Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Putting things back together and going well except the oil collector not fully seated or catching very slightly at the top. Can I trim the top? Maybe flat file a bit? I believe it is seated pretty tight on the shaft? I am going with the shortest stroke initially until I see how it behaves.

Andy

It should not touch the shaft. It can barely drag inside the hub. Yes you can tweak it. After getting it done, run the hub around a few times, and backwards too, then take the collector out and blow the junk out of the opening. Do this until the collector does not scrape any more crap off the inside of the hub.

Andrew , you may want to arc the collector a wee bit rather than file flat . it is trying to go inside a circle ,, but it still needs to scrape a little oil to lube the shaft .
Mike B

Check out the variation. One on left came out one on right new. Mike, really cold in Wyoming now. Hope your oil project going okay!
Andy

The weight is down on the mainshaft. As it wears out the bottom of the snout bearing, the top inside of the hub goes down also. As it wears down, it takes the oil collector with it. It is critical that the oil return galley is not plugged by gunk over the years. You can clean it out when it clogs. Not if, but when.

I would say you definitely need to replace the bearings as wore down the oil collector is

Put in a new babbit bearing set, all three.