Windpower
Scattered throughout the dry country, these windmills stand alone, pumping water into stock tanks … or standing broken and discarded as the homesteaders and ranchers moved on.
The Aeromotor Company began experimenting with wind engines in 1883 and sold its first 24 all-metal windmills in 1888, selling over 20,000 by 1892. Through many changes in operations, names, and ownership, the company still exists, owned by a consortium of ranchers in Texas – having reverted back to its original name.
In 1890, the factory consisted of one large building. Sales were so great that by 1892, the factory had expanded to three buildings, the newest one-story building covering an acre.
By 1904, an 8ft mill cost $25 and a 20ft mill, $300 – but the mills required weekly maintenance. By 1915, an automatic oiler was developed that reduced maintenance to a yearly task rather than weekly.
The owner of the company, LaVerne Noyes, established university scholarships for veterans of WWI, primarily at Univ of Chicago and Iowa State. He died in 1919, leaving the company to a taxable trust. The scholarships are still available.
So are the windmills.
Today (2024 catalog), a basic 8ft windmill on a 21 ft tower weighs 795 lbs and costs just about $8600 and is of the same basic design as the 1888 windmill.
How it’s made:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0sc6INKmmc
Bought one for my wife a few months ago for her flower garden. The legs are about 8′ tall, then the fan sits on top of that. Need a flat floor to build it on and some ceiling height too. So I assembled it on the kitchen floor.
Not too difficult to assemble but you have to have your wits about you. Hundreds of small bolts and nuts. 7/16″ I think. Hand tighten at first, then get everything plumb, square and level then use 2 wrenches to cinch everything down. A little heavy for one person to carry. I installed the fan part after the fact because it would have been too heavy to get it from the kitchen all the way down to her garden.
I did one thing extra. I drilled and tapped the 2 axle bearing housings to accept a zerk fitting, and a little squirt of lithium grease. Also did that on the vertical axle too.
This could be converted to a pump version but the main axle to opposing axle joint would have to be replaced and that would require cutting and welding. Not a huge problem if you know how. I may get the chance to find out as her frog and turtle pond is about 20′ away and she intimated having a windmill pump for the waterfall would be cool. Currently it’s solar powered.
One other thing I did. Standing upright this thing puts all of it’s weight straight down into fairly soft soil. It sinks in. Before I installed it I lightly sanded all 4 legs then painted them with 2 coats of black Rustoleum about 24″ up all the legs. Then I clear coated the whole thing.
This is the one I got: (the gray one)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PDW5C1R?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1