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Vintage Farm Plans

Classic plans from early issues of Popular Mechanics and other do-it-yourself magazines, scanned to PDF and free to download. Most of them will need changes for today’s materials and, in some cases, for modern safety standards, so there is a note about that at the foot of the page.

My Plans

Box Blade

Here is a set of plans for fabricating a 3-point hitch box blade. The plans are free to download and you may directly fabricate the boxblade from the plans or use them to aide you in designing your own version.

PDF1.6 MBNotes

Front End Loader

Here is a set of plans for fabricating a garden tractor size front end loader. This is designed on the heavy side and substituting thinner walled material to lighten the loader is acceptable.

PDF1.2 MBNotes

Garden Tractor Bucket

Here is a set of plans for fabricating a low lift front bucket for a garden tractor. The plans are free to download and you may directly fabricate the garden tractor bucket from the plans or use them to aide you in designing your own version.

PDF1.6 MBNotes

Portable Backhoe, Part One

The step-by-step building guide for the backhoe. I have built this machine so you may either build as is or use this to guide you in designing your own machine.

PDF672 KBNotes

Sprocket and Chain

Some dimensioned pages of the sprocket and chain that I currently have.

Page

Farm Machines

Auto Arc Welder

Here is an article from the Popular Mechanics Library on building an arc welder into your automobile. Now you can weld anywhere your car or truck can reach.

PDF343 KBNotes

Bale Loader

From Popular Mechanics, February 1950 comes an article on building a bale loader. Many thanks to Keith for donating this article.

PDF1.4 MBNotes

Battery Charger

From the Popular Mechanics library comes a plan for building a homemade battery charger. Many thanks to Richard for donating this article

PDF201 KBNotes

Cement Mixer

Here is an article from Popular Science, May 1953 describing how you can build this simple cement mixer. Many thanks to Keith for contributing this file.

PDF738 KBNotes

Concrete Block Maker

Here is a great article from Popular Mechanics, 1946 on making your own concrete blocks. Many thanks to Dan for donating this article.

PDF508 KBNotes

Equalizer Hitch

This article from Popular Science, July 1967, shows you how to build an equalizer hitch from scraps. Many thanks to Keith for donating this article

PDF902 KBNotes

FeeJee Dump Truck

Originally published in 1947, this plan details the construction of a small dump truck. This machine was designed to haul moderate loads of feed and straw and to be able to fit through most gates.

PDF634 KBNotes

Forklift

Published in 1969, this plan shows creating a hand cranked fork lift for a small garden tractor.

PDF1.1 MBNotes

Hydraulic Lift

This four page article details the construction of a hydraulic lift for a small garden tractor. The lift is powered by an electric-hydraulic pump and cylinders salvaged from an automobile convertable top lift.

PDF349 KBNotes

Limestone Spreader

From the 1946/1947 era comes this article about building a limestone spreader that attaches to the back of your truck. This plan donated by Jeff.

PDF501 KBNotes

Manual Hoist

Originally published in 1947, this plan details creating a hand crank hoist from a salvaged transmission.

PDF216 KBNotes

Pop-Up Camper

From Popular Science, May 1967, comes an article on building your own pop up camper. Many thanks to Keith for donating this article.

PDF1.6 MBNotes

Post Hole Auger

This one page article from Popular Mechanics Farm Manual 1947, gives the reader a general idea of creating a tractor powered post hole auger from a salvaged auto rear axle. It is not a detailed or dimensioned plan.

PDF308 KBNotes

RotoTiller

This article from Popular Science, February 1956, shows one man taking a pre-fab tiller unit and adding his own mounts, handles and motor to create a working tiller. I thought it might give some ideas on what to do with that worn out tiller.

PDF1.1 MBNotes

Sand Blaster

This article from Mechanix Illustrated, November 1953, details how you can build your own sand blaster. This would be a great addition to your shop.

PDF168 KBNotes

Snow Plow

Here is an interesting article from the Popular Mechanics Library on building a snow plow. Many thanks to Richard for donating this plan.

PDF455 KBNotes

Snow Thrower

From Popular Science, October 1951, comes an interesting article on creating a small snow thrower.

PDF638 KBNotes

Tractor Scoop

Originally published in 1947, this plan details using an automotive rear axle coupled to a tractor's PTO to power a cable lifted scoop.

PDF1.6 MBSecond scan, 1.6 MBNotes

Tractor Scraper

This is how you would make a scraper or grader for your tractor in 1947. If you look at the plans you will see it took two people to operate this.

PDF205 KBSecond scan, 846 KBNotes

Machine Shop

The Wood Shop

Gun Cabinet

Want to build a gun cabinet to store those antique firearms? Download this simple three page plan and let it show you how.

PDF1.1 MBNotes

Quilt Frame

This one page quilt frame plan is so simple I decided to just post the picture. While most viewers may not participate in quilting bees, your wife may love this for a Christmas present.

Page

Tree Caliper

From 1948 comes a plan for a tree caliper. This handy item is used in calculating board feet of standing timber.

PDF120 KBNotes

Kids Page

Merry Go Round

The sheet shows a backyard merry-go-round turning on a salvaged car front wheel assembly set in concrete, with an eight foot plywood platform driven by a quarter horsepower motor.

PDF243 KB

Karts, Scooters and Rides

Boats

Lawn and Garden

Archery

Games, Models and Music

Other Projects

About these plans

These plans and articles are believed to be free of copyright issues (see Copyright Issues) and are posted for the cultivation of your own project ideas. Most of these plans will need modifications for current materials and, in some cases, to meet modern safety standards. Do not follow these plans blindly! When you download these plans you do so strictly for your own entertainment and to stimulate your own designs.

These projects come from an era when men (mostly) went into their basement workshops and turned wood, metal and old motors into things that did real work or helped the kids have fun. The 1940’s and 50’s were a time when most Americans were producers, people making real stuff. Today, we are largely consumers who let other countries build the things we use.

Have fun exploring this era, maybe it will inspire you to get out your own tools.

Click a title to open the PDF in your browser. Right click it to save the file to your own computer instead.

There is more free material for handy person types in the Free Resources board of the forum.