Buck of Saxtead Green mill successfully lifted off 🌍

The millwright Tim Whiting has reported on his work to lift off the buck of Saxtead Green windmill. This was necessary because the mill was in danger of collapse, after it was found that mortice joints in the trestle were bursting out, and the post had a crack that flexed in the breeze or as people moved around the mill. To prepare the mill, steel straps were used to brace the fracture and ratchets carefully placed to help relieve the loading on the trestle. A lifting beam was fabricated to allow the buck to be lifted straight off the post, and this had to satisfy the requirements to be both strong enough, yet light enough to be put together by the millwrighting team inside the mill, and without adding too much to the weight carried by the broken post. Using 2 cranes, the buck was steadied by one, as another removed the steps at the rear of the mill. Then the buck could be carefully lifted off the post, and set down on a custom made stand on the ground. The next stage is still to be decided, as to how to work to repair the mill.