Filey’s Windmill
Recreating an iconic building
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When
the
tower
rebuild
was
finally
completed
we
knew
the
next
task
was
to
find
and
fit
a
curb.
This
was
a
job
only
a
professional
millwright
could
undertake
and
it
was
frustrating
that
despite
asking
our
contacts
for
several
months
about
the
chances
of
getting
hold
of
a
second-hand
one
or
failing
that
what
the
price
for a new one would be we could never get a definite answer.
Then,
finally,
a
breakthrough
occurred
and
the
situation
changed
dramatically
for
the
better.
We
were
driving
past
Mount
Pleasant
Mill
in
Kirton
Lindsey
and
we
noticed
it's
cap
had
been
removed
and
was
sitting
on
blocks
in
the
car
park.
On
enquiry
the
owner
told
us
that
following
'back
winding'
the
iron
cross
had
snapped
causing
serious
damage
and
that
the
repairs
were
being
carried
out
by
Adam
Marriott
from
Teme
Valley
Heritage
Engineers.
Wasting
no
time
we
contacted
Adam
and
he
promised
to
come
over
and
see
our
project
as
soon
as
he
had
some
free
time.
A
site
visit
eventually
followed.
After
climbing
the
tower
he
commented
favourably
on
the
dimensional
accuracy
of
the
new
brickwork
we
had
commissioned,
declared
the
job
feasible
and
promised
to
quote
us
for
making
and
fitting
a
brand
new
tailor-
made
curb.
To
cut
a
long
story
short
we
accepted
his
quote
and
work
started
on
the
tower.
First
we
removed
the
waterproof
cover
which
allowed
him
access
so
he
could
take
a
pattern
in
plywood
of
the
top
the
brickwork,
marking
the
exact
position
of
the
built-in
holes
for
the
holding
down
bolts.
Taking
this
back
to
his
workshop
he
recreated
the
total
circumference
of
the
tower
and
divided
it
into
eight
identical
segments
thereby
establishing
their
dimensions
in
plan
view.
After
considering
several
options
he
chose
the
mechanical
design
he
thought
most
suitable
for
the
completed
curb.
This
was
passed
to
a
patternmaker
whose
finished
work
can
be
seen
in
fig.1
painted
red
together
with
a
nine
toothed
pinion
in
yellow
to
gear
down
the
fan
speed
and
provide
sufficient
power
to
drive
the
cap
round.
Adam’s
extensive
knowledge
of
metallurgy
was
employed
in
selecting
a
grade
of
cast iron which
is far stronger than the original.
Artist’s Impression of the Mill after Restoration
Fig.1
Fig.2
Fig.3
Fig.4
This
can
be
seen
in
fig.2
being
poured
into
the
mould
at
the
foundry, Purbright & Co Providence Works, Willenhall.
There
were
a
few
problems
with
the
pours
but
eventually
we
had
a
full
set
of
curb
sections
(fig.3)
ready
for
fettling
and
transporting back to his works at Teme Valley.
While
casting
was
in
progress
Adam
contacted
his
timber
suppliers
and
made
a
selection
of
restoration
grade
oak.
This
was
cut
into
a
set
of
eight
curved
segments
complete
with
mortise
and
tenon
joints
in
each
of
their
ends
so
they
could
be
assembled
into
a
complete
circle
to
fit
the
brickwork
top
(fig.4).
Lying
on
them
is
a
section
of
the
plywood
pattern
Adam
had
taken
at
the
mill.
Now,
with
all
the
parts
to
hand,
he
made
a
trial
fitting
in
his
yard
where
he
checked
the
relevant
fits
and
when
satisfied
all
was
good
drove
to
the
site
in Filey
and
assembled
the
complete
curb
unit.
First
the
oak
frames
had
to
be
joined
using
a
rubber
mallet
to
‘persuade’
the
mortise
joints
to
align
(fig.5).
When
satisfied
the
circle
was
true
the
joints
were
pegged
with
trenails
(fig.6)
and
their
excess
length
was
trimmed
off
with
a
saw.
The
cast
iron
curb
sections
were
then
man-handled
onto
the
frame,
slid
into
position,
and
fastened
down
securely
(figs.7
&
8).
We
now
had
a
fully
operational
curb
sitting
on
straw
bales
waiting
to
be
craned
up
the
tower
and
bolted
into
position.
We
couldn’t
thank
Adam
enough after our earlier frustrating experiences.
By
now
it
was
the
end
of
October
and
our
problem
then
was
-
when
to
book
the
hire
of
the
crane?
The
parameters
for
the
weather
were
a
dry
day
with
a
wind
speed
of
less
than
10mph.
