Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

I am helping a friend with a windmill that has tag saying Sears 802.6. The parts look identical to a Baker Monitor 6.5 ft. We got it back in shape and erected but have something wrong with applying brake and letting it spin. Everything act backwards from how my Aermotors work. We thought we put the pull chain back the way it was and thought we had the drop cable right. When try to apply brake handle down it bottoms out and when you release handle up the tail doesn't come all the way perpendicular top fan. I know this is a poor description of the problem but would like to know if anyone has pictures of how the furling rigging should be done on this mill. I will try to do a better job describing problem if someone has information on mill















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Welcome to the forum.

Consider posting some photos. The below should help.

http://www.vintagewindmillpartslist.com ... yguide.pdf

https://vintagewindmillforum.com/viewto ... ?f=4&t=339

Welcome to the site! I can help, but this topic is much easier to show, than to tell. scroll down to "windmill manufacturer literature" and click on it. When you do, then click on the BAKER MFG section. There will be a booklet to show the parts etc for the Baker windmills. This will give you some kind of pictures to see.

Yes, these mills are generally "pull-in" mills. You Pull them into the wind, instead of pulling them out of the wind like a Dempster, or Aermotor. Baker did have an option for a "pull-out" type, but they are very rare.

These are spring loaded, so if the lower pull hardware breaks, they will shut themselves for safety. It was a selling point to the customers. Also it did help save a mill from being a runaway in high winds.

This is really hard to explain. I will try. I don't have the proper pictures on this computer to show, sorry. Let's start at the top. Yes that mill is a 6.5 ft Monitor from Baker Mfg Co. Same thing, they sold to Sears for resale to the public. On the backside of the head toward the bottom, there is a stamped steel hook. It is mounted on a 'latch' (called) area of linkage. As you move the tail open and closed by hand, you see this area move in and out. There are 2 ways this hook can be set, the first is, it moves directly under the pulley wheel when operated, and the second is that it moves outside, or AWAY from the head when it operates. This is the wrong way. Although it will still work, it will not let the tail shut completely up parrallel to the wheel. In order to move it to the right position, simply take out the bent rod with the cotter pins, and move the latch link and put the rod back in. Open and close the tail by hand, and you can see the difference now. The latch operates toward the head, goes under the pulley wheel, and back out. This is correct.

The stamped steel hook, bumps up against the little nib on the #13 latch part. (I think that's the number) Often times, the hook gets on the wrong side of it. An easy matter to move it. You can often even see wear on these parts, for reference.

The original chain has a round link, 6 links in from one end. the chain itself is oval chain with links about 1/2 in long. If you use another type of chain, you will fight many things. Hook one end to the upper hook, and count 7 links, and hook that one in the tailspring. ( the book says 6.) from there, put the chain over the pulleys, and down alongside the neckpipe of the mill. ( taking a break now)

Part 2...

Now we need to determine what type of mill you have. Up until 1939, the mill had a foot of neckpipe above the tower top. The turntable bearings were under the neckpipe itself inside the tower, under the stormstay. The neckpipe just rattled around in the tower top casting, some had grease cups there. These were known as "Longneck" mills. In 1940, they put the turntable at the top of the tower, and the bottom of the head sat directly on that. No neckpipe sticking out the tower top. NOTE...on the longneck model, if the bearing cup was worn out under the stormstay inside the tower, it would break out the bearing cup, and fall down a foot inside the tower. If you have a foot or so of neckpipe hanging down under the stormstay in the tower, then repairs need to be made first. I think that all the David Bradley mills were NOT longneck mills, and had a vertical tail instead of a 'swallowtail' type.

I will go on, thinking it's a standard Monitor, not a 'longneck' type.

The slot in the upper turntable casting should be directly under the vertical pulley. There are 2 places the head can sit on the turntable casting. The pulley directly above the slot is the correct way. The chain comes out the vertical pulley, and goes down thru the open slot. That chain hooks to the Larger stamped steel hook, that is attached to the brass swivel. The brass swivel is inside the #19 cup. the swivel rotates around in the cup freely, with no binding.
With the tail shut, and the brass swivel in the cup, and the bail assembled on the cup, lift the bail and cup as far as the bail will let it, when it hits the bottom of the stormstay. This is of course, as far as it will go up. Try too see which link the hook will go into with things in this position, and mark the chain link with a magic marker. You might allow a spare extra link just because you don't want it too tight.

Ok, now, by hand, pull over the tail to the open position, and either stick a screwdriver thru the chain or put a visegrips on it to hold it under the pulley here with the tail open. This gives you a lot more chain to work with here, because otherwise you need small hands to work up inside the tower top. Insert the hook into the chain where you marked it. If you use the right chain, it should fit, even with a spare link on the link where the hook goes through. If you have to cut the extra links off the chain for the hook to go through, then ok. You can always add a quik-link here.

Release the chain, and the tail and it should close over parallel to the wheel, if the bail works free in the tower.. OH I FORGOT...hook the tailspring in one of the middle holes in the tail frame. Sorry.

As the tail folds closed, the brass swivel, cup, and bail should rise up inside the tower. This is why you hook it up like I said, it's very hard to get your hands up there to hook it up. Oil everything up. You should be able to shove the bail down, which also pulls the cup and swivel down, which pulls the chain down, and the chain pulls the spring, which pulls the tail open. After the tail is open, the spring should govern the mill, and let it take itself out of the wind. This adjustment I think is made where the lower hook goes thru the chain. Once the mill is open, (when there is no wind) If you release the handle down below, the tail should close, or maybe with a small breeze, it closes. This adjustment is made by hooking the tail spring farther out on the the tailbone.

Ok, from the ground, you pull the handle down, the tail comes open. When you let the handle up, (slack) the tail closes. ( maybe a small breeze helps) When the tail is open, a higher wind will cause the mill to govern, and the wheel should turn out of the wind, the amount will be determined by the wind speed.

Good luck!

As far as the brake goes, this is a crapshoot. These brakes are crap. Most don't have them because they wear, and get caught, and break. The brake rod gets bent also. The brake is adjusted by the rod that goes thru it. There is a 7/16 square nut on the front side of the break, and the rod turns inside it, and makes the brake throw longer or shorter. ( yeah, right) If it's not frozen.

You do not want to adjust the brake to drag. Brakes are there only to stop the wheel from feathering in the wind, when it's OUT of the wind. The brake should only touch the hub when the tail is maybe 3/4 over to the head. The remaining 1/4 travel should be to apply pressure to the brake shoe. Every mill is different. Brake shoe wear, hub wear, linkage wear, and hub / shaft endplay has EVERYTHING to do with the WB brake action. A little bit of wear on ANYTHING amplifies at the shoe to make it ineffective. If you can get your adjustment correct, then you are 1 in 100. Mostly on a rebuild can I get the brake to work right on these. I do have special tricks though.

Many thanks for all the information it was a great help. I was not familiar with "pull-in" or "pull-out" terms. No wonder I was having a time trying to get it to act like my Aermotors.

Yeah. No problem! Ask if you have any more questions.