Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

My first trade Fair was Lubbock in 2000.
Since then I have only missed one, and that
was York Nebraska. Have made a lot of friends
along the way.

Kenneth

Another update. I got the internals reassembled in the 37 today.
I started by placing the pinion gears in place. Then I slid the hub shaft through the pinions. Next I installed the woodruff keys for the gears. I secured the gears with the set screws.
Next I installed the bull gear assembly. Then the pitman's. Then the flat bar for the brace. And that's where I am at. Turns smooth as silk.
I am happy with that. I am painting the external pieces
Like the brake lever etc. Then when that is done, I will post
a picture complete.

Kenneth

Looks good. So you are going to run the Star 12 wheel on it. I think F/W wheels all turn CCW?

Windy, when I do get this one up, I will run the Star 12 wheel.
It will be a spinner. And yes, all F&W mills are CCW rotation.
Does anyone have any info on this 37 box, Star 12 wheel combo?
This has to be original. Regular Star 12 hubs are made different.
This one is similar to the early Star 24 hubs. Castle nut on the end
And I believe is threaded on the shaft. That would be left hand threaded
Where it it threads into the hub, and castle nut is standard right hand thread.
The reason I believe this is because I have a 24 hub that has the left hand
Thread in it. Normally, the 24's and 37's have a tapered gib key to lock the hub
In place. Then they also have a set screw clocked 90 degrees from the key.

Kenneth

I'm not that familiar with those, but maybe Todd or someone else is.

Kenneth,
Really nice job on the restoration. Am I understanding this correctly? Is this essentially a Star 37 mill but with a different hub/drive shaft that will allow the Star 12 hub & wheel to be attached? If so, would this have been part of one of the earliest production runs of the 37 (if not the first run) or was it some some later effort to accommodate interchanging parts from different mills?

Best regards,
Jim

I have never seen evidence or literature mentioning using the Star 12 wheel on the 37's, but Kenneth's mill seems to have what appears to be a "factory" option. I would love to see that in person and inspect it in detail. I am wondering if there is a possibility that the local jobber may have performed the changes required to mate this wheel to the 37 gearbox? It seems odd that the factory would reach back 25 years to use up old hubs and wheels, but a jobber would have a better chance of having parts laying around to use up? That's my 2c for the day... !

BTW, Nice Pics Kenneth!

P.S. Kenneth: Does the brake band portion of the hub look like it was cast as one piece with the hub?

Todd

Jim, someone on the other site Brad ran, mentioned seeing this as an option
In a F&W catalog so one could use there older wheel and arms with a newer
gearbox. I wish I could remember who that was. Or if one had access to the
old site, I'm sure it could be dug up. I will look at my catalog again, but I don't
recall seeing it.
Todd, the brake band looks to be part of the original pour. I will get a pic or two.
Stand by.

Kenneth

Todd, see pics. Another thing I noticed, the part number on the back side
of the hub is 1882, which would be for a standard Star 12 hub.
But on the outer part, the part number is 1882 1/2
I think that is what designates it for this application.

Just when you think you might know enough to be safe, something like this jumps up in your face. The surprises never end when it comes to windmills.