[AT] Pitchforks - new vs. old.

[pga2 at hot1.net]

That's the kind of poop we need around here! If I ever need a pitchfork,
I'll be looking for tapered tines. :o)

Phil

----- Original Message -----
>From    : Indiana Robinson <robinson at svs.net>
Sent    : Fri, 25 Mar 2005 08:01:31 -0500
To      : at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject : [AT] Pitchforks - new vs. old.

>I was cleaning out an empty horse stall that the horse owner had neglected 
badly and learned a new lesson about pitchforks. <Snip>
The difference??? the new fork had good sturdy tines but they were straight 
in diameter from the back to almost the end then the ends were sharpened down 
to a point. 
<Snip>
My old fork on the other hand had tines that were tapered the full length of 
the tine. They were quite heavy at the back then tapered smoothly to the 
point.
I was forking over a gate and with the new fork I could not just toss the 
manure over the gate. It clung to the fork and most of it I had to rake off 
by dragging the fork back over the edge of the gate. When pitching (that's 
why they call them "pitch" forks) :-)  I could feel the load move maybe an 
inch or two then hang on the tines. With the old fork since the tines were 
tapered once the load had moved any at all the tines were loose in the load 
and it would slide easily off of the fork.
That is one of those simple things that you normally don't give a lot of 
thought to but can make a huge difference in use. <Snip>
I have not had a chance to look at farm stores to see if any of the 
new forks come with tapered tines.
	Now you have the "straight poop"...   ;-)

-- 
"farmer", Esquire