Original Steel Star
Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 7:54 pm
This is a project that John Durdle and I started about a year and a half ago.
John bought this mill at the Kendelville trade fair from Todd Skinner.
There was the usual wear you would expect for a mill of this vintage. Mostly the only welding I had to do was on the hinge pocket in the main frame and on the hinge where it sets into the frame. I reshaped it using a grinder and rotary burr in a die grinder.
A new shaft was made and new Babbitt bearings were poured in the one piece bearing carrier and the Pittman arm. Some of these mills had two piece shell type bearings with separate caps.
The shaft keys had a very slight taper.
The day we put the mill all together my lovely wife Betsy was there to lend another set of hands. This wasnt her first time helping out on a windmill.
This was a fun and interesting project. Working with John is always a pleasure. He is a walking encyclopedia on windmills.
The stand we built up is similar the ones that John has other mills displayed on in his yard. If works very well and has enough spread to keep it from flipping over with any anchors in the ground.
Thanks for looking.
John bought this mill at the Kendelville trade fair from Todd Skinner.
There was the usual wear you would expect for a mill of this vintage. Mostly the only welding I had to do was on the hinge pocket in the main frame and on the hinge where it sets into the frame. I reshaped it using a grinder and rotary burr in a die grinder.
A new shaft was made and new Babbitt bearings were poured in the one piece bearing carrier and the Pittman arm. Some of these mills had two piece shell type bearings with separate caps.
The shaft keys had a very slight taper.
The day we put the mill all together my lovely wife Betsy was there to lend another set of hands. This wasnt her first time helping out on a windmill.
This was a fun and interesting project. Working with John is always a pleasure. He is a walking encyclopedia on windmills.
The stand we built up is similar the ones that John has other mills displayed on in his yard. If works very well and has enough spread to keep it from flipping over with any anchors in the ground.
Thanks for looking.
