Double Tree

Looks like your efforts were rewarded in the final analysis….nice work

-- Sawhorse - Sulphur Springs, TX - www.sawhorseworkshop.com

I’m glad you explained what that was! Nice!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

What an interesting project! Looks like it turned out great. I enjoyed the explanation of the farm and project.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Thanks,
This brings back memories of my Grandparents farm. I used to spend my summers there during my teen years.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Great job Guy. The state park in southern Delaware has asked for some help in making some wooden items for their demos. They want an entire cart made (both full size and smaller) They had a price quote of over $20K for the larger cart.

I hope to help them in this endeavor. Do you know anyone that makes wooden wheels?

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Nice job and thanks for increasing my knowledge ( double tree, eh!)

-- Jesus is Lord!

To all my Lumberjock friends, thank you for your kind words, they are greatly appreciated. As I said before this was a fun project and I am hoping to do a lot more for the farm. They have asked if I want to restore a Gazebo from the early 1900’s. I have taken a look at it and think it might be beyond my skills, but I am thinking about it.

Karson, sorry but I don’t know of anyone that makes wooden wheels. I will be back out at the farm today, they are having their Spring Fair and I know there is going to be a lot of horse people attending with wagon and carriages. I will ask them if they know of anyone.

-- Guy Kroll

What a great use for your skills!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

My mom was raised on a farm where they used horses I remember her calling it a whipple tree and she even sang a song about the old gray mare she poped on the whipple tree poped on the whipple tree etc. brings back kind memories. thanks jockmike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

This looks lika a great project. Something I would love to do.
Nice.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

“many long years ago”.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

So when a wagon has 4 horses you connect 2 double trees together??

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

Miles 125. I am not sure. I am just learning about wagons and such, I will try to get you a answer that is correct rather then me quessing. But if I was to quess I would think that yes you would need 2 Double Trees to accomadate 4 horses.

-- Guy Kroll

Guy,
Tis is a long time ago that this was posted but I guess better late than never. I’m assuming this will get to you anyway.

For 9 years Carleen and I operated our ranch with nothing but horse power. We operated up to 6 horse hitchs to do the farmwork. The double tree stick is only the piece of Ash which is about 48 ” x 6”. It is shown across the tongue which is the long tapered piece which goes between the horses. The oval pieces of Ash which are attached to the double tree are single trees. These are used to hook the traces from the harness to the wagon. The double tree as a unit would consist of 1 double tree stick and two single trees. The tongue is part of the wagon. At the front of the tongue it the neck yoke which holds the tongue up and steers the wagon.

Most double tree sticks are made of Ash. Usually a piece of angle iron is applied to the back of the stick and 1/4 bolts are run cross ways at the ends of the stick to prevent splitting. It is wise to insert 1/2 ” pipe in the bolt holes to prevent tear out and wear. The single tree holes should be placed back of center and the lynch pin hole should be ahead of center. This gives more wood where it is needed. It also helps to put a metal wear plate top and bottom on the lynch pin hole.

Just a note In case anyone else finds this; there is no shortage of wagon wheels or buggy wheels. Just check with the Amish communities anywhere. There is no shortage of buggy or wagon parts or harness parts either. There are some very good carriage builders out there and they do good work.

-- Thos. Angle

I knew when I saw this and that it wasn’t about hotels that Thos. Angle would be all over this one like Don on a small box!

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Thos. Angle

Thos, thanks for the insight on this project. It is the first of anything like this that I have done. Wish you where around when I was building it, I could have used your thoughts on this. The farm has been using this all summer long on their haywagon and it has held up well.
The farm seemed to like my work so well they have given me a building to put together a woodworking shop for them. As this moves forward ( it will take a while, there is a lot of repair and updating to the building to do first ) I will let everyone know.

-- Guy Kroll