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Old Mexican gears

Brander

Plastic
Joined
May 12, 2017
Location
Pearce,Arizona
Can anyone help me with the use of these hand hewn mesquite gears about 5.5 ft. tall and about 3 in. thick. Said to be from Mexico?
 

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You can stick "stobs" in the holes and have a rude/crude semblance of a set of bevel gears - but the pinion version is missing from this photo. More probably water wheel parts as suggested

If you want to see actual windmill grain grinder gears (inserted tooth wood), sit thru the 1940 movie with a young Joel McRae about spies Foreign Correspondent
 
...If you want to see actual windmill grain grinder gears (inserted tooth wood), sit thru the 1940 movie with a young Joel McRae about spies Foreign Correspondent

My favorite wooden gears are in the 2011 film masterpiece, The Mill and the Cross. The whole movie is a work of art, but the interior shots of the mill are fabulous.
Play the traler: The Mill and the Cross (211) - Rotten Tomatoes
The Mill and the Cross (211) - Rotten Tomatoes
The Mill and the Cross (211) - Rotten Tomatoes

Larry
 
You can stick "stobs" in the holes and have a rude/crude semblance of a set of bevel gears - but the pinion version is missing from this photo. More probably water wheel parts as suggested

If you want to see actual windmill grain grinder gears (inserted tooth wood), sit thru the 1940 movie with a young Joel McRae about spies Foreign Correspondent

Over here in the UK, the rims or fellows of the gear wheels were 99% of the time oak (European Oak) and the inserted gear teeth Apple.
 
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Nomenclature Question: "Lantern Gear"

Definitely agree that these seem like mill gears, as for a grist mill. The work of an original millwright!

John Oder's response brings up a nomenclature question related to the use of "stob" gears

In watermill technology there is a sort of "pinion" made of two wooden disks with wooden "tooth" bars between the disks, the whole thing looking somewhat like a birdcage or lantern. Is it correct to call this a Lantern Gear when it is watermill-sized?

I know it might be called a "Lantern Gear" if it was in a clock.....

John Ruth
 
Definitely agree that these seem like mill gears, as for a grist mill. The work of an original millwright!

John Oder's response brings up a nomenclature question related to the use of "stob" gears

In watermill technology there is a sort of "pinion" made of two wooden disks with wooden "tooth" bars between the disks, the whole thing looking somewhat like a birdcage or lantern. Is it correct to call this a Lantern Gear when it is watermill-sized?

I know it might be called a "Lantern Gear" if it was in a clock.....

John Ruth

"Pinion" besides being described as a small gear is also the term used to hobble or dis-enable a bird to flight - hence the "birdcage" connection.

pin·ion1
ˈpinyən/
noun
noun: pinion; plural noun: pinions

1.
the outer part of a bird's wing including the flight feathers.
literary
a bird's wing as used in flight.

verb
verb: pinion; 3rd person present: pinions; past tense: pinioned; past participle: pinioned; gerund or present participle: pinioning

1.
tie or hold the arms or legs of (someone).
"he pinioned the limbs of his opponents"
bind (the arms or legs) of someone.
synonyms: hold down, pin down, restrain, hold fast, immobilize; More
tie, bind, truss (up), shackle, fetter, hobble, manacle, handcuff;
informalcuff
"the hostages were pinioned to each other"
2.
cut off the pinion of (a wing or bird) to prevent flight.

Joe in NH
 
Hi Guys,
Here are a couple of photos I took inside one of the windmills in Holland last year. Show the construction pretty well. Tom from Mass
 

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Thanks for all the input-very helpful to all. Was interested in age and how common they are today and somewhat of their value. There are some teeth and other parts that I need to photo. will try to get those in a few days. Thanks again to all. BranderDSC_0458.jpg
 
If those piercings are for "stobs", there are precious few of them.

Get those wheels indoors, into some "Poncho Villa's Ta Kiil Ya" joint right away.

There is Money to be made more than the wheel right who made them ever dreamed of.
 
The owner of these gears is very sick and I will try to contact him and get them under cover for him.I am new at all of this but have no idea of their value in case he wants to sell. I hate to see them destroyed by the weather. Thanks for your info. Brander
 
"but have no idea of their value in case he wants to sell. I hate to see them destroyed by the weather." What weather. basically we don't have any. Value? minimal if any.
 








 
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