Woodsmanse project

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Centex Windmills
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:09 pm
Location: San Antonio

Woodsmanse project

Post by Centex Windmills »

Recently finished up the Dempster 12 last week and took it to the windmill barn at the ranch to get started on the tower. Figured I would bring home the next project this is a Woodsmanse I think E (casting says 8E-1 on the snout). It's in fairly decent shape insides are pretty worn but some new bushings and pins should be back to good. This mill was found about 30 miles from our ranch on another ranch with the original tower, the tail is in great shape and a good fan.

I'm assuming the hub and main shaft slide out as one after staring at it for a while.
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Last edited by Centex Windmills on Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
mtblah
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:09 pm
Location: new braunfels TX

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by mtblah »

Brandon , nice find , and yes it does appear to be in great shape .
After looking closely at your photos many parts and functions appear to be VERY similar to the Ideal Steel I just refurbished .
Looking closely at the photo of the front end of the hub I could see the key firmly embedded on the drive shaft and hub , happy drilling , heating , pressing & TIME. I used the heat & paraffin wax method . It worked .
Mike B
New Braunfels TX
Centex Windmills
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:09 pm
Location: San Antonio

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by Centex Windmills »

That's what I thought also but the way it's peened over there is no way it slides off or at least slides off now and looking at the parts diagram they don't mention a key. In parts diagram the hub and shaft are represented as one so maybe it slides out as one piece and is retained back in the housing. I'll have to tinker with it some more this week and weekend and see. It's a different animal compared to the Dempster.
mtblah wrote: Wed Mar 09, 2022 7:16 am Brandon , nice find , and yes it does appear to be in great shape .
After looking closely at your photos many parts and functions appear to be VERY similar to the Ideal Steel I just refurbished .
Looking closely at the photo of the front end of the hub I could see the key firmly embedded on the drive shaft and hub , happy drilling , heating , pressing & TIME. I used the heat & paraffin wax method . It worked .
Mike B
New Braunfels TX
mtblah
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:09 pm
Location: new braunfels TX

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by mtblah »

Yes it is different animal .
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windybob
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Location: Ames Oklahoma

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by windybob »

Start taking things apart and out of the case. You may find that there is a different way to (not) need to deal with taking the hub off the shaft, for now.
There is a lot you can take apart first. Make notes, take pictures. No its definitely not a Dempster. It's simpler.
Call Dan Benjamin for parts. P M me for the phone number.
Wayne
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Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:03 am
Location: Corsicana Tx.

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by Wayne »

Looks like my model G. In the big book says they started with the E in 1923-January 1926 then went to the G. It also tells the E had a steel wrist pin on the back side of crank gear instead of the more common eccentric mechanism.
mtblah
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:09 pm
Location: new braunfels TX

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by mtblah »

Brandon , take heed from the knowledgeable guys ! they have been there , done tahat , many time before !
Centex Windmills
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:09 pm
Location: San Antonio

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by Centex Windmills »

Don't worry I will!
mtblah wrote: Wed Mar 09, 2022 9:23 am Brandon , take heed from the knowledgeable guys ! they have been there , done tahat , many time before !
I was reading in the book last night about that this one does has the steel wrist pin and not the eccentric and the parts numbers all match the E parts numbers so it's older than I thought. Makes it our oldest oil bath in our collection as our Axtel was from the 30's.
Wayne wrote: Wed Mar 09, 2022 8:56 am Looks like my model G. In the big book says they started with the E in 1923-January 1926 then went to the G. It also tells the E had a steel wrist pin on the back side of crank gear instead of the more common eccentric mechanism.
Centex Windmills
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:09 pm
Location: San Antonio

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by Centex Windmills »

I was able to work some on the mill tonight and get it mostly torn down and start the cleaning process. Pulled out a bunch of dried oil probably worth more than the mill in today's market. Overall it's in rebuildable shape. The two biggest questions I've gotten so far:
Is the wrist pin removable, this one is really loose and looks like it was almost cast into the gear and crank pin and has broken loose.

I will end up having to remove the main shaft as this one needs new bearings, I found the keyway on the backside of the shaft but the shaft is peaned over I'm assuming to keep it tight? Any suggestions on how to go about removing that?

It's been fairly intuitive so far and been a fun one even if we're only on day two
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mtblah
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:09 pm
Location: new braunfels TX

Re: Woodsmanse project

Post by mtblah »

Brandon , VERY similar to the Ideal Steel I just refurbished .
My connecting rod was threaded into the bull gear & peened as a lock .
Drill
Same on the small gear , drive shaft will pull out the front .
Then you can drill out the key & push off the hub , being CAREFULL not to crack any cast iron .
Mike B
New Braunfels TX
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