Rock polishing windmill

All forms of natural power fascinated me into building an array of kludgey devices. After being chastised for running the garden hose (for half a day) in a groove in the back yard to turn a model airplane propeller, I decided to experiment with wind power. Early windmills were built from 2x2’s,1 quarter inch threaded rod and big eyelets were mounted on the roof and chugged along monotonously. "Hmm, that power HAS to be good for something". Always longing for a rock tumbler ( basically a cylinder with water, silica grit and garden stones rotating for days to produce smooth, gem-like rocks ) I design a my Ultimate windmill ' the rock tumbler '.

I had all the elements of the first versions, just bigger and with the addition of a coffee can rock tumbler and a crude speed monitor ( two play magnets glued to the rotaing shaft passing a 10 penny nail wrapped with floral wire). The monitor wires went across the roof into my window and attached to my dad’s unused voltmeter, set to 10 volt ac range. During a bad late night storm I checked the meter every few minutes to see the rpm skyrocket and wondered what was ‘too fast’ the plywood bladed windmill. Check the meter again reveals no motion. Ugh. The next morning I poped up the roof to see the windmill missing one blade, half of the TV antenna spikes shaken to the ground and the coffee can just missing!

The original windmill is on the left...