American Agriculturist, September 13, 1924 
175 
A Page of Handy Devices 
Savers of Labor, Time, Money and Temper 
T HERE is nothing like a handy device 
for conserving energy, saving time and 
maintaining an even temper and j frame 
of mind. Some are not altogether simple 
to make but they are * 
more or less inexpen¬ 
sive, for in many cases 
they involve the use 
of odd parts that are 
usually stored away 
in some remote cor¬ 
ner of the wagon 
shed. 
To our minds a 
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handy device, espe- 
cially when it 
makes work easier 
and avoids the 
riling of the spirits, is of the greatest importance 
for the very convenience of the thing. For 
instance, there is nothing more pesty to handle 
than a roll of wire, especially barbed wire. 
It is not only pesty, but it is really dangerous. 
Usually it is a case of slipping a broken handle 
through the reel and two men walking along with 
it to stretch the wire for some distance and many 
is the time we have carried deep scratches follow¬ 
ing the job. One of the simplest and most satis¬ 
factory ways to unroll barbed wire is the simple 
contrivance illustrated, one of which involves 
nothing more or less than a stone-boat with an 
upright stake fastened securely in the hole in the 
forward part. The two-wheeled contrivance is a 
little more elaborate, although very easy to make. 
The nicest part of this two-wheeled affair is that 
it is light enough for one man to push, while 
another man turns the crank and winds the wire 
on the reel when it is desired to remove wire from 
a fence. This is particularly handy when tem¬ 
porary fences are put up. When the wire is on 
the reel it can be stored very conveniently until 
needed for another occasion. Sometimes a handy 
device is just “handy,” but this one is a con¬ 
venience as well as a labor and temper saver. 
* * * 
A Handy Wire Tightener 
W HILE we are speaking of wore, here is a 
device that is easily made and very con¬ 
venient to use in tightening barbed wire. There 
are many different kinds of wire stretchers on the 
market and where a permanent job is done they 
may be more satisfactory. But where a tempo¬ 
rary fence or a hurry-up 
job is desired this is 
about as handy a de¬ 
vice as a man would 
want. A piece of inch 
board is cut out in the 
shape shown in the 
accompanying illustra¬ 
tion with a notch so cut 
in the one side to permit 
the face of the hammer 
to fit in. Just in front 
oi the head of the hammer a long bolt is inserted 
through the board to prevent splitting. This 
could also be accomplished by thin strips of 
heavy tin around the outside. The hammer is 
fastened in place with leather straps. Along the 
face of the wooden arm, that part that touches 
the fence post, sharp brads are inserted to prevent 
slipping. It is more desirable to make the con¬ 
trivance of a good tough hardwood. 
' * * * 
A Wire Gate Fastener 
B EFORE we leave the fence question, here is a 
good idea for fastening a wire gate. Many 
a time a meadow is fenced with barbed or plain 
wire and only a temporary opening is left to allow r 
wagons to go in and out. However, cattle may 
be in the adjoining field and in order to keep the 
opening as 
tight as 
possible, this 
device works 
very well. It 
is simply 
made of a 
piece of 
board, a 
hinge, apiece 
of heavy 
number 9 
wire and a bolt. The board is cut in the shape 
shown in A. One end of the hinge is attached to 
the board end. The other end of the hinge is 
attached to the end fence post, the top of which 
is cut on the bias. The bolt is run through the 
board near the end of the hinge. Heavy screws 
can easily take the place of this bolt. The number 
9 ware is bent into a loop as in the illustration. 
