Water Wheel Re-Build - Episode 1

Background

When we  bought our cabin back in 2001 (it was built in 1989), the water wheel was intact, but was listing to the side, did not spin all the way around, and I don't believe it ever had water feeding it. I doubt it ever actually worked.   

Slowly, over the years, it has been deteriorating...until finally during the winter of 2016/2017, it finally collapsed.  Parts falling off almost faster than my hair.

So, yes, it's time.  That project that I had as # 57 on my to-do list is now #1.

Criteria

First, some ground rules before starting the build:

1. Make the new one roughly the same size and shape as the old one.
2. Paint it the same red color as our door and window sill (a side benefit - see criteria #4)
3. Do not cut off any vital parts of the anatomy during the construction of the project
4. Do not shed more than 2 oz. of blood during the project(and preferably none dripped onto the final project - although the red paint may provide some leeway in this)

*  Bonus points if it actually spins

** Double bonus points if it rotates with the application of water.

The Old Wheel

Spokes riding on the pipe

I plan to copy some, but not all of the design of the old wheel.  The original water wheel was a rather funky design, having eight spokes but no center "hub" to mount the spokes.  Instead, they drilled holes in the middle of two of the spokes and fed a pipe-axle through the middle.  The remaining spokes were mounted at 45 degrees using some sort of cross-brace design. 

Criss-cross spokes at center with braces

However, I do like their concept of water-boxes at the end which act as paddles - they seem rather easy to build...if they really work.  Remember, this wheel never did fully function as a water wheel.

Hmmm...maybe too late to use the old wheel as a template

There are some parts of the old wheel which I like and plan to duplicate - such as using eight spokes; using 2 x 6's for the spokes; and paddle-boxes on the ends.  However,  there are other parts of the old design (such as the lack of a center hub on the wheel) which are just too funky.

Time to put a plan together.