Learn How to Build a Windmill

Before you set out on your quest to build a windmill, you should determine what you want the windmill for. Will it be strictly for display? A design to complement a part of your property? Or will it be used for a genuine renewable energy source? If you responded with the latter, then you will want to find advanced technical plans for a windmill so that you will have the right components to harness the energy the wind creates.

If you want a windmill simply to look nice in your yard, then you will be pleased to know that windmills are basically quite simple to construct. Depending on your skill set and your desire, you can be as creative and intricate as you want to be. To build a windmill that fully functions, you will need a few more components than if you wanted one for merely show.

Components of a windmill

The four basic components of a windmill are the base, tower, wind blades, and nacelle. The nacelle could be optional –it is the gearbox that aids in blade movement. The first thing you want to consider is whether you want a fully functioning windmill or not. It can be quite refreshing and even therapeutic to look out at your windmill and watch the blades spin in the breeze.

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However, if you notice many windmills around your region, you will find that most do not turn. Part of the reason for this is that, unless it serves to create energy that you will use, most windmills are merely for decorative purposes. High winds, corrosion, and other factors create more problems for these types of windmills and if you are not planning on keeping up with maintenance –lubricating the gears, locking the blade during strong storms, etc.- then you may not wish to bother with moving blades.

In this case, you can merely attach the blades to the axel in a fixed, rigid position.

Lightweight wood

The wood that you want to use for a windmill would be lightweight, at least for the blades and moving components, if you decide to build a windmill that is functional. Using lightweight wood makes the blades lighter and easier for the breeze to catch and spin them. For the base, however, you want to create a structure that has weight and substance to it. The base doesn’t have to be anything intricate or fancy, it simply needs to be strong. Remember, the windmill will be catching the wind and that wind will be working to tip the structure over.

Using a solid wood and concrete combination will ensure a strong and durable base to the windmill. For the tower, you can use a number of durable woods, such as redwood or cypress. Pressure treated lumber will be ideal because the windmill will be subjected to the elements, such as rain and snow.

For more specific instructions on how to build a windmill, you can find a great selection of windmill designs and plans relatively easily on the Internet.