We
studied
the
medium-term
forecast,
chose
a
date
with
what
should
be
acceptable
weather
and
that
also
suited
all
the
parties
involved,
crossing
our
fingers
that
the
Met
Office
prediction
would prove correct.
The
day
arrived
and
conditions
could
hardly
have
been
any
better.
First
a
working
party
removed
the
heavy
plastic
waterproof
cover
from
the
tower
using
a
cherry-picker.
By
the
time
they
had
finished
the
heavy
crane
had
arrived
on
site.
Adam
liaising
with
the
banksman
and
crane
driver
soon
had
the
curb
assembly
lifted
off
the
bales
and
raised
above
the
mill
(fig.9).
Because
of
its
weight
positioning
it
needed
to
be
precise
in
order
for
the
holding-down
bolts
to
align
with
the
tubes
built
into
the
brickwork
leading
down
to
the
oak
pads.
Adam
had
marked
the
timber
frame
with
guides
to
ensure
things
all
matched
up
as
he
stood
aloft
and
steered
the
curb
as
it
descended into the right position (fig.10).
Fig.5
Fig.6
Fig.7
Fig.8
Fig.9
Fig.10
The
cargo
straps
used
to
lift
the
curb
can
be
seen
in
fig.9
and
to
prevent
them
being
trapped
underneath
the
frame
when
it
was
lowered
wooden
spacers
were
placed
on
the
bricks.
They
were
then
pulled
out
by
levering
the
curb
up
to
free
them.
Adam
drove
the
4’
long
bolts
down
through
the
brickwork
and
tightened
the
nuts
against
the
oak
pads
set
in
the
top
floor
wall
(fig.11)
pulling
it
firmly
down
onto
the
tower
top.
The
heavy
duty
waterproof
cover
we’d
designed
and
had
made
from
‘curtain-sider’
material
was
fitted
over
the
curb
and
frame
and
tied
down
securely
to
the
tower
ring
bolts
in
the
fast
fading
light.
It
was
very
satisfying
for
us
to
have
finally
made
a
start
on
replacing
the
mechanism
of
the
mill
and
for
that
we
have
to
thank Adam for his invaluable diligence and expertise.
Fig.11
With
the
curb
installed
our
collective
attention
now
turned
to
the
next
major
requirement
for
completing
the
project
-
the
two
largest
individual
castings:
the
windshaft
and
the
iron
cross.
We
emphasized
from
the
start
our
plan
was
to
restore
the
mill
to
its
true
original
appearance.
To
make
this
possible
Adam
had
been
searching
the
windmill
community
trying
to
locate
a
second-hand
Lincolnshire
type
windshaft
rather
than
the
pole-end
type
used
elsewhere
but
was
finally
forced
to
admit
defeat.
This
meant
a
new
one
had
to
be
cast
and
therefore
a
pattern
would
have
to
be
produced
for
the
foundry.
The
method
adopted
was
to
create
a
half-pattern
as
shown
in
fig.12
mounted
on
a
back
board;
this
would
be
used
twice
to
produce
two
half-moulds
which,
when
fastened
together,
would
provide a full mould for the molten metal see fig.13.
readying
both
units
for
collection.
The
pictures
hardly
do
justice
to
the
size
and
weight
of
these
two
vital
components;
quality
engineering
produced
in
Yorkshire
by
H
Downs
&
Son,
Peacock
Works, Huddersfield.
Fig.12
Fig.13
Fig.14
Fig.15
Fig.16
Fig.17
We
now
had
brand
new
metal
castings
(figs.16
&
17)
specially
designed
and
made
to
fit
into
the
new
cap
which
Adam
was
constructing
for
the
mill
instead
of
making
do
with
second-hand
items.
Needless
to
say
there
had
been
delays
and
hold-ups
along
the
way,
due
in
part
to
the
lock-downs
imposed
because
of
Corona
Virus,
but
Adam
kept
pushing
the
job
along
to
the
best
of
his
considerable
abilities.
His
next
task
was
to
arrange
machining
which
was
going
to
present
problems.
Workpieces
of
this
size
and
weight
take some manoeuvering and need a very special lathe (fig.18) to
Fig.18
Fig.19
Fig.20
Now,
with
the
castings
well
on
the
way
to
completion,
we
can
catch
up
on
the
major
woodworking
taking
place
at
Adam’s
yard.
He
had
been
busy
locating
suitable
pieces
of
oak
(fig.21)
to
fashion
into
the
weather
beam,
sheers
and
other
components
of
the
cap
frame.
With
these
items
in
stock
large
scale
carpentry
and
joinery
skills
were
employed
to
joint
and
assemble
the
main
framework
of
the
cap
base.
Slowly
the
outlines
became
clear
and
finally
in
picture
(fig.26)
we see the cap frame and the gallows for the fantail all in position.
