Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

windybob wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 6:23 pm Pin the spiral to the mainshaft. Slide the spring on and the binding washer. Heat the washer to swell it, and push the mainshaft from the other end in a loose vice till the binding washer shrinks and holds. If it's a 6 ft, install all the back end except the last pinion. If it's an 8 ft slide the shaft in the case, putting the pinions and bearing and spacers on inside the case. Then you can assemble the front part. MAke sure you test fit everything first, and check alignment with everything and bull gears before buttoning things up. On a 6 ft, the spacers inside the case are different. On a 8 ft, they are equal.
I am assuming you have the new race in the case bridge.

windybob wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:28 pm Haha fooled you. I made up the name "binding washer" to make you think I was smart. LOL

Anyway, that washer goes up to the spring. Hope you marked it on the shaft before you took it off. I believe it also sets the front bearing distance from the front of the case.
The bearing goes on in front of it, and depending on the bearing number you use, a spacer washer also. ( the spacer washer first if it's a new style bearing) WHen the shaft is installed in the case, the outside race will go in over the bearing, and the setscrew should go up under the snout to lock in the race. Well, it goes in to keep the race from coming out, so you should see the setscrew before the race. ( it doesn't actually bind it,it blocks it.) The guide rod over the inside bearing race actually binds that one in.

On a 6 ft mill, as yours is, the outer pinion can pass thru the snout, but if you left the snapring in the inner race bore the last pinion won't pass thru the bore. That's why you can assemble most of the mainshaft before installing. You can't do that on a 8 ft. Also, on those barrell spacers next to the inner bearing, the longer one goes to the back , or between the last pinion and bearing..

PLEASE tell me the number on your bearings. It's important.

windybob wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 6:23 pm Pin the spiral to the mainshaft. Slide the spring on and the binding washer. Heat the washer to swell it, and push the mainshaft from the other end in a loose vice till the binding washer shrinks and holds. If it's a 6 ft, install all the back end except the last pinion. If it's an 8 ft slide the shaft in the case, putting the pinions and bearing and spacers on inside the case. Then you can assemble the front part. MAke sure you test fit everything first, and check alignment with everything and bull gears before buttoning things up. On a 6 ft, the spacers inside the case are different. On a 8 ft, they are equal.
I am assuming you have the new race in the case bridge.