The wire is passed over the end stake of the gate, 
the handle is pulled down and drawn tight. Note 
that a wire loop is also placed at the bottom so 
that the end gate stake can be held firmly at the 
bottom. In order to avoid having the ware slip, 
the end gate post is notched. ■ 
* * * 
Another Back Saver 
O NE of the meanest jobs we can remember as 
a boy, as far as an aching back is concerned, 
w T as that of holding the potato sacks while some 
one else dumped in the spuds. As a matter of 
fact this was not so true of potatoes as it w r as of 
grain. As we grew older 
w T e were able to shake a 
bushel of potatoes into a 
bag very easily. When it 
came to handling grain it 
usually took one of us 
boys to hold the bag while 
one of the men shoveled 
in the grain. Either of 
these holders wall prove 
itself a real labor-saver. 
for the boy can shovel 
grain instead of holding 
the bag. In the device 
above and to the left, 
the arms are so con¬ 
structed and bolted to 
the upright 2 x 4, 
marked C, that it can 
be adjusted to a bag of 
most any depth. Hooks 
are placed in the arms 
in order to hold the 
mouth of the bag open. 
barrow wheels will usually suffice, although any 
kind of wheels will do the job very w r ell. Where 
wheelbarrow wheels are used it necessitates the 
building of a frame to accommodate the wheels and 
carry a rack at the same time. If the rack is too 
heavy for one man to lift by the handles it can be 
easily hooked on to the back of a wagon and can 
be hauled from place to place, saving heavy lifting. 
Many a man has permanently injured his back 
The bag holder at the right is not adjustable 
as far as height is concerned, but it holds the 
mouth of the bag open a little more perfectly. 
The construction is so simple that it really needs 
no specifications. Needless to say, the lumber 
should be w r ell seasoned and should be heavy 
enough to withstand considerable weight. The 
braces should be well set and strong. 
* * * 
A Wheelbarrow Sheep Feeding Trough 
H ERE is a handy device and labor-saver for 
the sheep man. It often happens that sheep 
are run on several different pastures during the 
season and if heavy feed racks are used, it is quite a 
task to move them. The illustration shows a 
rack that can be easily moved from one field to 
another by a single person and avoids the necessity 
of lifting it on to a lumber wagon and hauling it 
to the adjoining field with a team of horses. It is 
mounted on a pair of wheels and has handles 
attached to the other end. A couple of old w r heel- 
trying to lift a heavy trough on to a wagon. Old 
cultivator wheels are common around the farm 
and if the box is not too large, will serve the 
purpose very well. 
* * * 
A Homemade Jack 
A BOUT every farm has a homemade jack on 
it, but here is one that may offer a sugges¬ 
tion to some man who has threatened to break 
up his homemade affair because it doesn’t hold 
fast. Note the wire that runs from the base of 
the uprights to the notches in the handle. This 
wire may be placed in 
any one of the notches 
depending on the 
height to which the 
axle is to be lifted. If 
the boy likes to handle 
tools and wants to 
make something, here 
is a contrivance that 
is simple enough for 
him to tackle. 
The base is made of a 2" x 4" for heavy wagons, 
1" x 4" stuff should be heavy enough for a buggy 
jack. The upright pieces can be made of 1" x 
4", with half-inch holes bored through every 
three inches. The lever should also have two or 
three half-inch holes in order to permit it to work 
under the wagon a little farther if it is necessary. 
As in the illustration, grooves are cut in the 
handle every couple of inches. The handle can 
be made of planed 2" x 4", or 1" x 4" if it is to be 
only used for light wagons. 
* * * 
Keeping the Rats Out of the Crib 
A NEIGHBOR lost considerable corn last 
year from his crib because of rats. Though 
the crib w T as elevated on posts, and all parts of the 
floor were twelve or more inches above the ground, 
the rodents climbed the wooden timbers readily 
and took what they wished. 
This summer the 
crib was made rat- 
proof in a very simple 
way. To have torn 
out the floor and put 
in concrete all around 
would have run into 
considerable money. 
Yet the ‘‘ proofing 
was done at a total 
expenditure of $2.40 
and half a day of labor for two men. 
Twenty-four tin pans were purchased at the 
ten cent store for ten cents each. There were 
four rows of posts with six posts in each row. 
The crib was raised a few inches (empty) and 
the pans set upside down on the posts as showrn, 
each being carefully spaced. Then the crib w*as 
lowered again. And that was all there was to it. 
That provoking overhang thwarted the attempts 
of the most persistent rat, and so far this year not 
a sign of one has been seen. Moreover, those 
pans, while of light material and cheaply tinned, will 
probably last several years.—D. R. Van Horn. 
