Main Pillar of the Windmill
I was quite excited to be able to visit an actual working Dutch windmill. The windmill here at the De Museummolem seem to be very well maintain, perhaps too well maintained. I know that this place it kept for tourism so I can’t really blame them for keeping it spic and span. The straw covering the walls of the windmill seem to be well kept. I know now that the it needed to be replaced every few years but it doesn’t seem to be in need to replacing just yet. We immediately went to the second floor to have a look at the inner workings of the windmill.
Tools Inside the Windmill
What probably surprised me the most was the fact that the mill is quite hollow. When you enter, you can see that there is a massive central pillar. This is the main driver which turns the pumps. The fans turn a gear which turns this pillar. The pillar is eventually connected to the archimedes screw which can be found at the foot of the windmill. The screw then pulls water from one level and dumps them into another level. The way it is designed is very easy to understand but at the same time, you can’t help but marvel at the skill to be able to build such a thing. The central pillar is not made of metal but it could have been made of wood back then. The rest of the mill is made of wood.
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