Would you believe that a dispute over Forestry preceded the Boston Tea Party in the American Revolutionary War? Here's how it went down.
Forestry and US History
- Thread starter madhatte
- Start date
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Diameter Limits did not work.
I feel sorry for the horses. Cutting their ears off was a little bit cruel.
I feel sorry for the horses. Cutting their ears off was a little bit cruel.
Guess I'll start sticking things in this thread that I find while cleaning/organizing my shop and warehouse. All the axes and crosscut saws I posted pics of earlier were just hanging around waiting to be discovered. Now I've found some pumps and engines from way-way back.
The coolest is a Pacific Pumper Model "Y" positive-displacement pump, powered by a 10-HP, 2-stroke, 2-cylinder Johnson model "K" outboard engine. I believe it was built around 1940. When I found it it was seized up tight, but after I separated the engine from the pump and cracked open the access to the rod and crank bearings, a little WD had it turning freely with good compression in no time. I got it to pop on WD on the second crank. Haven't run it with its carb yet. Simple thing, single-barrel, single-draft, with a float... made of cork! It's a cool engine. The pump apparatus itself is similar to the WWII Navy "Handy Billy" fire pump, except that this model has an entirely different intake and exhaust manifold. Documentation is scarce, as these appear to have gone out of production around 1950. I'll get pics up as soon as I remember to bring my camera in. Better yet, video of it running. I intend to have it available as working equipment rather than as a display piece.
I have also found an old 4-cylinder Wisconsin VH4D engine with a Darley 1.5 AGE single-stage centrifugal pump attached. The engine, near as I can figure, is 30 HP and the pump is still made. I have no idea how old this thing is as I haven't run the numbers yet. It's pretty well-preserved under a tarp with only minor surface rust showing. I'm guessing it was an oily mess when it was stored.
In the warehouse is a bewildering array of hand tools from who-knows-when -- Plumb adzes (obviously the precursor to modern hazel hoes), hoedads from a dozen manufacturers, a homemade double Pulaski, and other tools marked with defunct brands by forgotten manufacturers.
Another interesting bit of history pertinent only to my agency is a set of 3x5 cards which was somebody's inventory of saws from about 1985. It shows equipment going back into the 70's, all of which was Homelite until they bought a couple of 024's in the mid-80's. So, it appears that my shop was all-Homelite for a good many years; the last few 330's were retired just as I got here. We're all Stihl now, for reasons I've elaborated upon elsewhere.
What's interesting about this collection is that it shows the history of equipment in one very small agency dating back no less than 60 years, and the changes in equipment over that time. There are similar historical trails in the paperwork regarding cruises and sale information, as well as photographs dating to the late 40's. I gotta figure out what to do with all this stuff -- some should certainly be junked, such as worn-out fire hose. Some should certainly NOT be junked, such as any usable tool and any running engine or pump.
The coolest is a Pacific Pumper Model "Y" positive-displacement pump, powered by a 10-HP, 2-stroke, 2-cylinder Johnson model "K" outboard engine. I believe it was built around 1940. When I found it it was seized up tight, but after I separated the engine from the pump and cracked open the access to the rod and crank bearings, a little WD had it turning freely with good compression in no time. I got it to pop on WD on the second crank. Haven't run it with its carb yet. Simple thing, single-barrel, single-draft, with a float... made of cork! It's a cool engine. The pump apparatus itself is similar to the WWII Navy "Handy Billy" fire pump, except that this model has an entirely different intake and exhaust manifold. Documentation is scarce, as these appear to have gone out of production around 1950. I'll get pics up as soon as I remember to bring my camera in. Better yet, video of it running. I intend to have it available as working equipment rather than as a display piece.
I have also found an old 4-cylinder Wisconsin VH4D engine with a Darley 1.5 AGE single-stage centrifugal pump attached. The engine, near as I can figure, is 30 HP and the pump is still made. I have no idea how old this thing is as I haven't run the numbers yet. It's pretty well-preserved under a tarp with only minor surface rust showing. I'm guessing it was an oily mess when it was stored.
In the warehouse is a bewildering array of hand tools from who-knows-when -- Plumb adzes (obviously the precursor to modern hazel hoes), hoedads from a dozen manufacturers, a homemade double Pulaski, and other tools marked with defunct brands by forgotten manufacturers.
Another interesting bit of history pertinent only to my agency is a set of 3x5 cards which was somebody's inventory of saws from about 1985. It shows equipment going back into the 70's, all of which was Homelite until they bought a couple of 024's in the mid-80's. So, it appears that my shop was all-Homelite for a good many years; the last few 330's were retired just as I got here. We're all Stihl now, for reasons I've elaborated upon elsewhere.
What's interesting about this collection is that it shows the history of equipment in one very small agency dating back no less than 60 years, and the changes in equipment over that time. There are similar historical trails in the paperwork regarding cruises and sale information, as well as photographs dating to the late 40's. I gotta figure out what to do with all this stuff -- some should certainly be junked, such as worn-out fire hose. Some should certainly NOT be junked, such as any usable tool and any running engine or pump.
HILLBILLYREDNEC
Addicted to ArboristSite
A small front office display with the history of the district would neat way for the general public to see the changes. The old timers had some creative solutions to fire fighting hand tools.
