How to Build a Garden Waterwheel Mill
A garden waterwheel adds charm and character to any small or medium-sized garden. This garden waterwheel uses simple materials and design for an easy do-it-yourself project. The waterwheel features a tiled A-frame roof to prevent deterioration from rain and weather, and PVC piping to avoid rust and corrosion. Position the waterwheel anywhere in the garden, as the water is fed through a hose and pump system rather than a natural stream. Use brightly colored exterior paint to give the waterwheel a durable finish. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 10-gallon plastic tub
- Birch plywood
- Drill
- Wood screws
- Hinges
- Router
- Skill saw
- Jig saw
- PVC pipe
- Lava rock
- Plastic golf balls
- Roofing shingles
- Nail gun or hammer
- Roofing nails
- Exterior paint
- Paint brush
- Small pump
- Water hose
Instructions
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1
Cut plywood boards for the box that will serve as the bottom of the waterwheel house. Cut two boards 30 inches long and 16 inches wide and two boards 20 inches long and 16 inches wide. Cut one more piece of plywood to fit the bottom of the box. Assemble the box at the corners and attach the bottom with the drill and some wood screws. Cut a hole in the center of the bottom side of the box large enough for the PVC pie to pass through. Cut a second hole near the bottom of the end of the house for the waterwheel.
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2
Cut two triangles out of the plywood that are 20 inches long on each side to form the gable ends of the roof. Attach two pieces of plywood, one to either side of the two triangles that are 30 inches long and 20 inches wide. Attach the pieces of plywood to the triangles with wood screws by drilling from the outside of the panels, through the wood and into the top sides of the triangles.
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3
Attach the roof to one side of the box with three hinges, equally spaced, and wood screws. This allows the roof to open for easy cleaning and maintenance of the pump.
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4
Cut two disks out of the plywood that are 15 inches in diameter. Choose your own design for the interior of the wheels and draw onto the disks with a pencil. Cut out your design with a router, skill saw or jig saw. Cut a hole in the center of the two disks large enough for the PVC pipe to pass through. Attach the two disks together with 5-inch wheel spokes that are three inches apart all the way around the wheel using the drill and more wood screws.
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5
Pass one end of PVC pipe through the hole you cut in the bottom of the box and add a PVC elbow to the end of the pipe that will allow you to connect the end of the pump later.
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6
Place the plastic tub inside the box and fill it with a layer of lava rocks and then a layer of plastic golf balls for filtering.
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7
Hang the pump over the side of the plastic tub and connect it to the PVC pipe you put through the bottom of the box earlier.
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8
Paint the entire outside of the box and roof in at least two coats of high-quality exterior paint. Also paint the waterwheel. While the paint is drying, install shingles on the roof of the box with roofing nails and a nail gun or hammer.
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9
Pass a piece of PVC pipe through the hole in the end of the bottom of the house and slide the waterwheel over the pipe. Attach an end cap to the PVC to keep the wheel in place. Connect the PVC pipe to the other end of the pump using a T connector so that the waterwheel, the pump and the supply pipe coming out of the other hole in the bottom of the box are connected.
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10
Connect the other end of the PVC to a water supply using a hose. Fill the plastic tub with water and prime the pump by pouring a little water in it to get it going. The water flowing through the pipe and over the waterwheel spokes will cause the wheel to turn.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
