Village Smithy Apocrypha - Hay balers, huh? PICTURE IS HERE

Whistle
1

One of the guys who bought an early New Model Village Smithy called me and said he was carrying his in his bib (overalls) pocket - I gather he plays while driving the tractor - and bent over to make an adjustment to his (hay) baler, and it fell into the gears. It supposedly stopped the baler (sheared a pin) and got “a little mashed up”, but keeps on playing now that he filed off the sharp places where it got “a little chewed before the baler stopped”.

I am allowed to identify him only as “Andrew”, who lives in Kansas, and he’s shipped the whistle to me so I can check it out and photograph it. More to come, I’m sure…
serpent

2

What a cool story, but what about the poor baler? Does it still work? Does no one else care about farm machinery here?

Eric
also originally from Kansas

3

Yeah Serpent!! Jeez..it’s probably a $150,000 baler.

I’m starting to think of what interesting secondary uses I can make with the VS, to be received soon. I would absolutely keep it away from my bailer if I had one, but the same goes for my lawn tractor and especially my snow blower. :roll:

4

That’s pretty hilarious, Bill! What a tale!

:laughing:
Steven

5

The Society for the Prevention of Whistles Jamming Hay Balers paid Andrew a visit and found that he’d replaced the shear pin. There was no gear damage, and the baler is once again happily spitting out bales. (He did say it’s a square baler, though how that would matter to a VS, I don’t know…)
:smiley:
serp

6

Thank The powers that be he didn’t try to grab it on reflex. Keep it away from the auger Andrew!

My Grandpa lost a hand trying to grab a wrench that was falling into a turbine at a power plant he worked in. OSHA wasn’t around then obviously.

Mark V.

7

:smiley:

Great story, Bill! Now I know what all that “whistles of mass destruction” stuff earlier was all about! :laughing:

–James

8

Bill, you should put that story on your web site as a testimonial! :slight_smile:

~Larry

9

Just don’t let the Taliban get ahold of any of your whistles! sounds like they could do some major damage! :laughing:

10

If it had been a round baler, it might have been alot more expensive to repair. :boggle:

Bill, if you talk to this Andrew again, you tell him that the wife of a farmer told you to tell him that he has no business making adjustments to a haybaler that is running and that he wouldn’t be able to play that super whistle very well with just one hand! Sorry to put in a downer to this funny story but alot of farmers have learned that lesson the hard way. :cry:

It is a great story though. I always new those Serpent whistles were Super!

Cheers,
Kathy :slight_smile:

11

And be sure to tell him that Kathy’s not mad, she’s just trying to give him a hand … er … I mean, a little friendly advice. :smiley:

Little John

12

:wink:

:laughing:

13

I did talk to Andrew again, and he said he heard something in the gearbox and was just looking. He’s already using piper’s grip on right hand due to the loss of a fingertip to an old John Deere combine, so he’s pretty wary of his machinery. I’m still looking forward to seeing that whistle! :smiley:
serpent

14

Yes, indeed.

15

Serpie pie, I’m sad to hear the he already learned the hard way! But, I am glad that it was just the tip of his finger and not his whole arm.

Now, when you do get that whistle back, I want to see it too so you better get the camera out and post a pix! :smiley: I am keeping my whistles away from the machinery around here! I like the engraving I have on my serpents just like they were when I got them!

Cheers,
Kathy :slight_smile:

16

Serp - I was considering ordering one of them thar Smithys, but now I’m a might disappointed…After all, it did get blemished and failed to totally obliterate the baler…harrrruuuumphhh…

PhilO

17

Well now we know that round whistles don’t fit in square hay bailers.

Maybe square whistles would be more effective. :laughing:

18

Hey, gang, it arrived today. Andrew sent it Priority Mail, and it worked! I have put a photo up on my website (see below).
:boggle:
Hey, PhilO, the baler lost, deedn’t it? I mean, being driven off a PTO on a 65HP Diesel Massey, no less, and the VS is still playable (if a teensy bit twitchy in the upper octave now). And still in tune!

If you look closely, you can see the tip of the serpent’s tail still sticking out, and read the key (D). Poor baby serpie… :frowning:

I’d love to keep it for my little museum of indestructibility, but Andrew says he wants it back and intends to keep right on playing it. Shoot. Still, it certainly increased my respect for just how tough them little devils are! :astonished: I cleaned off the rough spots, repolished the fipple plug, and it goes back to him tomorrow.

Cheers, :smiley:
serpent

19

I received my VS whistle today…the Harley-Davidson of Whistles for sure.

Jeez…I had no idea it was going to be a potential lethal weapon. I may carry it my car for protection. If it had no holes it could double as a gun barrel. :astonished:

It plays surprisingly in tune considering what it is made of would make you wonder. It would be too quiet for you session players, but it has the kind of sound that would please the neighbors. The whistle has a great deal of back pressure, and I think, considering how indestructible it is, it will be going places with me. I can see why you want to limit the number of these that you make Serp, the material looks like a real PIA to work with.

Thanks Serp, your efforts are appreciated.

20

Mostly it’s only a pain because the stuff is so bloody hard it tears up mills. I found that by working very slowly, and never making a mistake in direction, I can actually build the odd whistle without losing tools.

Cheers,
serpent