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COMPLETING THE BODY

Once the side panels had been suitably sloped on their inner edges, and checked in-situ, ten of the panels were fastened to the top of the base blocks with screws angled downwards, and to the top (13") board with glue and screws, through the panels.

Because there would be considerable weight above this tower I inserted another two 'floors' within the tower to ensure rigidity. Once again 6" holes were cut from the centres and each of these floors were supported by 10 strips of wood (³/₄" by ¹/₂").

The strips for the top floor, were fastened in place with a screw through each panel but, as there was to be a balcony above the ground floor, additional strips were cut as supports for the balcony, and the strips on the outside screwed through the panels to secure the strips on the inside at the same time.

Both of the additional 'floors' were now screwed to each strip on which it rested - effectively bracing the sides of the tower to prevent bowing or sagging (or both).

The balcony was cut from ³/₁₆" plywood  to give a 2³/₄" 'walkway, and this was cut and filed down to fit round the tower and rest on the supports already in place. (About nine inches above the ground floor). The balcony would be screwed to the supports (in three places) but before doing so, railings would be attached in due course. At this stage however, the balcony needed to be easily removable, to facilitate fitting of two separate 'doors', to be constructed from the remaining two side panels.

These remaining panels were each divided at balcony level, and cut at an angle through the thickness of the wood so that the top portion effectively overlapped the lower portion.

This was so that rain running down the top 'door' would not find a way through the split into the mill.

The   respective panels were now secured to each other with internal shaped supports, at the correct angle, and would in due course  be attached to the main body with a minimum of screws, (using additional internal blocks/wood strips where appropriate) facilitating access to the body of the mill at two points.