Decorative Windmill Wood

[Deere Dude]

I am in the beginning stages of making a few windmills sort of like this one. The question I have is, what kind of wood should I use?

Everything will get painted with a sealer and then a colored latex acrylic topcoat, maybe.

I want to use pine of some sort for cost sake. But I question treated wood or just kiln dried pine fir of some sort. Treated wood takes time to dry and if painted while wet, the paint won't hold up, they tell me. I really don't want to stop from fabricating parts just to let the wood dry more.

Regular untreated wood will rot quicker if I miss a few spots with paint.

Did anyone build painted stuff that sits outside that seems to last.

Chuck

 

[Diggin It]

I toyed around with the idea but never got the mock up right. My plan was to use Cedar shakes same as on roofs and siding.

 

[FredH]

As mentioned above , Cedar may be the best option . Not sure cost wise in your area , but around here in Southern Oregon , it is almost identical in price to
pine or fir , but will outlast either , even without paint . I would look for it in 2 x 6 options , as opposed to getting 1 x stuff . 1 x stuff is usually planed , square edge planks , thus " Higher " end type . Same species , just more into it . Were as a 2x 6 , ripped on a table saw , can generate quite a few pieces , Just would require a little more finish work .

Fred H.

 

[Deere Dude]

As mentioned above , Cedar may be the best option . Not sure cost wise in your area , but around here in Southern Oregon , it is almost identical in price to
pine or fir , but will outlast either , even without paint . I would look for it in 2 x 6 options , as opposed to getting 1 x stuff . 1 x stuff is usually planed , square edge planks , thus " Higher " end type . Same species , just more into it . Were as a 2x 6 , ripped on a table saw , can generate quite a few pieces , Just would require a little more finish work .

Fred H.

Most of the sticks are .75x1.5x length. Ripping a 2x10 for instance would be a lot cheaper than getting the same wood in 1x8s or 1x10s, I would think. Good idea. 1x10s for instance are nuts here.

 

[Handloader109]

Cedar. And you could use fence slats for the blades and thin parts cheap....

 

[Dave Straub]

Hi. I work with farm windmillls in 6', 8', & 10' size. The 10' Monitor L we just overhauled we used Air dried Cypress Select. This seems to be the wood all wood wheels came out with. Select means no knots. There are debates whether to paint or not. If painting and wood is absolutely sealed then that's the way to go. But if not sealed then moisture gets trapped under paint and will rot out. Cypress wood comes from the southern gulf states and is reasonable in price.

 

[mcfarmall]

I made a 9 foot tower from some upcycled cedar 2x4 decking. Ripped a couple into 2x2's for the corner posts and then ripped some more into 1/2"x1-1/2" for the horizontal girts and diagonal braces. Made a nice platform for it as well, all to the same scale as an Aermotor tower. I bring mine indoors for the winter October-April so it will last longer in the wet, humid Michigan climate.