1900s Hay Trolley [Rescue]

  • 6 years ago
I decided to go with a different finish for this antique tool rescue / restoration. This is a Boomer Double Swivel Hay Carrier/Trolley made by the Milwaukee Hay Tool Company. The company lasted until 1931, but this trolley was likely earlier and possibly in the 1900s. The original patent is for 1906 and is located here:

This is one of the few antique tools I have restored that is malleable iron and not cast iron. It is really nice to deal with that instead of cast iron as I can be more rough as I am taking the tool apart. Malleable iron can also be bent and not shatter into a million pieces.

The "trip" took a long time to find and definitely seem to be more rare than the trolley itself. I used 3/4" natural fibre rope in this video. I also used a simple recipe of boiled linseed oil, polyurethane, and paint thinner to make a simple "danish oil" finish that I like to use on bare metal to preserve patina. I feel like I should have welded the metal track differently with it ending in a "U" shape instead of a "T" shape, as that would have made installing the trip much easier and allowing more strength to the track.

I hope to actually put this in my new workshop with some lights hanging down from the ropes. It would work great for some extra lighting right above the workbench.

I'd like to thank Evapo-Rust for sponsoring this video.

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