General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

6

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

CAST IRON, STEEL, WOOD

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

610.0 cm

Width

255.0 cm

Height

322.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

2721.6

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Agriculture

Category

Land improvement

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Buckeye

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Ohio

City

Findlay

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

1890s to 1920s

Canada

This machine was used in a provincial land-drainage program initiated by the Ontario Department of Agriculture in 1905. Ross Irwin notes that the Buckeye company "monopolized the Canadian business to 1955."

Function

Dtichers dig trenches, and lay tile drains, to drain wet land for improved agricultural production (often to make it easier for heavier equipment to operate in previously wet fields). Ditchers can also dig open-trenches for laying pipelines or for creating open drainage ditches.

Technical

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers designated the Buckeye Steam Traction Ditcher as an International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1988. Text from the document marking the occasion notes that the "Buckeye steam traction ditcher was designed to dig ditches for agricultural drainage tile, but could dig open trenches for any type of pipeline or for developing open drainage ditches...The digging wheel had neither spokes nor axle, which allowed it to dig to a depth equal to its diameter less the depth of the cross belt-conveyor. The width of the ditch could be altered by changing the digging buckets and adjusting the digging-wheel frame and bearings." https://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/.../133-Buckeye-Steam-Traction-Ditcher.pdf James B. Hill was founder of the Buckeye Steam Ditcher Company, which began operations in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1893. The company moved several times and was known as the Buckeye Traction Ditcher Company when it moved to Findlay, Ohio. About 700 steam ditchers were produced and shipped from Findlay before 1910. More than 2000 were ultimately sold including many into southwestern Ontario. Source: Ohio History Connection https://www.ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll36/id/2258 See also the finding aid MS 380 - Buckeye Traction Ditcher Collection, Garwood Industries at Bowling Green State University's Center for Archival Collections. https://lib.bgsu.edu/finding_aids/items/show/134

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

OBSCURED

Missing

BOILER (boiler has been replaced with relatively modern, all welded version)

Finish

RUSTY

Decoration

N/A