That Toledo torch (is a smudge pot)they were used like flares or warning lights in road construction areas, I’ve also seen them used to mark railroad crossings. They burned fuel oil like #2 diesel, no globe just an open flame. I remember seeing them being used when I was a little kid in the 60s. Thanks for the tour, looking forward to seeing more on the family history.
Same here -- That was a proper road flare where I grew up in the 1960s and I remember them being put out around accident scenes in the early 1970s. They were all painted black as I recall.
People who grow-up with other peoples junk usually get so used to it they can only dream of ways to make it their own, usually by chucking it out and building something new... only to deeply regret it. You're doing the right thing keeping some of it just as it is.
Not trying to be rude but as you said grandad was a bit of a hoarder you say right away that you can't trash it because of historical and useful things. Not giving you a bad time , I'm very similar.. Cheers.
Zach Tuber here, the pump on the tank is a quart stroke pump, one crank would pump a known amount of fluid, normally you would fill a dispensing oil can from that pump. So if you were changing engine oil you would dispense let’s say 5 quarts ( 5 cranks) into your oil can and fill the engine. Simple no measuring just crank the handle for the number of quarts you needed.
One of my first jobs was in a service station back in the 70s. They had a triple tank with 3 pumps. It used to hold 30, 40, and 90 weight oils, but by the time I worked there it was only used for white cleaning solvent. A tanker truck came by every few weeks to top it off. Ours was branded Valvoline, so maybe that's what the "V" stands for on this one.
In addition to what others have said, keep in mind that those plastic 5 gallon buckets only came around about the 70's. They made galvanized oil cans with a handle and a spout on them - kind of like ice tea pitchers - for getting bulk oil out and pouring into the motors.
The gas station in our little town when I was small sold kerosene out of a square tank and pump like that one. An old metal 5 gallon fuel can would fit right under the one they had.
To stand in an old shed and look around at things that you and your grampa played with, could only strengthen you. How honored you must feel. how difficult their lives must have been. Be well.
The Toledo torch is a smudge pot I’m 55 years old and as a kid probably 6 or 7 years old I remember them used at road construction sights to mark hazards they would set them on the ground by a wooden barricade light them and they would burn all night with open flame. Now replaced with the sawhorse style barricade with the battery, powered dusk to dawn, amber light on them
I grew up in a tight kit family. You don't see that much anymore those days are gone....Happy to see a proud man talk about his family... I grew up on a cattle ranch and a cabinet shop....Keep posting Im a fan for sure...Greeting from Nashville Tennessee....Keep posting the world is your stage..Thanks for sharing...
My grandfather also had several oil field equipment servicing businesses. He had a rig lay down yard (where the oil rigs were stored and serviced when not out in the field). I was too young to remember much about that one. He sold that business and opened a rig brake band servicing business (the big 6 foot in diameter brake bands that control the lifting cables for the drill head and pipes). I remember that business, I would ride my bike out there and hang out with my grandpa during the summer.
The Budweiser can at 22.08 has held up well. 31.50 we called those smudge pots, they used them on highway construction zone, light them and they would burn all night. Bright orange flame and smoke. We'd sometimes try to bump them with the car tire when we drove past. They worked in all weather, wind, rain, snow. I'm loving the history and nostalgia. Thanks for sharing this with us. The oil patch, boom bust boom bust. Barrels of oil are what keeps the economy moving and our standard of living what it is.
Everything seem to be off such high, manufactured quality. Even that dusty gulf 5 gallon pail. The way the paint was still crisp and bright and the sound that made when you set it down. Amazing. I’ve been binge watching your channel. I’m so glad I found it. You’re the kind of guy that would be in such an elevated position during an end of the world scenario, all the stuff that you know seems like a hidden knowledge or something that will be lost at some point in the future.
That little gas engine is a Briggs & Stratton Model ZZ. They were used in military PE-75 generators and maintenance is covered in the manual. The heat gasket is 0.040" cork and you can order a sheet of replacement material from Felpro as a variety pack. It has an updraft carburetor that must be very carefully disassembled to avoid breaking anything.
The terracotta funnel shaped thing is bottom part of a bird bath. This thing with a handles and the hole in middle makes 2"x2" square wood round. That round ball was filled with kerosene and the top piece was lit the wick on fire used as a road flare road repair and construction zone. Yes it's rubber bladed vehicle fan with the blades rotted off. My grandpa had cool fan like that in his car and truck back in the 60s. Some very cool treasures you got. 👍🇺🇸🐘
Loved seeing the old Servel refrigerator! My dad serviced them in the 1950's. The old refrigerators ran on natural gas, propane or kerosene. The refrigerant was ammonia. My dad taught me that only three things could go wrong with the old refrigerators. They either had a) low gas pressure b) dirty coils on the back or c) they were not level. The refrigerators were not frost free and occasionally a housewife would poke a hole in the coils with an ice pick while defrosting it releasing all the ammonia. You could not go in the house for about 24 hours until all the ammonia had dissipated! P.S. That crank on the gas pump was used to reset the dollar amount to zero before you pumped the next customer. Thanks for showing all the old COOL stuff!!!
The little electric motor is a defrost fan for your windshield the clamp goes on the steering column the fan blades were rubber and have fallen off Thanks Phil
I am 69 years old and remember some of the items you showed in old cellars from when I was a kid. The round ball shaped item with the wick at the top I think was called a smudge pipe. I do not remember what it was used for but do not think it had a dome over it. I think that is they way it is designed to be. The lead pipe? That is what water pipes were made over long ago. Mostly they were the drain pipes. Many years ago I purchased lead from a metal recycling center and some of that was lead pipes that I melted for making fishing items. This video was very interesting to me, thanks for taking the time to do it.
Zach I agree with others on the "smudge pot/road flare" used to see them in the 50s by open holes along the road etc. The oil tank was for filling glass quart bottles that had a tall screw on metal funnel top for pouring. There was a station in our town that had several of these oil tanks with different weights of oil. One had re-filtered oil and it was the cheapest, people with "oil burner" cars used it. Neat stuff you have there, haven't seen much of it since I was a child in the 50s. You bring back a lot of old memories, save this stuff!
