[AT] early farming

[Carl Tatlock]

Alan Nadeau wrote:
> Carl,
>
> Can't say that I ever heard of silo staples although I'm aware of silo 
> staves and silo rods or hoops.  Please describe the staples.
>
> Al Nadeau  (also in VT)
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Carl Tatlock" <carllary at gmavt.net>
>   
>> .... I also helped him repair a
>> wooden silo-- anybody remember silo staples?  1950's memories.
>> Carl in Vermont
>> _______________________________________________
>>     
Hi Alan-- a silo staple is about 10 inches long, and shaped just like a 
regular paper staple; it has the turned -down ends, sharpened. The ones 
I used were about 3/4 or 1 inch in diameter--meant to be used with a 
hammer. In use, you hammer one end lightly (so it can be removed and 
moved over) into a stave--bring the next stave into position and hammer 
that end in, and the 2 staves are held in position. The next two staves 
are treated the same way with the next staple, and so on as you work 
your way around the silo the staves are held together making it easier 
to place and tighten the hoops.  Staples are easily removed.
They are a big help in replacing only a couple of staves in repairing an 
existing silo, too.

I realized in writing this that I remembered  it was a very hot day--on 
a very HIGH wobbly ladder and there was a lot of sweat, heavy bag of 
staples hanging off one side of my belt and heavy hammer on the other, 
and wood splinters galore. My boss told me if I started to fall to 
hammer in a staple and hang on....  great advice.  

Thanks for asking-- if anybody out there there can remember some of the 
old low-tech ways we used to do things it might be fun to hear about 
them.  My dad taught me about wiring a cut open tomato can around a 
blown out car muffler- Depression style.  Who else has a suggestion that 
might now be useful again in today's recession?