Big Mill - Tight Quarters

[Les Jacox]

Took down a 12’ Platner Yale Tuesday. This mill was bought from Platner-Yale Mfg. Co. of Lincoln, NE, by the grandfather of the current owner’s wife, who is in her late 80s. It was standing between a house and a garage with a big pine tree on one side and a big walnut tree on the other with no room for a boom truck. The only option was to lower it down towards the walnut tree.

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Attached a cable and rope on opposing sides at the cross brace below the tower platform. Ran the cable through a pulley hooked on the raised forks of a track loader, then to a pickup. The cable between the track loader and the pickup had to go through a hedge, which blocked the view of the windmill from the pickup driver, so it took 3 people relaying signals to coordinate lower the mill. Tied the rope from the tower to the base of the walnut tree to prevent the mill from going the wrong way. Attached hinges on the two legs facing the walnut tree and unbolted the other two.

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[Les Jacox]

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Levered the cable side of the tower up with a plank while pulling on the rope to get the tower started down. Then slowly backed up the pickup, letting the tower pivot down on the hinges. The wheel ended up close to the walnut tree. We then took the wheel and tail off and pulled the head out. After removing the hinges from the legs, we had to drag the tower with the track loader to an area with enough room in order to be able to load it on the trailer. No damage to their property or to the mill. It was a good ½ day’s work.

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[JBarker]

Great job Jake, did you make those hinges or purchase them? Thanks

[windybob]

Is that actually an Eclipse with the P/Y name on it?

Great job! Very tricky. Excellent!

[Wayne]

Wow! Proves that when a man wants a windmill he will find a way to get it on the ground.

[Les Jacox]

Jerry ,The hinges were borrowed, i have a set, but thought i would try these , l may build a new set, a little modification on them.
Windy, the mill is one of many windmill companies that copied the eclipse when the patents expired.

[JBarker]

Thanks Jake, I'm curious to ur final design on the hinges. Keep us posted

[Wayne]

Jerry, I have a similar set I'd probably sell. I'll take a picture and post.

[Wayne]

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Jerry, These are some hinges I got with a host I bought never have used them. They pivot at two points don't know why, if you could use them we could probably make a deal.

[JBarker]

IMG_20191013_105348887.jpg Jerry, These are some hinges I got with a host I bought never have used them. They pivot at two points don't know why, if you could use them we could probably make a deal.

PM me I might be interested. Strange they pivot i n two places though.