A curious machine

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

While perusing the Internet I came across this - the owner is giving it away and has no idea what it is.

 

I'm sure somebody here must know, you guys are the best at this kind of thing

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

Looks like a tiller to me. You can remove the wheels and mount tiller tines instead. The smaller rear wheels then function as guide wheels.

 

Below a picture of a brochure where you can see the same principle.

 

Edited May 28, 2022 by sjoemie himself
Added photo

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

I have actually found out its use - you are correct @sjoemie himself it is a tiller with wheels where the tines go.

 

It was used to tow trailers with stationary engines on them, at shows etc.

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

Excellent! What are you going to use it for when at all?

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

20 minutes ago, sjoemie himself said:

Excellent! What are you going to use it for when at all?

I'm not going to get it, just wondered what it was - I don't have any room for more stuff until we build a garage at our next farmhouse.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,309]

@Dan.gerous Where you moving to ?

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

1 minute ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

@Dan.gerous Where you moving to ?

About half an hour away just to the east of Dumfries, wife has new job on a dairy farm. The farm we are on now us closing down unfortunately.

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

My bad. I saw 'giving it away' and assumed you helped out the poor man 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

9 minutes ago, sjoemie himself said:

My bad. I saw 'giving it away' and assumed you helped out the poor man 

It did cross my mind, but I just don't need it, and it's about a 2 hour drive each way - a lot of fuel for something I don't need!

[Darb1964 1,042]

I had a MerryTiller, mid tine tiller built very similar to that. I was given it by a friend that was getting rid of years of stuff, after her husband passed. I really didn't need it and another friend was in need for a tiller so I gifted it to him. Five horse Briggs, he said it works well.

[953 nut 55,260]

My dad had a Merry Tiller that looked a lot like that in the 1950s. It had knife tines and spike tines as well as tractor tread pneumatic tires for towing light trailers. Using the knife tines to prepare land that hadn't been used as a garden spot would about kill you!

 

[Darb1964 1,042]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

My dad had a Merry Tiller that looked a lot like that in the 1950s. It had knife tines and spike tines as well as tractor tread pneumatic tires for towing light trailers. Using the knife tines to prepare land that hadn't been used as a garden spot would about kill you!

 

Not many machines will prepare land that hasn't been used before as a garden without nearly killing you. My wife and I obtained a troy built pony from her uncle many years ago, I was young and dumb and thought I'd open up a garden. I put the setting at it's deepest and started out, well the governor did its job and that pony would have went through the side of our house if I wasn't young, strong, and quick. My governor kicked in and I was able to grab that pony and get it under control. We've been gardening that spot now for over thirty years, I do the majority of my tilling with my C-125-8 these days. That pony is still in my barn and I still use it between the rows.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

6 hours ago, Darb1964 said:

Not many machines will prepare land that hasn't been used before as a garden without nearly killing you. My wife and I obtained a troy built pony from her uncle many years ago, I was young and dumb and thought I'd open up a garden. I put the setting at it's deepest and started out, well the governor did its job and that pony would have went through the side of our house if I wasn't young, strong, and quick. My governor kicked in and I was able to grab that pony and get it under control. We've been gardening that spot now for over thirty years, I do the majority of my tilling with my C-125-8 these days. That pony is still in my barn and I still use it between the rows.

We use pigs to open new ground, just electric  fence of the bit you need, drop a hut and water supply in, then stand back and watch. They are amazing when it comes to turning over land and bringing rocks up.

 

Never tried a hand tiller before, just the one for the wheelhorse  - that's scary enough!