The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-09-10
REPAIRING IMPLEMENTS.
How the Careful Farmer Can Save Man
Hard-Earned Dollars.

How the Careful Farmer Can Save Many
Hard-Earned Dollars.
Here we see vast difference in the
management of farmers. Some are
always running to the shops for re-
pairs, or buying new parts from the
manufacturers to replace the used up
cid ones. Like the gun that was re-
newed in lock, stock and barrel, the
original implement is gradually lost in
repairs. No matter what the nipple
ment, the character of the work, seed
time or harvest, these men will be seen
on the road to or from a shop. 1t
makes very little difference. about the
quality or age of the implement, it is
constantly in need of repair. Other
farmers again never seem to have
break-downs. Their machinery always
runs smoothly and is seldom repaired.
There can be no fatality about this.
1t must all be in the management of the
farmer.
Machines are not, of course, built
like the famous ''one-hoss shay" They
have all got their weak places
places that will wear out or break first,
and thus come to need repairs, but it
should be the study of the farmer to
keep these down to the minimum. Re-
pairs are expensive expensive in them
selves and in the losses which they
directly and indirectly occasion. Com
pare the price of a casting that is
bought to take the place of broken
one with the cost of the original piece
proportionately figured on the price of
the whole machine!. Manufacturers and
dealers readily admit that their profits
are enormous on these repairs. The
farmer knows that he is paying two or
three hundred per cent more than the
article ought to bring, but he is
obliged to buy, and of that particular
shop where his machine was built. so
he is completely at the mercy of the
dealers. 1t certainly behooves the
farmer to look carefully after the con-
dition of his implements, and not al
low these break-downs to occur. 1t
does not take long to lay out the price
of new machine upon an old one.
There is but little use to buy repairs for
an old machine that is becoming badly
worn in all its parts. Better buy new
again than to do this.
An old, worn-out machine may oc-
caslon much loss of valuable time.
No farmer should enter the hay or
harvest field with such a machine,
and trust to repairs to carry him
through. Il is an easym after to lose
the price of machine in this way. The
losses occasioned by having to take the
team out of the field and away to town
for repairs every two or three days can
hardly De estimated. Haying may be
delayed, bad weather come on, and the
product so much injured that the con-
dition of all the farm stock subsisting
upon it is affected during the following
winter. There is no department of
farm management but that affects and
is affected by all others.
Much of the repairing needed by farm
implements can be done at home by
the farmer, if he is suitably equipped
for the work. Actual cash outlay is
saved in this way, and much time that
may be of greater importance to the
farmer than the cost OF the repairs.
Every farmer should have his small
workshop and outfit of tools. A small
portable forge with the common iron
working tools can now be had for a
very moderate sum. These, in addi-
ton to the common woodworking
tools, will enable man with very or
binary skill to perform many little jobs
of repairing. He can put new boil
ster in wagon, repair any part of
sleigh, replace a broken beam in the
pillow, rivet, splice or weld almost any
piece of iron that gives out about his
implements. Even a casting may some
times be drilled and iron-strapped, and
repair thus effected without buying
new Cor. Ohio Farmer.