Yard windmill project for wife's Christmas present

[mattthemuppet2]

Starting a bit late this year as job hunting and work kept me busy until the beginning of this week, but here's my build thread for my wife's Christmas present (previous years were Full Metal Chicken, The Nutcrusher mk 1, stainless steel pestle and mortar amongst others.

Going to use an old fan blade that was in my last auction lot. Cleaned it up and gave it a couple of coats of white to prime it

This is the fan hub that's going to bolt up to the fan. The threaded on cap will retain it on the bearings which will be held on the shaft with a circlip. I turned a simple mandrel so I could do the outside of the two pieces together

My current fave chamfering and facing tool

The fan shaft. End is turned for the two bearings (6902 I think, from one of my bike wheels) and a circlip. Finally got to use the full length of my lathes bed to sand and polish it. Turned, parted and chamfered the end



Better finish up my coffee and get back to it, time is a ticking!

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Rear tail

Next is drilling, tapping and slotting the fan shaft

 

[brino]

I am a big fan of your "Full Metal Chicken"
Watching this build!
Thanks for sharing it.
Brian

 

[mattthemuppet2]

You're welcome

Two 3/32 solid carbide endmills later I finished up the slot for the fin with a 1/8" endmill

Base coat of paint on the fin is now drying

 

[mattthemuppet2]

The upright shaft is now done. Has to be the longest thing I've turned in my lathe - the tail stock was hanging off the end when I drilled the center hole!

 

[mattthemuppet2]

All the id features on the bearing cap have been done, now I need to tidy up the outside and drill the cross hole for the fan shaft. Getting close!

 

[tjb]

Very nice work.

And that's a nice chuck.

Regards

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Thanks and thanks It's a Pratt Burnerd adjust tru, lovely to use.

Finished up the top bearing cap and drilled/ framed reamed it for the fan shaft

Need to make a front cap for the fan so the paint has a chance to dry in the sun.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Front cap made, lovely finish, seems a shame to paint it

Black base coat is drying (sort if) and I'll give it a couple of brown top coats after my coffee. Then it's just a matter of jb welding a couple of bits together and final assembly. Looks like I'll even have time to assemble my ginger bread truck today!

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Almost done, forgot a 3mm spacer to make up for a mistake in the fan hub. I'll get to that after another coffee

Partially assembled, waiting for the bearing retainer to set on the fan shaft/ bearing cap