[SEL] Happy Birthday Patrick - Cider mill

[Keith Kinney]

Well today is my birthday too and while I didn't get an engine I did 
get some really neat old iron.  My dad made arrangements with my 
uncle go get my grandpa's old cider mill for my birthday.  He picked 
it up and surprised me with it Wednesday night.  Needless to say, I 
was thrilled!

  It was made in 1869.  I can remember in the mid 1960s as a small 
child helping my grandpa throw apples into the hopper and make apple 
cider.  After my grandparents deaths my uncle ended up with mill.  It 
has sat in his old barn, which the roof blew off, for the past 15 or 
so years.  The wood is all rotten but other than missing the had 
crank it is all there and in pretty good shape.  Dad and I unloaded 
it yesterday and disassembled the mill.  Pictures can be seen here:
http://www.herculesengines.com/Cider%20Mill/index.htm

One interesting thing.  Several years ago fellow list member Glenn 
Karch had given us the metal parts for an old cider mill he had found 
is his in-laws woods.  Another good friend of ours had a restored 
cider mill that we were going to borrow to use as a pattern to 
rebuild the mill from Glenn.  Well a few months ago our friends house 
was totally demolished by the tornado that came through 
Evansville.  He called me and ask if we could store the mill, a 
couple of engines and an antique tractor until he could get his house 
and barn rebuilt.  We picked the stuff up and have it stored in our 
barns.  Would you believe that his cider mill is the exact same brand 
and model mill as my Grandpa's.  It will make the rebuilding of the 
wood frame of the mill much easier.  We plan to simultaneously 
restore both mills.
Keith

Keith Kinney
Evansville, Indiana
www.herculesengines.com