F&W Model 7

[louisjoseph]

Hi. I am writing from Christchurch in the south island of New Zealand. I have recently bought a Flint and Walling Model 7, 6 foot windmill that I am keen to get running again. The wheel and vane are intact and in good condition but the gearbox came as a box of parts. I found a parts list online and most of what I need seems to be there. However, I have no idea how everything should fit together or what the completed gearbox should look like.

What I really need is an illustrated assembly diagram or perhaps a repair manual. Does anyone know if this type of publication for a F&W Model 7 exists? All help and suggestions would be gratefully rerceived.

Thank you.

Michael.

[windybob]

The Star 7 was made from 1907 to 1912. It is an open gear model, meaning all the working parts are in the open air, and they need serviced maybe once a month or more often. I don't think I have one, I think mine is a # 12, and I do have the Steel Star. The 7 has a star shaped counterweight looking at it from the end. I will need to look and see if I have any info on that one. Not sure.

[louisjoseph]

Hi Windybob. Thank you for the reply. Any info that you can dig out on the F&W #7 would be much appreciated.

[windybob]

Let's see in a couple days. Going to be pretty busy for a bit. Hoping someone can post a parts diagram. Not sure if I have one or not. Did you check the library section here?

[louisjoseph]

Thank you Windybob. Looking forward to hearing from you. I'll check the library section - that's a good idea.

Michael.

[windybob]

Ok I will see if I have anything. I have a bunch of booklets at the shop, maybe there is something in them.

[louisjoseph]

Thank you. Looking forward to what ever you can find.

[windybob]

I looked thru all my stuff and found MAYBE 1 picture, but it was not I.D.'d so I didn't copy it. However I have a book that says where literature is available. Possibly you can email or contact them in some way to get the info you need. Hold on, and I will post what I find. I'm sure you can get something that's useful.

[windybob]

the info I am offering is according to T. Lindsay Baker's books.

Ok, the FW Star 7 was introduced in 1907, ergo the year and model coincide. Several mill makers did this. It was on the market for about 6 years. It was an improved design of earlier open-gear mills. It has interchangeable babbitt bearings. Easily replaced, or even flipped over for new wear. Gears have a snow-shield over them. The 4 to 1 gearing is on the smaller mills. The vane is the same as on the older Steel Star mills. Company name one one side is in black, with a red and blue star painited on the other side. A red ban is around most of the edge. The sail tips are red. Castings are green. ( Sounds like a really pretty mill, in my view.)

Ok now to the literature locations...

There is an 8 page catalog addition with illustrations and descriptions of the 7 in the corporate archives (water systems division) at the Flint and Walling Inc. in Kendallville, Indiana. USA......Also at the Mid-America Windmill Museum, in Kendallville, Indiana, USA.

A 46 page catalog describing the 7, and other items of the company. Illustrating and describing such items. Located at the museum in Kendallville (previous) and also at Panhandle-Plains Historicak museum, in Canyon, Texas, USA.

There is more, however I will advize as needed. If you have no luck, let me know I can list more. Of course you will need to do some research to obtain the correct address, zip codes, telephone numbers, websites, or whatever else you need. I'm sure there are catalogs that have parts lists, exploded views, and breakdowns of parts for the mill.

Hope this enables you to obtain the info you need.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

I believe there's a couple guys on the forum that have steel star Mills that are almost identical i believe there were only minor changes.A pic of one of there's should do the trick.Hopefully they'll see this.