Lady Bug Windmill and Weathervane ( Rebuild)

83
12
My wife bought this weathervane years ago and the spinning scoops had a ball bearing in the center that had to be replaced about every month because it rusted and stopped in the wet  weather . I replaced the bearing with Delrin bushing and that kept working but I also added the lady bugs on a CD windmill . The ladybugs were laminated wood and it was left out summer and winter and deteriorated  to look like the one in the second photo. I made new lady bugs out of some 4" mahogany I found in the barn and painted them with Automotive paint and clear coat to help withstand the weather. Each one is mounted on a pair of CD's and they are tilted at 35 degrees on the little jig I use for my CD windmills. The third photo shows  the jig in use drilling the holes for the stainless roll pins to anchor in the rods.
Being horizontal, the windmill does not spin as fast as one of the vertical windmills but it moves easily in the wind. It has a 1 1/2" bearing in the center with a nylon cap to keep out the water and that bearing has been running for 5 years.
I made video of it running today: 

Some other process shots:

Cheers, Jim ........................ Variety is the spice of life...............Learn something new every day

12 Comments

Very cute.   Bet the kids love it.    

Ron

Break out the ball cutter!

Looks great!
Too cute! I've been watching videos about vertical axis wind turbines. Makes me wish I had some land.

The Other Steven

This is so cute! Love the video and how you researched the best angle and figured out all the details. 
Thanks for the nice comments.
Hi Steven, I have been looking at the vertical wind generators for a few years now. I talked to the guys at Missouri Wind and Solar and they said to get into "clean" air you need the wind generator to be 60 ft in the air. I can't do that but I was thinking about putting on one the peak of my barn-20 ft high!! If I do it, I still need to decide if I want it grid tied or feeding a battery system with and inverter. I have a bank of solar panels that are grid tied and could feed right into that line.  I'm 80 now and mostly dreaming!!!!!!

Cheers, Jim ........................ Variety is the spice of life...............Learn something new every day

I see you used your new circle cutting jig. Very cool rebuild.

Jeff

Jim

I agree this is very cool

Petey

Very nice. Little children should find it "neat".
Thank you for all the nice comments.

Cheers, Jim ........................ Variety is the spice of life...............Learn something new every day


Jim 

that is way cute.  Like it alot.

daveg, SW Washington & AZ

Nicely done!

Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".

Cute. My Wife wants one. Awesome remake/build.

Jim, for 80, you're kicking the butt off of it, whatever "IT" may be. Keep moving, I've heard this is the secret.