foster wheels
 

does any body know, of either a set of wooden wheels, or the remains of a set for an early foster drum, the wheels are four foot and three foot diameter, I would see about getting a set made up if I can find the metal bits

I have a set of 3 Marshall wooden hubs, grind the lettering off and signwrite them Foster and nobody would ever know

Sad threshing machine type folk (like myself) would spot that a mile off. You could do it to TE wheels, however, and I'd be none the wiser.

:)

Saddo!

chris yours should have timber but Alfro shep has a rough foster on steels that's going to meet its maker a set of foster steels is beter than nowt, there was one on ebay a few weeks ago, very rough but had the foster hubs and a self feeder http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Foster-Threshing-Machine http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Foster-Thr...c#ht_63wt_1255 they do turn up but you'll have to wait...

Hi yes I would be interested in the steel foster wheels as a stop gap, as you say I will eventually find the bits but it will take time, ours is on steels with clayton and shuttleworth cast into them, if anyone has a need for these, can you put me in touch with the foster ones pls. I have yet to find any firm information on the drum, it is number 2991 which I think makes it 1890 something ? It had the sliding roof on which turned out to be completely homemade, however it has saved the machine keeping the weather out. I am interested in any literature, pictures or contacts who may be useful to its restoration

Hi Chris,

This wasn't the machine with a sliding roof which was on ebay recently was it?

yes that's the one

Chris, the box these Marshall hubs came off is sitting on a pair of Foster iron wheels on the back.

Its about 2 mile from where your Sentinel used to live.

in Endon or Adderley?

What condition is it in?

That surprises me about the roof. I only say that because it was identical to the type illustrated in my 1924 Foster catalogue.
PM me if you want further info, scans from the catalogue etc.

near Adderley

the person who created it probably saw the catalogue and designed it to look like it, alternatively it had the sliding roof which rotted and was replaced, however, the timber hatches under the roof structure are definitely weathered, the hatches would not lift under the structure, and some of the original timber had been crudely sawn short to allow the structure to fit, My feeling is that the structure was some ones interpretation from the catalogue I would love any info, this mill is 1890 something so before this idea?

there is some rot in the forecarriage support timbers, and on the top works the external deck timbers,(the overhanging ones) the tin lining where the drum and concave sit are a bit lacey, I thought I may line with s/s. ???? the canvas bits all need replacing but generally not too bad, although I don't think it would be wise to put a belt on it just yet.

just put the first of a pile of drum catalogues and literature in the library section...

Good evening Chris, check out item 301015977458 on eBay, hopefully it is exactly what you are looking for. Regards, David.

very interesting, but it would be a shame to have it just for the wheels no? I maybe getting sentimental but it like killing a Rhino just for it horn,

It would indeed be criminal..!

I even considered going for this machine myself, but it doesn't have the elevator-pulleys that I need, and, judging by recent sales against conventional auction results, Ebay is a very expensive place to purchase a threshing machine. :eek:

Hang in there Chris, some people (such as a couple of thatchers that I know in Devon) couldn't wait to get shot of their wooden rims and fit iron wheels or pneumatics. Folk who need the machines for a job of work can't be messing around spending money restoring wooden wheels!

that may be the case piers, but having had drums on all three, they travel the best by far on wooden wheels, they are much smoother, iron is very harsh on the machines especially on the rough lanes round here, rubbers unless pumped up really hard are u/s and tend to bounce, timber is much better and flexes with the terrain, provided they're in good order timber wheels are preferable to the others, that said there's a bit of work in repairing/ making new ones, though I've now got all the gear...

^^^ I agree with you 100%. Ask anyone who's had a puncture while pulling a drum on pneumatics..!

Wooden wheels look very handsome as well.

Garretts made wooden wheels with round iron spokes which could be adjusted to take up any slack in the fellows that might develop over time.

I may yet give the rough foster a home, i'd like to swap the irons on ours for timber....

I may have started a trend here! suddenly there will be a world shortage of wooden wheels! were wooden wheels an option rather than an age issue, as there seem to be drums on woods and steels in the same eras?

Not to far from here there is a Marshall drum on wooden wheels that was supplied new with a Field Marshall, about 1949.

Any clues where that is Steve?

Cheers Jim

By the early 20th century iron wheels were the default offered by most manufacturers with wooden wheels being a cost-option. Foster seemed to really push wooden wheels, and so more 20th century Foster machines were supplied with (and thus survive) with wooden wheels than probably any other manufacturer.

It is reasonably common for a medium-weight 20th century domestic-market Foster machine to be found with wooden wheels. Not so with examples from any of the other major manufacturers.

here you go piers a heavy weight on timber wheels 7 inch wide... mind you its a monster drum an dwarfs the foster...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...64010963_n.jpg

P.M. sent

So I tried to buy the spares Foster drum on the wooden wheels from Ebay, I though I could take the steel ones off our machine and swap over, then "give" the other drum to some deserving person having got the wooden wheels that I want, but no, would you believe the reserve price was 2K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The bidding went up to £155 not sold

2k seems to be the default Ebay-price for such kit. Quite why is beyond me. I guess it's a 'retail' value plucked from somewhere; auction values over the past few years seem to be a quarter of that (at the very most) for a machine in a similar condition.

