Dutch windmills: the Wissinks möl, inner workings
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to look inside the Wissinks möl I posted about before (more details of the outside through the link):
Olympus Stylus 1s, 28mm, ISO100, f8, 1/250s
Inside this mill, there are two floors; I'll start on the top floor:
Olympus Stylus 1s, 28mm, ISO1600, f2.8, 1/8s
Overhead you see the huge main axle that is connected to the sails outside. Its main bearing is a cast iron extension of the wooden axle, turning in a hollowed piece of very hard and smooth rock, traditionally lubricated with pig's fat.
The main axle is connected to the main cogwheel, that drives everything that moves inside the windmill. It comes with a brake, you can see that on the top, righthand side sitting around the main cogwheel; it has the number "6" on it. You can see another part of the brake in the next picture, below the main cogwheel.
The smaller cogwheel you see spinning drives the winch used for lifting sacks of grain. It is being operated by hand in the photo, but it can be engaged to the main cogwheel for heavy loads.
The more important purpose of the main cogwheel is driving the two sets of milling stones, one on the top floor, and one on the bottom floor:
Olympus Stylus 1s, 50mm, ISO1600, f2.8, 1/60s
The cogwheel that looks like a cage engages the main cogwheel and drives the milling stones on the top floor. The wooden axle you see to its right, coming from behind the main cogwheel and the brake, goes to the bottom floor:
Olympus Stylus 1s, 45mm, ISO1600, f4, 1/10s
This is an enclosed set of milling stones, where the grain is milled. They are enclosed to keep visibility acceptable inside the windmill (flour tends to dust 8-) but mainly to make sure that no flour is lost.
Olympus Stylus 1s, 28mm, ISO800, f4, 1/40s
Connected to the enclosure is a chute that fills the sacks with flour.
Unfortunately, there was only just enough wind to operate the winch, but not enough to drive the milling stones. Still, it was nice to see how the thing works.
Amazing piece of machinery, and really nice photos inside the workings of it all. Can't believe how massive this thing is. Thanks for showing us this piece of history.
Awesome post! This is the first time I've seen inside a windmill. These photos are classics.
Thanks!
Here's a post about the inside of an old water mill, maybe you'll like that as well: https://steemit.com/photography/@ocrdu/oostendorper-water-mill-revisited
Great! I would like to visit this mill!
You can. Some travel required, probably. It's in Usselo, The Netherlands.
nice post
Thank you.
Great photos, appears to be a massive structure, do you know the age of the mill?
This one was built in 1802, but the model is actually the oldest type of West-European windmill. It's small, as Dutch windmills go.
More details here.
Great stuff and nice pics! (;
Thanks!
Do they run the mill at full capacity still, or is it more for historic demonstration? Those big old timbers in the infrastructure are impressive. Was that Dutch wood or do you think it came from another country at the time? Happy New Year! I hope you have a great 2017 - worthy of many photos! :D
When there is enough wind, it is run at full capacity sometimes, but not commercially or daily anymore, mainly for demonstrations, but it isn't spared, it goes full out when possible.
Mostly local oak, local could also be German, I live only 3 miles from the border.
Oak is such a great, tough wood. Those are impressive timbers. It's nice they keep the system in good working order. I bet that's loud when it's going full out!
@ocrdu you went inside? they're still being used? cool!
Yes. Everything still works, it is maintained by volunteers, and it has its own miller.
Ossum photos!!!
Thanks.