Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The Windmill Raising -- Pictures of it going up
.This is where we left off last. We couldn't pull it up with a truck using a rope through a pulley hanging in a tree. Owner, John, was dissapointed, more than a little bit (link).
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.This time we got a bucket hoist belonging to electrician friend, Pat. I know John wanted to be in that bucket but it wouldn't happen..
.Up she goes. John names his old cars, I don't know if this windmill is named or not.
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.Up some more. That's Jim (not me Jim) with his hands in his pocket..
. Not much more, it is going to get there.
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. Here's where the ground crew really gets action. Back in July we had set those anchors in concrete and preliminarily attached the tower.
Here WE are wrestling the legs so the bolts will line up. [I took a break for a moment to take another picture.] Nine of us came yesterday to help. All of us had a job there one time or another..
.It's tied down now. While he had the bucket up there, Pat obligingly filled the transmission with oil. That saved John a climb up the ladder. [He did test the ladder in a few minutes, you know boys MUST climb a windmill if there is one. Just because it's there.].
. This is the group, all nine of us. From left to right, John, Larry, me (Jim), Chuck, Bill, Gene, Dick (on the steps), Jim (other Jim), and Bill (another Bill)
In case you think the windmill isn't exactly straight, the picture lies a lot. The bridge posts are straight up and down. John will drop a plum line soon like we did when we set the legs in the concrete. We may have to make a few adjustments, we will just see.
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.John has other toys. Part of his back yard looks like this. He had two gas pumps but sold the one that was for here. [John will sell anything is your price is right.] The other is in the front yard converted to a yard light that turns itself on at dusk.
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.We didn't linger long in the back yard. Mrs. John had a nice on the patio breakfast for us. Biscuits, deer sausage, cantalope, O.J., and coffee. That was a nice lunch for me. Friends Food+and+Drink Jim+Bunch+Eats Toys Fun
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[click on any picture to enlarge it]
[click on any picture to enlarge it]
[go here (link) for the beginning of this story]
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The Windmill Raising -- It's up this time!
.It was almost a no brainer this time. In a couple of hours things looked like this.
John is pleased, it doesn't tip as much as the photograph would make you think. Take a look at the bridge posts, they are straight up and down.
More pictures should be on here some time tomorrow. I'm getting the house ready now, Mrs. Jim is coming home in about three hours. Friends Food+and+Drink Jim+Bunch+Eats Toys Fun
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[click on the picture to enlarge]
[click on the picture to enlarge]
[go here (link) for the beginning of this story]
The Windmill Raising by the Dirty Dozen
.Here we have progress. A bunch of us guys got together to raise this windmill. We did fine as you see here. That was last month.
My friend, John, found it in Kansas and wanted it for his front yard. He brought it home in pieces and now has it semi-restored and ready.
The aeromotor still needed a little work but it would be raised up soon after John did a little bit more work. Mrs. John wanted to get a bucket truck over to hoist it up, John favored having us guys do the work.
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.Last week the crew assembled to do the work. Mrs. John had lost out all the way. John had taken the windmill tower down and put things together on the ground. Now we were to raise it again, this time complete and ready to run. Just add oil.
The Dirty Dozen crew from left to right: John, me (Jim), Milton, Jim (not me), Gene, Paul, Chuck, Bill, Dick (kneeling), Jim (still another), Ray, and Robert. All of us are set to man our posts..
.In John's mind, this is what things should look like when the job is done.
Actually I think the rider and horse enhance the situation a little. John has an old Ford tractor but no horse. Even the water tank adds to the scheme of things. .
.Well, that didn't happen. With the motor attached it was too heavy for the rope lift John had rigged in the tree. Things started buckling and sliding.
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.So we just left it like this and had coffee with breakfast and talked.
Never fear, a crew is coming around 9:00 today and we will get it raised. John has straightened and rebuilt.
Going for him the most is that John has arranged for a bucket truck to raise it all up, motor and tower all at the same time.
Friends Food+and+Drink Jim+Bunch+Eats Toys Fun
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.These guys will be here as sidewalk superintendents again that day.
I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm betting on a job well done this time!
Friends Food+and+Drink Jim+Bunch+Eats Toys Fun
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[click on any picture to enlarge it]
[click on any picture to enlarge it]
[go here (link) for the finish of this story]
