saw can be cutting fine one minute, and throwing dust the next. Learn how to file so you can touch up your chains. Wear your readers so you can see the edges of the teeth. Wear your leather gloves, and have good light.

Tuesday Torque: Hard Tail!

 You sure do find some good ones, Merle! We can't thank you enough! I hope the Dad puts a rubber belt around that drive wheel for traction.

A Tree For A Friend

 

We took down the black cherry next to the north barn, bucked a couple 1/2 logs, and dragged it out of the woods. It is a fine looking tree, and I think our friend will make some fine lumber with it. He sealed the ends as soon as he got home, and will pressure wash it to get the dirt out of the bark before he cuts it. The ends will be re-sealed before it goes into his kiln to dry.

Now we have more wood to work up for Winter!  Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam II: Doughty Valley Steam Days

 Merle sent us another show that we should go see! Many Thanks!

Weekend Steam: War Talk...

 Merle found a great photo on FBook, well worth sharing, illustrative, and food for serious thought. Thank You, Merle!

"US Soldier examines a blown up boiler on a locomotive in Canisy Normandy - July / August 1944

LIFE Magazine Archives - Frank Scherschel Photographer WWP-PD"

One of my thoughts when seeing this was whether the enginemen were part of the German army, or Frenchmen who had no choice but to continue their jobs under the control of their invaders. Sober business for those who have to go....

Don't Cheer, Robert W. Service

Don't cheer, damn you! Don't cheer!
Silence! Your bitterest tear
Is fulsomely sweet to-day. . . .
Down on your knees and pray.

See, they sing as they go,
Marching row upon row.
Who will be spared to return,
Sombre and starkly stern?
Chaps whom we knew; so strange,
Distant and dark with change;
Silent as those they slew,
Something in them dead too.
Who will return this way,
To sing as they sing to-day.

Send to the glut of the guns
Bravest and best of you sons.
Hurl a million to slaughter,
Blood flowing like Thames water;
Pile up pyramid high
Your dead to the anguished sky;
A monument down all time
Of hate and horror and crime.
Weep, rage, pity, curse, fear -
Anything, but . . . don't cheer.

Sow to the ploughing guns
Seed of your splendid sons.
Let your heroic slain
Richly manure the plain.
What will the harvest be?
Unborn of Unborn will see. . . .

Dark is the sky and drear. . . .
For the pity of God don't cheer.
Dark and dread is their way.
Who sing as they march to-day. . . .
Humble your hearts and pray.

Bucking Hackberry: When To Quit

The saw was running great, but I quit before I was done. I was getting hot, but that's not the reason I quit. The saw was cutting just a bit to the right, but not enough to jam it up. I quit when the saw began throwing dust instead of chips. A good filing, checking and filing the depth gauges will be done before this saw goes out again.