Fairbanks Morse Model 45- rebuild

[windybob]

It's not an Airflow. Those have that screwy hub / mainshaft idea that are separate from each other.

Here is my helmet. If yours isn't like this, it's not a Mod 45.

mod 45 helmet.jpeg

mod 45 helmet 2.jpeg

[windybob]

My tail bone is like yours. This particular type was used on the Mod 45, and the Airflow.

mod 45 tailbone.jpeg

I do have a different tail sheet than you. You have the "Stover Samson" type one, I have the Fairbanks Morse. It appears they did a mix-and-match with these different ones. The one in the Black Book shows your tail setup in the picture, but the silloettes show different.

[windybob]

Also, some thoughts on the crosshead. First, Woodmanse bought all of Stovers models, patents, and everything else in the 40's. So, after that Woodmanse started incorporating LOTS of Stover stuff in the mills they made. However, before that time, Stover had their own ideas. Your mill also resembles a Stover Mod M mill , however there are some differences. In the 8 ft Mod M I did last year, mine has a sliding crosshead, but I do see pictures of them with the wheel like yours. I will post them. Also, Mod M mills do NOT have bearings. Or at least mine did NOT. That is not unusual. Steel on cast happens. The steel wears first, so you can replace it easier. Keeping oil in it keeps very little wear for a lot of years. That's the way mine was. The literature said "plain" bearings. haha that means no bearings. The Mod 45 supposed to have HYATT bearings in the mainshaft, and bronze for the big gear shaft. What does yours have?

[windybob]

This is the crosshead in my mod 45. It is a sliding crosshead, not a rolling one. If they made a change, and started making them with wheels like yours, then I don't know about it.

mod 45 crosshead 1.jpeg

[windybob]

Continuing on.... Same booklet, different page. Both are M model Stovers.

I'm thinking that maybe Stover did what Aermotor did with the 602, which was there were many updates on the same model head. Just guessing.

Check out the crossheads.

Stover Mod M 1 ed.jpg

Stover Mod M 2 ed.jpg

[FlJet]

Deeper down the rabbit hole.

Upon closer inspection, mine appears to be a Fairbanks-Morse Model 4-ball pean hammer mark. Surely it’s a model 45 right? The parts on mine are all match up to my parts list.

I’ve got brass bushings on mine front and rear on my wheel shaft. And my hood is the “mailbox” style. My vane matches what’s on my parts list- but someone has added some small angle iron supports.

[windybob]

Ok, I'm in. Going with 45. IF...IF ...it's been apart before, it's possible the Hyatt bearings were replaced with brass. Hyatts are too hard to get, brass is much cheaper. Who knows!
Anyway, there is way too much there that looks like a 45, not to be one.

Just for funsies put your helmet on. (the mill, not on you). See which way the curve is. Fairbanks had the curve one way, Woodmanse the other.

Now that everyone reading this is about ready to start medication, what was your original question? haha

[FlJet]

Is mine right or wrong?

[windybob]

Same as mine. Hey, wanna trade? haha

[FlJet]

I wish I knew the whole history of this mill. I bought it used from a guy who bought it used but he hadn’t had it long. He had plans of installing it over an unused well casing on his property but had failed to consider the power line running overhead. Once he realized the conflict he called the power company but they wanted too much to relocate his drop and he had too many other projects. I don’t think he did anything with it while he had it other than paint it and sell it to me. But, I’m trying to remember a 30 minute conversation with a stranger that happened 10 years ago. I do know that someone had been in there messing around. Both woodruff keys were missing from the pinion gears. The gears were on the shaft, the castle nut installed, but when you spun the hub the shaft just spun in the gears. I think that was someone’s solution for making a decorative windmill only. There was a little wear on the shaft but since I’m going to fabricate a brand new shaft that doesn’t matter.

So my two current projects are to remove the shaft from the hub, and to make a replacement oil pump lifter. The shaft and hub does actually fit in my lathe so it’s in there already and partially drilled. The oil pump lifter I’m working on a plan. I’ll try and take a couple of photos and Sketch something up. I have a theory on why mine is missing, but I’ve got to investigate that theory before I admit to it. If I’m right, I’ll fasten mine the way the original was fastened, but since I’m not sure how it looked originally, I’ll need to base my replacement on function only. This should be interesting.