Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-08
The farn, aud fireside,
SAVE THE MACHINERY.

SAVE THE MACHINERY.
If the amount of money lost each year to
the farmers of the United States, by sheer neg
lect and carelessness in the care of farm ma
chinery and implements, could be even ap-
proximately arrived at, it would probably pre-
sent one of the most astonishing examples OF
waste the country has yet seen. Fully as great
as the perquisites-to say stealings might be
considered libelous-of those who have to do
with the erection of our public buildings, and
the various jobs of some of our law makers,
both National and State. It would so good
way in paying the interest on our national
debt. Now, considering that the working
people pay nearly all the interest of this debt,
as well as the principal so far as paid, and
simply for the reason that they vote for such
men for w-makerS as the pot-house pander-
ers who run the political caucuses and con-
ventions choose to select, and as the farmers
of the United States compose much more than
one-half of this population, it behooves them
to economic in this important matter in the
wear and tear Of farm machinery and imple-
ments. Many of them are costly, and when
worn, either from carelessness or long use, are
not only inefficient, but expensive to keep even
in working order We have time and again
written upon this subject, especially upon the
saving and keeping them properly housed, and
their bright surfaces protected from rust, and
their wooden and rough iron parts well paint
ed, and will here only add that the makers OF
machines and implements often buy, particu-
larly old machines, if well preserved, at enor-
nous prices, simply as an advertisement, just
as piano-maker does an ancient harpsichord,
to show their customers how long piano will
last.
Experiments made in France, some years
ago, showed that the friction of wooden sur
faces running on wood amounted to from one
quarter to one-half the force employed. The
friction of metal on wood was something less,
while with metal on metal surfaces the frlc-
tion was from one-ffth to one-seventh OF the
power required to move them. With lard ap-
piled to wood on wood, the friction was only
one-tenth to one-twentieth of the power re-
quired to move the surfaces. Metal on metal
had the friction reduced to one-haf OF what
it was before. Of the various lubricators
used in these experiments, pure lard and black
lead gave the least friction, when cast iron
moved upon cast iron.
The chief reason why machines last SO much
longer with some farmers than with others, IS
from care in wiping and Oiling, for whenever
bearings get worn, the play soon causes the
machine to become racked from the constant
shaking and jarring of these loose surfaces.
This is especially true of all fast-running
gears, as those of reapers and mowers, thresh-
ers, corn-shellers, tanning mills, and the va
rious feed-grinding power mills III use on the
farm. The chief cause of wear in all Journals
and bearings is either from the cumming OF
the surfaces, from the lubricators used, or
from dirt containing grit working in. All
bearings, therefore, should be frequently wiped
clean, before oiling, and every possible means
used to protect them from outside causes OF
wear. A good wagner always wipes the
axles before oiling them. Very few also wipe
the boxes, and yet one should be as necessary
as the other. 1t will keep the bearing true
for long time, and save vast amount OF
wear and tear for the team. How much more
necessary, then, for such costly machines as
reapers, mowers, threshers, and grinding
mills, whose usual life, as now managed, is
only about three years.
Bearings, fromlong- continued useof gummy
lubricators, sometimes come to consume more
in friction than dry surfaces. There is moth
ing better for cleaning such surfaces than kero-
sene. After cleaning, use only the best lubrl-
Gators. For swift-running bearings, fatty
matter is the best. Gtispoor economy to buy
cheap oily For slow bearings and Journals,
petroleum lubricators are the best. If horses
had the speech given to Baalam's ass, they
would often put their masters in mind Of the
loss accruing from the lack of oil, but since
the only means of communication is through
CALLED shoulders, curbs, sprains, windgals, etc.,
we suppose ignorant and non-reading farmers
will 60 on, year after year, in the old slack way,
warned only by complaining and creaking
axles, rickety machines and disabled teams,
which indeed only complain after so much in.
jury is done that the value of the machine or
animal is thereafter not worth much.-Prairie
Farmer. ,.-.. ..