Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

A slip-roll fixes these sails very nicely. With the bead in there, you just don't feed the beaded end into the roll let it stick out a few inches. Done. Or, roll out the bead and re-brand it after the fact with a bead roller.

I would have to remove all the wheel clips at the end
of the sail. Also there is a small diameter curl at the leading edge.
That part of the sail would have to first be flattened before reforming.
I don`t see how you can run the sails thru a slip roll without
involving the bead .My rollers run the full length of the frame and no
open area at either end.
Thanks for all the comments but in my mind I think the planishing hammer
which just today has gone on sale for $279.00 will be for me the best bet.
I said earlier that there will be other uses for the hammer.

Joe
I think we as restorers sometimes try to make everything too perfect. I wouldn't go too crazy on those sails. Do they all look like that? I wish mine were that good. It's important to have all the clips intact and tight. Sometimes I will lay the whole wheel flat, make sure the rim is circular and just play with it as a whole wheel. I've straightened out sails individually before and then had a real fight getting it all back together again. I sure wouldn't want to try that up in the air! The worst thing for these is if something gets loose, starts to wiggle and then you've got twisted, torn stuff. I sure am no expert on this stuff I just know enough to be dangerous. I'm sure we could have a whole forum on building and fixing wheels. I'm trying to build a GS&M wheel now, they had a poor clip system. I'm getting a fab shop to cut me some new sails out of 18 gauge galvanized. $30 a sail × 15. You gotta love wind mills! I got your wind storm a day later thank you! I hope your grain wagon is ok. You did a beautiful job on that.

I think a lot of that bow in the sails has to do with the rims being out of round. I'm going to play with a piece of string on mine tomorrow and see what I can do

Joe,keep us informed on the hammer always ready to learn a new way .

Joe
Your first blade pic comes from the blade being folded in. If you take a sheet metal brake and put an edge brake half to one inch from the edge in the same direction as the curve, it will straighten the blade a lot. The brakes that sheet metal shops have dont work as well as the brakes that soffit & fascia guys use because you have to slide your blade in from the end only as far as your rib. I have 4 in sheet metal pliers in straights and 90 to put in an edge break on intact wheel sections.

Also, I do pretty well with a short piece of 130# railroad rail. Lay the rail on its side and lay the blade so the blades curve lays in to the side of the rail. Then I use a rubber dead blow hammer being careful to hit as flat as possible.

I am with you in not wanting to dismantle the whole blade to roll as it seems like a lot of work

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

Thanks Ron,
I have used the method with the rail and rubber hammer and the results
are quite acceptable. Still a bit of curve but they are all the same so that
is ok with me.

Joe, What curve are you talking about. The length of the blade or the width of the blade ?If it is the length of the blade then you are going to have to figure out some way to get the two bands spread apart. If it is the width I always had real good luck with a hammer and a body shop small hand held anvil.

Paul they are curved the long way. I have them pretty well straight,
maybe no more than 1 inch curve in 30 inches using a rubber hammer and a 2 foot length
of 2 inch square tube.
I had intended to buy a pneumatic planishing hammer to be able to stretch
the sails from the inside face to try and straighten them but decided
spending #289.00 and not having the experience using the hammer or an
English wheel was not a good idea. Might never use again.
As long as the sails are all the same shape and the owners are not going
to notice unless I point that out there should be no problem.
The mill will be located some distance from the house and not pumping water.
Will post some pictures once I get the wheel together.
Thanks,
Joe

LAst week I rolled a bunch of Dempster sails. Backwards first. Everyone had a slight curve the long way. It's inherant in the process.