Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Hi everyone, I work for the county parks and open space department in Arapahoe county Colorado. We have a windmill at our fairgrounds that decided to rattle itself apart the week before our county fair this year. It is a 16' Railroad Eclipse that was mounted to a tower that was too tall for that kind of windmill. We managed to get the blades safely taken off so it is just a tower with the hub and tail standing now.

We would like to rebuild/replace it as it is a focal point of the fairgrounds but I don't know anything about windmill construction so I am reaching out hoping someone could give us some guidance or suggestions on how to go about getting it repaired or to replace it.

I can provide before and after photos and more details if needed.

Thank you
Jason

Welcome to the forum Jason. Pics will help. Is yours an original F and W eclipse? There are a few people around who make new sails. Keep us posted.

I'm sure you mint Fairbanks Morse Dan. To Jason you said it was on a tower too for the windmill. No such thing really. Towers could be 80 ft. Depending on what was around that they had to get the windmill above so it set in whats called clean air. Give us some pictures. When you say it rattled itself apart. What kind of damage do you have?

Check with Ron Stauffer, he may be able to recommend someone with experience with the Railroad Eclipse. Or he might have a large Aermotor that could replace it

Yep I did Wayne, another senior moment

Here are some of the photos I have. A bunch of the connection points have just dry rotted and that is where it came apart. https://www.icloud.com/photos/#087FHZT_ ... fsWC7dzT-w

Looking at the photos you aren't in too bad of shape compared to some. Might check with Eddie Sosa at the Wind Power Center in Lubbock. He has made parts for some of their wooden wheeled mills.

Jason , the photos show a nicely keep 100 year old windmill , as mentioned many time before a windmill is a LOT easier to repair on the ground than up in the air . you have a very nice center piece for your fairgrounds . there are a few folks around that can help and have the knowledge & experiance to help you restore that windmill .

I think a RR Eclipse takes a tower with a mast inside it. The mast is more or less square shaped with straight legs and rises out of the center of the tower base. Because the wheel is so close to the mast, it doesn't have much room for a taper. Eclipse's have a rigid wheel, and I think usually a side vane.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks everyone for the advice.