WC 8 changes I didn't know?

[BreakingWindGuy]

Hello everyone! It's been a long while since I've been on this forum. It's been a busy summer.....
My question for the experts is, did Baker change the design of their gearbox casting in the early model WC 8? I had restored a WC 8 back in '98 with 50 foot tower and it's still running great pumping water for my wife's two hayburners. I remember that design fairly well but recently I acquired another mill needing restoration from a gentlemen, that I couldn't pass up.
Looking closer at the mill I see that this one has a longer tail pivot rod that extends to the top of the upper bearing race, to allow the gearbox to swivel with the upper race, whereas my other mill has a notch in the lower portion of the gearbox that lines up/fits nicely into a slot in the upper bearing race turntable. Was this an early design? This has the vertical tail design. It doesn't look like it's ever been replaced. Any thoughts? Leon in Mn.

[windybob]

The earliest Monitor of that particular type model, was an AC mill. It looked similar to the WC model, but not all parts interchanged. It was considered a "long-neck" mill, where there was one foot of neckpipe above the tower top. The early WC mills were the same long-neck design. the turntable was under the stormsay, a "cup" sort of thing, with balls in it, and the upper race was an insert in the bottom of the neckpipe. These were mills, from around 1932 to 1939, as were the WB (6 1/2 ft) longneck mills. This W series mill, was the last model Monitor made, up till the 60's when they stopped making mills, and Don Matthews of Verdun Co bought the molds, patterns, and some equipment and went on his own. Even though Don passed, his son-in-law still runs the Verdun Co Monitor replacement parts house in Hutchinson Ks. The longneck style W series mill ran from 1932 untill 1940, when Monitor changed to a "top of the tower" turntable, and also changed the swallow tail to the vertical tail design.

Also, when the very first self oiling mill was introduced, in 1924 ( The S series mill, or Hambone) a few years after that the 8 ft AC was brought in, and ran concurrently for sale with the Hambone, but only in the 8 ft size. 1936 was the last year for the Lonely Hambone mill, which actually had some VERY good engineering points, and I think the AC mill was phased out as the improved WC mills (over the AC) took over. So, during a period of time, you could b uy the AC, Style S, or W series mill. Must have been confusing to the customers for sure.

[BreakingWindGuy]

Thanks Windybob for your response.

This is definitely not an AC mill, as I am familiar with them. I seen one years back with the bearing on the bottom of the mast, and the straight snout with spur cut gears, etc. This one has all the makings of the WC, identical to the one I have up now, even has the markings WC8. Only difference is the longer tail pivot pin that extends down into the upper main bearing (turntable) race, which is on top of the tower like the WC's have to keep it moving with the gearbox. The one I have up now and working has a notch (ear) in the bottom of the gearbox which fits into the upper bearing race. This one has the tail bone pivot pin. Must have been an early design that was changed? If I can figure out how to get a pic on here from my phone, I took one for all to see. Leon in Mn.

[windybob]

Yes a picture would be nice. Thanks.

[BreakingWindGuy]

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[windybob]

Apparently that must be something they did to make sure the turntable top was timed to the mill head. I have never seen that before, but I have made a similar set-up when using a longneck head on the tower top turntable. A Longneck head does not have the notch to fit in the t.t. top race. The standard head does. I'm guessing that your head is an intermediate design. Should be no problem with all the parts being swappable. Just use that head with that T.T. top. Thanks for the heads-up!

[BreakingWindGuy]

Windybob..."thanks for the heads up" no pun intended there ha ha.....here is another picture if the upper turntable race with part number. Is it just me or does the part look a bit longer necked than a regular WC 8 upper turntable? Part number WC 205. Sorry it's upside down....

[BreakingWindGuy]

Let's try this again......for some reason it doesn't want to post the pic tonight.

[windybob]

WHat's also interesting is the bushing inside of it. I thought the number was 204. I might need to double check that. I see it has at least 1 tab on it. maybe the other tab is on the backside. Should have 2. Do you know why those t.t. tops have 2 tabs? I do.

[BreakingWindGuy]

Didn't the bottom of the gearbox on the later WC's have the two tabs embossed on it? The tabs would then fit into the slots on the turntable top. What are these tabs for?