Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Thanks everybody for all your input on this subject. After much back and forth with Dakota they've kinda just told me "it's normal". They've helped me as much as they can by even sending out replacement main gears. It has a 10 year warranty and i'm just going to let it spin and wear in some more. See where that gets me.

Side note: do you guys ever have issues with the mill not unfurling itself? I think I have the tension set to where it should be roughly, 3/4 handle down the vane is pulled in and the rest of the way is tightening the brake band. When I go to unfurl it and lift the handle up the windmill just stays furled, even on a pretty breezy day. Sometimes I can shake the wire going up to the furling lever and it'll break lose other times I have to climb up to give it a little tap to unfurl. I'm sure its something simple but I just can't seem to figure it out.

I wonder if Aermoter had all those problems when they started in business. NOT!!!

I’d put a pump rod in it so the yoke runs true / centered, plus the pump rod can act as a fail safe if the mast pipe was to fail.

Matthew , that is a great photo of your windmill with the shadow on the side of the barn , good timing .

CTXmiller wrote: Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:23 pm I’d put a pump rod in it so the yoke runs true / centered, plus the pump rod can act as a fail safe if the mast pipe was to fail.

Pump rod is back in it. It was the only picture I had with somewhat angle of the furling lever up top.

I am wondering if that is the right spring? Looks like it is barely stretched. There are a number of holes
in the upper arm that can be used to increase the tension.

At times the furling Y (fork) will bind up on the tower. The tower is tapered, and sometimes the fork is not. Either put a dab of grease on the tower legs, or tweak the fork arms with an adjustable wrench a bit. If this is the case, then you can see where the fork drags on the legs.

Just an update for everybody. Dakota Windmill is going to swap me for another one that is hopefully not as loud. Will definitely let it spin on the stand before going to all the trouble of putting it up in the air.

So this spring get to take it down and take the wheel off and vane off and take it back and trade them. I also need to pick up another wheel/spokes and mast pipe for another project im working on.