New Kid on the block

[HuskerRon]

Hello everyone, I am Ron a farm boy from Nebraska who has been misplaced in Colorado for the last 50 years. I know almost nothing about windmills other than the one I remember on the farm as a kid. I also know next to nothing about the one I now own and am getting ready to go lay it down, take it apart, bring it back to Colorado and restore it, then put it up on my property. If someone wants to tell me to stop right now because I have no idea what I am doing, I am willing to listen. Otherwise I have lots of questions. I have no idea of the builder or model, only that it works(supposedly), appears to be an 8 footer on about a 33' 3 legged metal tower. I have a cousin going to look at it to see if he can determine anything else. I do have a well company that says they will lay it down for me for approx. $200 on my trailer then I plan to take as much as I need to apart before I haul it home. So my first question is where do I start, what do I read? I am glad to have found this forum and it looks like the right place to be, unless you tell me to go away and leave everyone alone.

[windybob]

Hey Ron, great sense of humor.

Go for it. take it down, re-do whatever it needs, and get some good use out of it. If you can get a picture of it, maybe it would be easier to help with a few hints.

I guess you're getting it in Neb and taking it to Co? Ask whatever you want to know. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

[hedgerow]

Welcome Ron
If you are coming to Nebraska to get the mill and it is toward the central to east part of Nebraska I could probably give you a hand to get it on your trailer.

[Wayne]

One of the things I would do is if you really like windmills order you the book " A field guide to American Windmills" by T. Lindsay Baker. You then should be able to tell us what your treasure is and the next one you find you'll be ready to put a name to it.. Good Luck

[HuskerRon]

Thanks guys! Yes it is in western Nebraska. My biggest questions right now are about anchoring. I assume the legs on it now are sacrificial and I would have a hard time getting them out of the ground. This mill will be decorative only, no work load. So can I shorten the tower by a section or two and if so, can a section be used to fabricate new anchors? I could not really find any online other than some Aeros on ebay.

[HuskerRon]

This is the only picture I have so far.

[HuskerRon]

New info it is a Dempster ANNU-Oiled No. 12A
My wild guess was Dempster No. 10 strictly due to the tail shape, not because I thought I really knew anything.

[windybob]

Ok, Dempster 12-A, got it. Drain what oil there is in it out in a bucket. ( not on a windy day). 3 legged tower, a hybrid. That looks pretty tall. YES you can shorten it. If fact, you probably should to get it home anyway. Unless you can ship the fan(wheel) flat, you can take it in two. The anchors in the ground will be next to impossible to dig up, make new ones. No matter the load, the wind will be the same on it whether it pumps or not. The top sectio n of tower is not a Dempster. Not sure about the bottom, but it don't matter. once down, take the head off the tower by removing the pumprod, and clamp under the stormstay, and the swivel off the pulltube. There will be balls in the turntable, unless you lose them on the way down. Don't worry if you do, they are most likely shot anyway. Take the bolts out of the hubs, and remove the wheel. (fan) take in in two if needed. Take off tail and tail frame. Take nuts off tail pin, and a bolt or two out of the tailframe because you need to spread it a little. Take the chain off the tail bracket. Once you take the tower in two, you can probably stuff the top into the bottom for shipping.

The Dempster #12-A is a different animal that a very common #12. Almost nothing will switch except tail and wheel. Everything on this mill is bigger and heavier than the more common #12. Once you get it home, holler for more hints, advice, and excitement.

[Wayne]

Windy any idea about the tower? It seems there were two three Co's that used steps for the ladder don't remember who. I know you said it was a hybrid.

[windybob]

The lower ladder is different than the upper ladder. Like a lot of pooches here in Ok are Oklahoma Bittas. Bitta this and bitta that.