Hey there, I grew up with a father who lived and breathed oil. He was part of the top brass at Exxon International (Now Exxon Mobil). Specifically, he worked on supply and demand scenarios sometimes going out 30+ years. It gets awfully thin at the top so his work was of interest to the US government as well as other governments globally. I've always understood Oil from the 40,000 foot perspetive, as an industry and how the industry has gigantic implications in foreign policy. To see you working on these individual wells, operatimg on such a micro scale all while employing legacy methods is beyond interesting. Your work is reduced to just a portion of one cell in one Excel spreadsheet but you are indeed real and from what I see, thriveing. It's such a weird (to me) and intersting perspective. Thank you for these videos. You definable got a sub from me and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
Yep, that’s a lead gooseneck. They were used to connect from the large diameter water main to the water meter for someone’s house. They were very common all over the country. They were outlawed in the 70’s. But in some of the old cities like Atlanta or Savannah Georgia they were still found once in a while all the way up to about 10 years ago or so. The lead poisoning/ contamination in flint Michigan happened when the lime water softening was stopped due to budget issues. That allowed the coating of lime that covered and protected the inside of all the lead pipes to dissolves exposing the actual lead to the water. Which caused the lead to dissolve into the drinking water. All bad shit happens cause of money. It’s always about the money.
Dad and I emptied the farm shop before it was torn down in 2017. He and his brother had built it in the 40's. Like this old shop, I learned some history of the farm. My Grandpa's and great Grandpa's tools were in there as well. Thanks Zach!
Parents were the warehouse keepers for Navajo Freight in Seminole TX till 1960, when the boom died and dad lost money on a dryland watermelon farm, so we ended up in Alb where he worked as fireman for 20 years. In the 80s we joked that when the rig welder's ash try got full he went out and bought another Toledo torch LOL They used fill them with kerosene light the wick to use those to mark off the edges of holes to keep you from driving into them.. The oil pump was used to fill one gallon can with a spout on the side, so you could put in your engine.
Thank you Zack! Lead was called Plumbum. That's the Pb, and plumber. That oil tank pump was to measure oil for a motor vehicle. Once you got it primed, you cranked it back, then you cranked it forward it's full stroke and it would measure out oil (one quart, mostly) like for an OLD service station. We used those on the farm as a kid, and one gas station I worked. Then oil came in fiber or cardboard quart containers with metal lids and bottoms. There was a classic container/pouring vessel used to receive the oil and let you carry it and pour it into the vehicle's crankcase opening.. That round thing you asked if it was a torch, was a road marking safety flare for construction zones. They let out a dirty smoke, like #2 oil, and a small flame on top. I remember them sitting on top of road barrier saw-horses, and also on the ground. If you want to consolidate, maybe consider a couple of 8' lengths of short pallet rack? Loved seeing all that old stuff! I've spent many hours of my life going through other people's junk I bought out from them, when I was buying and selling all kinds of stuff. I was totally comfortable with your video :)
Zach, it's awesome that you have been able to start putting some videos out again. I really enjoyed seeing the passion that you have for your family history. I am looking forward to seeing the rest of this series. I think that it is awesome that you can enjoy the shop that belonged to your grandparents just as they left it. We were raised in an industry that has provided security to this country and our way of life is truly threatened.
The oil tank and Bennett pump would be used to fill a 1 gallon can with a spout to pour into your engine, the screw on the top is used to adjust the stroke, wind it up, turn the crank until it stops and 1 quart is dispensed, used lots of them in the seventy's thanks for keeping the cool old stuff that can still work.
Yes. Or 1 quart glass bottles with a metal funnel that screws to the top. The quart bottles would typically be stored in a metal wire basket that would hold 4 of the bottles.
Hi Zach. In that truck tool box I think that's a shovel off a military jeep, think they mounted them on the rear sides. Yep they used those Toledo torches on road construction sites, I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid, and I'm 76.....long time ago.🙃 I remember seeing those oil tanks in gas stations when I was a kid, every station had a bunch of em for different weights of oil.
What a walk down memory lane, started in the oil field in Cut Bank MT in the early 60 my dad own a drilling company and ran a bunch of leases around the area. Did a stint in the Army came out got a degree in petroleum engineering. Long story short seen a lot of the stuff you have in that shop. Never get tired of oil field especially strippers, brand new wells are not as much fun as strippers
The toledo torch was a warning flare to mark road work at night i remember them when i was a kid in the early sixties .that oil tank and pump would have been used to fill a glass jar with a metal lid in the shape of a funnel they held 1 qt you would pump it up to the line then add to the engine as needed should have another tube that would swing under the spout and the drips went back in the tank
The round thing os a smudge pot. Used to see them sitting out on the road to mark places or lanes to stay in. Old time marker light. The Lubester was for filling quart tin cans to carry oil to put in engine. They had a flexible neck on them and a thumb lever to let it flow. If you turn the handle fully counter clockwise it fills the barrel then turn it clockwise and it dispenses a at. The adjustment for volume is the thing at the top you said was for priming
That’s a bulk oil tank. At service stations they would have oil. When you needed oil for your car they would put a glass bottle with a metal spout and crank/pump a quart of oil and go put it in up your engine. Oil didn’t come in quart cans back then. Both the tanks, or oil caddy’s and the glass bottles are highly collectible.
I recognize a lot of that stuff you were wondering about. The Toledo torch is a road side flare that used fuel oil/kerosene. I remember see tons of them lining the road in construction zones. At 33:40 that is a fan missing the rubber blades. It was designed to clamp to what ever you could find like a steering column and the rubber blades meant no guard needed.
Cool video Zach. That lead pipe will come in handy if you ever do a re-enactment of a game of Clue. All you need now is Col. Mustard and a library. Those oil dispensers pumped oil into a pitcher that would be used to pour oil into a motor following an oil change, or a differential, or whatever. Pre-dates the small-scale cans of oil I remember from my youth. Thanks for sharing!
