Old windmill help

My wife recently found an old Aermotor windmill that she wants to put up as "decoration". The head is in VERY good condition & all in-tact. The wood base is the problem since most of it is falling apart or too rotted out to put up. I want to replace all the wood & was wondering what the best kind to use is? (the legs are 4x4, but I don't really want to use the treated lumber, since I have see the warping that it does). I also was wondering if anybody can help with exactly how it should be built or has pics of one? I live in WY so it can be very windy at times, so I want to make sure I build the base correctly for stability & hold up to the elements. Thanks for your help.

Can you find a good STEEL windmill tower in your area?

I thought about that Bob, but....the wife would like to keep the "original" look to it with the wood. It is just going to be for decoration & won't actually be hooked up.

Hey Pard,

No disrespect meant in any way, shape or form. I really, really mean that.

However, hanging a 10-foot Aeromotor head on a 40-foot tower for the sole purpose of "decoration" just about borders on pure lunacy and sounds like an idea originating from a "city girl".

Sure hope you know what kind of a rattlesnake/loaded shotgun you're dealin' with here; those things are nothing short of pure-azzed dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doin’.

Go downtown and buy ‘er one of those minature 4-foot lawn ornaments. Better yet, come talk to my pretty little neighbor gal who is paralized from the neck down. :>(

Allan

I would set it up near the road and put a for sale sign on it. Lots a farmer who use them to water cows will be please to take it off your hands and save you one big headache.
Walt

Aermotor will sell you one.
Aermotor

I cannot give any specific advice or help. However, I will make some historical observations. There was only one wood tower windmill in our extended neighborhood in the 1930's. It was replaced by a metal tower in the late 30's I think it was.
My father grew up in NC Illinois. They had a neighbor who built the wood towers (in the early part of the 1900's). He guaranteed his towers to stand any wind that did not take the farmer's barn down.

Allen said
"However, hanging a 10-foot Aeromotor head on a 40-foot tower for the sole purpose of "decoration" just about borders on pure lunacy and sounds like an idea originating from a "city girl"

Allen, that hits hard, being called that. I have one for decoration and had it in my yard, in town, about 20 years and I am country boy. I'll bet you do things that someone thinks are "pure lunacy"

7lazy77, Speaking from the point of, one of the few that still gets my water from a windmill! Use treated lumber I know of a fellow who has 2 Aermotor windmills in his yard for decoration one 8 ft on a steel tower and a 12 ft on a wooden tower that he built from old blueprint drawings. Only use treated lumber. If you are worried about warpage and cracking, loose stack in a well ventalated dry barn for 6 months to a yr before you start to build.
Only suggestion DO Not try to erect the towers yourself get a water well company to do it.They havethe trucks with the Ginpoles to do it, And its much safer for you.
Later,
John A

Depending on size(Allan mentioned a 10ft head but I didn't see where you specified), if the head is truly in VERY good condition, that'd be a pretty expensive "decoration", since those heads are still in common use. An average good used 8 footer will bring close to a thousand bucks on an auction in these parts. Probably more if the fan and tail are complete and the stub tower is included. My advice would be to sell it to somebody who can use it and if you're intent on having one then pick up an old Dempster or Eclipse that somebody has retired from service. Or even one of the real old wooden-fan models if ya can find one.

We've got several dozen windmills on our ranch. Been phasing out the wood towers over the last 15 years or so, only have a couple left in use and their days are numbered. Going to custom-built round pipe towers versus the factory built angle iron. An idea would be to use one of these towers then just cover the pipe up with 1x4 lumber for the legs, etc....Our wooden ones have 4x4 legs, but I don't know if the wood was treated or not since they were built long before my time....however, the constant soaking in oil they get "treats" em pretty good.

If you do put one up, have the ladder high enough that kids can't get to it. You'll still need to get up there occasionally though, since if the fans gonna be turning you'll have to keep oil in it. They won't last more than a year or so with no oil in 'em(don't ask how I know)...

Yes, windmills can be beautiful -- if you know what you're doing and have the equipment to handle them - - I confess that I DON'T, - - but do have a good friend that restores them and has also informed me of the hazards. I wish you"d re-read Allan"s first line: "No disrespect meant in any way, shape or form. I really, really mean that." I believe him that he wasn't trying to be disrespectful - - maybe he felt need to "hit hard" to make his point, especially if the neighbor girl was hurt on one of these things. Maybe the point of saftey should always be "Hit Hard".

Regards!

1. The windmill head is 6'
2. The tower is only 12' tall
3. It will be put out in the pasture in front of the house.
4. If she wanted a 4' windmill, she would of just went to the store & bought one.

Take four LARGE creosote posts and plant 'em deep in the ground with only about 40" remaining exposed.

Position 'em in such a way as to be at an angle which will dress to the legs of your tower. BOLT the tower legs to those posts with 2 large 3/4" bolts per post. This will give the tower stability and keep it anchored in those high Wyoming winds.

Totally remove the whip-stick and securely tie/lock that brake down. The darned things are nothin' but an over-sized buzz saw in a heavy wind and if let to spin without a load will absolutely try to disintegrate themselves.

Build a bull-proof fence around the thing to prevent any cattle in the pasture from rubbin' against and tearin' it up.

Allan

My granddaughter's husband works on windmills all of the time. They are used a lot by ranchers in far west Oklahoma, Shattuck, Oklahoma has a large collection set up and running in the Windmill Museum.

http://www.shattuckwindmillmuseum.org/

Notice in the picture on Website how they a installing the fan on a wood tower. No little job
and these are esperienced men. gitrib

I did read and have reread it. But "pure lunacy"???

Check out www.windmill.com in lubbock TX. If you are ever near there ,take a look.It's a great place.