Author Topic: From tree to blades for the AWP  (Read 6588 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline oztules

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1177
  • Karma: +105/-8
  • Village idiot
From tree to blades for the AWP
« on: February 22, 2012, 08:07:38 pm »
Just thought some of you may enjoy this read from years back.....  it was good fun.


The AWP decided the high winds were a bit too much, and proceeded to shed it's fibreglass blades... they shattered into fiberglass shards.. it must be the last thing to replace in this mill and it's electronics I think.


The blades broke off, and we decided to make some decent wooden blades and be done with it. We were pretty leisurely about it, as he did have  a twin lister diesel to supplement the power for the duration the mill was out of commission, and a over a KW of solar......so we threatened to do something real soon.... but didn't....an island thing called laziness......

Murphy was to have none of that.


After a few days of diesel power and sunlight, the Lister's sump filled up with diesel,............. and the sun stopped shining.... and the forecast was for bleak and overcast for days to come....suddenly all three power sources were down for the count... now we had to do somehing.... anything.

So we selected a decent sized Macracarpa log which looks like this:

582-0

Sadly, we were in a hurry, so did not document it pictorially, but I returned the next day ( and of course the sun WAS out again ) to take these pics.
We hacked into it with Jamies 28" chainsaw and fashioned some very very rough planks,and lots of offcuts too:

583-1

You can see an offcut slab left behind as well as these offcuts:
584-2

Unfortunately I didn't take pics of the manufacture of the 10" X 2" planks . We cut, squared up and trued planks from the the slabs using the chainsaw jig method,.... that method can be found here: http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/FORUM1/forum_posts.asp?TID=1194&PN=2]    and then using the same jig method with a few of Danb's angles we cut the blades out.


As it turned out we were in a hurry to get some power flowing at his place, so the camera was the last thing to remember....Usually he has too much power, ...but suddenly everything was out and we didn't want the Batteries to suffer too much.


So it didn't take long to have the mill flying again. I went back up there today to take pics of them, So now we have fixed the injector pump on the Lister, and built , balanced and installed the blades...... of course the sun is shining brilliantly and the solar is putting out over a 1KW  instead of a few hundred watts, the mill steadily putting out  another KW. or more..... and the dump load working overtime again...... sigh.... it never rains but it pours.

585-3

586-4

................ozules


Flinders Island...... Australia

Offline philb

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 123
  • Karma: +6/-0
  • No Personal Text Set by User
Re: From tree to blades for the AWP
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2012, 08:52:41 pm »
That was a good read twice. I remember you detailing the AWP repair several years back. Truly an inspiration. I remember squinting at the photos to glean every last detail.

Offline Bryan1

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 152
  • Karma: +10/-0
Re: From tree to blades for the AWP
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2012, 12:55:33 am »
Aw why did I have to see this all again as it has brought back memories of that 30" + diameter redgum branch that broke off my coffee table tree out back of the farm. It must be 5-6 years it's been out there seasoning now so looks like i'm going to have to go out with the backhoe and see if I can't get some 2 metres blades cut of of it.

Shame on you Oz Shame for bringing back the memories which soon turn to nightmares once I get it in my head it can be done.

Cheers Bryan

Offline Wolvenar

  • Senior Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1474
  • Karma: +40/-0
  • Mr. Murphys pawn
Re: From tree to blades for the AWP
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2012, 01:39:20 pm »
LOL yeah how dare you make us want to do something  ::)
Trying to make power from alternative energy any which way I can.
Just to abuse what I make. (and run this site)