DIY Windmill
If you want to do DIY Windmill project of any significance, then it is most probably going to need more than a single step to complete. When it comes to choosing to reduce either your cost and/or the cost to the environment, the wind that blows for free in BOTH respects is a fantastic solution.
Many of you will be familiar with picture postcards of windmills dotted across the landscape in old time Holland but modern DIY windmill construction is a completely different proposition. Those bulky old structures to mount the turbine or ‘sails’ are thankfully a thing of the past. They have been replaced with modern, state of the art technology offering efficient electrical generation for your home and in some cases even small cities. Obviously a DIY windmill has nothing to do with powering a small city but as for your home it is more than capable! Here’s the way to reach that goal in a few easy steps.
A DIY Windmill in 5 Steps
Step 1. Anyone who is considering a DIY windmill project will not need to consider buying any specialist tools to complete the job. Most, if not all of what you will need will be in the workshop or toolbox of an average DIY enthusiast. This will be significant because as this is partly a cost cutting exercise, you don’t want to be shelling out for new and expensive tools. In addition to the tools you will probably already own, you are going to need a few hundred dollars for a kit and some other materials to construct the complete unit. You can also search for some of these additional materials from your local recycling center if and when they are available.
Step 2. There really is no need to build a tower to mount your DIY windmill. A secure frame on your roof will be more than enough support for the generator and the blades. The modern construction of these units means there are fewer moving parts and therefore they are much lighter, this also means that due to these modern materials there will be a significant reduction in vibration, making a roof mount ideal.
Step 3. After building the mount on the roof it brings us to the next logical step. What we are doing here is to mount the blade and gearing onto the frame. You can easily source a kit for this online, there are many out there so make sure you take your requirements, such as output, noise and size into consideration. Furthermore, it is advisable to choose ones that are well referenced (check customer reviews) and it would be even better if you could view one in operation so you know what to expect before you start your DIY windmill project. Seeing the windmill in operation is often overlooked, but seeing it working will answer questions that you probably wouldn’t even have thought to ask.
Step 4. DIY windmills come in many different shapes and sizes, so doing your homework and getting the correct one for your site and requirements is definitely time well spent. Look in detail at the local building codes, noise limitation levels and any height restrictions that may apply. Blades being the driving force of the system are cheaper if made from wood and composite and have the added benefit of being quieter and less prone to vibration that the metal ones. As part of the planning for your DIY windmill you will need to investigate the prevailing wind and how much of it you can expect and where it will be coming from. You can purchase a wind meter and gather the data yourself over time or you can purchase an accurate government approved wind atlas online. These planning options are fundamental in a successful DIY windmill project, as they define the equipment you are going to use, ignore them at your peril.
Step 5. The overall installation of your DIY windmill could be completed over a weekend but, if you want to construct everything from scratch then you need to allow a little longer. As an additional suggestion, you might want to construct a tail assembly with simple woodworking that will keep the turbine facing the breeze, making it much more efficient.
To summarize, as simple as it may seem, your DIY windmill is no toy and safety is paramount. Any access to the unit needs to be restricted. Those blades can be fatal to children and adults alike, plus all of the electrical systems need to be properly insulated. If you are unfamiliar with this, or just for piece of mind then it’s worth getting a professional electrician to install the wiring, or at the very least check it out to ensure it’s safe to use.
Finally, when you have followed the above mentioned tips closely, you are going to succeed in your DIY windmill project and may then take pleasure in the fruits of your labour. Pat yourself on the back, be a little pleased with yourself. You set out to accomplish your main goal and you just succeeded!
If you didn’t continue with the tips set forth above, well… good luck anyway. You will probably need it… 
DIY Windmill FREE Report
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