Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

They were off two different cases. One is older and one 39/42 patent. but got them mixed up in cleaning and straightening and did not notice so do not know which ones are what era.
Thanks for the comments
jerry

The really early spokes had the ends plugged, which was better. On the open ones, if the mill sat for many years without the wheel turning, the spoke pointing down would fill with water and dirt and they would rot from the inside.
Peter

Looks like that is what happened to the Beatty I bought. Just threads left in the hub except for 2.
The spoke I have has only about 1/2 inch of thread left. I noticed a small hole drilled at the top
of the curve to allow water to drain but I can see water getting in as well. That would defeat the ends being plugged.

I have only seen one with holes drilled on the bends, I'm thinking someone just drilled them and it's not factory

Ok I am about to put a new shaft into a Beatty hub. How far should it protrude out the front? and should I heat and peen the edge over or tack it with braze or nicad rod?
thanks for the help
jerry

I would peen it like the original, or make the shaft longer and put a pin through in the front of the shaft.

Thank you Peter
Every time I go near the mill parts I have another question or two
Hope i am not a pest
first the new bearing is not snug on the hub end. It is a new shaft. Anything wrong with using some blue lock tight to keep it from moving.?
And is there a torque load on the nut on the other end?
thanks for the help
jerry

Usually the bearing slides on pretty tight, a little lock tight wont hurt. I don't know about the torque on the nut, I just tighten it up really tight and then loosen it a bit so that the hub spins easy.