Restored 1880's EUREKA Mower - An Industrial Work of Art!

[@carmenp1976]

My husband restored this machine and we were very honored to see your KZbin video on it. I have pictures of the umbrella with it but can't paste them into these comments unfortunately.

[@mikewatson4644]

Thank you to you and your husband. Great job restoring

[@tpniefer]

Thanks for saving a machine that many would call junk. Junk is the stuff that is manufactured today.

[@qfly6]

Do you own the two roll husker in that area also? If so, is that an Appleton husker or is just the horsepower Appleton? Love your guys’ display.

[@georgestirewalt8508]

Thanks for great mower to look at.

[@madsonicboating]

agree...very cool!

[@davidkimmel5153]

Very interesting. Thanks

[@brianrvd]

They used to curve a lot of spokes because they won't crack as it cools and shrinks like a straight spoke would.

[@horstszibulski19]

And it provides some flex in them also while riding, compare that with the crossed spokes on your bike, put them in straight and you would have a quite harsh ride! 👍 🚲

[@Drottninggatan2017]

@@horstszibulski19 On the bike they has to take up the forces when braking and driving up a hill.

[@Greg_Gatsby]

I suspected there was a functional reason for the curved spokes. I also noted the receptacle behind the seat to hold a shade umbrella. 👍

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Beautiful industrial art.. The craft of creating those castings is simply wonderful.

[@wvrockcrusher]

Absolutely beautiful castings on that mower. Few people realize the level of skill and knowledge that it takes to produce an ornate casting like that and have it function, not to mention stay in one piece. And this was all done without computer-aided design no less. True craftsmen in a time where a lot of pride was put into designing and building things.

[@ronw59]

During those times, the P was for Pride. The P is still present today, but it is only all about Profit.

[@wvrockcrusher]

@@ronw59 Got that right. How much of the junk that is built now will be around 100+ years from now that isn't in a landfill somewhere? At the very least, the old stuff can be fixed and used again, the new stuff is mostly not fixable because it was never designed to be. I am still using some machinery daily in my machine shop that is well over 100 yrs. old without failure.

[@lordcaptainvonthrust3rd]

That's awesome From a time when companies were as keen on aesthetics as they were about practicality. Unlike these days of conformity and profit maximisation for the CAD criteria Thanks, Squatch

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

That's when they took pride in what they made! Thanks!

[@FeralPreacher]

A functional work of art. Thanks for sharing.

[@neilkratzer3182]

That's when you did things in style and proud of your products.

[@anthonyhoult152]

Hello Toby, that is one piece of equipment that just shows true craftsmanship and how proud the craftmen would of been the day they had finished putting it together. Sadly today we have lost that pride in work and this just makes me think more that I was born in the wrong generation. I bet if it was put to work it would show up some modern machines!

[@brianhayes7618]

I have never seen a sickle bar mower like that, very cool and practical with alot of thought put into its design. It also looks like a heavy duty design that would deliver years of service. It just shouts out quality and strength in its components. Would love to see one in action to see how well they worked.

[@thirzapeevey2395]

I would only want to see it in action pulled by a tractor. That would be a horse killer.

[@buridanjwh]

excellent post for post-labor day because it is in part the unions of the day with the apprenticeship system they had that made that mower the way it is. the apprentices spent quiet a bit of time taking off edges on all those designs. when we lost that pool of labor to save costs, we lost much of the art.

[@robertmailhos8159]

Some one did a great job on restoring this horse drawn sickle bar mower 👍

[@LoggerLloyd]

Pride is design and function for something to be handed down for generations. Now we hope things last long enough to get through the job they were purchased for before being thrown away as it cost more to fix them than replace them.

[@kentsavick2516]

Too much pride can get you into trouble, but I really miss some pride in peoples work.

[@markdavich5829]

I love how art and style were just as important as design and function. I watch a lot of the Proper People channel, (urban exploration) and when they get into some of the old abandoned powerplants designed and built in the 20s and 30s it's really amazing to see how much we've lost in terms of art and style.

[@libsrdum]

Elegant functionally and aesthetically. We never see anything that even tries to do that anymore.

[@RobertBrothersJr-dc7nr]

Very unique mower. Who ever designed it was a true craftsman. All those beautiful intricate designs. Thanks, Squatch for a great job explaining it and showing it to us.

[@dirkbonesteel]

LOVE the Roman style wheels. The spoke design is straight out of a Roman Legion

[@benterbieten9540]

What a unique piece of equipment.

