How A Timber Framed Windmill Works 

Wonderful video. Seeing this makes one appreciate how very clever were past generations. Those windmills represent centuries of accumulated experience and experimentation. They are, for their time a mature technology, and I must say works of kinetic art. The very fact that these mills still work is a testament to the collective genius which created them.

I have been living near these mills for the best part of my life. Visited them dozens of times and, believe me, they do not lose any of their appeal. In fact, the more I learn about them, the more respect I gain for the ingenuity and craftsmanship involved in building them. To realise then that they were built in the hundreds, starting well over four hundred years ago is mind blowing. Glad to see you enjoyed your visit.

Seriously one of the best videos you have ever done. It is the small things in life; let's go see a running wind mill...meh...but the access they give you and the actuality of what you are seeing is probably the highlight of the whole trip. Awesome does not even do this justice. Now we want to go over there just to see a wind mill.

I never really understood the magic you can achieve with woodworking until now. In many ways this mill is as complex and nuanced as any microprocessor architecture you'll ever come across. Everything from materials science to mechanical engineering to Newtonian physics all have to be understood at an expert level just to begin thinking about making one of these. One of my passions is sailing and from my experience on the water, I know just how incredibly powerful (and dangerous) a few hundred square feet of canvas can be under load. This windmill uses many times that force and still is balanced on a hair pin, everything working under tremendous load, distributed evenly so as to produce a safe and useful machine. Wow. So cool.

I live in Holland MI and we have one just like that here, it wes originally built in the Netherlands in the 1700s. It was moved here to windmill island in the 1950s I think. It is still a functioning windmill, they grind corn and flour, mainly for the giftshop now, the people that run the mill were taught in the Netherlands and have to pass a test in order to be able to do the job, it's an amazing machine, Cody talks about feeling the power, boy is he not kidding, the entire shakes with the force of the wind, and the craftsmanship in the construction is,well, it's art in motion. Thank you Cody and Mrs W for sharing your trip with us. I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful time.

Thatched roofs become more popular now, a lot of new build houses in northern germany are build with a thatched roof, the art of making them is given from father to son, from master to trainee and the business is growing, not fast, but growing.

Thank you for taking the time to detail the amazing craftsmanship of this windmill, and for taking the time to listen to the man in charge here and ask him relevant and pertinent questions which reveal many basic insights about the day to day real life operation of these. Most people today, outside the countries where they're prevalent, only get to see them in the movies in a simplified, comical, or romantic depiction, usually as either a plot device or a cultural symbol. They don't get to see them up close, in depth, as the handcrafted, wind powered working factories they actually are. Your description of what you FEEL standing there, is also great for the many people who can't make it over there. I can tell your appreciation for this extends beyond the surface level to the appreciation of someone who actually works with wood and knows what it's like to build things.

Such a superb show of craftsmanship. I cant imagine the amount of work that went into just building it all and having it work together like it does. Some serious genius had to be applied to build something as great as this.

This is another fine example of what I have been saying. Your videos are wonderful for people like me who can't get out and go and see things like this. That is why I can't thank you enough. One more thing, whenever possible make em longer.

The first guy seems like a great guy.

So, there is this saying in Holland, that if you're crazy, it's because you got hit by wing of a mill. I think you understand how that would work 😀

Seeing a windmill in action is awesome on video I can only imagine the power you could feel actually standing there.

I went inside a windmill once back in France, it makes you very humble to the forces of nature. The structure was square, I do remember all majesty of the building. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Inspiring to see your passionate comments on my heritage. I've lost touch with the old Dutch culture as I got older, but you make me remember the good old days when I was still amazed by things like windmills. Thanks for visiting our country, I hope you and your family enjoyed your stay.

Thanks for putting my anthem in there, i really appreciate the Holland vlogs!

Thatching roofs isn't dying art in Europe :) You can order thatched roof for your house if you are going for vintage/rustic look, same with wooden shingles. Today I was on family reunion in newly build restaurant(less than 5 years ago) that had thatched roof.

So nice to see and hear how impressed you were with "our" mills, Cody. We take them for granted, most of the times. When on holiday, whenever we see a mill with access inside we go and check it out. I really love how complicated they are, with all the gears and all, and the thought of how they made these giants way back when, mind boggling! There are a few companies left, still, that can make those thatched reed roofs, but not many! I once went walking the dog and stayed away the whole afternoon, because they were thatching an old farmhouse with a new roof, I just stood there watching it for quite some time. So much skill and they made it look so easy, and the end result looked great!

Dutch person looking for a good windmill internals video and of all content on YT it's a eight year old Wanglestar with one of the best and appreciative videos. It starts slow but it gets amazed blown out after a bit.

WOW!!!!!! This is amazing to see! The upstairs view, shows the various ways they operate different parts of the mill!!! It helps with understanding the various parts of the saw mill you showed as well, in how the various portions of that mill that were visible...the different blades for different cuts...actually worked or could possibly work/operate!! So cool!!! Thank you for videoing these self sufficient means of operating various different functions without needing electricity!!!

