Replacing the Head Runner Stone
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Replacing the Head Runner Stone
Requirements
- Two long wooden blocks
- Two or three putlugs
- Two "many-heights"
- Several wedges
- Two iron/steel levers
- Three or more people
Procedure
This procedure assumes this stone is in a vertical position, supported by a rope around the wind shaft, to which it was secured when lifted from the base stone.
Two long wooden blocks need to be placed on the base stone, onto which the runner stone will be lowered. The runners need to be oriented so that the stone will roll into place over putlugs (iron bars) placed across them.
Blocks and wedges need to be in place behind the stone while it is still vertical to ensure that it cannot swing back as it is lowered.
The brake should be released and the sails turned slowly, by hand, to lift the stone from the floor. It can then be pushed over, against the blocks, as the sails are turned back to lower the stone slowly onto the runners. Many-steps and wedges can be used to hold the stone high enough for the putlugs to be inserted beneath it. When they are in place, the wedges can be removed and the stone lowered onto the putlugs. At this point, the rope can be removed. Relatively little force is required to push the runner stone over the base stone. Many-steps, wedges and levers are then used to steadily lower the runner stone onto the base stone. Some "rowing" might be needed to adjust the position laterally and rotationally before the final lowering into place.
Once the stone is in place, two plates need to be inserted before the quant can be lowered into place, ensuring the plates are in position and the gear teeth slot into the teeth of the brake wheel. The quant needs to slide into the sprattle at the top and the handle tightened keep it in place. Once fully tightened, the handle can be loosened by one turn to allow the quant to be turned by the brake wheel.
The two halves of the tun can then be placed over the stone in a five-minutes-to-five orientation. The two shutters can be slid into place and the horse slid over the top. The shoe is slotted into the horse, such that the square section of the quant will jog the shoe side-to-side in order to shake the grain into the stone, and three cords should be attached. Two are fastened to the rabbits on each side of the tun. One drops through the floor where it is available to the miller to temporarily pull the shoe away from the quant.
