over the hook and held by pushing the lever down with the left-hand
and turning the handle with the right-hand, making a twisted loop.
The other end of the unit is used by raising the clamping part and
inserting wire, then pushing down the clamping bar. This removes
the kinks and straightens the wire. While the wire is tight, push
the cutter bar down and it cuts the wire. I’ve tried it and it
works great, but I can see where you could spend a lot of
wintertime hours making wire for the summer hay season.

There are no names on the unit, just single-digit casting
numbers. Does anyone know the name of the manufacturer, or where
this might have been made?

– Raymond Fenley
640 Jernigan Road
Copper Canyon, TX 75077
(940) 241-2700

Memories of a multi-feature “Monkey’s Paw”

Some 70 years ago, my father and I went to the sale at the
Norton (Kan.) Sale Barn. A traveling man sat outside at a small
workbench, making this kitchen gadget he called a “monkey’s paw.”
Dad bought one for my mother, and I still have it. His bench had
jigs on it to make every twist and bend on that gadget, and the man
made one for you in a few minutes.

He had a good line on all the things it could be used for. I can
only remember about three: You could use it to remove hot jars from
the boiler while canning; flip the handle over 360 degrees and use
the back of the “paw” to remove hot pans or cans without handles;
and remove boiled eggs from hot water by holding the “paw” end and
cradling the egg in the handle end.

I hope this answers some of the questions asked by Michael
Cregar (Farm Collector, August 2005, page 6). There should
still be some monkey’s paws around, as he was doing a good business
the day he was here.

– Glenn Schulze
Norton, Kan.

Looking for copies from an engine catalog

Do any of the readers know of anyone who might own a copy of the
1908 Fairbanks, Morse & Co. General Catalog No. 60? I
would like to have photocopies of a couple of pages.

– Dr. Charles C. Smith
Geological Survey of Alabama
420 Hackberry Lane
P.O. Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486
(205) 247-3609
fax: (205) 349-2861
e-mail: ccsmith@gsa.state.al.us

Stumped by a Timken Bearings Co. lawn tractor

I have a small lawn tractor made by Timken Bearings Co. The
tractor stands nearly 3 feet tall. There is a panel on it that says
something about a mowing deck, but I know that it has a sickle
mower on it. The small tractor also has a hand lift on it. It has
only two gears: forward and reverse. I have modified it a little. I
put an 8 hp motor on and a tin hood so that the rain won’t get into
it. I have done a little research on it. It had a hit-and-miss
motor and a fold-up hood. I would like more information on how it
is supposed to look and how it is supposed to go together.

– Adam Noah
517 Small Road
Biscoe, NC 27209

What did it press?

This is a Hubbard section press. That’s the name on the wood
frame of this piece. It was patented on June 17, 1886 (as indicated
on the frame). Can anyone tell me what this item is, and what it
was used for?

– A.A. Atherton Sr.
5439 FM 1569
Farmersville, TX 75442

Plow stumps reader

This is a five-disc plow. Thee discs are 36 inches in diameter,
and the disc hubs and wheel hubs are Weavers. Any information from
readers would be helpful.

– Jerome Smolek
6948 N. 1150 W.
North Judson, IN 46366
(574) 896-3567

LETTERS

Stories to share? Whether reminiscing about a tractor, a piece
of equipment or early farm practices – or maybe just showing off a
restoration – your stories are important to Farm
Collector! Submissions are always welcome. Compliments or
Suggestions? Ideas? Comments? Memories? Questions? We’ll print ’em
all, as space allows.

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EDITORIAL
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