Grain mill? (or cider mill)

[MarkL]

Trying to identify and gather more information on the pictured. Any help appreciated.

On the iron works I can make out P.P. Mart Co Springfield Ohio.
also AUG 24 1866. on another side it looks like Latest Approved HOOSIER Junior

It's pretty old so the lettering isn't all real clear.

I fear this may pre-date what is usually seen here, but if anybody could point me to the place to identify this it would be most helpful. Thanks.

[farmsc]

I may be wrong, but it looks like an apple mill/grinder. I have one that looks very similar.
Kevin

[Farquhar]

I'd bet you are right Farmsc, if that aint a cider mill, I'm bad fooled too.

[Jebaroni]

I agree. Most likely a cider mill. The threaded hole in the frame would be where the press screw would squeeze the cider from the ground up apples. It looks like it may need a few parts to make it 100% complete but still a very nice piece worthy of preservation (leave it in its condition just like it is and try to fab the missing pieces but make them look old as well). Good luck!

Jeb

[mschreiber]

could it read p.p. mast instead of mart?

[K D Redd]

I first thought a cider mill but my Father-in-Law has one and it has two small gears behind the flywheel. It could still be a cider mill BUT it looks different than the one's I've seen.

Kent

[Jebaroni]

The additional gearing that you see may be there because it's a hand-cranked model and not just a belt-powered unit. The gearing gets the flywheel up to speed pretty good and helps the machine to power through the apples. Same thing on corn shellers and the big flywheels they have. With an engine driven unit, you don't need the flywheel as much and so it may be directly coupled to the main shaft. Definately a cider mill, though. It certainly looks like a cider mill and I don't recognize the name from any of the feed grinders that i've run across.

[MarkL]

thanks for the responses.

I found this next to a very dilapidated machine that was more obviously a cider mill/press unit and my first inclinitation was that this was related to apples as well. I chose this smaller unit because it looked like less of a chore to get in working condition. 0.o

While cleaning it up a friend asked me what was I going to do with my grain mill, and that led me to do some research. I believe you kind folks have set me back on the correct path.

Originally I'd hoped to have some students run some apples thru it and let them experience the past. Seems that this unit as is will just give me a bunch of apple mash, with a lot of work to do yet to get a final product so I'm not sure where I'll go with that.

re: P.P. Mart - very easily could be P.P. Mast. There's quite a bit of lettering on the ironwork and it's all barely discernable.

[mschreiber]

i knew i heard of pp mast. did a google and found this.
http://www.herculesengines.com/Cider%20Mill/index.htm

[Jebaroni]

Here is a link to an old thread where someone has a mill nearly identical to yours that they have positively identified as "P.P.Mast".

http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28017

[farmsc]

Not a PP Mast, but this is mine.
It is a "JUNIOR" with some sort of head cast into the frame on the press side. There are 4 pat. dates cast into the other side, the latest one being Jun 26 '77.

I'm going to try to fix it up a bit this summer after the corn and cane are laid by and try it out in the fall.

[Dutch]

Hi,
You do have a cider press by PP Mast of Springfield Ohio. The company made presses called Buckeye and had an association with Foos Manufacturing as well. They were basically made in three sizes a "JUNIOR" a "MEDIUM" and the full sized version called Latest Improved or Senior. You have a very old version since the front cross-beam is made of wood. I have attached a couple of shots of an identical piece I had finished for the Turner Foundation.
Any questions - fire away.
DUTCHAttachment 29961

Attachment 29962

[farmsc]

It has a head cast into one end. It appears to be of a native american. I'll try to get a picture of it.
Kevin

[farmsc]

here is a picture of the juice end.

[mschreiber]

no thats a apple goddess. lol

[mschreiber]

meant to say apple goddess trademark logo. good luck

[Dutch]

Kevin,
I have seen the presses with the head cast in and have never actually discovered whose that specific one was. You might look up farquahar, simmons, brennen, acme, eagle and havens. The bulk of all larger presses were made by Mast, Thomas, Foos as well as hocking valley under the various names stenciled onto the wooden parts. I have actually done one with this head which I had found in pieces and will attach a shot if I have it.
DUTCH

[Kristi]

Hi folks,

I just found your chat on the cider mill. Some friends brought one to my job site for a demonstration and I am sleuthing to determine the age of it. This one is marked the American Seeding Machine Company from Springfield, OH. I read up on the company and it is a conglomeration of at least 4 companies, one of which was PP and Mast Company. Obviously this one was made after it merged with American. It looks almost exactly like the pictures you all listed and the only thing replaced on it has been the hopper. Otherwise it's original. I have pictures but when trying to upload them it tells me the pics have too many bytes so I need to find a way to take care of that. I'd love to hear from you about the mill/press. Thank you! Kristi

[Brian Flatmoe]

I just purchased a pair of cast iron grain drill ends with the name Thomas Mfg Co on them. In researching the name it looks like it was made by the firm of Thomas and P.P. Mast. Looks like they were early manufacturers of grain drills and cider presses. This firm eventually became a part of the American Seeding Machine Co which in turn became a part of the Oliver tractor company.

Brian

[Jeff Smith]

Are you sure that the grinder in the first photo is not a grape grinder? I have a grape grinder that everyone mistakes for a cider press until I show them how close together and how fine the teeth are on the grinder. It has baskets and the drip tray also like a cider press, but it is a grape grinder. I have a relative that presses apple cider in PA, and I bought it from him because I can grow grapes here in Florida. Attached are photos of each.

Jeff Smith