Fig.23
Fig.21
Fig.22
Fig.25
Fig.26
When
we
began
our
project
to
rebuild
Muston
windmill
we
had
no
illusions
about
the
size
and
complexity
of
the
task
we
were
undertaking.
The
story
of
our
struggle
to
first
obtain
planning
permission
and
then
organise
the
rebuilding
of
the
tower
is
told
in
the
preceding
pages
of
this
website;
however
we
felt
that
those
readers
with
a
more
specialised
interest
in
windmills
would
find
additional
detail
regarding
various
engineering
aspects
of
the
work
valuable.
In
an
effort
to
cater
to
their
needs
we
have
added
a
Technical Blog page to the site.
Fig.27
Fig.28
In
photograph
fig.27
we
can
see
the
last
two
large
timbers
being
worked
on.
They
are
the
spars
or
technically
speaking
the
‘spears’
that
are
mounted
on
the
gallows
and
which
support
the
fan.
Fig.28
shows
the
four
castings
known
as
‘pigs’
on
which
the
cap
frame
is
mounted;
they
support
the
total
weight
of
the
cap,
sails
and
fantail
assembly
while
sliding
round
on
the
curb
as
it
rotates.
One
of
the
important
maintenance
jobs
essential
to
the
mill’s
smooth
running
will
be to keep their load-bearing surfaces lubricated with thick grease.
To be continued…
Fig.29
above
shows
the
spears
being
mounted
to
the
gallows
on
the
cap
frame,
their
job
is
to
support
the
weight
of
the
fan
assembly.
To
the
right
Fig.30
illustrates
Adam’s
progress
in
marking
out
the
position
of
the
bearing
housing
on
the
tail
beam
and
now
beginning
to
chop
out
the
wood
to
insert
it.
The
bearing
itself is sitting next to his hammer and chisel on the beam.
Fig.31
shows
Adam
standing
proudly
in
front
of
the
newly
completed
fantail.
This
photo
really
emphasises
the
huge
size
of
the
components
involved
in
this
restoration.
Its
height
above
the
ground
when
in
its
final
position
will
pose
problems
when
the
time
comes
to
give
it
a
new
coat
of
paint!
Meanwhile
we
have
arranged
a
date
for
the
team
to
get
together
to
give
the
tower
another
two
coats of tar before the winter weather arrives
Fig.29
Fig.30
Fig.32
The
weather
during
our
chosen
week
was
almost
perfect
and
the
four
of
us
managed
to
brush
the
best
part
of
three
more
coats
of
tar
onto
the
brickwork
using
two
identical
cherry
pickers,
a
scaffold
tower
and
a
ladder.
Unfortunately
although
we
carefully
masked
the
windows
tar
succeeded
in
penetrating
the
plywood
and
tape
leaving
us
with
a
big
clean
up
job
to
do
after
the
tar
thickens.
The
result
was
very
satisfying
though
and
we
have
learned
a
great
deal about how to perform this essential task efficiently.
While
the
tower
was
being
tarred
Adam
was
using
his
woodworking
skills
to
good
effect
turning
a
square
section
piece
of
oak
into
the
finial
which
will
sit
at
the
top
of
the
cap.
You
can
see
from
the
two
photographs
the
shape
slowly
emerges
as
material
is
removed
from
the
spinning
workpiece.
In
the
meantime
continuing
availability
problems
with
suitable
seasoned
oak
and
elm
are
delaying
further
construction
work
on
the
cap
and brake wheel.
Good
news
however
on
the
engineering
front.
Making
the
four
steel
keys
(shown
above)
which
attach
the
iron
cross
to
the
windshaft
had
been
a
problem
as
machining
them
to
the
exact
size
was
critical
and
proved
difficult
to
achieve
in
practice.
The
engineers
got
there
in
the
end
and
you
can
see
the
shaft
and
cross
finally
joined
together
on
the
frame
in
the
workshop.
Adam
soon
had
them
moved
to
his
yard
and
we
see
them
sitting
on
his
trailer
in front of the half completed cap and fantail.
accommodate
them.
The
accuracy
of
the
bearing
surfaces
is
particularly
important
in
the
case
of
the
windshaft
to
ensure
the
smooth
running
of
the
sails.
Adam
entrusted
the
work
to
HMS
Engineering
Ltd.,
Hereford
who
were
also
involved
in
designing
and
making
the
keys
locking
the
shaft
to
the
cross.
Here
is
a
link
to
a
video of their 7 metre lathe in action - impressive I think you’ll agree.
Whilst
this
was
taking
place
the
bronze
head
and
tail
bearings
(figs.19
&
20)
which
will
carry
the
weight
of
the
windshaft
and
cross
were
being cast by a specialist foundry AJD Foundries Ltd., Dudley.
Fig.31
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