The working of an old windmill explained

[Adrian van Ammers]

About a month ago I was allowed to shoot inside a windmill, but let's first have a look at the outside. BTW the name of this mill is "'t Roode Hert". It's located in Oudorp Alkmaar The Netherlands. It's still doing his daily job, producing flours. Sometimes driven by electricity when there is no wind. There is a little shop near the mill where people buy all stuff to prepare their daily bread.

Windmills need... wind, hehe. So we start with the wings, with or without sails depending how much wind available. The miller has to climb into the wings to put the sails up. When I was there the miller was on vacation :): One of his assistants gave us the big tour.

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The top of the mill can be turned "into the wind" by this wheel, which first gets attached to a certain point by a cable. Then the miller turns the wheel and the top with the wings starts to turn until the wings are "in the wind".

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Let's go inside. We first go all the way to the the top.

Here is the master wheel vertical attached to the wings and one horizontal attached to the master axis.


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The axis goes through the several floors. Where power is needed other wheels are attached. On the bottom of the mill are the stones, packed in wood.

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And the grain falls between the stones. That's it. I think it's a miracle that they work so well and they were build about 400 years ago. These were smart people. They still are. Living from the wind :clap

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[ian408]

That was a great tour! And you've got a couple of great shots to help
understand the inner workings.

Thanks for taking us along.

Ian

[Higgmeister]

Thanks for the tour Adrian, I enjoyed it. I learned a few things here and got to look at some cool shots:thumb in the process. What more could someone ask.

Thanks for sharing,
Chris

[Dee]

Thank you so much Adrian.

So many gears, lines, ropes, pulleys! And so many visitors, that's the really neat thing!

A working windmill and a children's playground, side by side! That is so nice.

I'm pleased you remembered my question and took the time to post the photos, hope you enjoyed your visit as much as I enjoyed the photos!

Dee

[Adrian van Ammers]

Thank you so much Adrian.

So many gears, lines, ropes, pulleys! And so many visitors, that's the really neat thing!

A working windmill and a children's playground, side by side! That is so nice.

I'm pleased you remembered my question and took the time to post the photos, hope you enjoyed your visit as much as I enjoyed the photos!

Dee:wink I did not forget, but to be honest things went easy. The man with the child is Matthias, a good friend and a business relation. They are from Germany and are manufacturers of organic bread and small mills four housholding as well. http://shop.schnitzer-bio.de/catalog/index.php?cPath=21 :): They were our guest for a few days and wanted to see an orginal flourmill. It was fun allright, but I have to go back there once when it's working. It must be a fantastic thing to see all this gear up and running.

[Adrian van Ammers]

That was a great tour! And you've got a couple of great shots to help
understand the inner workings.

Thanks for taking us along.

IanI'm happy you liked the tour. I'm always curious with this kind of information what the reactions are. Thanks so much for replying and kind words.

[Andy]

:clap :clap :clap well done, adrian - fun tour, great shots. thanks for doing this.

[MuskyDude]

I really enjoy this type of thread Adrian, excellent shots to go with it too! Thanks for sharing! :clap :thumb




AJ

[Phil U.]

Wow - really cool. I love "Historic" machinery so this series fascinated me. I've seen old mills before but never the real working insides of one of the Netherlands' native windmills.

This particular one is 400 years old? (Yes, I know it's been maintained and lumber has been replaced when it needed it). Do you know if it has been in continuous operation or is this a product of a restoration?

Anyway great shots (I'm glad the one has a little bit of someone's head in there - gives it scale). I enjoyed the tour!

[Adrian van Ammers]

Thanks for the tour Adrian, I enjoyed it. I learned a few things here and got to look at some cool shots:thumb in the process. What more could someone ask.

Thanks for sharing,
Chris
I'm glad you liked it and let me know by replying. There is always a thought "is this good enough to post?" :):

[Adrian van Ammers]

:clap :clap :clap well done, adrian - fun tour, great shots. thanks for doing this.My pleasure, it was fun to do.:):

[Adrian van Ammers]

I really enjoy this type of thread Adrian, excellent shots to go with it too! Thanks for sharing! :clap :thumb
AJ
Thanks so much. It was fun shooting. I hope to go back there and see it running.

[Adrian van Ammers]

Wow - really cool. I love "Historic" machinery so this series fascinated me. I've seen old mills before but never the real working insides of one of the Netherlands' native windmills.

This particular one is 400 years old? (Yes, I know it's been maintained and lumber has been replaced when it needed it). Do you know if it has been in continuous operation or is this a product of a restoration?

