Corn Sheller

[suesyl]

We have this old corn sheller on the farm we bought. The color still seems pretty bright and it works. Any ideas on the age and value? We live and farm in Iowa, I'm sure location might matter on an item such as this. My husband is a little concernedif the bugs might be working on the wood. Is there some treatment he could use that would not affect value? Thanks again for your help

[suesyl]

Another picture.

[bigwull]

You could apply a Safe, odourless Boron based fluid..to eradicate the woodworm....this will not affect the value of this item....as to value.........i don,t have a clue...as i only buy my corn in Tins..Jolly Green Giant....variety... .

[mart]

Good your on a farm !!!  I an sure you have Sevin dust !! Or whatever you use on your garden !!  For that matter Flea and tick powder that you use on Dogs would probably work !!  Just dust it all over and take a brush and make sure you get it in the holes !! Let set a few days and dust excess off !!  You can use most anything as long as it doesn`t stain the wood so make sure its water soluable !!  You can also mix the Sevin with water and spray it on !!

[Rauville]

Nice sheller! I'm guessing that a collector would pay $200 for one that good.

Here's some background on the Sandwich company: http://www.farmcollector.com/gas-engines/collecting-sandwich-equipment.aspx

(It looks like you should keep it though...if you're going to feed all those horses you have harnesses for. )

[mart]

Gosh !!  Didn`t notice that Rauville !!  Thats a small fortune there !!

[suesyl]

Fortune where Mart? The collars and harnesses? They too were left from when they would have worked before tractors. I haven't got a picture of them, I guess I have looked past them. I do have this dodad fromthe working horses up in the barn that I did get a picture of. My husband is a keeper not a seller of most of our stuff hat we have come across. He has a few more things in the tool line I'll probably be posting.

[suesyl]

That is just the left half. Is it a harness of some sort? I've only been a farmer for 39 years so it is before my time. 

[Rauville]

That is just the left half. Is it a harness of some sort? I've only been a farmer for 39 years so it is before my time. 

Looks like a set of draft horse breeching harness. The trouble with old leather that has been hanging for years is that it's probably not usable for much of anything but as parts for repairs.

Your "dodad" is a Doubletree (an evener and two singletrees), that would have been behind a team of horses. The tugs on the harness on each horse would have attached to the singletrees.

Maybe Mart has harnessed a team and could tell you more. I couldn't remember how myself.

[mart]

http://horsenharness.com/hitchings.html
Scroll down here and get a better view of singletrees with evener !! 
People still use harness here but mostly for pulling wagons for fun !! Not in a work situation !!  Good older harness are hard to find !! I would start oiling those leathers and see if they are still good !! Didn`t see the collars but did see the hames,, looks like they were a home made set !!   Any Amish farmer could help you with those !! 

[suesyl]

We do have Amish in our area and know some folks personally. We hired Amish to do roofing and painting here on the farm, I think they may have recommended emmersing the leather in a drum of oil. I'll take some pictures in the barn over the weekend. This man came from a farming family and moved on to this property in 1910.

[bigwull]

This is what you need to use to rejuvenate..those leather harness,s....

http://www.amazon.com/Lexol-1013-Leather-Conditioner-Liter/dp/B000637TNM

[mart]

Lexol can be used but plain old Neatsfoot oil is cheaper !!~  Don`t have the bottle in front of me but I think Lexol is  just a brand name neatsfoot oil with extra conditioner !!  For that matter any cheap corn or vegetable based oil works just as well !!

[KC]

Fun stuff!!!  See if you can give that leather some new life!  Like Mart said, this neck-of-the-woods the Neatsfoot Oil is a winner on this application of leather.  (Wouldn't recommend it for your sofa tho'.)

Neat discoveries!!!!  Enjoy the adventure!!!

[mart]

Wish I had those harness !! I would have Jolene hooked up and teaching her to pull in no time !!