Wagon Wheels

Not the kind you eat. But there was a post here a few days ago about the old wooden wagon wheels that inspired me to have a look at some I have here in the barn. I don't know wheat farm equipment they are from but something my grandfather owned. They are dried out but otherwise good shape. Cat included in the photo for size reference.
Second photo is from this morning when one of the cows brought her new calf up to the barn.

It would be interesting to know the stories that might go along with that wheel. Who made it, when, how long did it take, what (or who) all did it haul etc.

I'm the one who posted about the wheels are few days ago. Those look pretty nice to me. I am still amazed by how heavy they are. It's good that you know some history behind them and have some family connection with them. I asked my mom about them and after seeing them she remembered a little. Kind of disappointing but she didn't think they were passed down from family. She wasn't completely sure though. She said my aunt drug them home she thought around 1969 or so. No one knew where she got them from. Possibly family but no way to find out. She wanted to put them at the end of the driveway. My uncle refused saying they were in good shape and wouldn't last long outside. The weather would rot them up or they might just roll away in the middle of the night. He poked them in an old barn on my dad's property. He then told her that barn is full of every creepy, crawly, slithering thing imaginable. If she went in and got them back out she could do whatever she wanted with them. She didn't. They're both gone now and my mom is probably the only one still alive that knew that much.

Rusty, I don't know much about cattle...

But that cow dosen't look like she will be a very good mother! LOL

(quoted from post at 08:45:30 05/30/18) Rusty, I don't know much about cattle...

But that cow dosen't look like she will be a very good mother! LOL

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HAR!!! :lol:

I like the second one where dad meets what appears to be his new daughter.

If you want to see someone making wagon wheels, take a look at this. He is a real craftsman. This video is just an overview of making the wheels, there are individual videos that detail each step on the wheels and similar for making the wagons
Wagon Wheels

(quoted from post at 09:31:36 05/30/18) If you want to see someone making wagon wheels, take a look at this. He is a real craftsman. This video is just an overview of making the wheels, there are individual videos that detail each step on the wheels and similar for making the wagons
Wagon Wheels

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Very interesting procedure. I've also seen how they tighten up the "tire", the steel band that encircles the wooden wheel. It involves cutting, re-welding and then heating the band to expand it. Then dropping it in place on the wheel. The trick is to cool it off fast enough with water so it does not set the wood wheel on fire.

I have watched all of these videos. Really neat stuff. Did you watch the one where they gathered up a real team of 20 mules. A one shot deal but was amazing to watch. Here ya go. Take a watch.
20 mules

Here is another. When they changed over to trucks.
Chevy newsreel.

A wagon wheel story

Years ago there was an old man in our neighborhood named nnalert Popejoy. nnalert was built like a fireplug, even as an old man, and there were many strong man stories about him from his younger days. One such story involved him getting liquored up and thrown in the little city jail. (Prohibition era) He kicked a hole in the wall and walked out, so the constable escorted him to another cell, where he promptly kicked the wall out in it too. The constable decided to turn him loose - the jail only had three cells and two were now unusable. But my favorite nnalert story was told by another old man who was just a few years younger than nnalert. nnalert was a teenager working for the man's father on their farm for board and pay. Early one Saturday morning, the father told nnalert to go out and grease the wheels on the wagon - they were going to haul some wheat to the mill after breakfast. The kids heard their dad at the window hollering, "Hurry - come look at this!" They ran to the window and looked out and saw nnalert out in the yard with the rear wagon wheel balanced on his chin, darting around under it to keep it upright. Before breakfast. I never heard of nnalert ever hurting anyone, but he's the standard that all strong men in this neighborhood were compared to.

Sorry for the ramble, but every time I see a big wagon wheel, I think of nnalert Popejoy with one balanced on his chin.

Hey, just found this video. Darn I would have liked to seen this. Didn't know about it. Have seen the wells fargo coach in person.
in Washington.

A wagon wheel story

Years ago there was an old man in our neighborhood named H.i.l.l.a.r.y Popejoy. (I discovered they won't let me spell this name out, so I'll just use the letter "H") "H" was built like a fireplug, even as an old man, and there were many strong man stories about him from his younger days. One such story involved him getting liquored up and thrown in the little city jail. (Prohibition era) He kicked a hole in the wall and walked out, so the constable escorted him to another cell, where he promptly kicked the wall out in it too. The constable decided to turn him loose - the jail only had three cells and two were now unusable. But my favorite "H" story was told by another old man who was just a few years younger than "H". "H" was a teenager working for the man's father on their farm for board and pay. Early one Saturday morning, the father told "H" to go out and grease the wheels on the wagon - they were going to haul some wheat to the mill after breakfast. The kids heard their dad at the window hollering, "Hurry - come look at this!" They ran to the window and looked out and saw "H" out in the yard with the rear wagon wheel balanced on his chin, darting around under it to keep it upright. Before breakfast. I never heard of "H" ever hurting anyone, but he's the standard that all strong men in this neighborhood were compared to.

Sorry for the ramble, but every time I see a big wagon wheel, I think of "H" Popejoy with one balanced on his chin.

That "train" would be neat in a parade.

That's a good looking cow and calf and cat.

Cat's.

If you're into wagon wheels, look up ENGEL'S COACH SHOP on Youtube.. He's from Montana and builds coaches, and wagons and wheels... even made a 20 Mule Team Borax wagon set... the rear wheels on those were 80" high and weighed 1080# apiece. IIRC, the steel tires were 6" wide and one inch thick... Lots of really cool videos from there.

lol..............