55 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | April 2024 a school, an Ontario Hydro work colleague in Toronto purchased it and converted it into a residence. He and his wife added a second-story living area. We had the privilege of visiting them after it was renovated. Follow-up You will remember that last month I asked for your assistance in identifying some mystery items. It was my son-in-law who introduced me to modern-day Internet investigations such as reverse image lookup. His online research indicated that the items were made by the Clipper Belt Lacer Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Clipper Belt sold a number of small hand-held and larger stationary lacing units to readily facilitate the lacing of flat belts. Flat belts were originally connected by sewing two ends together by hand using needle and thread. Over time, the thread was replaced by metal clips or staples, which could be crimped together to secure the belt ends. Flat belts were commonly used on threshing machines and other farm equipment that required higher horsepower than was possible using single V-belts. Multiple V belts of a fixed length did appear later on combines. BF Editor’s Note: Thanks to all readers who contacted us to help Ralph solve the mystery of the antique belt-lacers. Congratulations to our readers who submitted the first correct responses: Reuben Bauman finishes cattle, contracts feed pigs, and is currently producing maple syrup in Waterloo County; Edward Fox has a beef feedlot and does cash-cropping in Parkhill (he also sharecrops with several others and does custom planting and combining); Bruce Johnstone grows corn, soybeans, wheat and sugar beets, and has a few Angus cows and finishes calves in the former Dover Township of Chatham-Kent; and Melody and Wilson Rodman also run a feedlot operation in Little Britain, Kawartha Lakes. As one reader explained, “You set that in the vice, pull the pin out , stick the laces in the slots, stick the pin back in, set the belt nice and straight into the laces and crank the vice tight. Then you pull the pin out to release the belt and repeat it for the other end. The laces of both ends interlap and a pin is poked in to join the ends.” We appreciate all submissions regarding last month’s mystery. RALPH WINFIELD Ralph is a retired professional engineer, farmer and technical writer. He has a BSA, BASc, and an MSA in engineering from the University of Toronto. How it Works The old two-room stone schoolhouse that I attended for eight years. Donald Schildroth, January 1957. Original photo in possession of Marion Roes, 2011
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