Watermill Blog -  Mill Stream
23rd September 2008

This watermill blog has to report a quiet day today, with only a small team in attendance.

Finton brought his wellington boots specially to go for a paddle in the mill stream. That's how it looks in the picture, anyway.

In fact he cleared a fair amount of bricks and rubble from the bed of the stream so that it runs much better.

We think that this must have been a constant problem for the mill because every heavy rain storm brings silt and rubble off the hillside and into the mill pool. The flow over the weir can carry quite large rocks down the culvert which then come to rest and accumulate silt.

Dick found a reel of slender sisal rope in his garage that proved to be just right for the lighter sack hoist control, the start control. It didn't take Richard and Kim long to replace the string we used to try the controls with the better rope. We just need a pair of handles for each floor of the mill to finish the job.

Kim then joined Dick in erecting some tool storage and then spreading gravel. To finish the day off, Dick cut the grass on the north bank.

During the day we moved the parts of the root shredder into the stable workshop.

They had been in full view of anyone walking past the farmyard and we didn't want anyone to assume that they were scrap metal for collection. At least it was fairly easy to move now the machine has been dismantled.

As predicted last week the limewash brushes came out again today.

Colin, Bob and Richard all got stuck in, taking a corner each. Even before the limewash has completely cured it makes a tremendous difference to what was a very gloomy space.

It smells fresher too.

The picture also shows the two control ropes for the sack hoist, both left over-long for now until we have fitted some handles.

All three floors of the mill had limewashed walls, and are probably going to need at least two coats. Then we can start on the stable workshop that was also limewashed, not just the wall but the ceiling as well.

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