Horse drawn slip/ buck scraper

[EJ Zander]

Looking for one these in period pics, if someone sees one please let me know.

I have one and they can move a good bit of soil surprising quick. Make no mistake though its hard work. Horse pulls it forward with handles facing rearward. Operator lifts handles so bucket lip digs in and soil/ rocks collect in bucket. When full, operator lets go of handles. Lip will rise out of ground and bucket will merely slide across top of ground. Operator has horse pull full bucket to area that it will be dumped. Once at dump site operator again pulls up on handles far enough that lip catches while horse continues forward. The horses forward motion and lip catching will cause bucket to flip over and dump contents.
Hard or compacted ground can be plowed first to loosen it for scraping.
The slip scraper is hard on the operators back but alot easier/ quicker then lifting and shoveling dirt.
Useful for road building, leveling ground, digging basements and bank barns.
Heres a horse using one to dig a celler.

Heres a video of one in use. The operators appear to be learning but you get the idea of its use. An experienced team will work in almost continues motion.

 

[WJC]

Here's a photograph of preparations for sinking a mine shaft in Edwardsvile, Pennsylvania in 1907....

 

[mofederal]

I have seen the horse drawn ones in action before. It is the same principal as a powered machine. I like the oxen pulling the scraper also. A lot of horse equipage like this are owned by the Amish. You might be surprised by what they still have on hand.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

That's almost painful, isn't it? Much improvement on men with shovels but boy, it does seem tough on a non-draft horse.

Interesting, the Amish would have them and makes sense. Love to see it. Their drafts are stunning- a very nice man had a stud the size of a house he allowed you to see, if you asked, a few miles from here.

Will have a look through photos, EJ, may have one and not know it- never heard of these so thanks for posting!

 

[EJ Zander]

Here's a photograph of preparations for sinking a mine shaft in Edwardsvile, Pennsylvania in 1907....
View attachment 155254

Thats a great pic. You can see the circular runs each group of teams is making to clear out the hole. The scapers they are using are the same as the one I have with the two riveted skid bands on the bottom.
Unlike the video i posted there is no one upfront with the horses just the guy in back using the scaper with the reins around his neck. The horses know the drill and are working mostly on verbal commands.
Looking further at the pic, there has been a slow down in the work as the two teams in the foreground are standing and waiting for the guy in the hole to clear. Guy in the hole has his traces slack and team is not moving forward. Operator that is second closest to camera is getting impatient even has his hand on his hip holding reins. Guy closest to camera has turned away from the team probably talking to someone.
Funny how things change but some things stay the same on a job site.

 

[EJ Zander]

That's almost painful, isn't it? Much improvement on men with shovels but boy, it does seem tough on a non-draft horse.

Interesting, the Amish would have them and makes sense. Love to see it. Their drafts are stunning- a very nice man had a stud the size of a house he allowed you to see, if you asked, a few miles from here.

Will have a look through photos, EJ, may have one and not know it- never heard of these so thanks for posting!

Thanks. You are awesome at finding the pics.

 

[donna]

I know my Granddad had one of those. I guess it was sold when his things where auctioned after he passed away. I have written before about his draft horses.

 

[lelliott19]

Look at the horse up top right of the image. Wouldn't want to be the one to have to drive that team!

For me, Ill take the team furthest left.....standing patiently with the guy bending over to pick up his handles. That's the team for me! ....no swishing tails (near right) and no stink eye (dark horse of center team foreground trying to look over his blinder) and definitely not the team on top right .....doing whatever they're doing.

 

[WJC]

Thats a great pic. You can see the circular runs each group of teams is making to clear out the hole. The scapers they are using are the same as the one I have with the two riveted skid bands on the bottom.
Unlike the video i posted there is no one upfront with the horses just the guy in back using the scaper with the reins around his neck. The horses know the drill and are working mostly on verbal commands.
Looking further at the pic, there has been a slow down in the work as the two teams in the foreground are standing and waiting for the guy in the hole to clear. Guy in the hole has his traces slack and team is not moving forward. Operator that is second closest to camera is getting impatient even has his hand on his hip holding reins. Guy closest to camera has turned away from the team probably talking to someone.
Funny how things change but some things stay the same on a job site.

Thanks for your response.
You certainly studied that photo. Glad you enjoyed it....

 

[EJ Zander]

Look at the horse up top right of the image. Wouldn't want to be the one to have to drive that team!

For me, Ill take the team furthest left.....standing patiently with the guy bending over to pick up his handles. That's the team for me! ....no swishing tails (near right) and no stink eye (dark horse of center team foreground trying to look over his blinder) and definitely not the team on top right .....doing whatever they're doing.

Yeah that guy in the upper right is holding them back and they want to move, lol. Funny that driver also appears to be looking at the guy in the hole.
There is a mix of different harnesses on the teams. The company either brought out their teams that normally do different jobs or hired on local guys and their horses to fill the ranks. The guy in the hole and the team descending into the hole to his upper right both have rigs that could be off the farm. Two in the foreground are more specialized.

 

[JOHN42768]

Slowly but surely gets the task done