From the Dairy Barn of Iowa to the Skies: As much as things change, somethings remain...

Saturday, November 20, 2010

As much as things change, somethings remain...


In April, 2010, as we walked toward de Sweachmermolen, Langweer, Friesland, NL...

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2010

1956 0r 1963

April 15, 2010

1956 or 1963

When we were in Langweer in 2010, the neighbors of Omke Sip told us to tell the workers at de Sweachmermolen that it was okay for us to go inside of the mill. We were able to go up the inside stairs to the second level, then out the door to the decking around the outside and into another door, up the ladder to see the clogs and wooden gears at the very top of the mill.

Notice the water inlet is the same and the pump house, which houses the electric pump today is the same as it was in 1956 or 1963 (I am not sure which year these pictures were taken by my "vader", Gerrit de Boer).

De Sweachmermolen is a smock mill in Langweer, Friesland, Netherlands which was built in 1782. The mill has two functions: it is a drainage mill and a corn mill.

De Sweachmermolen is what the Dutch describe as a Stellingmolen. It is a three storey smock mill on a two storey base. The stage is at second floor level, 18 ft 8 in above ground level. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The smock and cap are thatched. The sails are common sails and have a span of 73 ft 6 in. The sails are carried on a cast iron windshaft which was cast by Gietijzer Pletterij Enthoven en Companiƫ's Gravenhage, in 1896. The windshaft also carries the brake wheel, which has 58 cogs. This drives the wallower with 32 cogs at the top of the upright shaft. The great spur wheel, which has 90 cogs, drove a pair of millstones via a lantern pinion stone nut with 25 staves. At the bottom of the upright shaft the crown wheel, which has 35 cogs, drives a gearwheel with 43 cogs on the axle of the Archimedes screw.

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