Don't take my post wrong. I did not intend to condemn any individual or group. It was meant to be a post of what has been learned from the past, and what can be better done in the future.
I completely agree that what doesn't get used rots. All that I can ask for is wise use of the equipment. Yes, it can be repaired and/or restored. But what happens in the case of catastrophic failure?
I thought the method used this season was very ingenious. It should stand as an example of what has been learned over the last 40 or so years. It would have been nice to have had that resource available in the past, but it was not there.
At the same time, the rotaries sit and rot, worn and tired. It is a no-win situation, and we can all agree on that.
I do not come close to having your experience, and I was not there at the time. I have been actively working in historic preservation for 20 years, and have made it a full-time hobby since I retired from designing airplanes. So I do know a little on the subject.
Have a beer on me.
Fred in Wichita
Cantankerous Geezer