Anyway great shots (I'm glad the one has a little bit of someone's head in there - gives it scale). I enjoyed the tour!
I don't know about the old history. I do know that in 1997 the miller planned to close down the mill. But then he got a chance to work with Fermento which is an organic restaurant-bakery, where mentally disabled people do the bulk of the work. It's very nice there. Actually we went there the same afternoon. I just found out about this connection while you asked :): BTW the products of the mill are all organic. Forgot to mention that.

[Phil U.]

I don't know about the old history. I do know that in 1997 the miller planned to close down the mill. But then he got a chance to work with Fermento which is an organic restaurant-bakery, where mentally disabled people do the bulk of the work. It's very nice there. Actually we went there the same afternoon. I just found out about this connection while you asked :): BTW the products of the mill are all organic. Forgot to mention that.

Thanks Adrian.

[Angelo]

Very nice Adrian! Thanks for the tour. :D :thumb

[Adrian van Ammers]

Very nice Adrian! Thanks for the tour. :D :thumbMy pleasure! It was a fun shoot. Have to return there once.

[chuckh]

[QUOTE=Adrian van Ammers]About a month ago I was allowed to shoot inside a windmill, but let's first have a look at the outside. BTW the name of this mill is "'t Roode Hert". It's located in Oudorp Alkmaar The Netherlands. It's still doing his daily job, producing flours. Sometimes driven by electricity when there is no wind. There is a little shop near the mill where people buy all stuff to prepare their daily bread.

Windmills need... wind, hehe. So we start with the wings, with or without sails depending how much wind available. The miller has to climb into the wings to put the sails up. When I was there the miller was on vacation :): One of his assistants gave us the big tour.

http://adrian.smugmug.com/photos/31522202-L.jpg


Adrian: "in the wind".

#1 is excellent Adrian. Thank you so much for sharing.

[Adrian van Ammers]

#1 is excellent Adrian. Thank you so much for sharing.[/QUOTE]BTW do you know that your homepage link does not work anymore?

[chuckh]

#1 is excellent Adrian. Thank you so much for sharing. BTW do you know that your homepage link does not work anymore? Adrian, it's now updated. But, the homepage is way....... out of date- so sorry, it's on my to-do-list-now-though. :photo

[Adrian van Ammers]

Adrian, it's now updated. But, the homepage is way....... out of date- so sorry, it's on my to-do-list-now-though. :photoNeat bike! And I can see you love motorbiking :): I was just curious. When somebody replies I visit the personal homepage to learn a bit about the person. You are in my book as the biker :D And photographer of course :D

[chuckh]

Neat bike! And I can see you love motorbiking :): I was just curious. When somebody replies I visit the personal homepage to learn a bit about the person. You are in my book as the biker :D And photographer of course :D :clap

Kewl.

This is picture that uses a similar perspective as you used with the windmill, but captured at the start of the trolley rides in San Francisco, CA.

[Yuri Pautov]

Spasibo for your great tour, Adrian!
Yuri

[Adrian van Ammers]

:clap

Kewl.

This is picture that uses a similar perspective as you used with the windmill, but captured at the start of the trolley rides in San Francisco, CA.
I don't remember this building. Great perspective as I may so so :D I visited SF about 20 years ago and saw the trolleys of course. :rofl Feels like a life time. :D I was there to visit the American Licorice Company. We started to import. A few months ago it ended cause ALC broke all exportlines. :dunno There is not any logic for a Dutchman in such a decision.:rofl We are an import-export country as you may know. Have a nice day :thumb

[Adrian van Ammers]

Spasibo for your great tour, Adrian!
YuriI saw your post about Siberia. Today I read an article in the newspaper that a major disaster might happen when the Siberian ice fields will melt more and more and the methangas will flow into the air. Did you notice any melting? :): I hope it won't go that fast. We might get our feet wet and maybe even more here in The Netherlands, which means translated lowlands as you may know. In that case our mills won't help us.:rofl

Thanks for your nice words!

[Hikin' Mike]

Those were great! Thanks for the tour! :thumb

[Adrian van Ammers]

Those were great! Thanks for the tour! :thumbThanks so much! :):

[snapapple]

Thanks for the great tour, Adrian. I was in the Netherlands in May. It is a beautiful place. We visited Amsterdam while on a cruise. We only had one day there, but it was enough for me to realize that I would love to come back to see more. Your pictures are well done. I like the perspective of #1. The inside shots are very well done also. You managed to get good light on all those gears and shafts. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Adrian van Ammers]

Thanks for the great tour, Adrian. I was in the Netherlands in May. It is a beautiful place. We visited Amsterdam while on a cruise. We only had one day there, but it was enough for me to realize that I would love to come back to see more. Your pictures are well done. I like the perspective of #1. The inside shots are very well done also. You managed to get good light on all those gears and shafts. Thanks for sharing it with us.
your picture of the windmill. Give me a honk when you come back. I will show you around and visit as much mills as you like :D Thanks for replying and kind words.