Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

14’ US wind engine Model E in downtown Batavia took a beating today. We had 60 mph winds and I understand that that one wheel section came apart and all the rest followed until the whole wheel was destroyed.Luckily no one was injured. Sad.

How long had it been up now? I wonder if it was just rotted out to cause the initial loss of the section or if it was a hardware failure? I have always been a big fan of the vaneless for wind, I know people argue that but I my town had a 105 mph wind come through that lasted for about 6 mins a few years ago and they held together fine, I can't say that for some roofs, a couple trailer houses and campers, LOL.

I’m pretty sure It was wood rot,he said the arms were in bad shape.Besides it’s been up around 15 years and I know that both their Challenge Vaneless and their US Vaneless are both down for the same reason,and all three mills were put up at the same time.

Its amazing how short wood lasts when you get back east. Back in the 90s there was still an L Monitor locally with the discus that had been put up before WW1 and the guy's dad had put new sections on after WW2 and pumped it into the last 60s. Of course wood was better then and we only get about 15 inches of precipitation and that helps also.

Is that the mill on the corner of the city offices?
That is to bad that it blew apart.
Terry

Yeah Terry,that’s the one. A lot of traffic right therein the windmills area.Trouble is,they don’t have the knowledge to repair most of their mills.

Yes before the Batavia trade fair several of us went up there to get some of the mills fixed up.
Some of them needed a lot of work. That was when Bob Popeck was still living in town he helped and had the knowledge to get it done or find the people to do it. At that time one of the city employees was in charge of keeping the mills in shape but with all of the other things he had going the mills were not the only wheel that needed oil. It was a big challenge to get it done then. With Bob gone it is a bigger challenge. What shape are the rest of the mills in?
Bob and Francine were proud of the mills around town.

The thing about some employees not everybody likes to climb a windmill tower to oil them. If you don't have that connection to history and preservation it might be a job you put off! WE have all seen what happens when the leaders die off there is a die off of interest.