Part three of my series on hay wagons is less for the woodworker and more for the welder. I can’t imagine building this at current steel prices but, in a pinch, it would do and seems it will last forever. This too is a guest post from my father. I’ll hand it over to dad now.
Back to the farm auction.Here I am hands in pockets, lots of temptations at another farm sale. This time a neighbor is selling his equipment. He is cleaning out his sheds as he is quitting farming and has rented out his farm to a high rent farmer.I am doing pretty good, I only bought a sloppy joe and a soda so far. Then there is this old flat wagon with a steel bed. The tires are holding air. “Alright boys what am I bid for this wagon? $250, 200, come on what will you give? $100, $50, here 50 now 60,70,80.”. Who bid $90? Oh that was me! “$90 once, $90 twice, sold for $90 to that fellow. What’s your number sir?There you go, a $90 wagon that has hauled thousands of bales through the years (maybe 15 years). And has been a work bench, a storage unit, hayride wagon…you get the idea.We had our first flat tire on this wagon this year and that is the only repair we have had on it in maybe 15 years. This wagon has a diamond tread on the deck but it still gets slippery, especially with loose hay. [Editor’s Note: the deck can also get hot!]Someone told me once every auction has a soft place, this auction had a cheap hay wagon.
The construction is simple and straightforward. Instead of wooden runners they used a pair of I-beams.
There is a frame of bent steel around the perimeter and the tread plate top supported by U-shaped joists on 14″ centers. In the rear we bolted a 2×4 to each I-beam to support our headache rack.
The headache rack is also held on by a couple of brackets up top. It’s easy to remove the headache rack this way…just 4 bolts.
One of these days we may go crazy and paint it. Who knows.
Chism Heritage Farm 
@ Not the Caretaker – Thank you so much for your guest post! Reading it here today on the Cdn Prairies after 4 mths of snow on the ground, a long cold Polar Vortex winter with more snow today. This post warms my heart and I can’t wait for the snow to melt and I can go check out the underpinnings of my thrifty steal of a deal wagon parked in the back forty! I have had it for a number of yrs I think I paid $100 for it when I bought a horse from the same guy, with the idea I would make it into a horse drawn hay ride wagon. Your post inspires me to get at it!
Your post also reminds me of all the sights, sounds, excitement, smells and food of the farm auction, and farm auctions equate to – Spring is on its way! Round here we don’t count on the ground hog to tell us when the first day of spring is – it is set by the local farm auctioneers! 😉 This year the first farm auction is set for Apr 3rd, (though that date is a bit ambitious snow wise and likely used just to cram all the sellers in for Spring auctions) – 1 ½ hr north of here it is Apr 24th likely more real. Perhaps HFS will let you guest post again to tell us another story of a good thrifty farm auction find to tide us over until spring and farm auction season begins? Thanks!
Thanks Kari. I’ll let dad know. I hope he’ll write more too.