That ball lantern thing is a smudge pot. Burns kerosene and was used for all sorts of things. Anything from warning lights or for melting ice off of things. That other thing you thought was a fan, is. It had rubber blades that was in those slots on the nose cone.
That round thing was what my dad called a road torch or a smug pot. Use old oil. In Wyoming they were used to mark road to oil rigs. To mark road divides or hazardous areas at night.
Cool old stuff. Thanks for sharing the discoveries. I'm pretty sure that thing you found near the end is an old fan for the cab of one of their trucks but the vanes are broken off. They weren't as particular about safety grills and the like. Maybe made of rubberized stuff like mine belt.
Great story I remember my dad tearing down my grandfather’s barn and I helped him move some stuff out that had been sitting there since before ww2 I remember playing in the barn back in the 80s and the stuff was covered with dirt and everywhere lol thanks for sharing can’t wait for more
My wife's maternal gpa was a lease pumper that lived in a lease house a long time ago. He worked for city service for a very long time. He used to walk the wells every day with a bucket of tools and a bucket of water to lube all the sticks on the rod pumping units, which I never saw one till your video of one. He was a very cool guy who never got hurt in the oilfield, retired early and lived a good life.
Very cool. I love exploring old oilfield structures. Even better that you've got the family history. There's a lot of field shops like that in my area but the guys who knew about the operations are long since gone.
I am literally the polar opposite of you. If we saw each other in the street we would never even notice. But I have to say watching these videos makes me realize we have way more in common, and I would enjoy your company over a meal and a drink. Makes me take pause and realize even with different perspectives and views and completely different life paths, we can find interest and respect in what we do and find a common path.
I would love to know more about that welder. That thing would have been ancient even in 1950. I bet it has a fascinating history to it. I love old welders and the more that can be restored to original working condition the better.
Thanks for sharing! I think I could easily spend three weeks exploring that shed without getting bored for a second, then I would probably realize that I hadn't eaten in three weeks LOL
My dad was also born in 1912. (He was 55 when I was born) He had the same sort of shop(s) but not oil related. Unfortunately I didn't have the option of keeping the buildings and much of his stuff was lost... That oil pump was made to work with 2gal "swingspout" steel cans with a built in funnel. There's probably one of them laying around somewhere.
Loved it got to appreciate what our Families went through to get us where we are today I use to get disgusted with my Father a depression child but now I appreciate my folks struggles now I am worse than they were about getting by
What a bunch of cool old stuff! Too bad the Toledo Torches are no longer made and the Vise Grips are all made in China now. I believe you had in your hand a fan that was missing its blades. Probably was mounted maybe in a bus to blow air on the inside of the windshield. That square tank with pump on it was for dispensing bulk motor oil or the like in a service station. The height was so that a glass motor oil bottle would fit underneath.
Hey Zach, what a treat to look around your great grandfather's machine shop. That Servel refrigerator was built here in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, probably in the early 50s. Servel also made parts for the P-47 thunderbolts which were also built here in Evansville at Republic Aviation, whose building became a Whirlpool refrigerator plant. If you get time..haha, see if there is a patent or name plate inside the refrigerator that might mention Evansville, IN. I would be curious to know as my Dad worked there when he was in college in the late 40s. The Toledo torch was used in highway construction as Cory mentioned in his comments. I remember them being used as a kid. If you like to go to antique engine shows, they make great "yellow dog" substitutes and look neat lit up at night around the engines. This was a treat seeing this video of all the stuff in the shop, so looking foward to your next videos. Keep em coming, but please take time for yourself too.
Lead = plumbus, you are correct about the periodic tab;e. As youcan tell I'm going to watch your history series a couple times. Can't believe the NOS parts for engine rerings, oil filters, fish hooks, snake bite kits, oil ball and seats, etc. just a wealth of antiques. Cheers Zach. I can't afford to give you cash so I am watching full adds when I have the time. Not that it is my business but I was wondering where in Texas you live. Haven't been to Texas since 1987 so I know a little geography. I know I'm being a nosy prick, up to you to answer, maybe just the county if you are so inclined. Cheers from Calgary. And thanks again Zach.
To me the best part is the fact that there isn't one single thing in there that was made in China. I noticed you have a few 3364 Gaso pumps running, I spied some valve caps and a packing gland under the rack in the corner. Might come in handy. The gas engine pumps...... My Dad worked for Sinclair as a roustabout back in the early 50's and they were using one [gear pump] to clean a tank bottom. No breathing equipment either btw. Anyway, they had the manhole cover off and the hot engine set off the gas vapor in the tank and it blew up. Dad and the guy he was working were out of the tank getting some air. They got burned a little bit but not too bad. He said he missed two days work but couldn't hear very good for a week. Dad pumped for Sinclair later on and that lease had a central power with a Fairbanks. Dad said a fairly regular lunchtime game was to try and walk the moving rod lines. I grew up on that lease in the 60's but electric motors had replaced the central power by then. All of us kids learned to drive on that lease, chauffeuring Dad around on his daily duties. The Shipley Queen Sands at Royalty Texas. I guess it stuck, I've worked in the oilpatch for decades as well. I love old shops and barns. A friend of mine is the manager of a local ranch that has been in operation for over 100 years. I got the chance to poke around in an old barn at the ranch headquarters. Loads of neat stuff that probably hasn't been touched in 75 years. Old medicines, boxes, cans of stuff, tools and equipment. No idea how old the light bulbs are in there but they are ancient and still burn.
You are absolutely right, that thing at 34:35 is an old fan from a car, probably 50s or 60s, the slots in it would hold rubber blades and it is attached to a motor.
I like that old stuff in your shed! Some of its yard art but there's cool stuff in there you could hang up in the office. That Gulf oil can is really cool, people like that Americana type of thing.
Really enjoyed your tour of the shop. Saw stuff I haven't seen in 60 years. Stumbled into your channel a couple days ago, don't recall how but I've been going through your oil field playlists and having a great time. I can still smell the oil burning in the Toledo torches around road construction.
I LOVE these videos, that old shop reminds me of old oilfield shops with my dad as a kid here in Oklahoma. He pumped a ton of those old wells and worked on them like you do, I had the pleasure of doing all of it with him.
