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Found it protruding from a bank way back in the middle of nowhere ???
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps82556f1d.jpg
Is about as big as a large garbage can. The wood in the center looks really old.
Is this a mill paddle wheel center or maybe an old wagon axle and hub?
I'm no expert but it doesn't look quite right for a mill wheel hub. It might be a capstan attached to the wheel and used to transfer the power. Is the wooden "floor" in the picture a sluice? Is there a mine (shaft) or quarry near by?
I think it's probably part of the inside of the mill power transfer. Inside the building connected to the shaft from the waterwheel there was sometimes a large mostly wood from the pictures I have seen a device, equivalent of a large gear, that transfer power to the mill. Of course, they probably did thing differently in different parts of the country and time periods.
no quarry
no mine
This is only a guess and not made with any knowledge of water wheel power for a mill, but, from the picture, the end of the shaft looks like it is smaller and smoother than the rest of the shaft which makes me think that the end rode in, what today would be a bearing, but, not sure what it would have rode in back then. I am thinking that the center wood use to be the paddles that the water ran over and I am guessing the other end, that is buried, is also a shaft like the end that is exposed.
Just guessing and nothing more....
The Jolly Green Giant's linewinder??? Sorry!
I think I am guilty of assuming that since Len found this thing there is water near by. Going with that line of thinking I found a schematic of a water powered sawmill from days gone by. In the center is a piece that could have been this chunk of wood and steel.Attachment 12232
Jeese...
it was coming out of a stream bank on a tiny stream.
The tiny stream could have been a much larger stream years ago, but I do agree with Jesse.
After looking at the photo further, I am more convinced it is what is labeled a pulley on the schematic I found. If you look you can see a few inches from the end of the wood the diameter is slight less than the ends, a couple of wide leather drive belts would have done that over time. It would be heavy enough to serve as a flywheel to a lesser degree than a solid steel or iron would, but I will bet the bolts, end plates and shafts were purchased from a mill back east somewhere and the wood added in the local area.
It's a Whatchamacallit from a Doamathing.
I'll go with a watchamacallit or thingamado.
It's junk. That's what it is. ;)
You are entitled to your opinion, but if you see junk you are taking a very narrow vision. In my opinion, it is a relic of times long ago, probably a key piece that made the production of lumber possible using the power of a small stream. When they moved the rest of the mill it was probably too heavy to handle with the men and equipment available at the time and for whatever reason the owner never returned to claim it. It was probably relatively expensive there are machined steel shafts of considerable size, around 2.5 inches I would guess and two machined plates which were possibly cast iron, maybe steel. I have never had the opportunity of visiting that part of the world, but I would guess there are probably building still around where the lumber was sawn on that mill. Of course, it could have been a grist mill, then there's a different story and list of things that happened.Quote:
Originally Posted by s1rGr1nG0