Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a Woodmanse Type G Oil Bath that won't move. The hub won't turn and the brake seems to be released, as there's play in the brake lever. However, I can't get anything inside the head casting to move either. I put dexron / mercon ATF and half diesel fuel in it to soak for seven days but still nothing. Maybe it needs to sit longer. I purchased it without the missing pin, so I'm not sure how difficult the other pins will remove. I have a couple questions if you could please assist with answering;

1) Is there a certain order I should disassemble this in?

2) Do you recommend I wait to disassemble, until the ATF and Diesel allow it to turn so I don't break anything from pounding pins out / or prying?

3) In the photo I attached with the red circle over the shaft housing, what is that? It looks like a plug or inspection hole that had a plug that broke off. However, I noticed in a previous post another Woodmanse was shown with what also looks like a broken off plug. So is that where babbitt pours in? Does this windmill have babbitt or did it have some kind of roller bearing? Just trying to figure out whats behind the scenes so I don't bust it apart.

Less important for the time being, but I will need to figure out eventually:

4) I'm missing; a vane hinge bolt, a small pulley for the vane, the brake rod, and the rocker arm shaft. Any suggestions on a replacement? I may just see what I can fabricate/find at the hardware store.

Thank you!

I have a model G. I noticed it will only turn in one direction.Tried to figure out what was stopping it I thought I had a problem but when I spun it in the other direction it spun fine. Still don't know what keeps it from spinning backwards I guess you could say. It being an internal gear something may be lodged down in yours between the gears and it's not easy to see the small gear at the bottom.

Thanks for the reply wayne. Does anyone have any suggestions on order of dissasembly? Being a newbi at this im not sure what piece of the puzzle to take off/ force apart first so i dont break it.

Soak everything down really good. Work with it as much as you can to make it turn. take off anything you can that's easy or loose. try to understand how your machine is put together so that you know what to look for to get apart. Hidden set screws, keepers, locking devices etc. keep records, pictures, and or notes.

If you have to destroy something to save something and get it apart, pick something easy to replace. Most shafts can be replaced fairly easily. If you need to waste a shaft to save a gear, do it. If you need to waste a bad gear to save a good shaft, do that. On that type of mill, the pinion gear will need to be off before the shaft and hub comes out, and crank gear comes out.

TAke your time, work slow. Soak, tap with hammer to help oil. Wait. do again. Patience!

Will do, i appreciate the feedback windybob! Thanks, Iowa Josh

yup.

Try this http://www.vintagewindmillpartslist.com/ for a parts break down

Thank you MAS. I have them downloaded. They will be helpful. I just wasnt sure which order they come apart. Windybob gave me some good inputs Ill use along with the parts layout youre refering to, in trying to get the mill apart without breaking it. I figure ill let it soak for another week before i pull it out of the diesel with my cherry picker. I already rounded the corners of the drain plug trying to loosen it with an open end wrench. Im not sure a 12 point socket would have been much better but maybe it would have. I ordered a couple 4 point impact sockets made by grey pnuematic off ebay. Theyre advertised as Pipe plug sockets. So i figure i may be able to get a better bite with it than the 12 point sockets, and perhaps ill be able to still get that drain plug out. Still new to the square bolt heads. Any thoughts on 12 point impact sockets vs. 4 point? The gentlemen i purchased the mill from used 12 point impact sockets which did work well to take off the wheel from the hub. We didnt strip bolt heads with them yet we started with good square heads.

I use 8 point sockets on square bolts

I invested in a set of 1/2" drive 8 point deep and shallow impact sockets a while back the ones made by sunex are good quality and worth the investment and like windy said let it soak you will end up ruining are hard to find part if you rush it diesel is a cheap penetrating oil.