Comments on: Anatomy of a Mill (p1) http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/26/anatomy-of-a-mill-p1/ an exploration journal into the shadows of the copper country Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:05:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Gordy Schmitt http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/26/anatomy-of-a-mill-p1/#comment-5511 Gordy Schmitt Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:41:12 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2460#comment-5511 Another little tidbit I found in the Mining and Scientific magazine was in Sept 1916, Mohawk Mining Co had a survey completed on its new property for a mill on Torch Lake, extending south to Dollar Bay. Another little tidbit I found in the Mining and Scientific magazine was in Sept 1916, Mohawk Mining Co had a survey completed on its new property for a mill on Torch Lake, extending south to Dollar Bay.

]]> By: Gordy Schmitt http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/26/anatomy-of-a-mill-p1/#comment-5507 Gordy Schmitt Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:02:25 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2460#comment-5507 I thought the foundation was interesting for the turbine building. Thats a lot of concrete. In 1918 a concrete building 42'x42'xl8' on a concrete foundation 12' high was built to accommodate this turbine which will furnish power to drive all the mill machinery in addition to three 7,000 gallon electrically-driven centrifugal pumps which are to be installed at the old pump-house, thereby eliminating the present pumping boiler plant. I saw one other thing and this maybe why regrinding was never done with the sands in Gay. They did install a regrinding test plant in 1913. It consisted of an 8ft Harding Mill and 4 Wilfley tables. Haven't seen anything on how the test came out though I thought the foundation was interesting for the turbine building. Thats a lot of concrete.
In 1918 a concrete building 42′x42′xl8′ on a concrete foundation 12′ high was built to accommodate this turbine which will furnish power to drive all the mill machinery in addition to three 7,000 gallon electrically-driven centrifugal
pumps which are to be installed at the old pump-house, thereby eliminating the present pumping boiler plant.

I saw one other thing and this maybe why regrinding was never done with the sands in Gay. They did install a regrinding test plant in 1913. It consisted of an 8ft Harding Mill and 4 Wilfley tables. Haven’t seen anything on how the test came out though

]]> By: explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/26/anatomy-of-a-mill-p1/#comment-5505 explorer Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:18:34 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2460#comment-5505 Well the Sanborn I got the layout from was a 1928 edition, so all of those improvement should be noted. Taking a closer look here's what I found" -the stack at the Mohawk is marked as concrete, while the Wolverine stack is marked as Iron. -The turbine building isn't marked specifically, but the spot marked engine house on the above map is probably the turbine in question. I don't know of any other need for a steam engine, since the stamps themselves are powered directly. -The sand wheel is marked on the maps as a "sand hoist", so that would match up as well. The conveyor construction material isn't marked, so that one's an iffy. -The boilers are in the pump house are marked as "not used", so the electric pumps are also marked. So it looks like the maps have it all done pretty good. Thanks for the additional info, it really helped fill in some blanks (and got me to take a much closer look at the maps). It also answered some questions about that conveyor and launder still existing at the site. Well the Sanborn I got the layout from was a 1928 edition, so all of those improvement should be noted. Taking a closer look here’s what I found”

-the stack at the Mohawk is marked as concrete, while the Wolverine stack is marked as Iron.

-The turbine building isn’t marked specifically, but the spot marked engine house on the above map is probably the turbine in question. I don’t know of any other need for a steam engine, since the stamps themselves are powered directly.

-The sand wheel is marked on the maps as a “sand hoist”, so that would match up as well. The conveyor construction material isn’t marked, so that one’s an iffy.

-The boilers are in the pump house are marked as “not used”, so the electric pumps are also marked.

So it looks like the maps have it all done pretty good. Thanks for the additional info, it really helped fill in some blanks (and got me to take a much closer look at the maps). It also answered some questions about that conveyor and launder still existing at the site.

]]> By: Gordy Schmitt http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/26/anatomy-of-a-mill-p1/#comment-5494 Gordy Schmitt Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:25:53 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2460#comment-5494 I wonder if that Sanbourn Map shows the Mohawk Mill after upgrades were made, like the new concrete stack replacing the old steel stacks at each plant. I believe and I would have to look, the individuals boiler plants at each mill was replaced with a common boiler plant somewhere in the 1920's. I did a quick search in the Mining Magazines, in 1907 the Sand Wheel was replaced with a sand elevator system. Basically a big holding tank for the sands was constructed and 4 sand elevators haul the sand up to a conveyor system. The buckets have holes in them so the water can drain out. The water would then flow out the launders as always. The launder was located under the conveyor system, at the end of the conveyor system, the sand was dumped back into the launder which hauled it a short distance more and dumped it into the lake. The reason given for this system is the lack of elevation change, the sand wouldn't flow well. 1918 a new concrete building was erected at the Mohawk Mill to house a turbine, the turbine was powered off the exhaust steam from the stamps. In 1921, electric pumps replaced the the steam pumps at the pump house. I wonder if that Sanbourn Map shows the Mohawk Mill after upgrades were made, like the new concrete stack replacing the old steel stacks at each plant. I believe and I would have to look, the individuals boiler plants at each mill was replaced with a common boiler plant somewhere in the 1920’s.
I did a quick search in the Mining Magazines, in 1907 the Sand Wheel was replaced with a sand elevator system. Basically a big holding tank for the sands was constructed and 4 sand elevators haul the sand up to a conveyor system. The buckets have holes in them so the water can drain out. The water would then flow out the launders as always. The launder was located under the conveyor system, at the end of the conveyor system, the sand was dumped back into the launder which hauled it a short distance more and dumped it into the lake. The reason given for this system is the lack of elevation change, the sand wouldn’t flow well.
1918 a new concrete building was erected at the Mohawk Mill to house a turbine, the turbine was powered off the exhaust steam from the stamps. In 1921, electric pumps replaced the the steam pumps at the pump house.

]]> By: dcclark http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/26/anatomy-of-a-mill-p1/#comment-5467 dcclark Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:44:20 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2460#comment-5467 I recently stumbled upon some sort of water reservoir system at the old Champion Mill in Freda. It's quite thoroughly hidden behind a raised berm and then down in a deep reservoir. I doubt that it could be the main water source, but there were a HUGE number of pipes, cement floors, holes, and channels for water to go through -- nearly a mile's worth, at an estimate, all set into the ground. I'll post some photos soon, but it would be amazing to see how this fit in with a mill. I recently stumbled upon some sort of water reservoir system at the old Champion Mill in Freda. It’s quite thoroughly hidden behind a raised berm and then down in a deep reservoir. I doubt that it could be the main water source, but there were a HUGE number of pipes, cement floors, holes, and channels for water to go through — nearly a mile’s worth, at an estimate, all set into the ground. I’ll post some photos soon, but it would be amazing to see how this fit in with a mill.

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