Your videos are always great for the most post. But this one for sure is awesome and very educational. Thanks so much for sharing your vacation experiences with us, your subscribers.

Wind and mechanical poetry in motion there. :)

That was unbelievable!! One of the best videos I've ever seen!! What an education! Thank you😊

Lucky you getting unprecedented access to that working windmill. It just goes to show how smart our forefathers were. The engineering and carpentry it took to build that work of art is incredible. Jack will remember this vacation forever he will tell his grandchildren of the amazing sights he has seen. Thank you for sharing

what a treat to be able to see all that awesomeness.....thank you for taking me!

Definite thumbs up for this vid, and i'll be watching it again as soon as my boys get home from school....They need to see how things are done "old school" !

The windmill mechanism is incredibly elegant. Good on those ancient ones who developed the technology

that was the fastest 12 min video I ever watched, amazing to see thank you

Wow! Thank you for the wonderful tour, I am awe struck with the beauty and the strength of that windmill.

if you are ever in sw iowa, my mothers home town of Elk Horn iowa has an original windmill from 1848 brought over from Denmark in the 70's and once the repairs are done she'll be back in action but as a kid i remember it constantly running grinding grain

Thank you so much for videoing this. It answered a few questions I had about them, and gave me insight into their uses. I think a little extended interview with the owner, and maybe other owners, would have been awesome.

That is one of the most interesting things I've seen in awhile. Worth the trip alone. All that heavy timber joinery is really neat. Clever bunch of workers, what trade do they call themselves? That video ranks really high, wish there was more. Excellent work work my man.

Incredible video footage. Wonderful machinery and craftsmanship. Thank you.

Wonderful vlog, Cody. Really enjoying these professional quality videos of your European trip. Bravo!

Being a tourguide in a grain mill in the west of the Netherlands, I slowly learn to be inside this giant machine, held together with only woodconnections done with chisels and handsaws available in the 17th century.

Saw some of those tenon wedges on a building in town on one of your vids earlier. Paul Sellers uses them to hold his workbench legs on. All movement and vibration only serve to sink the wedges tighter. Aren't those 8 upright timbers called a hammer mill used to pulverize large objects into smaller aggregate before they go in the mill? Imagine how much power it could generate with an electro-resto-mod? Soooo ingenious!

I wish they had more than just a like button. This video is my favourite on RU-vid. Thank you for sharing the awe of these beautiful machines with us.

Realy love your enthusiasm of our windmills. We have a restored white mill in our village so its "normall"for use. Still, i get a bit emotional by seeing youre movie and hearing our Wilhelmus. Thanks!

Thank you for sharing WS. Some of us may never travel the world to see incredible thing like this. The windmill is simple yet the parts complex. The video has got my mind going as I ramp up here for the morning. Kind regards and Thanks.

You know what the great and the sad thing is at the same time. This is the best documentary on the famed windmills with more insight into construction and how it works showing details on engineering and woodworking ever. on any western channel. (Including Discovery, History, PBS etc...) Thank you for posting.

I'm Dutch, but I can't remember the time I went into an actual mill since it's so long ago. When you live next to it it's not that special ;) But I never knew all these things. Very informative video, even for a Dutchman!

That is very cool. The only thing missing was like a cross cut version of one of the massive bearings; I would have loved to see how they were fabricated. But you did an excellent job of showing what was there and how it worked, Cody.

I'm happy you appreciate all this. You have shown quite some craftsmanship and accomplishment yourself, that makes your enjoyment count even more to me. If you're still in this country now, can I shake your hand somewhere?

I can see it now. The Wranglerstar Timber Framed Windmill powered Sawmill! Pretty cool!

Geneva, Illinois and Holland, Michigan have windmills that you can get that close to when it is running. Both were brought over from the Netherlands.

That's an incredibly beautiful machine, and you did a very nice job presenting it in this video; thanks!

Such incredible engineering - I grew up in a windmill in England and absolutely love your enthusiasm here, will definitely subscribe

Makes one rather jealous of the Mill Wrights who built them. The Knowledge and techniques gathered over generations, and passed down that was used to build such amazing structures!

Thanks Cody. I've often wondered what the inner workings of those were like. They are basically what I had guessed, but in actuality, way better than I had imagined. I had no idea they were multi-mill capable. The stamp mill totally threw me.

That is one absolutely beautiful machine, I just love how ingenuitive people were back then, Windmills are just stunningly gorgeous, but to look so good and be so useful, that's just cool af.

this is so exciting! I have Dutch heritage, so I'm pumped to see a quality how-to video! thanks for this!

What a lovely film and a beautiful version of Dutch anthem at the end!

When i was growing upp it was nothing special going to the mill , now i live since + 30 years in Sweden and realize how special it was .

