Mill Specifications and Notes

Mill specifications and notes – Measurements (specifications) Diameter of building (ground level / external) – 7,94 m Diameter of building (Ground level / internal) – 5,64 m Height of wall – 6,68 m ( random stone to 2,25 m then unbaked bricks to top of wall) Thickness of wall (ground level) – 1,15 m Diameter […]

Lubricating Materials

Lubricating materials – The Mill machinery is still lubricated with the natural products available at the time when the Mill was operating on the Welgelegen farm. Traditional Beeswax – for cogs of brake-wheel and staves of lantern pinion. Sunflower oil (or other oil of vegetable origin) – for the footstep bearing (thrust bearing of the […]

Braking System

Braking System – As important as it is to be able to harness the power of the wind, it is equally important to be able to stop the mill when necessary. The braking system utilizes two large brake blocks set around the outer circumference of the large gear, appropriately called the “brake wheel”. There are […]

Sails

Sails – The four sails are fixed to two spars in pairs. The inner spar, with a pair of sails, is closest to the mill tower with the outer spar with its pair of sails just in front. The optimum windmill speed (sail speed) is between 12.5 and 15 revolutions per minute The Miller however […]