Absolutely loved this tour and family history lesson. I can totally relate on how you want to leave most of that old stuff the way it is where it is. I'm materialist and love having a lot of stuff around. I'm nothing without my stuff!
Fascinating reveal of your family history and leftovers from the oil field industry of the past. I do know the round lantern you were wondering about is an old highway work zone smudge pot. They were filled with kerosene and lit to burn at night to warn motorists of construction zones and associated lanes and drop offs. I do remember them as a kid as my dad and mom would drive through work zones at night. Zach, thanks for do your family history. I always wondered how you got your vast oil field knowledge.
You have some Treasures ! I remember going though my Grandpa's Shite ! I'm now 80 and was in my early 30's then . I lost all my treasures in a fire 2 yrs ago ! Have fun digging and enjoy the memories it brings.
Howdy there Zach. Very much appreciate you sharing this with us. Some items bring back memories, but it all really hits home. Really looking forward to seeing the next videos. Take care and be safe
Very cool, sir. A lot of people would have dumped all that stuff. But it is cool to keep around as a window into the past. They are family heirlooms in a sense. The relics of that history can teach you about the livelihood of your lineage. Thanks for showing us around.
I grew up in a rural town that was an oil boom town in the early 1900s. We moved to that area when I was 9 years old and my brothers and I and our friends hiked and played all over the oil fields. The workers were constantly warning us of hazards. I went to work at 16 in the fields and eventually started my own welding service. That shop building looks just like the buildings I would see often, as they were built out of welded used well tubing and corrugated tin.
The oil dispenser would pump into a gallon carry can to refill an engine or quart glass later plastic bottles for topping of engines, lead pipes were widely used replaced by galvanized, then copper then plastic all contributing to health issues. So interesting exploring the old barn, so many treasures.
The five gallon buckets were metal five gallon cans back then. They had a metal one or two gallon can with a spout they used in the shop for oil changes. You turned the crank or stroked the pump so many times per quart into the can then took the can to the vehicle and poured the oil in. That was cheaper than buying quart oil in bottles then later in cans. Back then an oil change was probably a dollar and saving 10 cents by using bulk oil per change added up to a nice profit at the end of the month for the garage. People were working for 50 cents a day so every nickel or dime saved meant something .
I'm with you on the line shaft refurb !! l helped rework an old water powered corn and grist mill. It was truly a sight to behold, when up and running !!! There were 5, 1600 lbs stone vertical mills. And two floors above that, were loaded with machines for mixing, shaking, sifting and bagging !! The vertical turbine (1920), was the source of power. The water house had 4 - 10'v X 8'w spillway gates at the front. By the way, love your videos !!!
31:09 Those were used by the highway construction and repair crews to mark the open ditches at night. I grew up seeing those torches used on the roads where I lived.
Another fun-fact about the Toledo Torch smudge pots: They are spherical with a weight at the bottom so they will "self-right" if they are tipped over. The ring enabled them to be hung on hooks on the sides of DPW trucks for transport.
I love your videos Zack. I have a building here in east Texas just like yours. It too was my grandfathers who started here in 1938 after working for the Standard Oil since 1919. I recognize a lot of your stuff. The “heavy” cardboard box I believe is a set of reamers. They were mostly used to size wrist pin holes to the wrist pins on Fairbanks Moorse, climax, and automotive engines. When you press new bushings in connecting rods they have to be sized. Thanks for the videos.
Very interesting, I have worked in the oi field in Wyiming all my life. Before plastic oil cans and buckets filling stations used bulk oil, that oil pump is calibrated to one quart with each crank movement and a funnel can was used to carry the oil to those old 216's. PS hope your tetanus shot is up to date. Thanks Larry
That Toledo torch (is a smudge pot)they were used like flares or warning lights in road construction areas, I’ve also seen them used to mark railroad crossings. They burned fuel oil like #2 diesel, no globe just an open flame. I remember seeing them being used when I was a little kid in the 60s. Thanks for the tour, looking forward to seeing more on the family history.
They were also used in fruit orchards to keep frost from damaging the fruit trees. They could actually burn raw crude oil too.
Same here -- That was a proper road flare where I grew up in the 1960s and I remember them being put out around accident scenes in the early 1970s. They were all painted black as I recall.
@@Wingnut_Stickman even if they weren't painted black they all turned black from the soot.
I can still smell the smoke from the Toledo torches that lined the roads of my youth!
Awesome.
People who grow-up with other peoples junk usually get so used to it they can only dream of ways to make it their own, usually by chucking it out and building something new... only to deeply regret it. You're doing the right thing keeping some of it just as it is.
I agree
Not trying to be rude but as you said grandad was a bit of a hoarder you say right away that you can't trash it because of historical and useful things. Not giving you a bad time , I'm very similar.. Cheers.
Zach
Tuber here, the pump on the tank is a quart stroke pump, one crank would pump a known amount of fluid, normally you would fill a dispensing oil can from that pump.
So if you were changing engine oil you would dispense let’s say 5 quarts ( 5 cranks) into your oil can and fill the engine. Simple no measuring just crank the handle for the number of quarts you needed.
That make sence.
Yes, and the screw on top is to calibrate the pump to the correct quantity
One of my first jobs was in a service station back in the 70s. They had a triple tank with 3 pumps. It used to hold 30, 40, and 90 weight oils, but by the time I worked there it was only used for white cleaning solvent. A tanker truck came by every few weeks to top it off. Ours was branded Valvoline, so maybe that's what the "V" stands for on this one.
In addition to what others have said, keep in mind that those plastic 5 gallon buckets only came around about the 70's. They made galvanized oil cans with a handle and a spout on them - kind of like ice tea pitchers - for getting bulk oil out and pouring into the motors.
The gas station in our little town when I was small sold kerosene out of a square tank and pump like that one. An old metal 5 gallon fuel can would fit right under the one they had.
To stand in an old shed and look around at things that you and your grampa played with, could only strengthen you. How honored you must feel. how difficult their lives must have been. Be well.
I agree. Its pretty cool.
