1/2 Scale "model" windmill

[63markB]

[arizonian]

Linkage now works as it should. Yesterday, extended the mast. Today, extended the button head rods and the swing radius of the tailbone and brake arm. Near as I can tell, the two arms are swinging ~100°. A little overshoot is better than undershoot.

On edit, those shots are crappy. I drug the tower top into the sun to get good light and couldn't see the clutter in the background with the sun on my camera display.

[arizonian]

The tailbone and the brake arm get holes for a link to keep them moving together in sync.

A VW valve spring found it's way in to the project for the tail buffer. Turned and drilled the spring seats on the lathe along with a couple of other pieces, split the 1/2" pipe almost in two, final split comes after all welding is complete.

Mock-up on the fixture for assembly of the tail buffer. It's nice to be able to drill into a table where ever it's necessary.

Welding complete except for the stop, not shown.

Ordered tailspring stock from McMaster-Carr that came in yesterday, so cut 9” off and bent the ends into hooks. Turned and threaded a boss to weld to the back of the motor, heat and beat the spring hook and then threaded the end. The spring at rest is stretched to 12” and with the tail swung in stretches to 18”.

The brake arm engages the brake when the tail is furled 95%. Drilled and tapped the brake arm for an adjustment bolt if the time ever comes to need it. Still need to rivet the lining to the band.

A friend helped with putting a bead in the tail vane, really stiffened it up. Tail vane is bolted to the tail frame so that the centerline of the tail is in line with the centerline of the wheel shaft.

[Merlinn]

Quite the project you have there. Great job! Now when you’re done, you can make a ½ scale, over-the-well pump and put it to work!

[arizonian]

Quite the project you have there. Great job! Now when you’re done, you can make a ½ scale, over-the-well pump and put it to work!

Thank You. That's planned already, tho the pump won't be 1/2 scale. I've got part of a 1-7/8" pump, need to visit a friend's ranch and find the rest of it. The "well" will only be a few feet deep and will recirculate.

[mtblah]

William , is this the most complicated "project " you have ever built ?
your work is really GOOD .

[arizonian]

William , is this the most complicated "project " you have ever built ?
your work is really GOOD .

This is the most complicated project that I have personally built. I have had my hand in designing and managing many other projects before I retired from CAID Industries just after they were bought by Samuel, Son & Co. When working, I had a full complement of AutoCAD, Inventor and SolidWorks CAD systems. Now I use PAD (paper aided design) and trial and error.

Link to CAID

[Ron Stauffer]

That is excellent craftmanship!

I am surprised that no one has brought up that Tom Conlon of the Chinese Ironman Windmill had built and sold a limited number of 4' replica Aermotor windmills. Maybe someone has one and has used it to provide you some beta. A brief internet search revealed that there is no longer an Ironman company website? Anyone know the status?

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

[arizonian]

If you are a machinist, you've probably experienced this yourself. Almost every table or tool with T-slots has it's own unique T-nuts. Took most of the day to turn these 4 nuts out from oversize stock that was available, then drill the angle plate and set up to D&T 2 set screw holes. The counter-bore and D&T took maybe 45 minutes total.

Coming soon to a theater near you: The pit-man arms.

[arizonian]

Machined the guide wheel. It's the only aluminum in the whole project.

Bent the hoop with the help of Grandpa's Little Bender, a small project that I made years ago. Bent it hot so there were no issues with spring-back.

Every thing looks according to plan.

This is where plans go awry. There needs to be a yoke between the guide wheel and the mast nut, there is less than an inch of room. There is room at the top to make longer pitman arms, so a bit of contemplating tonight before a decision tomorrow. Maybe weld up the holes on one end and re-drill. Don't know yet.