What was this item at auction?

acs55812 · Apr 30, 2006

I went to an auction and it had a 3 point attachment that had a gearbox similar to a brush cutter, however from that it went down to a "car axle" like part that had two rotary "plows" suspended from it. these "plows had 4 or 6 "fingers" that stuck down about 5 inches and they were mounted on a circular piece of metal about 14-16 inches round (think of a large pie tin with 4-6 legs), this axle like part appeared as though it would be able to move left to right about 16 inches.

It was a mixer/stirrer type thing for soil of some type (I am wondering about sand in a horse arena maybe) Does anyone have any idea what this was really meant to be? It did say made in France.

Farmwithjunk · Apr 30, 2006

3 ideas, all three I'd need to see what you're describing.

1. Rotery plow. I've seen 'em for "Gravely" tractors (walk-behind) but never a 3 point model. Would LOVE to have a 3-point version. They're great for plowing around rocks and roots.

2. terracer. Common practice in hill country OR irrigated fields to build a raised "terrace" to hold or deflect water.

3. Not sure what the proper name is, but there's a dvice used to dig shallow drainage ditches that hangs on a 3-point hitch. I've only seen them in high-horsepower applications though.

Farmwithjunk · Apr 30, 2006

Upon further review..... I re-read the original post and became less convinced about what it MIGHT be. Also sound vaguely like a hay tedder of some sort.

Wish we had a picture.

acs55812 · Apr 30, 2006

Not a hay tender of any type, much more heavy duty. The fingers that stuck down were like 1 inch diameter, 5-6 inches long and mounted on the round disc shape that was almost 1/2 inch think. Also it did have two vertical disks behind the rotary "items" that cut similar to the way an old fashon plow have.

Ryno1 · Apr 30, 2006

Any way you can post the link so we can all see?

acs55812 · Apr 30, 2006

not really it was at an auction and I didn't get a pic

Farwell · Apr 30, 2006

A true example of where a picture is worth a 1000 words.
This has convinced me that I will take my camera with me to the next auction I go to. I went to an auction last weekend and there were several seriously rusted old pieces of machinery that I could have never guessed what they were and would have never known had there not been an old farmer looking at the equipment at the same time I was. One was a corn binder and the other was a scoop on a set of rails about 16 feet long that fastened to the rear of a tractor and was used to remove the manure from behind dairy cows. Not really sure how it worked but it was neat to look at the engineering that went into making it. I was told that the corn binders are still in use by the Amish in my area.
Farwell

Farwell · Apr 30, 2006

Farmwithjunk,
I too would love to have a 3 point set up with a couple of the Gravely rotary plows working on it. My dad had a walk behind Gravely and I loved the work that the rotary plow attachment did. Our Gravely did not have an electric starter and belt starting the one we had would almost give me a heart attack if it didn't start on the first few attempts.
Farwell