Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Hello thank you for letting me join the forum. I got hit with the windmill bug hard. 2 winters ago I took down 7 windmills in my area north of Regina Saskatchewan. 5 Goold, Shapely & Muir, one 3 legged wincharger, and a 45' Butler. The Butler was sold by the Medicine Hat pump & brass co in Alberta. It is a double gear. I was told it was put up in 1909. Its in tough shape. I was able to reassemble the wheel, im relettering the vane, but the cast parts need gears built up, holes filled, rebored, bushed, shafts made. I'm gonna spend some money, but I dont care im in love with this thing. It was given to me free of charge if I was to restore it. Im having trouble seeing what is on the back side of the vane. It appears to be a "hat" with something at the bottom. Does anyone know or have pictures of this?

Welcome Mike

OMG You mean the wheel on that Butler is 45 ft across? Or.....the tower is 45 ft tall...

Welcome to the site!

Welcome to the forum.

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

I’ve attached a few photos of a double gear near me, but it is difficult to read the vane. The attached link at least shows one side of what’s on the vane. Never figured out how to rotate images..if these images happen to rotate.

I've got a 6 and an 8 foot of those. I think I read somewhere where Canada had their own brand of Double Gear. There is nothing I read about the American Butler reaching any where near 45 ft. 18 ft is the largest I see at the moment.

Those are really heavy built mills. When I took down that 8 ft one, it's all the truck could handle. Even the little 6 footer i have in the shop ( torn down) is bulky.

I believe they were Hunter Green.

Mike

welcome to the site
visited a small place called Rama Sasketchewan a long while ago, think in was south of saskatoon....
im in Ontario, an a hr from Toronto.
need anything give me a hollar

Paul

Oh sorry 8 foot wheel 45 foot tower. I am not sure how to post pictures on this forum.

That makes a difference! Thanks.

Click on full edit and preview. When you get the look down, and see attachments. Click on that, and see add files. When you click on that, it will bring up where your pics are stored. Then you can insert them. I'm doing this on my computer, on a phone I'm not sure,. MAybe it's the same.

It seems that your vane has an insignia of the local store that was a dealer for Butler. Often, dealers have their own pictures, signs, logos, etc to promote their business. If you can find any other literature for that store, you might have the pictures you need. Old sale brochures, or items the place may have sold. Maybe in the library, on or in any historic documents.
As far as your particular vane, try offset lighting. Or put some water on it. Or paint thinner, (NOT remover) . I have brought out lettering in any or all of the above methods. The vanes I've had the most trouble with, are vanes that are rusty. The rust oblitherates the lettering in most cases.