Nice to see some videos from you and your family in my home country. Hope you enjoy your stay and have lots of fun.!

that is just incredible! Thank you very much for taking the time to share it with us!

You've posted some fascinated videos in your time, but this is by far one of the most interesting if all time! So much material just touched on, crying out for more details! Surely you are starting to dream of a windmill back on the homestead. An intimidating project on so many levels - but who are you to shy away from such a challenge? Water pumps, saw mills, the opportunity to harness power is endless! I invite you to indulge your inner dutchman and attempt a windmill at home. Youve got the timber frame skills, the tools, the inquisitive engineering mind.... Please for the sake of all of us living vicariously through you, take on this project!!!!!!

Been in so many of these. Man i love my country!

This is one of the nicest things I’ve ever seen. Inspiring me to make wooden gears and a big windmill or some type of mill. Wow.

I was born and raised in this area of the netherlands, though I havent been in such a mill for over 20 years, thanks for reminding me that I should plan such a trip soon :P

Really nice version of the dutch national anthem at the end of your video!

This is one of my favorite wrangler star videos ever

Very nice footage! Being a homesteader and a wood pecker, you make the most out of your visit to the Netherlands. Bonus points for the "Wilhelmus" piano at the end. Liked and FINALLY subbed.

Thank you for showing this. I've never seen a windmill actually moving. I've only seen them stationary. You are right. It is fascinating.

A great experience for you guys and your viewers; thanks much.

Don't know if you have ever visited the Cable Car Museum in San Francisco. That's also a great place to see how thing actually work, huge gears, miles of cable and lessons in engineering and history. Free admission. Two thumbs up.

Woodworkers heaven right? Thanks for visiting our little country, I enjoy watching your experiences in Europe. Lots of old world stuff to explore.

Wow, all I can say is wow. That was so amazing. Great video, thank you so much for sharing your life with us.

Wonderful insight into this old and still reliable technology. Thanks for sharing!

I Appreciate the Holland vlogs too and my anthem, absolutely loved the vlogs of Holland.

That was amazing and really interesting to see. I'll be honest I haven't spent much of my time on earth contemplating windmills but that was outstanding

What a treat you've given us, Wranglerstar.

So awesome. Some people are so lucky to own such a beautiful piece of history

Hey awesome i never knew you went to the netherlands. Quite impressive woodwork in the windmills isn't it. I grew up near several of these, but only learned to appreciate them as i grew older. Love the fact you put our anthem in there, means alot to me.

I am really amazed at how true that whole system seem to run.. Whoever built all that really knew what they were doing and is/was supers killed with wood. Was really neat to see the inside workings of that windmill. I have always had an interest in them..Thanks for this video..

Totally outstanding video, thanks.

I would not have thought they'd let you get that close to those gears and I also didn't realized that they ground stuff like that, I always thought they were for water! Very cool video!!!

I could watch this video for hours. The ingenuity and scale of this construction just baffles my mind. A+ video thanks again for sharing.

in glad you're liking our country. cause you made some very nice videos about it.

I cried. Very amazing experience. Thanks for uploading.

Unquestionably one of the best RU-vid videos I have watched in a long while. Thanks for posting.

incredible machinery! now I want to go see one. I also love the common sense approach to safety.

Unbelievable! That was something else!!! Thank you for sharing :-)

I've never seen anything like this so up close,thanks wrangler family

WOW! That was so amazing. Think of all the ingenuity that existed so long ago. Thank you for sharing that. That was great video shots.

the only thing I can say to you Cody is thanks to you Sir for sharing this. great camera work. wow. deeply enjoyed this entertaining and educational video.

That was amazing. Thank you for sharing with us.

Super cool to see the old world craftsmanship in this.

Wonderful video. Glad you were give access to the inner workings of the wind mill.

Remarkable! First time I've seen the inner workings of a windmill.

Great video thank you for your detailed look into one of these things

Fascinating view of the inner workings Thank you.

Very impressive! Amazing craftsmanship! Thank you for sharing.

Unbelievable. If I ever get the chance to see one in person I'll be sure to bring a chair so I can just sit and watch:)

I bet you could make an entire series off the workman ship of these mills. I am sensing you are considering making your own windmill on the Wranglerstar ranch? I would love to see both.

I could only think about Don Quixote fighting with windmills. Those blades would destroy you. Cody, your vlogs are on point. I am loving every video!

Amazing video. Makes me want to build one on my homestead. So much power to be harnessed, so many ideas of what it could used for.

Great video, thanks for posting. loved the joinery and adjusting wedges.

This is one of your better videos despite the volume issues but thankfully I can beam this video over to my surround sound otherwise I'd never be able to hear what you said.

very nice touch with the anthem as a dutchman, class production! @Wranglerstar

Great video. Thanks for sharing the trip.

This is one of my favorite videos! Thanks