We are now offering all steel water wheels.      Made from heavier steel than the competition and using better proportions these metal water wheels are both beautiful and durable.

Over the years I've seen poorly built metal water wheels lose paddles, collapse into buildings, and have the coating detach flopping like rags as they spin.     They often have very thin metal that can flex cracking the finish and cheap zinc plated bolts that start to rust within a few months    

Their wheels aren't built to last.     I knew that I could do better at a similar price point.      

My water wheel paddles use interlocking tabs that are then heli-arc welded.     The rim sections are one piece minimizing welds which can leak and create more weld warping.     Heavy steel collars with stainless steel Allen head set bolts for decades of durability.  

In most sizes my water wheels have more spokes for a fuller look and are better proportioned.        To minimize metal fatigue problems we use 1144 steel axles and bearings with zerk fittings.

On ornamental wheels that aren't turning millstones or generating power we use an elbow bucket paddle design with full shoes so the water drops out front at about the 4:30 position where it can be seen instead of under the wheel so you can actually see the water unlike most other metal water wheels.       For power wheels we will use a different paddle design and machined axle so you can hook a pulley or sprocket to the axle.

Depending on your needs and location most wheels can ship either fully assembled or in kit form to save on shipping costs.

Drop me a line and let us design and build the steel water wheel you want.

We offer several finish options.

Powder Coating is what our military uses for a durable finish and we offer it in a variety of colors.      Click here to see the color selection.      Pre-coating sandblasting and custom colors are available.

Red oxide is a durable and less expensive choice than powder coating.    It is used in paints as a rust preventive. If traces of rust are present on an iron surface, red oxide paint will still adhere, because it interacts with the surface by forming chemical bonds making this older type finish very durable.  Water wheels 100 years ago were often coated with Red Oxide and it's still a good choice today.

Or you save some cash and paint it yourself.      If you choose this option I'll coat your wheel with a thin coat of oil before shipping but you may still find a bit of light  surface rust in some areas so plan to paint your wheel soon after it is delivered.

A thought on using  plastic coating instead of powder coating.       Sooner or later you will get chips in your finish allowing water on the steel.       With a paint or powder coat you can easily touch things up protecting your wheel but touching up plastic coat can be harder to get a smooth look, especially if any sanding to remove rust is required.       Since plastic coating is an elastic coating if water ever gets under it you will have bags of water slinging around as the wheel spins and eventually ripping the plastic coat turning a small nick into a large mess.      That's why I can't recommend plastic coating on a water wheel.