GETTING ON WITH IT
After calculating and cutting the base, twelve
51/2" blocks were then cut from 2" by 3" timber,
with the 3" side to be vertical.
From the illustration opposite it may be seen that
one end of each block was angled at 60° rather than fiddling about cutting
both ends at 75° each.
These blocks, which very slightly overhung the
baseboard, were tried in position and then carefully fixed.
For fixing I used two nails and a liberal application
of water resistant wood glue for each block, not forgetting to apply glue
to the vertical joins also. |
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To complete the base, a 12 sided floor, to go on top of the blocks, was cut
from 1/4" plywood, with a diameter of
201/2" so that the side panels of the windmill
body could rest against the edges of the floor, but on top of the outside
edge of each block. (The blocks at
51/2" being slightly longer than the base
of each side panel).
The centre of this floor was very carefully cut out, leaving an outside rim
3/4" wide. This outside rim was then glued and nailed
to the top of the blocks and the centre piece of the floor, which had previously
been cut out, was split into three strips, with the centre strip about 10"
wide. These strips would lie within the outside rim of the floor, resting
on the inner edges of the blocks, to cover a space reserved for the eventual
insertion of building bricks, intended to stabilise the completed mill in
strong winds.
The width of the individual side panels at their top ends was now calculated
using the 'top' diameter of 131/2", and this came to
31/2". A 1/2" thick board was
to fit inside, at the tops of the panels and the marking-out, as described
above, started with a diameter of 13" only. (To allow for the thickness of
the side panels within the overall diameter chosen).
This board had a six inch square hole cut in the centre for possible insertion
of internal mechanism at a later date (a plan that I have shelved for the
time being).
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The dimensions of the panels were marked out on large sheets of board - I
used 1/4" plywood - with panels alternately reversed
to minimise number of cuts. Special care was taken when 'mass-producing'
in this way to ensure that the initial measurements were correct, not forgetting
to allow a small margin for the wood lost in saw cuts.
Here the side panels are balanced precariously on the completed base, to
check that all is roughly O.K. at that point. |
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