40d:Windmill

A windmill is a machine component that provides power via wind on the surface of a fortress map. Currently, the Windmill provides 40 units of power (sometimes less) and requires 4 pieces of wood. Multiple windmills increase the power.

• The "Windmill Tower" option below is currently the most optimal in terms of power efficiency.

Getting Power Out Of A Windmill

To get some useful power out of a windmill:

1. Place the windmill
2. Excavate a path under it to the center of its base. (1 z-level down)
3. Add either a vertical axle, gear assembly or machine there, which will have power.

It is not presently possible to build the gear assembly or axle before building the windmill—doing so will prevent the windmill from connecting to the assembly or axle. Build the windmill first, and then build the axle or gear assembly beneath it. You can of course still have the remainder of your machine built. ???? --Markavian

I have built a gear and then a windmill on the layer above of it via an adjacent walkway. --Markavian 23:50, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Getting Power Back To The Surface

1. Build a windmill at level 0 (L-0).
2. On the level beneath it, (L-1), place a gear assembly (GA1) below the center point, use q to verify that it has power.
3. Place a horizontal axle (HA1) next to GA1.
4. then build GA2 next to HA1. It should look like *=*. (GA1-HA1-GA2), All of these should have power.
5. Back on the ground level, build a 1x1 channel above GA2.
6. Place GA3 on the channel, so that it sits directly on top of GA2.
7. GA3 is now on the surface level, and you can use horizontal axles to transmit power in the regular directions across the surface.

Windmill Tower

If you can't dig below your windmill (if, for example, there is a room or river underground there), you can try this method

1. Build a 3x3 plaform out of floors one level above the ground floor.
2. Then build your windmill on that.
3. Directly beneath the windmill, on the ground floor, build a gear assembly.
4. Connect this assembly to horizontal axles, and power your machines. No digging required!