Working PTO - Watermill Blog
27th November 2008

We now have a working PTO shaft set-up that is complete and tested. The second universal joint bearing was fitted and secured today in time for it to have an good hour of running.

Colin worked hard to get the oak bearer cut to size and set in place. With that done the bearing was bolted down and the shaft eased into place.

Various team members helped with this, lifting the shaft and letting it down again several times in the course of the day.The shaft is quite heavy so each lift took two people and was accompanied by much banter of the "Take your time, why don't you!" sort.

The last stage was to connect the two halves of the universal joint and as soon as this was done we started the waterwheel to try it all out. It all runs smoothly and silently with no sign of any heat in the bearings after running for an hour.

Other members of the team today include Derek, who gardened, John, who laid coping bricks, Richard, who did a bit of carpentry, Kim, who fixed wall lining and helped Colin and Bob, Max and Headley who all worked with limewash.

Some of our regular readers might have noticed that we are missing a regular worker, namely Martyn.

We thought he was sunning himself in the south of Spain but we are wondering if he has found a potion of invisibility after we noticed his gloves gripping the line-shaft in the hay-loft.

Hopefully he will be fully visible and in the chair at tomorrow night's Annual General Meeting.

We started to pack up quite early as the weather was threatening to turn very wet but we all felt a sense of achievement after watching the working PTO shaft. We should soon be in a position to demonstrate working machinery in the stable and maybe even grind some meal.

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