Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-11-25
The Toulouse and Repair.shop.

THE farmer who does not count
among his outbuildings Toulouse and
q repair-shop loses considerable sum
of money every year unnecessarily.
Dollar after dollar dwindies impercep-
tibly away, because reapers and NOW
crs. seed-drills, plows and harrows are
suffered to remain just where they were
last employed to bear the injurious ac-
ton of pelting storms and drying winds.
Tools worn and looseaed and calling
for simple repairs are used until past all
mending. and machines are run as long
as possible, to finally be sent, at great
expense, long distances for renovation
Every body as rule comedies that wag-
ons ought to be kept under cover and
usually provision is made for them in
the shed or wagon-house, but many
there are who do not appear to realize
how ruinous it is to hay-tedders. grain
drills, harrows and similar implements
to be exposed to the influences of chang
ing seasons.
On small farms the wagon house is Of
ten made to serve the three-fold service
of shelter to vehicles and the larger
pieces of farm machinery. with work
or repair-shop partilioned off in one
corner. In the latter room should be a
workbench on one side, with shelves
and brackets to hold tools and racks for
the smaller farm implements, such as
hoes, rakes, shovels and the like,
which may not be accommodated in the
room devoted to the large machinery.
Here a farmer and his boys may, with
the assistance of set of carpenters
and blacksmith's tools, add largely to
the profit side of the farm balance-sheet,
not only by the early repairing of tools,
machinery and harness, but during the
winter months by the fashioning of
numberless conveniences for the dwell
ing house. The repair-shop, be it I'M
derstood, in sections where fuel is plen-
tiful ought always to be provided with
q stove. An inexpensive small tight one,
with a pipe set into substantial CHM
ney, will render it comfortable place
for the workmen and afford such fire as
may be required in blacksmith work.
The expense attending the fitting up
of a convenient and comfortable repair
shop can in season or two be wiped
out by the proper cleaning and oiling of
moving machines, the painting of wag-
on bodies, the repairing of wheels and
axles, the replacing of rake teeth, the
tightening of hoe handles, the sharpen
ing Of knives to reaping machines, the
making of rollers and stump-pullers, the
furnishing of empty rooms in the house
with homemade furniture which a
thrifty housewife will gladly assist IN
npholstering with cretonne, jute-cloth
or other inexpensive material; the man.
t1facture of a refrigerator for next sum-
mer, a set of extra window sashes for
mosquito season, new filter for the cis-
tern-in a word, an endless number of
small but necessary articles which cost
much money to buy outright. All this
nd more has been accomplished dur
stormy weather and long winter
PTings, under cover of what is termed
Gu Dsorkshops on the farms of progress
roce,eR. On large farms, of course, the
victions arises for separate Toulouse,
Up and wagon-sheds. These
For yourhould be not only tightly COW
presenave good floors made a little
$75. OO.nd. The floors NAV be con-
Terms fo.a low grade of plank, SO
langu3pense will be light, but floors
namet be of one kind or other.
piyinsstanding upon the ground re-
A.I injury by the dampness aris-
s Sg@a ON, which not only rusts the
y Hhi6ons but swells the woodwork.
nractieare variety of mixtures which
Ae applied to the iron parts of i'm
Jyents to prevent rusting, the cheap
If which is grease that has not been
I'D. An excellent article can be pre-
pared for the protection of either steel
or iron by melting lard and common
rosin slowly together and stirring the
mixture as it cools. When required in
large quantities make in the proportion
of about six pounds of lard to two of
rosin. If only a small amount is desired,
a piece of rosin the size of a hens egg
will suffice for one pound of lard. This
mixture NAV be applied with cloth or
any article that will give thin coating
to the metal surface to be protected.
The rosin prevents the lard from be-
coming rancid, and the grease excludes
air and moisture. Before applying this
or other protective washes the machines
should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and
dust; wipe the bearings and oil with
castor oil. Castor oil, by the way, Is
among the best of oils for iron axles.
Awheel well fabricated with it not only
turns readily, but wears much longer
than when oiled with cheaper sorts of
grease.
1t is not only economy to look after
the, iron and steel portions of tools and
machinery but the woodwork claims at
tention. Alternate wetting and drying
soon Injuries any wood, causing cracking
and finally decay. This may be pre-
vented by the timely and occasional ap-
plication of some cheap paint. When
the woodwork from exposure has be-
come cracked, it is advised to give it q
wash of crude petroleum previous to an
external coat of paint. Petroleum not
only improves all wooden tools but is
alike valuable for rustic furniture ex-
posed to the weather. An occasional
coat of this oil improves the coler and
renders the article more lasting. Gas
tar is sometimes employed as a paint for
wagon wheels. A correspondent who
has made use of it in this way saws that
it forms a hard, durable, black pol
ish, somewhat like japan on tinware,
and dries in the. summer sun on the
wood in one day and on iron in two days.
"