Your Waterwheel Solution
Ben Russell Mill Restoration
Alexander City, AL
Newest and Largest waterwheel on the east coast of the US
35 foot 45 inch wide waterwheel installed September 2005
Outdoor Metal Primer metal finish
Old picture of the mill site 100 year ago
After a year of rock restoration, plans were put into motion for a new waterwheel Detail measurements were taken of the wheel site before actual design drawings were made. This is a view from the bottom of the pit area. CAD drawings were started to develop basic concept drawing.After the fabrication of the wheel, the 13,000 lb.. of metal parts were trucked onto the site
This is just 3 sections of the 48 buckets sections that comprised the wheel
Because of the size/weight of the wheel and the need of cranes an outside fabrication company was brought in to assemble the wheel
This is a photo of the assemble of the bearings. These bearings accommodate the 6.4" axle.
The large axle was lowered into place. The last of the 32 metal spokes is installed. Picture of the installation in mid stage. Internal 3/4" bracing for the wheel This wheel was designed to handle more then 5000 gallons of water a minute. The remainder of the water raceway will be completed and an old mill will be completed to finish the project.An article was written on it in the Lake Martin Alabama Magazine
March 2006 by Kenneth Boone
Photo by K. Boone