The device of a decorative water mill: the rules for placement on the site, the manufacture of basic elements and assembly, popular styles of recreation areas with a similar design. The water mill is an amazing structure that gives the site a special appeal. She decorates a landscaped garden no worse than a fountain or wooden sculptures. In the article, we will consider its device and give an example of manufacturing a typical design.
The device and principle of operation of a water mill
Flowing water has always attracted people to itself, it calms and inspires, gives coolness in the summer. To get such comfortable conditions on their site, they build a mill. The structure makes the landscape attractive and romantic, it has always been considered a mysterious place where mermaids live.
The device of a water mill, which is used as a decoration, is quite simple. It consists of the following parts:
- A paddle wheel that rotates the flow.
- Trough for supplying water to the product. The ideal option is a mill on the bank of a stream that drives the main element. In the absence of such conditions, water is supplied to the working area from a higher lake or by means of a pump.
- Axle and wheel support. A pin threaded through the element is fixed to two posts on both sides of the stream. If there is a room, the axis can be fixed to its wall on one side.
You can build a house next to the wheel. This is an optional item for the mill and many people do without it. A room is built if there is a practical use for it.
The principle of operation of a water mill is as follows: the stream enters the wheel from above and rotates it, flowing out from the other side. If the flow is created artificially, the liquid is pumped upward with the help of a pump and the process is repeated again.
At the dacha, the structure can perform several functions:
- Decoration of a suburban area;
- Masking other structures that have an unsightly appearance;
- Protection from atmospheric precipitation of elements of summer cottage communications;
- Storage of tools.
Watermills, built near streams, are often adapted to drive various mechanisms, their choice depends on the strength of the current. The wheel is often used to generate electricity. To do this, a generator from a car is connected to the rotating element. The simplest design allows you to get an electric current with a voltage of 12 V. This is enough to illuminate the territory of the summer cottage.
To produce high-power electric current, several problems need to be solved: to build a solid massive structure that can rotate for a long time without breakdowns, and to obtain permission from the local authorities. There will also be technical difficulties - how to protect the mechanism of the water mill from moisture and ensure the ease of movement of the wheel. Such problems will not arise if you only deal with decorative projects.
How to make a water mill in the country
Pre-select a place for the building and develop its drawing. Based on the project, determine the amount of consumables and prepare a working tool. The remaining time will be spent on mechanical work. Let's consider each stage in more detail.
Preparatory work
A stream bank is ideal for a mill, but not everyone has it flowing through the site. Lack of natural flow is not a reason to give up decor.
For construction, use the recommendations of experienced gardeners:
- The mill is always installed near the pond. If there is no reservoir yet, it is possible to make it according to your wishes.
- Do not build a lake close to large trees. The area must be well ventilated.
- The best place for decoration is an area with a height difference. Please note that there will always be high humidity near the mill.
For work, you will need tools and accessories: a pencil, a ruler, a square, a tape measure, a compass - for design work; sanding tools or medium-grit sandpaper; drill with drills, screwdriver and screwdrivers, hammer.
Prepare consumables. Its quantity depends on the size of the mill:
- Lining - for frame sheathing.
- Wooden slats - to create the frame of the room. The base can be made from boxes, planks and other unnecessary materials.
- Coil from wire or cable - for the manufacture of the wheel.
- Plywood - for making blades. Any sheet metal material can be used instead.
- The axis on which the moving element will rotate.
- Any roofing material for the roof of the room. It can also be covered with reeds or straw.
- Chute or hose - to supply fluid to the wheel.
- Paints and impregnations - to protect timber from moisture.
At the stage of preparing the drawing of the watermill, choose a building style that should correspond to the surrounding landscape. It depends on the materials used in the design. Style solutions for the water mill:
- Country style … The mill is made massive, of wooden beams, with a rotating wheel. To create a house, you can use roughly processed logs and natural stones. Wooden products are installed on the site - a wicker fence, a bench, etc. The aged bridge, which is thrown over the water stream, looks good. Install other decorative elements in the same style around the watermill for the garden: a well frame, a flower bed, a wooden figurine. All design elements are artificially aged, which increases the resemblance to a rustic courtyard. Plants complement the composition - reeds, sunflowers, chamomile.
- Japanese style … It differs from others in the minimum number of items in the recreation area. Build a mill of stone, in the form of a castle with loopholes and towers. Place stone elements around it, such as a bench or a sculpture. Plants must also match the chosen style, it is recommended to plant dwarf Japanese maple, sakura, Japanese quince. The whole atmosphere sets you in a positive mood and philosophical reflections.