Ceramic funnel / looks like a bird bath bottom 😊
@@carlmorgan8452 maybe a concrete funnel for the holes?
The Toledo torch is a smudge pot I’m 55 years old and as a kid probably 6 or 7 years old I remember them used at road construction sights to mark hazards they would set them on the ground by a wooden barricade light them and they would burn all night with open flame. Now replaced with the sawhorse style barricade with the battery, powered dusk to dawn, amber light on them
Toledo Torch is an old road flare (smudge pot). They just burned with an open flame and no chimney.
I grew up in a tight kit family. You don't see that much anymore those days are gone....Happy to see a proud man talk about his family... I grew up on a cattle ranch and a cabinet shop....Keep posting Im a fan for sure...Greeting from Nashville Tennessee....Keep posting the world is your stage..Thanks for sharing...
Thanks.
My grandfather also had several oil field equipment servicing businesses. He had a rig lay down yard (where the oil rigs were stored and serviced when not out in the field). I was too young to remember much about that one. He sold that business and opened a rig brake band servicing business (the big 6 foot in diameter brake bands that control the lifting cables for the drill head and pipes). I remember that business, I would ride my bike out there and hang out with my grandpa during the summer.
The Budweiser can at 22.08 has held up well. 31.50 we called those smudge pots, they used them on highway construction zone, light them and they would burn all night. Bright orange flame and smoke. We'd sometimes try to bump them with the car tire when we drove past. They worked in all weather, wind, rain, snow. I'm loving the history and nostalgia. Thanks for sharing this with us. The oil patch, boom bust boom bust. Barrels of oil are what keeps the economy moving and our standard of living what it is.
I picked up the beer can, Ive got quite a collection of them.
Everything seem to be off such high, manufactured quality. Even that dusty gulf 5 gallon pail. The way the paint was still crisp and bright and the sound that made when you set it down. Amazing. I’ve been binge watching your channel. I’m so glad I found it. You’re the kind of guy that would be in such an elevated position during an end of the world scenario, all the stuff that you know seems like a hidden knowledge or something that will be lost at some point in the future.
That little gas engine is a Briggs & Stratton Model ZZ. They were used in military PE-75 generators and maintenance is covered in the manual. The heat gasket is 0.040" cork and you can order a sheet of replacement material from Felpro as a variety pack. It has an updraft carburetor that must be very carefully disassembled to avoid breaking anything.
The terracotta funnel shaped thing is bottom part of a bird bath.
This thing with a handles and the hole in middle makes 2"x2" square wood round.
That round ball was filled with kerosene and the top piece was lit the wick on fire used as a road flare road repair and construction zone.
Yes it's rubber bladed vehicle fan with the blades rotted off. My grandpa had cool fan like that in his car and truck back in the 60s.
Some very cool treasures you got. 👍🇺🇸🐘
Loved seeing the old Servel refrigerator! My dad serviced them in the 1950's. The old refrigerators ran on natural gas, propane or kerosene. The refrigerant was ammonia. My dad taught me that only three things could go wrong with the old refrigerators. They either had a) low gas pressure b) dirty coils on the back or c) they were not level. The refrigerators were not frost free and occasionally a housewife would poke a hole in the coils with an ice pick while defrosting it releasing all the ammonia. You could not go in the house for about 24 hours until all the ammonia had dissipated! P.S. That crank on the gas pump was used to reset the dollar amount to zero before you pumped the next customer. Thanks for showing all the old COOL stuff!!!
The little electric motor is a defrost fan for your windshield the clamp goes on the steering column the fan blades were rubber and have fallen off Thanks Phil
Awesome.
I am 69 years old and remember some of the items you showed in old cellars from when I was a kid. The round ball shaped item with the wick at the top I think was called a smudge pipe. I do not remember what it was used for but do not think it had a dome over it. I think that is they way it is designed to be.
The lead pipe? That is what water pipes were made over long ago. Mostly they were the drain pipes. Many years ago I purchased lead from a metal recycling center and some of that was lead pipes that I melted for making fishing items.
This video was very interesting to me, thanks for taking the time to do it.
Zach
I agree with others on the "smudge pot/road flare" used to see them in the 50s by open holes along the road etc.
The oil tank was for filling glass quart bottles that had a tall screw on metal funnel top for pouring.
There was a station in our town that had several of these oil tanks with different weights of oil.
One had re-filtered oil and it was the cheapest, people with "oil burner" cars used it.
Neat stuff you have there, haven't seen much of it since I was a child in the 50s.
You bring back a lot of old memories, save this stuff!
Hey there, I grew up with a father who lived and breathed oil. He was part of the top brass at Exxon International (Now Exxon Mobil). Specifically, he worked on supply and demand scenarios sometimes going out 30+ years. It gets awfully thin at the top so his work was of interest to the US government as well as other governments globally. I've always understood Oil from the 40,000 foot perspetive, as an industry and how the industry has gigantic implications in foreign policy. To see you working on these individual wells, operatimg on such a micro scale all while employing legacy methods is beyond interesting. Your work is reduced to just a portion of one cell in one Excel spreadsheet but you are indeed real and from what I see, thriveing. It's such a weird (to me) and intersting perspective. Thank you for these videos. You definable got a sub from me and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
Yep, that’s a lead gooseneck. They were used to connect from the large diameter water main to the water meter for someone’s house. They were very common all over the country. They were outlawed in the 70’s. But in some of the old cities like Atlanta or Savannah Georgia they were still found once in a while all the way up to about 10 years ago or so.
The lead poisoning/ contamination in flint Michigan happened when the lime water softening was stopped due to budget issues. That allowed the coating of lime that covered and protected the inside of all the lead pipes to dissolves exposing the actual lead to the water. Which caused the lead to dissolve into the drinking water.
All bad shit happens cause of money. It’s always about the money.
Thats interesting.
Lead pipes are also common in older cities in Alabama, like Bessemer, Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Mobile.
That Toledo Torch thing is what they use to setup at road construction sites. That was before they had the amber flashing lights.
I remember those when I was a kid. Used for marking construction sites at night.