[@larrylawson5172]

A couple of things. The zip ties keep the ball clamp for the sickle from falling out/down. There is a ball on the left side of the sickle that moves the sickle back and forth. The ball clamp grabs the ball tightly and then pushes and pulls the sickle back and forth. Toby didn't talk about the wheels on each side of the sickle bar that set the height above the ground. They are beautifully cast. The hitch setup for the horses is interesting. This also likely why this mower is very rare. The way the single trees are set on each side of the mower, one horse is always walking in uncut hay, mashing it down. The other horse is also walking with one side likely in the uncut hay just in front of the sickle that just got mashed down by the other horse on the previous round. If this is a 5 foot sickle, the farmer is losing 18 inches of hay to trampling and uneven cut. An uneven cut is lost hay for winter feeding. Mowers with side mounted sickles, the horses are always walking on cut ground. So the standing hay is not trampled and the cut is more even. I do not think even the Old Order Amish would use this mower if given a choice between this mower and a side mounted mower. Still this is a beautiful piece of history that cannot be replicated today. The fact that the beautiful cast wheels did not show multiple cracks or brazing repairs is incredible. This was a great barn or hedge row find and restoration!!!! I would love to know the history of the find. Is this a pristine find or 13 mowers that made one mower. Either way, it is a great piece of history.

[@jmailbell]

New meaning for yard art. So neat!

[@rogerallen6644]

Great piece of Victorian machinery. Aesthetically pleasing and high functioning!

[@acewrench]

Very stylish. I like the 1880s zip ties at the 3:30 mark 😄

[@johngibson3837]

I liked that little touch too but think it's a latter addition as early zip ties were always black

[@thomaspoeta6308]

Thanks Toby for the walk around. Without you there are so many things that we would not ever be able to see. A remarkable piece of machinery. it's name really suits what it is. A Eureka moment for sure!

[@stevenrapp3217]

Now how cool is that???? What I wouldn't give to see that thing in operation!! Good Stuff!!

[@thirzapeevey2395]

Only if it was pulled by a tractor. I would never hook a horse to that. There is a reason cutter bars were moved to the side of the mower.

[@rogerhodges7656]

It impressive to see the effort that they put into appearance and practicality. Some of the piercings reduce the mass of the casting while maintaining the overall dimension for strength.

[@GaryPArmstrong]

A beautiful piece of Mechanical Art with lots of finger and limb traps.

[@pinesedgefarm1155]

That's a very neat mower!

[@daleparker458]

Mowers were hard on the necks of horses with all the side load when mowing. This is a great design! The only advantage to the side mowers was the horses walked on hay that was already mowed and bar was able to slide under the grass as it passes along. The swath board on the side would provide a clean place for your shoe on the sicke bar. I would really like to see this mow.

[@molinedan]

Real craftsmanship!

[@SalisburySnake]

The style reminded me of the ornate column stoves made in NY (especially Troy, NY) from the 1860's to 1880's. Sure enough, it's made in Utica.

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

When I was a kid horse drawn sickle mowers were everywhere,but I've never saw anything like that,very ornate.

[@Pamudder]

A truly gorgeous piece of work! Eastlake Gothic on wheels.

[@jeffreyplum5259]

As a kid I actually saw someone mowing with horses and more standard sickle bar mower. My Grandfather also used loose hay. There was a loose hay wagon filler in a pasture. I only saw it working in an Amish video here. Many thing now only used as "lawn Art" were important tools in the horse drawn and early tractor powered eras. PTO power was often limited to a belt drive. This meant ground driven mower were often used behind tractors during the change over. Thanks Squatch for showing us another gem from the past. God bless you and Senior.

[@markbrown3256]

That is really cool that's the first one like that I've ever seen

[@dangerrangerlstc]

When metallurgy and patternmaking was more of an art form than an exact science. Was also a highly regarded skilled trade.

[@larrydavidson3402]

That is a work of art.

[@sleepingdogs8939]

I wish companies would consider a little style like they did back when that mower was made.

[@RodneyHayes-d3y]

Old industrial machinery used to be made with that same style, They were proud of what they made

[@johngibson3837]

What a beautifully made machine thanks for showing mate

[@rossgraveley]

That's a really cool mower it's a beautiful design of that mower

[@goatfarmmb]

Manufactured by the Eureka Mower Co. awesome find

[@rickyjessome4359]

Thanks for the video Toby. That is a very neat piece of history and I bet it cuts better than anything they make today. Cheers

[@justjoe7313]

This machine is beautiful twice! It's beautiful in it's function and it's beautiful by design. Beautiful by design ever more so because it's functional and ornamental at once. Eureka indeed! I've started saying "those were the times without TV and computers" and I mean it more and more while watching YT, browsing and swiping on twitter all at the same time.

[@richardmassoth8237]

And it even has an umbrella shade attachment behind the seat. About the only thing that you didn't have was a jug carrier for your cold water while doing this dusty job. Very nice!

[@chrisrhodes5464]

Back when they took pride in their workmanship

[@nealc.6927]

I would love to see that in action . . .

