Any idea how much these are worth? Old hay rake and elevator

[roscoe erf]

My memories of bale elevators are not entirely good. They were ok when they worked, but even then were synonymous with gruelling work in hot hay sheds with bits of hay sticking to sweat soaked skin and clothing.

When they didn’t work you could waste hours messing about with those temperamental Briggs & Stratton engines or derailed conveyors while some paid staff were waiting about doing nothing; though to be fair some of ours were knacky lads who would muck in and help get it going again.

All in all it could well be because of bad memories that not many people wish to have them as reminders!

work of the devil if they weren't trying to choke you to death they would give you a coronary with the pull start or try and torch the place down evil things

 

[X344chap]

Saw a hayshed burn down due to sparks from the exhaust. It waited until the shed was nearly full of course. +1 on work of the devil.

 

[Netherfield]

Couldn't sell an elevator 20 years ago, had both motor and engine fitted, ended up taking motor and engine off and scrapping the rest. The engine is probably still in the corner of the shed where I left it.

 

[Highland Mule]

Father sold the old bale elevator to a roofing company - from memory they wanted it to lift slates onto the top of bungalows.

 

[oakleaf]

We had the Lister elevator too. I hated it as well but ours was utterly reliable.
I hated it because previously we piked the bales up and though it was tough work it was done in peace and quiet with plenty of banter and jokes about everything with the whole team often 6 to 8 men joining in.
But then the Lister arrived and some of the physicality disappeared but once that cord got pulled an infernal racket filled the yard and barns and all the fun was gone with each man in isolation with his own thoughts.
We used do thousands and thousands of bales back then. Kept us strong and fit, but the Lister elevator was a mixed blessing indeed and personally l hated the thing.

 

[Lazy Sod]

The worst thing about a bale elevator was working at the top of it. You were at the mercy of the man at the bottom sending them up too quickly. I was kind to my men as I fitted a cut off switch at the top of our electrical one. Mind you, I was always the man at the bottom as I could work at my own rate , bosses perks.

 

[Exfarmer]

The worst thing about a bale elevator was working at the top of it. You were at the mercy of the man at the bottom sending them up too quickly. I was kind to my men as I fitted a cut off switch at the top of our electrical one. Mind you, I was always the man at the bottom as I could work at my own rate , bosses perks.

Our lads were made of stiffer things, if we put them on to quick, you soon got one come back down

 

[Exfarmer]

The worst thing about the lister, it was far too short! Could not reach anywhere near the eavesand only just able to get them over the threshold, leaving a chain of men and the odd woman to hump them to the back.
later we had New Idea elevator 50 foot long which took them to the back of the barn saved too men. Luckily we had a big stackyard.

 

[Still Farming]

The worst thing about the lister, it was far too short! Could not reach anywhere near the eavesand only just able to get them over the threshold, leaving a chain of men and the odd woman to hump them to the back.
later we had New Idea elevator 50 foot long which took them to the back of the barn saved too men. Luckily we had a big stackyard.

Think use to be a flat extra motorized secton to get bales to back of shed they use to hang from rafters

 

[Lincsman]

Think use to be a flat extra motorized secton to get bales to back of shed they use to hang from rafters

Mine has a 5' extension, 8' were available, its just wooden rollers, just needs a little incline to get bales to run down, quite good really as the bales land in the middle of the stack rather than the edge, more incline the further they went.

 

[DrWazzock]

We “upgraded” to a lister elevator with electric motor but it’s a horrible job up in the shed roof. Not so bad placing them on the thing out in the fresh air but I never seem to get that job,
Our previous petrol engined elevator was also used to load beet. We had a special root cleaner hopper fitted as an extra first stage. It was lister green so I suppose was factory made. Filled with an MF35 loader tractor often driven by mother wearing a great coat if it was raining.

 

[Exfarmer]

Mine has a 5' extension, 8' were available, its just wooden rollers, just needs a little incline to get bales to run down, quite good really as the bales land in the middle of the stack rather than the edge, more incline the further they went.

We too had the extension to try and get a little more reach, it was fine when the elevator was not raised too high but when you got to a certain point the bales would no longer roll forward and the next bale very often would roll back down the elevator. In truth they were horrible things

 

[Courier]

At least the jacking tube on the elevator still looks straight....

 

[Lincsman]

We too had the extension to try and get a little more reach, it was fine when the elevator was not raised too high but when you got to a certain point the bales would no longer roll forward and the next bale very often would roll back down the elevator. In truth they were horrible things

Yes they needed adjusting... not easy, as you went higher.

 

[TripleSix]

@simmy_bull
How much did we get for that one of yours?

 

[Kidds]

I have a Lister elevator, I replaced the Briggs and Stratton for a Chinese version. It is stood outdoors and hasn't been started for 4 months at the very least but I know it will start with a few pulls and won't stop until it runs out of petrol no matter what I put on it.
I have fitted galvanised sheet under the laths and use it with my sawbench to load logs onto a trailer. Marvelous machine.
Engine cost maybe £120 off ebay and I have had that value many times over. If Chinese motors weren't available I would sooner scrap it than arse about with the Briggs.

 

[Exfarmer]

I have a Lister elevator, I replaced the Briggs and Stratton for a Chinese version. It is stood outdoors and hasn't been started for 4 months at the very least but I know it will start with a few pulls and won't stop until it runs out of petrol no matter what I put on it.
I have fitted galvanised sheet under the laths and use it with my sawbench to load logs onto a trailer. Marvelous machine.
Engine cost maybe £120 off ebay and I have had that value many times over. If Chinese motors weren't available I would sooner scrap it than arse about with the Briggs.

I have a hedge trimmer sold as Stihl, turned out to be Chinese copy its now over 20 years old and going strong ?

 

[GavinJ]

As said transport kills the value. I have looked at numerous elevators on eBay but none are ever close enough. I don’t do many small bales last year about 10 acres but there are only 2 of us here so an elevator is on the essential list but it has to be close by to make it viable.

 

[Exfarmer]

If I remeber correctly, they will fold up very small

 

[AJR75]

I have my late grandfather's Lister one. He sold it to a neighbour some 30+ years ago now and was in really good nick when sold. The chap that bought it left it in our shed and never collected it. Now decided that he doesn't want it. The old briggs and stratton is well gone now but the remainder of the elevator is solid albeit slightly seized due the time spent stood.

Am of half a mind to restore the thing for sentimental value (it was one of the very few things that he ever bought new). Plus it would come in handy for the few small bales we do these days.