Cool.
Great video I love going through old sheds barns especially with somebody that knows what all the old obscure parts are.
Dad and I emptied the farm shop before it was torn down in 2017. He and his brother had built it in the 40's.
Like this old shop, I learned some history of the farm. My Grandpa's and great Grandpa's tools were in there as well.
Thanks Zach!
Parents were the warehouse keepers for Navajo Freight in Seminole TX till 1960, when the boom died and dad lost money on a dryland watermelon farm, so we ended up in Alb where he worked as fireman for 20 years. In the 80s we joked that when the rig welder's ash try got full he went out and bought another
Toledo torch LOL They used fill them with kerosene light the wick to use those to mark off the edges of holes to keep you from driving into them..
The oil pump was used to fill one gallon can with a spout on the side, so you could put in your engine.
Awesome.
The Toledo torch burned kerosene, no globe, and was used to mark road construction hazards at night.
Love this type of sit-down keep up the good work Love your videos keep them coming YOUR a hard working man
Thanks.
Thank you Zack! Lead was called Plumbum. That's the Pb, and plumber.
That oil tank pump was to measure oil for a motor vehicle. Once you got it primed, you cranked it back, then you cranked it forward it's full stroke and it would measure out oil (one quart, mostly) like for an OLD service station. We used those on the farm as a kid, and one gas station I worked. Then oil came in fiber or cardboard quart containers with metal lids and bottoms. There was a classic container/pouring vessel used to receive the oil and let you carry it and pour it into the vehicle's crankcase opening..
That round thing you asked if it was a torch, was a road marking safety flare for construction zones. They let out a dirty smoke, like #2 oil, and a small flame on top. I remember them sitting on top of road barrier saw-horses, and also on the ground.
If you want to consolidate, maybe consider a couple of 8' lengths of short pallet rack? Loved seeing all that old stuff! I've spent many hours of my life going through other people's junk I bought out from them, when I was buying and selling all kinds of stuff. I was totally comfortable with your video :)
Zach, it's awesome that you have been able to start putting some videos out again. I really enjoyed seeing the passion that you have for your family history. I am looking forward to seeing the rest of this series. I think that it is awesome that you can enjoy the shop that belonged to your grandparents just as they left it. We were raised in an industry that has provided security to this country and our way of life is truly threatened.
The oil tank and Bennett pump would be used to fill a 1 gallon can with a spout to pour into your engine, the screw on the top is used to adjust the stroke, wind it up, turn the crank until it stops and 1 quart is dispensed, used lots of them in the seventy's thanks for keeping the cool old stuff that can still work.
Yes. Or 1 quart glass bottles with a metal funnel that screws to the top. The quart bottles would typically be stored in a metal wire basket that would hold 4 of the bottles.
Hi Zach. In that truck tool box I think that's a shovel off a military jeep, think they mounted them on the rear sides. Yep they used those Toledo torches on road construction sites, I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid, and I'm 76.....long time ago.🙃 I remember seeing those oil tanks in gas stations when I was a kid, every station had a bunch of em for different weights of oil.
That makes sence.
What a walk down memory lane, started in the oil field in Cut Bank MT in the early 60 my dad own a drilling company and ran a bunch of leases around the area. Did a stint in the Army came out got a degree in petroleum engineering. Long story short seen a lot of the stuff you have in that shop. Never get tired of oil field especially strippers, brand new wells are not as much fun as strippers
The toledo torch was a warning flare to mark road work at night i remember them when i was a kid in the early sixties .that oil tank and pump would have been used to fill a glass jar with a metal lid in the shape of a funnel they held 1 qt you would pump it up to the line then add to the engine as needed should have another tube that would swing under the spout and the drips went back in the tank
Thanks.
The round thing os a smudge pot. Used to see them sitting out on the road to mark places or lanes to stay in. Old time marker light. The Lubester was for filling quart tin cans to carry oil to put in engine. They had a flexible neck on them and a thumb lever to let it flow. If you turn the handle fully counter clockwise it fills the barrel then turn it clockwise and it dispenses a at. The adjustment for volume is the thing at the top you said was for priming
That’s a bulk oil tank. At service stations they would have oil. When you needed oil for your car they would put a glass bottle with a metal spout and crank/pump a quart of oil and go put it in up your engine. Oil didn’t come in quart cans back then. Both the tanks, or oil caddy’s and the glass bottles are highly collectible.
The ceramic at 6:00 is most likely the outlet for a blower forge. You can see the end is a little charred
Never would've guessed!
I recognize a lot of that stuff you were wondering about. The Toledo torch is a road side flare that used fuel oil/kerosene. I remember see tons of them lining the road in construction zones. At 33:40 that is a fan missing the rubber blades. It was designed to clamp to what ever you could find like a steering column and the rubber blades meant no guard needed.
Cool video Zach. That lead pipe will come in handy if you ever do a re-enactment of a game of Clue. All you need now is Col. Mustard and a library. Those oil dispensers pumped oil into a pitcher that would be used to pour oil into a motor following an oil change, or a differential, or whatever. Pre-dates the small-scale cans of oil I remember from my youth. Thanks for sharing!
Hahaha thats what I was thinking the whole time lol.
@@TheZachLife Great minds they say...
@Wingnut_Stickman
Dominic Allen from No Rolls Barred would make a great Col Mustard. LOL
That ball lantern thing is a smudge pot. Burns kerosene and was used for all sorts of things. Anything from warning lights or for melting ice off of things. That other thing you thought was a fan, is. It had rubber blades that was in those slots on the nose cone.
Zack you have some cool old stuff. I remember the smudge pot from my childhood when dad drove all night. 😉
That round thing was what my dad called a road torch or a smug pot. Use old oil. In Wyoming they were used to mark road to oil rigs. To mark road divides or hazardous areas at night.
Cool old stuff. Thanks for sharing the discoveries. I'm pretty sure that thing you found near the end is an old fan for the cab of one of their trucks but the vanes are broken off. They weren't as particular about safety grills and the like. Maybe made of rubberized stuff like mine belt.
