Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Too funny Mike. I will try to take it down a little just to ensure that the wheel doesn't bind and shim the rest of the difference. I will let y'all know how that works.

FYI....some older 602 mill have babbitt in the shaft cap, and the later ones do not. If for some reason you replaced the pedastal cap with one that has babbitt, the clamp will be way out of whack. That being said.... if the guide runs free of the hoop top, you should be okay but you could maybe grind some on the underside of the bearing bar. ( or maybe the topside ) or ...yes just use a spacer. When you get it right, make sure the shaft is not loose between the cap and pedastal by gently prying up on the gears to see if they move or not. A very tiny movement would be okay. The grooves under the cap hold oil if you wanted to know why it's like that. All the pumping thrust, or force on the 2 bull gears, is DOWN, so there is no pressure on the bearing cap.

Yup , windy is right on again , as usual .

It does seem like it is two steps forward and one back. I was looking closely at the brazing repair and it didnot look good so i pulled at it and it can free. I have found someone to braze it. He used to own a welding shop in Earth Texas, and lives close to me. Does not have the equipment to weld. Would that be better?

I've seen those brazed before.

Thanks Windy, the old welder said he could do it so I am going with it. The old job apparently held for several years. It could have been my dad that did it

You might ask your welder fellow if he ever worked on a Parish windmill. They were made in Earth, Texas as you relayed he had a welding shop in Earth.

I hope you take it out of the mill. The heat required will wreck the bearing.

Would JB Weld would work? There is no pressure at work here. I used JB on the rod that Holds the spring on the B602 I just
restored. The old rod was cut off at the case. In trying to drill it out some of the original thread got removed. Drill wandered.
I filled the hole and also applied a generous amount on the replacement thread. The rod seemed to be very solid.

I would only try that after brazing. You are right, no stress or impact there, however tightening the plug might be too much for the epoxy. It's a tapered plug.