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Lou's Place in Cyberspace |
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MILL STUDIES
Over the years I found I have a great natural interest in Archeology, Architecture, Machinery, and History. Culminating from those interests I found the study of Gristmills and their architecture and machinery became a favorite subject to me. The 18th and 19th century industrial progress from water to steam power held a fascination, and seemed to feel pleasing as it involved gears and gearing, another interest. I believe the interest in machinery has been passed on to me by my father, who was a master machinist most of his life. Things mechanical have always held an interest in my mind. My first Mill study "The Mills of Brodheadsville" began with the discovery of a mill in complete ruins, with little left but a stone foundation and several gears and parts lying in the ruins. From research I was able to reconstruct what the mill once looked like. A 3D scale CAD model I constructed helped me find the correlations between parts, and the virtual model provided the basis for renderings, allowing illustrations to be made explaining the evolution of the now destroyed mill. "The Mills of Brodheadsville", shows how from ruins and old photographs a destroyed mill was reborn as a virtual 3D model. A few years later, an email from a person who saw my mill project on my web site led to the most complete Mill study I have done to date. Here I had the chance to work with a nearly intact Mill, though it had been revised and renovated over its history. It was an opportunity to combine all my interests into one project. My interests in Industrial Archeology had an opportunity to explore a structure and reveal its nature. I present here my most complete mill study-"CASTLE VALLEY MILL", located on Neshaminy Creek, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. I hope you find these studies interesting. Lou 1873 "EUREKA" BRUSH & FINISHING MACHINE mfg. by the S. Howes Co. Silver Creek, New York MILLS OF BRODHEADSVILLE & RED MILL RECONSTRUCTED KELLER'S MILL-McIlhaney Pa. Town next to Brodheadsville |