Before Operating the Windmill

Before Operating the Windmill

Only volunteers certified by the Board to Senior Miller level may operate the windmill to grind wheat. Volunteers certified by the Board to Assistant Miller level may operate the windmill in sails-only turning mode. Ideally, all Lead Guides and Maintenance Volunteers should be qualified to Assistant Miller level.

Before the windmill may be operated the miller-in-charge, or lead-guide who wishes to only operate the sails, must ensure that the site will be safe for operations. The "Closed to the Public" sign should be hung over the gate and if there are insufficient people to have one in the field to ensure no-one unexpectedly enters the field then the gate should be padlocked. The sign can be hung over the gate in a way that requires it to be lifted in order to open the gates. While not as effective as using the padlock, it requires a conscious effort to do and therefore prevents entrance to the field without noticing the sign.

The roundhouse door nearest to the sails should be locked.

The mesh netting should be installed from beside the roundhouse door, in a semi-circle around the sails, supported by the metal fence pins that are designed to slot into holes in concrete pads set regularly into the ground around the mill for this purpose. The remainder of the roll of netting can be propped against the roundhouse, but the free end will need to have a stanchion hammered into the ground near the roundhouse door.

On some occasions, when it is possible to guarantee that there are no children or animals on site and all volunteers are engaged in the mill operation process, it may be sufficient to replace use of the mesh netting with attachment of a long rope to the fence pins using reef knots. This should prevent accidental entry into the area where sails are turning. It is not sufficient to prevent entry by a small child or animal into the area and the instinctive pursuit by an adult seeking to rescue child or animal from danger.

The Brake Wheel should be unchocked before the brake may be released.

The starboard spout floor pop hole should be opened, the brake rope uncoiled and the end of the rope thrown out of the pop hole so that the break can be operated from ground level, outside of the mill, by someone with clear sight of the sails.

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