- Dutch style … The mill is made in the form of a half-timbered house, which are common in Holland and Germany. Place gnomes, weather vane and plant a large number of plants on the site. Tulips and roses must grow.
You can arrange a recreation area in the Slavic style, based on folk tales. The site will look no less attractive than the listed options.
Water flow creation
The mill looks very nice if the wheel is spinning. It is set in motion by the flow of the stream, but only if it flows through your site. If there are no such conditions, the flow will have to be organized on its own.
The simplest system consists of two small ponds, one of which is higher. The flow by gravity flows down the chute, simultaneously rotating the wheel. Water is pumped from the lower lake to the upper one. In this case, it is necessary to correctly calculate the volumes of the outflowing liquid and the newly injected, otherwise one of the reservoirs will soon be empty.
The pump can be above ground or submersible. In the first case, it is placed in a house and 2 hoses are connected to it. One is pulled to the pond, the other is used to create a stream. In the second case, a submersible pump is used, with the help of which water is supplied through a hose to the chute or directly to the wheel. When choosing pumps, it is necessary to take into account the distance between the pond and the mill - the larger it is, the more powerful the apparatus should be.
The groove should end exactly above the blades. Instead of a lake behind the wheel, you can build channels through which water will flow to the plants in the garden or garden.
Consider other options for structures that ensure the rotation of the wheel:
- If there is a hill on the site, make a depression in the upper part and fill it with water. Construct a mill nearby and let the stream flow to it from the upper pond.
- On a flat area, build an alpine slide of stone and soil with a height of at least 0.5 m. Install a hose in the middle and connect it to the pump. Pull the second hose to the very top of the slide and mask it. Build a chute with one side under the hose and the other over the wheel. Check that the water falls accurately on the blades.
- You can assemble the mill next to the house and place the working element under the drain pipe. In this case, it will only work when it rains. In order not to wait for suitable natural conditions, use a pump that will supply water to the roof of the building through a hose.
In a decorative mill, nothing rotates, so there is no need to create a water flow. A similar decor is used if there is a dry stream on the site, but the structure looks unrealistic.
Making a wheel for a mill
The main element of the water mill is the spinning wheel. The dimensions of the house depend on its size, because these two nodes should look good with each other. It is recommended to make it within 1.5 m in diameter.
The simplest design looks like two discs connected by blades. It is convenient to make an element from a coil for a cable. You can also use other round-shaped blanks - disks from cars, a tube with fixed blades, etc.
Perform the following operations:
- Measure the distance between the discs and cut the blanks to the dimensions obtained from plywood or any other material.
- Place the elements evenly between the discs and secure.
- Paint or coat all lumber with water repellent. Paint the metal parts.
- In the center of the element, fix the metal tube to install the axis on which the product will be held. Choose a pin with a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the tube, and its length should allow you to mount the structure on the supports. The axle can be made from a long hairpin, on which a thread is cut along its entire length.
- Lubricate the pin well with grease. Pass the axle through the hole in the wheel and position so that the blades are exactly in the middle.
- Screw on the nuts on both sides of the stud and fix it in this position. Do not pinch the fasteners so that the wheel rotates freely.
Mill assembly instructions
After manufacturing the main element of the decorative water mill, you can start assembly work.
Perform the operations in the following sequence:
- Level the area near the lake under the mill house. Its dimensions must correspond to the dimensions of the building. If the room is used as a playroom for children, the dimensions cannot be small. On the other hand, a large log building does not look good on a plot of several hundred square meters. For timber construction, pave the area with paving stones or paving slabs.
- If the structure is stone, dig a small foundation 50 cm deep.
- On the prepared site, build the frame of the house from the slats. Leave room for doors and windows.
- Sheathe the frame with clapboard or other facing material.
- Install doors and windows.
- Cover the roof with the selected material.
- Place the equipment inside - a pump to supply water to the blades or an electric generator.
- Form supports to fix the wheel in the desired position. They can be made from various materials - solid timber beams, channels, corners, stone, etc. It is allowed to build one support, and on the other hand, fix it to the walls of the mill.
- Install the element with a pin on the supports and fix in any way.
- Feed water into the chute and make sure it falls exactly on the blades and the wheel moves easily.
- Decorate the area according to the style of your choice.
How to make a water mill - watch the video:
Building a water mill with a rotating wheel with your own hands is not difficult at all. The main thing is to create a water flow that drives the blades. A properly designed structure will decorate the site and bring a lot of pleasure.