[@geneguenther4325]

Thanks Toby! Very interesting piece of history and would be cool in any collection. Thanks again!

[@terrycannon570]

Toby definately an engineering masterpiece. But I would think the noise of the Sycle would cause a run away team.

[@dellhell8842]

Here in Ireland, you will occasionally see one of these old ground driven cast iron mowers parked in a front garden as an ornament. They were things of beauty.

[@dougkubash8673]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@stephendors8769]

Nice restoration. It must not have mowed that good after the horses walked the hay before it was mowed.

[@shaneharrison4775]

That's a totally cool old mower I seen a couple of them at the Cooperstown frontier farmers colonial and later farming museum they had sythes and mowers similar but nothing as ornate as that Eurika there that's the most wonderfully made unit I've seen dont get me wrong theres plenty of well crafted units but on that one the paint makes it pop. Kinda like J1113 the Swamp Angel

[@rawbsworld6604]

OSIC 👍 thanks for sharing ☝️ fyi Old Stuff Is Cool 🤭😝 ✌️ 🤙

[@mrsock3380]

It looks like a couple of one way clutches on each driven gear next to the wheels to eliminate binding while turning.

[@YeahJustMe]

It would be interesting to see what happens when you are mowing around a curve of any sort. One wheel would have to skid and the mower "pull" would be constantly loading and unloading. Probably no worse overall than plowing, but different.

[@woodhonky3890]

If you look at the small pinion that meshes with the large wheel gear there is a thing that resembles a centrifugal clutch just adjacent to the small pinion gear. I can only imagine that is a one way clutch (there's one on each side) that would solve that problem.

[@danielbutler578]

I have seen several wheel driven farm implements that were set up so that the gears would ratchet if pushed backward. That system could also be used when both wheels drive a shaft. In a turn, the drive on the inside wheel would ratchet because the outside wheel turns faster.

[@YeahJustMe]

@@woodhonky3890 You could very well be right, and that makes sense. The center sickle (not an Eureka) I remember from childhood was somewhat similar, but the axle shaft could "float" a bit from side to side, and those things that look like clutches were in that case crude side-loaded bearings? rollers? that were basically rotating bump stops. I don't really remember the reasoning behind the floating...but there were no clutches at all, and the wheels just skidded as required. No traction bars on the wheels at all, not even nubs like the vestigial ones on the Eureka. Even as a kid I remember that thing wandering quite a bit from side to side, it was tough to avoid leaving an embarassing stripe of unmowed hay or grass. :)

[@YeahJustMe]

@@danielbutler578 Basically, a Detroit Locker. Simple, but effective.

[@a.s.c.2909]

I’ve never seen one like that before. It doesn’t look like that would work very well in tall grass.

[@scottpender143]

That thing reminds me of an old amusement park ride.

[@ericcorse]

She is a beauty and 1 horse power to boot.

[@mumfordthepitbull4581]

Actually 2 horsepower

[@r1mein54]

Cast iron in the 1800s was like the 'plastic' we have in the 20th century.

[@andrewklahold2880]

Like a hay bind with out the crimper

[@andrewklahold2880]

Im just amazed at how much that machine looks like a very first hay bind , I don't know when the first hay binds were built with crimper rolls my guess is the late sixties

[@johnnymorrow63]

So cool to see!

[@clydeschwartz]

Excellent video

[@seniorelectrician6831]

that is very unique for sure.

[@ruben_balea]

Cybertruck designers could have a mental breakdown if they see that mower, they don't know that it can be done very simple and very beautiful at the same time... and on top of that it does the job it was designed for... the mower, I mean.

[@farmerbill6855]

Wood parts are swathboards. Umbrella holder behind the seat does it for me.

[@RPike-bq3xm]

A little Devils advocate. It looks like a death trap. The wonderful design makes it look appealing. "Come , operate me. I dare you". I hope you trust the horses.

[@woodsontr]

It looks like a real potential for the horse or whatever animal is used for this mower, to get it’s heels clipped 😲☝️

[@darrenhersey9794]

Pretty cool machine. It must be around 140 years old if my math is close

[@wagon9082]

Good video Thank you

[@stuartstephens]

A lot of the decoration and style could have been left out of the castings and the mower would have worked just as well, but they took the time to make it pretty. Once the original patterns were made, it probably didn't take any longer to cast the parts, and they probably saved a little on material because of the various cutouts - that would have added up over time to some real savings.

[@squatch253]

Back when the "Bean Counters" actually still had some common sense lol ;-)

[@brycewiborg8095]

Yep ! Plenty of opportunities to get injured. Hence all of the Pay attention lectures i got growing up. I was told that the sickle bar mower, and the binders killed more horses. Tussen Takk !

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

Art and appearance was as important as function in that time. Yes, a lot of that mindset has been lost. 😮😢

[@paulsilva3346]

Awww, I waited for a Yellow themed A253 credits ending....

