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Forum Index : Windmills : Recevied my PVC blades
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JimBo911 Senior Member  Joined: 26/03/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 262 |
I received my new PVC blades and it's a wonderful thing. Kinda nice knowing that no else around here has them, got the neighbors thinking again. (smile) Question, when inserting a 1" OD tubing the fit is very tight so much so it's as if I might split the blades is this the normal fit? Jim |
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RevUpWind Regular Member  Joined: 03/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 60 |
Jim, I have also just received and had no problem putting on to 25mm SS tubing. Was a little tight but just a correct amount of tightness. Probably use 3-4 pop rivets @ 4mm dia. to hold in place. Check your OD of tubing, if it is 1" will be likely 25.4mm so this is going to be a little tighter. Smooth any burrs off the end and maybe use some WD40 or similar lubricant. If your by chance in Alaska then warm them up a bit. 
Actually just checked my OD of SS tubing with Verniers and is exactly 25.4mm OD (1" in Yankee Doodle talk) and 1.5mm thickness and this in my opinion fits perfectly. And using 22.2mm OD bright steel for the 300-400 root section also fits spot on. Peter ....River Heads - Australia The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. |
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| JimBo911 Senior Member Joined: 26/03/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 262 |
Peter No not in Alaska (thank god, just out side of Chicago)The fit is tight but not so tight that I can't install the tubing. I would of course prefer having a tight fit over a lose fit. I don't feel comfortable with the plug welds so instead I am going to bolt the blades through the tubing and solid root section with three 1/4 20 stainless bolts and nylon locking nuts. I will also pop rivet the blades to the tubing. At times the winds we get here can be extremely powerful so hopefully I can keep my mill up and running. Thanks Peter. Jim |
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| Jarbar Senior Member Joined: 03/02/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 225 |
Jim and Peter, good to hear they arrived safely.You could ease the hole in the endcap with a file as there may be a slight misalignment with blade internals.Some silicon could be applied to keep watertight.Some shrinkage occurs when plastic molding the cap and blade extrusion process.I used to work for Tupperware and getting the lids/containers to be a neat fit/match was quite an art.In fact I have seen a whole days production reground into pellets to be remade.Probably why they stopped manufacture in Australia.And probably why it's so expensive Anthony "Creativity is detirmined by the way you hold your tounge".My Father "Your generation will have to correct the problems made by mine".My Grandfather. |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
The 1 inch tube is a nice tight fit into the PVC, I found I could push in by hand for the first meter, after that I used a lump of wood to gently tap the tube the rest of the way. Using stainless bolts to bolt the inner rod and outer tube together would be perfectly acceptable. Its good to see these blades popping up around the world. I expect to see some pictures of course. 
Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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BUGS Newbie  Joined: 12/04/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 21 |
Glenn, is Trev doing a hub for the F&P sharft? Will save me making one. Thanks Anthony, my blades have arrived safely too. Ivan BUGS |
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| JimBo911 Senior Member Joined: 26/03/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 262 |
Jarbar & Gizmo When I first told my neighbors that I was going to build a mill they thought that I had gone bonkers but after seeing how nice the PVC blades are they now know that it's going to happen. I love the looks on there faces I told them I found some blokes down under that really know there stuff there response was something along the lines of(Hummmmmmm and Wow where did you get those) I did open the end holes with a file and also used wood to send the tubing home. Yes I do plan to post pics as soon as I get further along. I am working full time again, my son is back from collage WITH his girlfriend, the wife wants to have a yard sale you know how it goes. IT WILL FLY Thanks for all the help. Jim |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
I did talk to Trev a couple of weeks ago about a hub to suit the blades. I might chase him up to see how he's going. Phill ( fillm ) was working on something too from memory. Do you know of a local laser or waterjet cutter? Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| RevUpWind Regular Member Joined: 03/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 60 |
Jim, here are some pics of what have done so far with new blades. Am using 1.5m length which makes overall dia. 3.4m. Have used 1/4"plate and XH pipe for sockets and trust this will hold. If not will go to a 1/2" plate base of an old microphone stand. Am happy you got your blades together OK. Would like a nose cone but where to get Jarbar? Peter 
....River Heads - Australia The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. |
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| Jarbar Senior Member Joined: 03/02/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 225 |
Peter, the agitator that came out of the F&P washing machine has a vague resemblance to a nose cone.Unfortunately I threw mine out last week with the machine.But it could prove to be a useful starting point.Or an old hubcap would make a tidy cover.Other than that looking good. By the way it wasn't me setting the machines at Tupperware. Anthony. "Creativity is detirmined by the way you hold your tounge".My Father "Your generation will have to correct the problems made by mine".My Grandfather. |
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| JimBo911 Senior Member Joined: 26/03/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 262 |
Pete thanks for all the great photos. That's a fine mill you have there. Just as soon as I get something that resembles a mill I will post photos. Jim |
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| Greg Hudson Newbie Joined: 28/04/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 22 |
G'Day Peter. Check out eBay item # 110385162821 May be just what you are after (and it's from the USA) Regards, Greg. |
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| RevUpWind Regular Member Joined: 03/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 60 |
Just a comment on new PVC extruded blades, at 1.7 could not get enough RPM so cut down to 1.4 radius and with a dual stator F&P rewired with 1.2mm wire and one a double Delta and the other a double single phase I got 36 amps right when it went on to dump at 14.6 volts. Slight bit of helicoptering at 9'blade angle but running smoothly. But generally only sound is one of wind in the trees. P.S. Do not, I say do not forget to put a locking nut on furling arm. 
Peter ....River Heads - Australia The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
Good info Peter. Keep the blade offcuts, you should be able to put them back on if you decide to go bigger again. A bigger diameter will mean more power, but as you know, less RPM , so the alternator will need to be changed to suit the lower RPM. I use a split pin to keep my tail on, dont trust nothing that needs a ladder to reach 
About the nose cones, I've been looking for a small wok or plastic dish with the right shape, but just cant find the right one yet. Trev did make nose cones, I'll send him an email to see if he still has the mould and what price he can make them for. Regards Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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Tinker Guru  Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Glenn, re nose cones, you might look at a set of nesting ss bowls with a snap on plastic lid. I have a set of 4 bowls on my boat and I'm sure there is a size that would suit for a nose cone. Else, you could try the bus size red noses that one sees on red nose day, not sure where to get them. They would look smart but I have no idea how the plastic stands up to UV. Klaus |
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| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
Hi Guys, re nosecones, I wandered into some vinnies and red cross stores, sorted through the Aluminium cookware and found some suitable wok ,s and bowls.. The fibreglass one that Trev makes is very professional. Bruce Bushboy |
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