They Turn Tires Into Stock Tanks

They turn tires into stock tanks LIVESTOCK Miscellaneous 14-3-35 Anthony and Helen Kessler, Wetonka, S. Dak. ranchers, turn huge worn-out earth-moving equipment tires into inexpensive and durable stock tanks that they guarantee won't leak. The Kesslers buy discarded earth-moving equipment tires from mining companies in the eastern U.S. The tires are hauled by semitrailer once a month to their ranch. Kessler uses a machine he invented to cut off the top sidewalls of the tires. He attaches steel plate or concrete pads to the remaining tire bead to form the bottom of the tank. Then he installs drain and overflow pipes. "These tanks are practically indestructible," says Kessler. "They don't get dam-aged like metal or wood tanks do. When you hit one of them with a tractor loader the tractor just bounces away. They'll never rust out, and they cost less than many other types of livestock waterers. For example, our 9 ft. dia. tire equipped with our thickest steel plate bottom sells for $525. The same size redwood tank sells for about $1,100." According to Kessler, the tire's thick dark-colored rubber holds heat better than cement, wood, or metal tanks. "A wood tank develops ice 6 to 8 hours earlier than our tire tanks. In fact, these tanks rarely need to be heated because they stay ice-free down to -30?." The biggest model is 9 ft. in dia. and holds 850 gal. of water. It has 5-in. thick sidewalls and weighs 2,600 lbs. When equipped with a 12-in. thick concrete bottom it weighs 6,000 lbs. "It takes ,a big tractor to move a 6,000-lb. tank, so we fit almost all of our tires with steel plate bottoms which come in 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8-in. thicknesses and weigh only about 200lbs. so the tank weighs about 2,800 lbs. The steel plates are attached with 5/8-in. dia. bolts and are sealed with a special tar paint to prevent rust." The tires can be equipped with drain pipes and overflow pipes if desired. The top of the overflow pipe is 1 to 2 in. from the top of the tire. Float valves can be installed to regulate water level. By removing the drain pipe's cap you can flush out all of the water to clean the tank. Two tanks can be set side by side for double-reservoir capacity and plumbed together. Tire stock tanks are available in 6, 7, 8, and 9-ft. dia. sizes and sell for $200 to $575, depending on tire size and choice of bottom. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Anthony Kessler, RR 1, Box 133, Wetonka, S. Dak. 57481 (ph 605 439-3686).

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