Historische Werkstätte Gebrüder Giger Mulin, Schnaus

The plough smithy in Surselva

The mechanical workshop of Giger brothers is the original production location of the so-called Schnauser ploughsthat are still in use in Bhutan and Bolivia in a slightly adapted form. These mountain ploughs that could dig a furrow in one single movement were manufactured from 1877 for a good 100 years. The workshop with smithy, as well as the invention of the ploughs, can be traced back to saw and mill constructor Arnold Giger (1843-1908). The workshop machines were driven by a waterwheel on the Siaterbach stream, which used a 156 metre long steel cable to move the belt drives in the workshop. Thus the workshop, which is now looked after by Arnold Gigers’s great grandchildren is the only one in Switzerland using a waterwheel with cable transmission. This mechanical workshop founded by Arnold Giger around 1870 is a small industrial monument. The mechanical drive of the machines is performed by a cable drive running from a waterwheel on the Siaterbach stream to the workshop. On display in the workshop are the smithy, machines and tools such as grindstones, lathe, bandsaws, planing machine and a column drilling machine. The machines were primarily used for the manufacture of the so-called Schnauser plough.

5 Treffer