# What is this thing I found?



## Averagewoodyjoe (Aug 15, 2019)




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## Averagewoodyjoe (Aug 15, 2019)

I found this behind a gas station man. I asked the guy how long it was there. He said forever. I couldn't get any history on it or anything. Can anyone help me out and identify this thing. It looks like a lot of energy went into it.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)




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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

it is indeed a strange one. I bet Roy Underhill would know.










.


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## bold1 (May 5, 2013)

Do the bores go thru or are they just indents?


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## OleGrump (Jun 16, 2017)

The first guess would be a water or feed trough of some kind.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

My guess is you fill it with water a roll a tire in it to test for leaks by looking for air bubbles.


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## Averagewoodyjoe (Aug 15, 2019)

The large bore goes through the the front of the log. You can see the exit when it's in the back of my truck.


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## bold1 (May 5, 2013)

I'm guessing, but I could see this being used by a wheel wright, to shrink the tires. As the water steams away a wooden pipe carries more into the basin.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> The first guess would be a water or feed trough of some kind.
> 
> - OleGrump


My thought, but it would need a hole in the bottom to draw up water. No hole in the bottom?


> ?


 No clue.


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## Averagewoodyjoe (Aug 15, 2019)

Nope there is no holes in the bottom. I don't see any traces of rubber or any markings that would indicate repeated friction. Just clean old wood. No marks no nothing. It could be a crack head!


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Hey, that's pretty darn cool to my way of thinking. if you want to get rid of it. I'm thinking it would look really great in my Man Cave. Let's make a deal!


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## Averagewoodyjoe (Aug 15, 2019)

Nah I can't get rid of it man. It's got a energy on it that has me glued to it. I just hate knot knowing what it is.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

My SWAG?
Looks remotely like an antique herb/seed grinder trough, similar to mortar/pestle but it uses a wheel in trough?
Do the holes have grinding wear marks in bottom? 
Couple of designs I saw had wheel for course grind and pestle for find grind on end?

Here is a similar pic of wheel grinder stolen from fleabay:









If you have a wooden grinding trough, they are beyond antique, bordering on prehistoric tools as the designs predate the cast iron age grinders:









Only place I have ever seen wooden grinding wheel and trough in person was in museums. Think I saw one in China cultural museum in Taiwan from before 1000AD, and maybe again in Southwest Indian museum?
Forget what they called them, and my google chi is not coming up with any more pictures or the proper name.

That's my guess, thanks for reading!


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## bold1 (May 5, 2013)

Google search images. Wooden water trough Stara Fuzina


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## OleGrump (Jun 16, 2017)

I believe Control Freak's got it. Given that it was found behind a gas station, it would sure add up. Given the relatively "primitive" methods by which auto mechanic work was done about 80-100 years ago, this piece would certainly be in line with it. My father and his friends could easily remember days when "mechanics" used to dig a small trench with a deep center and more shallow ends for use in reshaping bent fenders. In an age of "baling wire" repairs, why not a wooden trough to find leaks in early inflatable tires or "tyres"...?


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