18th Century Millwrights

[Gabriel Christy]

Hello all,

I work at a historic mill in southeastern PA. We're currently working on developing programming around 18th century millwrights, their tools and techniques and what materials they used. Does anyone on here have any suggestions for books/organizations to contact?

We've contacted SPOOM (the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills), but I figured maybe someone on here had obsessed over the tools and might have some knowledge to share. Much of the writing on water powered mills and their construction is from the 19th and early 20th centuries unfortunately.

Thank you for your help.

Gabe

[Mel Fulks]

One small thing. They used to throw dry crumbled pine pitch on the leather drive belts ,to make them grip. I've worked with 19th century stuff that had that set up, and in 1960s we bought it in small wooden kegs. But 15 years ago we tried to buy it and no one knew what we were talking about. The modern spray stuff does not work. If you can find some the place will have a nice clacking sound and proper smell!

[Nicholas Lawrence]

You might cross post this in the Neanderthal forum.

[peter gagliardi]

You would probably find a more knowledgable crowd about this era over at the OWWM forum. Old is their specialty, this is mostly shiny tool stuff.

[Jim Becker]

You might also get in contact with the folks who do similar things at places like historic Williamsburg VA.

[Lon Crosby]

First, are you interested in milling grain, cutting lumber or powering industrial machines? Second. what kind of water wheel - over-shot, under-shot, turbine, etc.?

FYI, pine pitch is actually widely available. Check Amazon, etc. In your era, a lumber mill would have harvested its own.

[Alan Schaffter]

Drop a line to Roy Underhill- he may not know, but probably knows people who do.

[Mel Fulks]

Lon, haven't checked anymore,no need. But back then I checked exstensively and did not find it. Found one place that sold herbal remedys with it but they did not respond to inquiry asking to buy some of the raw material. At my first job there was of those old line drive set ups with a a number of machines that were "turned on " by running the belt on. I remember well throwing the stuff between belt and smooth wheels.

[John Gulick]

You might cross post this in the Neanderthal forum.

+1 someone invented the wheel, was it Fred or Barney

[Greg Mann]

+1 someone invented the wheel, was it Fred or Barney


I read somewhere here it was Wilma, or was it Betty?