Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Hi All,
New to this forum and have rebuilt an Australian Alston 33 Planetary-Geared Windmill. This has been a rebuild and not a restoration as such so it still has 'patina' and it is a garden piece and not fully functional from a water pumping perspective.
The fan and tail were demolished after, I think, it fell from the tower and there were some parts missing.
After much work we raised it last week-end only to find that while the fan turns freely and looks great the whole head will not rotate to allow the tail to point it into the wind. The tube from the main body where it passes down through the Lower Mast Step (I call it the star bracket) binds and I now realize there must be a bearing case and bearing setup that should be there and it appears this is yet another part that has gone missing.
Any advice or pictures of what this looks like be greatly appreciated - better still if I could buy the missing parts.
Look forward to responses
David.

Would love to see photos of a Alston 33, could you post a few ?
Thanks,
Mike B New Braunfels TX

Welcome David! Your mill likely had a turntable assembly with ball bearings. You may be able to adapt a turntable from another mill to work with yours. Add a few pics of your mill so that we can see what you're working with.

I believe Peter vk has several Alstons so may be able to provide pics and advice on the setup.

I found a parts list for a 12 and 14 for on the internet and attached it here.

Hi David, the top has a turntable with balls in it. Here are some pictures of what mine looks like.
Peter

Thanks for the responses.
Peter I have the top swivel sorted OK it's the bottom of the tube where it goes through the 'star' bracket that is the mystery to me.
I'll try to load some photos

Peter,
I think you may have answered the question for me. The collar you have underneath the star bracket I have put immediately below the top ball bearing swivel when it looks like it goes below the star bracket.
Can you tell me if the tube going trough the bracket has a piece taken out of the side of it? Mine looks like someone has taken a hacksaw to it and and cut across the tube about half way through and removed about 25 - 30 mm (inch or more) from the tube.
If I can work out how to load photos I'll try to show you
Thanks for your photos - a great help
David.

This is a test to see if I have the photo thing sorted.
My Alston 33 doesn't have number 33 caste in the body but rather has 27 ground in which I understand is an earlier model. Perhaps a transitional mill?
In all respects it is an 8 foot Plantary-Geared Mill
The photo of the Fan is what I started with
I think I have been successful!
David.

Sorry,

Stealing the show here!

download/file.php?id=4422

What tools did you use to straighten out that mess?
I have an 1897 Aermotor Bell Hub wheel that is in about the same shape.

Nice job ! at first glance, it appeared to be a 6 ft mill with only having a 4 section, 12 sail wheel. Being as it's an 8 ft, maybe the wheel was the weak link in the design of this model. (?)

Any time the words, "planetary gears" and "windmill" are used in the same sentence, it automatically requires reading.