Great story I remember my dad tearing down my grandfather’s barn and I helped him move some stuff out that had been sitting there since before ww2 I remember playing in the barn back in the 80s and the stuff was covered with dirt and everywhere lol thanks for sharing can’t wait for more
My wife's maternal gpa was a lease pumper that lived in a lease house a long time ago. He worked for city service for a very long time. He used to walk the wells every day with a bucket of tools and a bucket of water to lube all the sticks on the rod pumping units, which I never saw one till your video of one. He was a very cool guy who never got hurt in the oilfield, retired early and lived a good life.
More history lessons, I love this stuff. Its always cool to see old stuff that doesn't exist anymore.
Thanks.
Very cool. I love exploring old oilfield structures. Even better that you've got the family history. There's a lot of field shops like that in my area but the guys who knew about the operations are long since gone.
I am literally the polar opposite of you. If we saw each other in the street we would never even notice. But I have to say watching these videos makes me realize we have way more in common, and I would enjoy your company over a meal and a drink. Makes me take pause and realize even with different perspectives and views and completely different life paths, we can find interest and respect in what we do and find a common path.
I know exactly what you mean. I agree 100%
That shovel in the tool box is an old M1910 army shovel from ww2.
Yep....
Awesome.
I really enjoyed listening to your family History. I love hearing stories for our parents and grandparents. I'm looking forward to more videos.
Thanks.
I would love to know more about that welder. That thing would have been ancient even in 1950. I bet it has a fascinating history to it. I love old welders and the more that can be restored to original working condition the better.
A welder somewhat like that appears in the 1943 Popular Mechanics Farm Manual. The DC motor is probably a replacement generator head.
Old people learned the hard way. "don't throw away any thing today, that you will need tomorrow"!
Thanks for sharing! I think I could easily spend three weeks exploring that shed without getting bored for a second, then I would probably realize that I hadn't eaten in three weeks LOL
My dad was also born in 1912. (He was 55 when I was born) He had the same sort of shop(s) but not oil related. Unfortunately I didn't have the option of keeping the buildings and much of his stuff was lost...
That oil pump was made to work with 2gal "swingspout" steel cans with a built in funnel. There's probably one of them laying around somewhere.
Hahaha.
Loved it got to appreciate what our Families went through to get us where we are today I use to get disgusted with my Father a depression child but now I appreciate my folks struggles now I am worse than they were about getting by
What a bunch of cool old stuff! Too bad the Toledo Torches are no longer made and the Vise Grips are all made in China now. I believe you had in your hand a fan that was missing its blades. Probably was mounted maybe in a bus to blow air on the inside of the windshield. That square tank with pump on it was for dispensing bulk motor oil or the like in a service station. The height was so that a glass motor oil bottle would fit underneath.
Hey Zach, what a treat to look around your great grandfather's machine shop. That Servel refrigerator was built here in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, probably in the early 50s. Servel also made parts for the P-47 thunderbolts which were also built here in Evansville at Republic Aviation, whose building became a Whirlpool refrigerator plant. If you get time..haha, see if there is a patent or name plate inside the refrigerator that might mention Evansville, IN. I would be curious to know as my Dad worked there when he was in college in the late 40s. The Toledo torch was used in highway construction as Cory mentioned in his comments. I remember them being used as a kid. If you like to go to antique engine shows, they make great "yellow dog" substitutes and look neat lit up at night around the engines. This was a treat seeing this video of all the stuff in the shop, so looking foward to your next videos. Keep em coming, but please take time for yourself too.
As a guy with family ties to west Texas for many generations, I appreciate you sharing your family history. Don’t ever give up bro!
Hi Zack. you are right it is an aftermarket circulating fan for a car. it had rubber fan blades so you wouldn't get hurt.
Awesome.
Thanks Zack, I really enjoyed this and looking forward to more.
Lead = plumbus, you are correct about the periodic tab;e. As youcan tell I'm going to watch your history series a couple times. Can't believe the NOS parts for engine rerings, oil filters, fish hooks, snake bite kits, oil ball and seats, etc. just a wealth of antiques. Cheers Zach. I can't afford to give you cash so I am watching full adds when I have the time. Not that it is my business but I was wondering where in Texas you live. Haven't been to Texas since 1987 so I know a little geography. I know I'm being a nosy prick, up to you to answer, maybe just the county if you are so inclined. Cheers from Calgary. And thanks again Zach.
To me the best part is the fact that there isn't one single thing in there that was made in China. I noticed you have a few 3364 Gaso pumps running, I spied some valve caps and a packing gland under the rack in the corner. Might come in handy.
The gas engine pumps...... My Dad worked for Sinclair as a roustabout back in the early 50's and they were using one [gear pump] to clean a tank bottom. No breathing equipment either btw. Anyway, they had the manhole cover off and the hot engine set off the gas vapor in the tank and it blew up. Dad and the guy he was working were out of the tank getting some air. They got burned a little bit but not too bad. He said he missed two days work but couldn't hear very good for a week. Dad pumped for Sinclair later on and that lease had a central power with a Fairbanks. Dad said a fairly regular lunchtime game was to try and walk the moving rod lines. I grew up on that lease in the 60's but electric motors had replaced the central power by then. All of us kids learned to drive on that lease, chauffeuring Dad around on his daily duties. The Shipley Queen Sands at Royalty Texas. I guess it stuck, I've worked in the oilpatch for decades as well.
I love old shops and barns. A friend of mine is the manager of a local ranch that has been in operation for over 100 years. I got the chance to poke around in an old barn at the ranch headquarters. Loads of neat stuff that probably hasn't been touched in 75 years. Old medicines, boxes, cans of stuff, tools and equipment. No idea how old the light bulbs are in there but they are ancient and still burn.
Thats really cool. I love the old history.
Those ceramic things look like bases to pedestal sinks. Love your videos.
You are absolutely right, that thing at 34:35 is an old fan from a car, probably 50s or 60s, the slots in it would hold rubber blades and it is attached to a motor.
Lots of oilfield service gems there, swab cups, pumps, subs, swages....
