Where To Get That Old Windmill Fixed

Where To Get That Old Windmill Fixed AG WORLD Paul Behrends does it all when it comes to fixing old windmills If you don’t have a windmill he can sell you one and set it up For the past 26 years he has been keeping old technology alive including 6 windmills of his own “I’m one of only 2 full-time windmill repair services that I know of east of the Mississippi ” says Behrends Paul’s Windmill & Crane Service “I was in Florida this spring and I’ve traveled to New Jersey as well as all over the Midwest ” Behrends says he hasn’t met a project he can’t handle He and one employee have installed towers as tall as 70 ft He has serviced a couple of 80-ft towers one with a 14-ft dia head “Most towers are 40 ft tall with 8 or 10-ft dia heads ” says Behrends “There are all different sizes depending on how deep they have to go for water ” Behrends specializes in Aermotors but will work on any brand He notes that parts are often still available from Aermotor but others have to be custom-made The windmill specialist was a machinist and fabricator with some engineering background when he repaired a couple of junk windmills for himself He started getting requests from others and his business took off “I work on everything from windmill pumps used to water livestock to novelty windmills set up to show grandkids how things used to be ” says Behrends “A lot of folks who buy an old farmstead want to make the old windmill a landmark again ” Although his primary business is working on steel windmill towers he also works with wood wheel windmills from before the turn of the century Costs vary with the job Behrends says he can usually fix almost anything within 100 miles of his home for a reasonable price “If the tower is in good shape I can rebuild or replace whatever is needed for around $3 500 That covers parts travel and labor for my helper and I ” says Behrends “You can hardly buy a new head for that ” Check out the video of Behrends and his work at FARMSHOW com If you are in the market for windmills or parts visit his website He has new and factory rebuilt windmills and towers as well as specialty items One such item recently was a 10-ft wooden wheel from a 1910 wooden windmill Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Paul’s Windmill & Crane Service 3413 County Road 625 E Foosland Ill 61845 ph 217 897-6699 or 217 369-4406; millfixr1@aol com; www paulswindmillservice com

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