River-powered clay pounders GIF

[Jon]

River-powered clay pounders GIF.

[mklotz]

Note that the beam has no enclosed bearings, only simple, unrestrained pivots. The recoil from the beam hitting the clay would probably destroy an enclosed bearing quickly. I'd love to think that these primitive engineers designed it that way but the reality is probably a clay mill farther up the river that has its bearings beaten into splinters. It's still an ingenious way to avoid the complexity and frictional losses of the conventional waterwheel turning a shaft with embedded lifters.

[Frank S]

For some weird reason I thought of the inverse of the thermodynamic drinking bird toy instead of using a closed system with thermally sensitive fluid where the bird dips it's beak which causes the movement to continue
except here the design is so simple that once the weight of the water overcomes the weight of the hammer on the other end of the fulcrum it tips spilling the water.
Genius really when you consider as Marv pointed out the low friction and almost complete lack of any possibility of stiction until the pivot wore down

[Jon]

The Primitive Technology guy did a build of one of these recently. Also called a monjolo or kara-usu; an analog likely exists in many cultures.

[mklotz]

I'm both lazy and a fisherman so this use of water power appeals to me...

[Frank S]

The Primitive Technology guy did a build of one of these recently. Also called a monjolo or kara-usu; an analog likely exists in many cultures.

Just goes to show that not everyone is in as much of a hurry as a 20 year old texting while putting on her makeup and eating an egg Mc Muffin while driving to work in heavy traffic.
This guy will probably live longer than his female counter part would.

[Frank S]

I'm both lazy and a fisherman so this use of water power appeals to me...

Now that's the way to fish no $50,000.00 500 hp bass boat with another $20,000.00 in fishing gear needed. Lots more fun watching it catch fish then drowning plastic worms any day

[Gramps43]

The only folks that allowed to fish like this are the Indians in the North West region of the country, and then only for ceremonial reasons.

[mklotz]

The only folks that allowed to fish like this are the Indians in the North West region of the country, and then only for ceremonial reasons.

My understanding is that fish wheels are illegal in the contiguous US. However, In Alaska they are legal for all residents of the state who have obtained the relevant license...

Regulations - Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

[Jon]

Interesting. Per that link, it looks like they're allowing 55 salmon for a 4-person household; certainly enough to justify building a wheel.

I wonder if a fish gutting machine is feasible to build. Here's an example of a commercial one on YouTube that shows the workings: