The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-01-28
DOubletrees and Whippletrees.

For common farm use, doubletrees and
whippletrees can as well be made in the
home workshop as at the bench of a
wagon maker. And the farmer has op-
portunity when splitting rails, fire-wood,
etc, to select such timber as is most suita-
BILE for these implements
The doubletree should be two inches
thick and four and half inches broad in
the center, and three and one fourth wide
at the ends. A doubletrre is not SO stout
when the taper is all made upon the back
side, nor do they look rs well as when
made upon both sides. The length of it
should be determined by the length of the
whippletrees. Where the latter are three
feet long the former shoull be four feet in
length. A tough piece of oak makes the
best doubletree used /; however, good quail
tiles of ash and hickory answer well
The holes for the clevises should be
about three inches from the ends, and
bored as far back from the center of the
stick as the irons will allow.
Have staple go through the center to
draw by, made of Swedes iron, and held
by two nuts on the front, with a plate of
iron under these extending from one to
the other. The staple on the back side
should be heavy because all the wear
comes at this place, but the parts that go
through the wood are usually twice as
large as necessary. No train can come
on these parts except straight draft, and no
span OF horses can pull in twain two rods
OF iron fve-sixteenths in size. If large
staples are used, the streng til is taken from
the wood. Ii the double,ree is to be used
upon wagon or sled pole, bore the pin or
hammer hole well in front of the center
1t is good plan to have a staple in the
doubletree belonging to a wagon for there
rno n Iran yhor, ii,
used to move some object, and to wind
this around the doubletrec Injuries it, and
besides, team cannot be made to draw
true, as the point Of draft cannot be kent
in the center.
For common farm nse the Whippletrees
should be two feet and eight inches long.
Ii longer than this they are not handy,
and if much shorter the tugs will chafe
the horses sides. Oak, hickory and ash
are used, but usually, those made of first
class hickory are the most durable. When
heavy pull is made, hickory will springs
little, and this very much les ems the
liability of their breaking.
Two inches and half broad by one
and half inches thick, is heavy enough.
The draw iron in the center should clasp
the whole wood. Never use on draft
Whlppletree, what is called plug hooks
those that drive or scre1J into the end.
The ferule hook is much better, D. e. hook
and ferule made together Of wrought iron
but better than this will is be to use what
is called clasp and safety hook. Any black
smith knows how to make them. If
ironed as last proposed, make the wood
inch and one-half by two and half in
the center, one inch and ne-eighth broad
at the ends, by one inch thick-make
true taper; oval the Sides leaving fiat
surface three fourths of an inch wide on
front and back for the clasp irons Usually
whippletrees made after this style are left
too large at the ends, and have bungling
appearance. Making them small al these
places does rot weaken the Implement
Ohio Farmer