[@M8Stealth]

Same thing in machinery has happened in our architecture compared to buildings built a hundred or even nearly a thousand years ago like the Notre Dame Cathedral which started construction in 1163.

[@rinardman]

Squatch, you didn't explain how the drive system works, with no differential on the drive shaft between the wheels. Did the operator disengage the drive gear when making a turn, or count on wheel slippage? 🤔 Edit: After further review, I think I may have it figured out.

[@coltnavrat7383]

Hello toby from ks been thinking about ya buddy

[@squatch253]

Thanks Colt, so far the old eyeball is holding and doing better every day - just about back to where I was last year before all the trouble started :-)

[@1crazynordlander]

I love it!

[@gator19601123]

Is that round pipe on the back of the seat original? It looks like it was for a umbrella.

[@ronchappel4812]

Man they really went to town with the lightening.Very cool Hey maybe someone here can tell me - can cast steel be welded? It's something i've never heard an absolute yes or no

[@squatch253]

Yes, cast steel can be welded and I've done it with success every time I've attempted it. Cast iron on the other hand, requires a lot more technique and expertise to do correctly.

[@ronchappel4812]

@@squatch253 Thanks! Good to know

[@russjordan3996]

what about the gauge wheels on the cutter bar?

[@TenaciousT-r6u]

So on the back of the seat was a pipe - was that for a umbrella ?

[@stanschleusener6444]

Wonder how they made the turn at each corner? Seems like they would have to make a circle and come back in to make a square turn. What do you think?

[@squatch253]

The early ground driven units didn’t have differentials between the wheels, they were more concerned about constant traction and drive. But that did make turning corners a bit more difficult, having to scrub the inside wheel because it was fighting the outside one 👍

[@___PK__]

I guess if there's no tractor tires to flatten the hay, then it's okay to straddle the rows. I wonder if those spokes act as shock/vibration absorbers at all? No wonder it lasted so long the way its put together mechanically.

[@ron827]

Could the pipe bracket behind the seat have been for an umbrella?

[@squatch253]

Quite possibly, until your suggestion here I had zero idea what it could've been for but that makes sense :-)

[@thirzapeevey2395]

Its a really cool machine, but I would never hook my team to that. One kick backwards, one slip in wet grass, one kick at a fly and you would have a cut tendon and a ruined horse. I would imagine it probably had a longer tongue originally, and the horses were moved further forward, but even so I wouldn't hook a team to that. I would imagine that happened more than a few times, and that was why the cutter bar was moved to the side.

[@bcbloc02]

Actually the curved spokes are easier to cast because it allows some flex as it acts like a spring kind of. This helps reduce cracks from forming when the casting cools after pouring. The bizarre thing to me about that design is the horses will trample the hay down first. Seems like a terrible design, I wonder how they sold it as an advantage?

[@Mr19chuck49]

😊😊😊

[@mrfarmall-vk4gw]

👍👍

[@Lionelgee]

G'day Squatch, sorry for a thread hijack. I tried to find an email to write to, however - I could not find one. I am a member. From some earlier videos that featured you using a metalwork lathe it looks like it is a less expensive Harbor Freight manufactured machine. Have you done any modifications to the lathe? Could you do a clip about your lathe? Well, if you have not already done one on the lathe and I missed it! Please pardon this interruption and return to your normal viewing pleasure ... regards Lionel (Australia).

[@squatch253]

Lionel, thank you for writing and check out the Members’ “Behind the Scenes” episode #201 where you’ll find the e-mail contact for the channel here. Yes, that is a cheaper Harbor Freight China mini lathe, but it’s done a LOT of work for us and we’ve been very happy with it. I’m leaving tomorrow to spend several days at a tractor show, but after I get back I could do a quick Members’ video on the small lathe 👍

[@TMxl-w5t]

With all the arty farty decorative holes, that would save some cast iron, and increase the profit margin. 👍👍

[@willb6608]

And, you don’t even have to look up the specs. It’s 2 horsepower! 😀

[@guifrakss]

neat

[@bigears4014]

It beats a scythe

[@dssm25]

Quite classy for the time so sad our American products that built our country have been shipped over seas saddeneds me when you see simplicity and quantity and made in America

[@MrCheeto01]

They’re not build like they used to because nobody will pay for it, it’s that simple, not some metaphysical primal wizard workmanship. BTW, I’ve done a lot of iron casting and curved spokes are no harder than straight spokes

[@OneFaitour]

Hello, Tony.❤ I bought a new phone. And I and I could not resisubs. Subscribing. You have me as a subscriber on a different phone with a different idante. I guess this makes me a double subscriber.I will let you be the judge Is robert winton

[@aquilaaudax6033]

✋🏼🇦🇺👍🏼

[@tmscheum]

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