How cool is this getting to pilfer thru all of this that’s belonged to you forever great video had to stop and comment Oh howdy Zach lol
100%.
I like that old stuff in your shed! Some of its yard art but there's cool stuff in there you could hang up in the office. That Gulf oil can is really cool, people like that Americana type of thing.
Really enjoyed your tour of the shop. Saw stuff I haven't seen in 60 years. Stumbled into your channel a couple days ago, don't recall how but I've been going through your oil field playlists and having a great time. I can still smell the oil burning in the Toledo torches around road construction.
that deal at 37.05 is an old fan without the blades. great video, god bless from north Idaho
I LOVE these videos, that old shop reminds me of old oilfield shops with my dad as a kid here in Oklahoma. He pumped a ton of those old wells and worked on them like you do, I had the pleasure of doing all of it with him.
Absolutely loved this tour and family history lesson. I can totally relate on how you want to leave most of that old stuff the way it is where it is. I'm materialist and love having a lot of stuff around. I'm nothing without my stuff!
Fascinating reveal of your family history and leftovers from the oil field industry of the past. I do know the round lantern you were wondering about is an old highway work zone smudge pot. They were filled with kerosene and lit to burn at night to warn motorists of construction zones and associated lanes and drop offs. I do remember them as a kid as my dad and mom would drive through work zones at night. Zach, thanks for do your family history. I always wondered how you got your vast oil field knowledge.
Talk about a neat man cave that can work while being surrounded by family history. That would be amazing.
You have some Treasures ! I remember going though my Grandpa's Shite ! I'm now 80 and was in my early 30's then . I lost all my treasures in a fire 2 yrs ago ! Have fun digging and enjoy the memories it brings.
Howdy there Zach. Very much appreciate you sharing this with us. Some items bring back memories, but it all really hits home. Really looking forward to seeing the next videos. Take care and be safe
Very cool, sir. A lot of people would have dumped all that stuff. But it is cool to keep around as a window into the past. They are family heirlooms in a sense. The relics of that history can teach you about the livelihood of your lineage. Thanks for showing us around.
Fan for the dash in your 1928 Automobile. I remember seeing on on the dash of my Grampa's Car about 1950 and it was real old at that time.
YOU GOT OIL IN YOUR BLOOD! RESPECT!
100% lol.
I love and respect so much that you're preserving history! in a few decades time people will be blown away such a place exists :)
I grew up in a rural town that was an oil boom town in the early 1900s. We moved to that area when I was 9 years old and my brothers and I and our friends hiked and played all over the oil fields. The workers were constantly warning us of hazards. I went to work at 16 in the fields and eventually started my own welding service. That shop building looks just like the buildings I would see often, as they were built out of welded used well tubing and corrugated tin.
good stuff. gotta love family archeology
That's a cool 1940's Servel propane fridge!
That Toledo torch was made ten miles from me! Used to see them next to a road closed sign or high-water sign. Burnt on diesel or kerosene,
Hahaha cool
The oil dispenser would pump into a gallon carry can to refill an engine or quart glass later plastic bottles for topping of engines, lead pipes were widely used replaced by galvanized, then copper then plastic all contributing to health issues. So interesting exploring the old barn, so many treasures.
I used to see the Telodo Torch pots like that when I was a kid... it would be used to alert traffic when there was road work being done...
Wow did that torch bring back memories. I knew instantly what it was. I had forgotten them.
The five gallon buckets were metal five gallon cans back then. They had a metal one or two gallon can with a spout they used in the shop for oil changes. You turned the crank or stroked the pump so many times per quart into the can then took the can to the vehicle and poured the oil in. That was cheaper than buying quart oil in bottles then later in cans. Back then an oil change was probably a dollar and saving 10 cents by using bulk oil per change added up to a nice profit at the end of the month for the garage. People were working for 50 cents a day so every nickel or dime saved meant something .
Glad to hear from you again
Awesome, loved exploring the old shed with you. Keep up the interesting content Sir.
I could watch a whole video of you digging through the old shop and looking at what you could find in there.
I'm with you on the line shaft refurb !! l helped rework an old water powered corn and grist mill. It was truly a sight to behold, when up and running !!! There were 5, 1600 lbs stone vertical mills. And two floors above that, were loaded with machines for mixing, shaking, sifting and bagging !! The vertical turbine (1920), was the source of power. The water house had 4 - 10'v X 8'w spillway gates at the front. By the way, love your videos !!!
Zach, great video., look forward to the next episode. That is an oscillating fan, I think (missing the blades), probably from the cab of a truck.
31:09 Those were used by the highway construction and repair crews to mark the open ditches at night. I grew up seeing those torches used on the roads where I lived.
Another fun-fact about the Toledo Torch smudge pots: They are spherical with a weight at the bottom so they will "self-right" if they are tipped over. The ring enabled them to be hung on hooks on the sides of DPW trucks for transport.
They also came with a cap to extinguish the flame and cover the wick. The cap fits into the ring when in use. I have four of them.
The saw is a power hacksaw. They are awesome. Love the video's keep them coming looking forward to the next shop.
My favorite line in the video. "Of course, why throw it away when you can keep it" 🤣🤣🤣
Really interesting and super cool! Thanks for sharing with us Zach!
Freakin awesome.
I love your videos Zack. I have a building here in east Texas just like yours. It too was my grandfathers who started here in 1938 after working for the Standard Oil since 1919. I recognize a lot of your stuff. The “heavy” cardboard box I believe is a set of reamers. They were mostly used to size wrist pin holes to the wrist pins on Fairbanks Moorse, climax, and automotive engines. When you press new bushings in connecting rods they have to be sized. Thanks for the videos.
Very interesting, I have worked in the oi field in Wyiming all my life. Before plastic oil cans and buckets filling stations used bulk oil, that oil pump is calibrated to one quart with each crank movement and a funnel can was used to carry the oil to those old 216's. PS hope your tetanus shot is up to date. Thanks Larry
Love this machine history!
You lucky dog! You have an oil patch museum!!!
It reminds me of my grandpa's garage and shop. Cool history.
So much awesomeness in every direction!!! Thanks for sharing Zack!!!