The Foster drum was also badly listed from the point of view of a sale. A badly listed Ransomes machine sold on Ebay earlier this year for less than 200 quid, only to be promptly relisted by the new owner for around 2k buy-it-now. It certainly sold, although I am not sure what the final deal price was.

It could be worth putting a 'wanted' ad in Tractor & Machinery Magazine, Chris. Or sit it out until something comes up at auction or Ebay.

My advice (for what it's worth) would be to go for the Foster iron wheels that Adam M. spoke of, dispose of the Clayton ones (maybe to me;)) so at least it's on Foster wheels. This will put you may be in a better position to bargain with another individual with a Foster machine but who wants rid of his tired old wooden wheels.

The Marshall drum I mentioned with the Foster rear wheels is hanging, makes Andrew Goddards look like a good one. However the owner wants somewhere near a grand for it. The harder I look at it, the more knackered I think it is. Its a full time job for a good joiner with some serious lumps of wood needed.

I've weighed it up and my assessment was thus:

I would tow it in the field, take the drawbar and Foster wheels off and burn it.

I would probably get a ton or so of iron out of it, minus the plates and useful ironmongery. So say £200, possibly less given I'd have to cart it to the scrapman.

I could move on the plates, wheels and drawbar, possibly the stub axles also, say another £3-400 in total.

So i valued it at £400 given I'd be doing the work. I also know I've allready parted money to buy the two wooden wheel hubs that came off it some time ago.

If anyone matched his valuation they are either an idiot or they seriously want that box. And there is not so many idiots about as there used to be.

If what Piers says is true, and I have no doubt that it is, if you can buy a half decent one for £500, why would anyone pay any more than beer money for a tired one?

But it does go to show you the economics, and gives you an idea why they get burnt.

You have a need for some clayton wheels? if so that's great lets see what I can arrange

makes my ransomes heavy look v cheap... theres a lot of work rebuilding a shagged drum.
i'm in the right business having a wood workshop and saw mill and seasoned timber on site but even then theres no money in doing one, if I had to do a wreck commercially it would cost possibly 8-10k thered be 3-4k in timber before you cut it up....
there was a man rebuilt a tullos drum from scratch (he used to work for them) and made a beautiful job.
as for the foster theres some strongly priced drums on there from lincs, not selling but I expect its like the mlb syndrome, some one sees it advertised for X so thinks its worth X, i'd not buy a drum without having a good crawl as its the bits you can't see that cost the money and take some fixing, when I haul it back i'll put some pics of my horsefall/ Humphries drum up, that's a reall challenge but i'll do it as theres not many of them about, probably similar to the wantage that NW has, though I was pretty much given it.

chris give martin shepard a call he's got some, they'd be worth about 100-150£ they're in good order, but check first that your hubs will fit as the cast iron hubs use a tapered spigot/ axle and some of the iron ones aren't or are smaller/ larger. I can't remember but it'd be worth getting a vernier round it first other wise you may be into sleeving axles/ boring wheels.

Chris

I'll give you are more accurate valuation on a set of iron wheels. I'd buy all the sets I could get at £150-200.

The shepherd hut builders love them, they go mad if you either have axles or the stubs.

Oddly i find a matching set of wheels is worth more like Piers valuation of a decent box.

^ ^ ^ That would be about my limit, price wise; but then I am not a shepherd's hut builder..!

Hedd's quite right though, I sold a set of iron wheels from a rotten straw elevator to a hut-builder for more than enough to fund the purchase of a very tidy straw elevator with plenty of cash to spare.

I don't disagree with your valuation at all, and many times I have thought I would be better putting a match to it ! That said, I got it and a Corbett's corn mill, which is what I was after for £150. Since then it has cost me a fortune, but surely this is what this hobby of "restoration" is all about. It costs me a small fortune to run the engine every year, why should this box be different? Back in the day they were as important and as valuable as each other to the owner.

My box has local history to where I live, and being only 42" is getting pretty rare. As my friend in the village said to me when I got it, "they ain't making any more, and everyone gone makes the others more valuable". I know it's going to cost me far more than its worth, but next year when I thrash with it for the first time, I know that all the cost will be worthwhile, as I know I will have saved a bit of agricultural history for the next generation to enjoy !

And if I make any bread from the wheat, I can always claim that this is the most expensive loaf ever made, and possibly get a contract supplying Harrods !

you may quip about harrods but our pigs have found their way there, and by default harrods are supporting using a drum and steamer by doing so, the pigs get fed meal from the marris widgeon we thrashed out here....

Andrew there was a time that a box was worth more than the engine. Often boxes were sold with rounds which were a ready made living

in which case hedd why did you sell a set on ebay for 130£? I was under bidder to put them on the bailer? :confused:
it's staying on landrover rubbers for now....

most I paid for a drum was 1500, though that had family history so to me was priceless, least paid I was given them. I currently have 3 a foster a ransomes and a humphries, 2 working and one project. I agree having scrapped one before for parts, and that's not so so easy as it sounds if your going to salve all the shafts and the bearings metal parts etc, etc.... weigh in around 200£ plus wheels, the fronts may make shepard huts but the rears are too big and in honesty both are too heavy, better off with straw elevator or similar, they do fit on portables though...and could make a tender cart...