Old Grinding Wheel rescued from trash

[swervncarz]

I think I have a pretty cool find here. I found this on the curb this morning on my way home from work, I didn't want to see it go to the dump. What do you guys think? is it trash or a good pick up? Stone measures approx 18" x 3" thick, has a Pat. date of Aug 7, 1883. Pedal powered, seems to work fine. Stone looks to be in pretty good shape, wood is still standing but not greatest condition. Thought it was a pretty cool thing to find! Is there a market for these? I'm not sure what I want to do with it yet. I would love to keep it but don't have much space for it. Thinking I will end up selling if I could.

[Papaw]

You need to find a way to keep that!
Needs a few pieces, but a foot operated large diameter wheel like that is great to have and use.

[mrchuck]

Papaw is absolutely correct.
Will not take much work to get it back in use!
Great find!!!!!

[johnsironsanctuary]

What is missing?

[Branson]

Swoon, thud!  What a find!  Some fool put it out for the dump?!  If you don't have space for it you can keep it at my house!!!
 
What's missing?  Looks like there ought to be some sort of bearings around the shaft.  It needs some device to keep the
stone wet while in use.

From my point of view, there's some Major suckage here.

[mrchuck]

No hand crank or foot pedal.
All these things are simple to fix. If you were close, I would drive over and "haggle" with you.

[Fins/413]

Have one very similar but on the farm it had been left outside with a tire to hold water It ruined the wheel, its way out of round.

[HeelSpur]

What a great curb side find, mine was out of round but its perfectly round now.

[swervncarz]

Thanks everyone.... the funny thing is when I saw it it was dark out, the reason I pulled over is because I saw the big white wheel & thought it was some sort of baseball pitching machine & thought I could fix it for my kids to use! I was very suprised to see what it actually was.

[Batz]

I love them, I remember peddling one my grandfather had. I saw one a few weeks back in similar condition to yours with a price tag of $200.00 on it !

Batz

[swervncarz]

0

I love them, I remember peddling one my grandfather had. I saw one a few weeks back in similar condition to yours with a price tag of $200.00 on it !

Batz

Thanks, I was thinking it was worth around $150. I saw some on Ebay that people are asking $300 & up but that's Ebay! I am most likely going to sell this, maybe Ebay or craigslist, not sure yet. So if anyone here is interested let me know. It would most likely be a pick up only, not sure I want to try to ship this. I am located in South Jersey, close to Philadelphia.

[rusty]

>What's missing?  Looks like there ought to be some sort of bearings around the shaft.

The round piece over the shaft is an electrical conduit clamp someone stuck on there to try to fix it. The cast piece in the wood under the shaft is a holder for a self contained bearing assembly, that someone has lost.....


It could be made usable fairly easily with a set of piller bearings, wouldn't be original, but it would be functional, and with only one moving part, it should last another 100+ years :)

On some of those the water was in a rectangular copper or tin bucket that just sat on the floor, so not surprising it is missing, easy enough to make one  up tho...

[Plyerman]

Wow, I can't imagine someone putting that old gem out on the curb. Congrats Swervn!

[gibsontool]

Your a lucky guy that's an awesome find.

[john k]

If I saw that on the curb, and was just recovering from hernia and back surgery, I'd still have gotten it home!   Pair of bearings, or fit some oak blocks, drill a hole for the axle to run on, drill an oil hole, have it going in an hour.   If you truly don't have room, post what part of the country you are in, someone may be nearby.   The frame sure looks good to me.  Sometimes those had the water overhead, on a light frame work.  Quart bucket with a drip hole, dripping on the stone as it spins.  I would be watching the house this came from, very very closely.   Good going.