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Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2025 10:57 am
by Old windy one
Wayne wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 8:09 am
The name of the book is " The History of Old Time Farm Implement Companies and the Wrenches They Issued. Author P. T. Rathbone. He seems to have done a ton of searching because of all the info in the books. It is a 3 volume set. He seems to have covered all bases and since he doesn't mention Aermotor makes me think they never made a wrench. My take on why windmill manufactures didn't fill the need to supply wrenches, is to drill a well and erect a windmill and get water flowing wasn't a do it yourself job. You hired a professional, they had tools. When you the farmer bought a plow, planter, cultivater and other implements you were going to be the go to person to keep it working. So they gave them tools to help with the task. Here is a tool of mine. I've seen it called the windmill wrench. When you climb a tower you don't want to carry a lot of tools. This was pliers. wire cutters, screw driver, pry bar and even image000000(350).jpghas an adjustable wrench.
That is an amazing wrench you have there!!!!!
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2025 12:05 pm
by Windcatcher530 Dan
Took a break from the windmills for a little bit and decided to clean up my old wrenches. Hoping some might be windmill related !!
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Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2025 8:44 am
by Wayne
Dan, I'm joining the Missouri Valley Wrench Club. Read about them in Farm Collector Magazine. Only $30 a year. They have a web site, MVWC.org. Neat place to visit. After I join I'm going to ask about windmill wrenches. You can print out a form and join also!
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2025 9:59 am
by Windcatcher530 Dan
Thanks Wayne that's right up my alley, just got back from the flea market and of course had to buy more to clean up. Also picked up a real old Hay Trolley that ran on rope no tracks for 20 bucks !!
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2025 6:36 pm
by Windcatcher530 Dan
Wayne on the left side of the pic see the weird looking laddle ever seen one of those?
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2025 8:02 am
by Wayne
No I can't say I have. You have a nice collection. At the first of ever month I plan on going to First Monday at Canton to shop. Then something else comes up. Maybe I'll make it in November. Today something has to be really special before I'll buy it. Nobody but me is impressed by what I have.
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2025 10:09 am
by Windcatcher530 Dan
Thanks Wayne,that is a laddle and lead hammer head combination. You melt the babbot in the laddle put the handle in place and tip the babbit into the head part and bamm you have a lead hammer. Kinda ingenious i think !!
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2025 8:58 am
by Wayne
Hey Dan I visited the MVWC website yesterday. It gave me another website called The Wrenching news. It had a Wrenches for Sale. I checked it out found 2 wrenches from Appleton Manf. Co. Batavaia Ill. I'm thinking they are implement wrenches as they made all sorts of farm implements along with windmills. I also found 3 Stover-Samson windmill wrenches. It said these wrenches are listed in an old Samson Windmill Parts List. ONe was $65,another $40 the other $75. It has a lot of neat info about helping to ID your wrenches.
Here is my wall of wrenches and other stuff I've collected in the past 50 years.
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Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2025 9:35 am
by Windcatcher530 Dan
WoW Wayne that's a lot of neet stuff and some are collectable. I believe i saw maybe 1 or 2 IH wrenches and two hay trolley pulleys. I went way overboard with my barn pulleys i believe it's close to around 100 i have. There is no reason to have that many !!
Re: Windmill Co wrench
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2025 8:36 am
by Wayne
I like certain kinds of pulleys. I didn't show them but I've got a set if IHC pulleys built for a 1 inch rope to run around. They came from an experimental corn shocking attachment. The wrench club is having a show in York Ne. next April. I'm thinking I may go. It's a good days drive from my place. Looking at pictures of past shows looks like it could be fun.