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and some not so strange.
Hack a web cam to fit a telescope!
Ten Foot Diameter Wind Generator
My new 10 foot diameter wind generator is on it's test stand! I set it up 10 December 2006, and am VERY happy with the results so far. While I was building the wind generator from the treadmill motor (Seen lower in the page) , I came across otherpower.com and realized immediately they had a very good design. Unfortunately, I already had mine about done. After it " blew up," I started tinkering. .... Then I had to move, and that whole situation took a great deal of time. Finally, I got a bit of time to finish the new design. For those more technically minded, here's the run down.
It's a dual magnet rotor design, with the stator cast from fiberglass resin. The axle of the propeller is offset, so as the wind increases, it turns the machine out of the wind. It has 24 Neo Magnets, 12 on each rotor, and has 9 coils. This machine produces 12 Volt 3 phase AC, and is then rectified to 12 Volts DC. It charges batteries, and the batteries run an inverter that kicks the juice up to 110 Volts. Which I have wired into one room, and a few outlets in the house. My goal is not to be self sufficient, but to have a backup source when the blizzards roll through. Although, I do get a kick out of watching "green" TV!
So what is its capacity? Well, according to otherpower, it will put out a max of 90 amps. They call it a Killowatt machine. I believe my machine is stalling, as it never goes over 270 RPM. At this rpm, I see over 35 amps at 14.5 VDC.
If you pay attention, and can see well, you might notice the micro wind genny running the solar lawn light? Kinda hard to see, I know. It's to the right of the big machine. Here's more about that project.
I've noticed on "Otherpower's" discussion board there's quite an interest in Micro Machines. I've liked tinkering with the small ones just because it's fun, and costs virtually nothing. If it blows up....oh well. So, I made a detailed page about how I did this one.
Micro Wind Genny
But, for those who just want an overview -- I made this micro sized wind generator with a blade from a desk fan, a motor from an old ink jet printer, and two bearings found at "Big Box Mart" I believe are roller blade replacements. They fit an 8mm shaft. (They were cheap...10 for $5...and I discoverd they are the same bearings that are in my Hitachi hand grinders.) It charges 2 AA nicad batteries that run one of those cheapo solar lawn lights. I plan to put it up on the roof of my parents house, since in the winter, their solar lights don't run very long.
I've always been building things. The first project I remember completing was my "wagon" when I was 5. I raided the scrap heap, found a three wheeled "wagon" thing, put a couple idler pulleys on a broken electric fence post for the rear wheels. A piece of sheet metal worked for the floor, and a v-belt pulley for the front wheel, and I was good to go. For a few feet at a time, anyways. Had to keep stopping to put the wheels back on. My dad saw me using the contraption one day, and I "helped" him put in a wooden floor, rear tires from a push mower, and a front tire that was hiding in the shop. I wonder how many miles I pulled that dang thing, hauling dirt, square bales, my sister, and cats? And why doesn't mom have a picture of it? Later, it got pulled behind my Putt-Putt, and that proved to be great fun!!
My "Packrat" and a backhoe. I built the tractor part in highschool, but had been drafting it since 5th grade. The backhoe I built in September 2005 when I had to dig a trench for a propane line and dig up water lines, as well as move the phone line.
The "Packrat" is a competely hydraulic unit. It's powered by a Wisconsin 4 cylinder that drives 3 hydraulic pumps. One pump for the remotes, one for the articulated steering, and one for the drive
My wind charger I built using three blades from a water pumping wind mill, and a treadmill motor. The most I saw from this 12 volt machine was 18 amps. But, when we had 90 mph winds for several hours straight, it didn't survive. I am currently building (now built) another one along the lines of those built at
"otherpower.com"
And since I have moved, I have an even better sight for a wind genny!!
I had wanted a forge for years, and played with various designs. Most were failures, and the ones that worked barely did so. Then I found Ron Reil's designs .... awesome stuff!! I don't even have this forge insulated and I can use it to melt metal even in winter! That white hot thing in there is a railroad spike. And it's a great shop heater! For more info, check out
http://www.frontiernet.net/~gnreil/design1.shtml
Which I have just discovered is a bad link....where did the information go?
In 1987, at the age of 10, I helped my dad put together a "Putt-Putt". It had a 5hp briggs that belt drove a 3 speed car tranny, and that chain drove a solid shaft rear axle. For rear tires it had 2 flat belt steel pulleys from a thresher. Up front were 2 tires from a push mower. It rode rough, and the mower tires kept coming apart. So, I finally rebuilt it.
The picture is my "Putt-Putt" as re-built in 1991. My eighth grade year, by the way. It's powered by the same 5 horse Briggs and belt drove the same 3 speed car tranny, but that's all I kept.The tranny now shaft drove a ford rear end I cut down to 32 inches wide. Here it's pulling one of my drags. Oh, the front wheels were from a cultivator. I had many implements for it, including a front dozer, a trailer, and several land drags. It had a top speed of 40 mph.
I've been dreaming for several years of a way to shoot a climbing rope up and over stuff. I had wanted it to be pneumatic, but never could quite get things correct. Then one day I came across a video of some guys Spud Gun on Google Video, and thought....that will work. So, I went to local hardware store, bought some stuff and assembled this. There are MANY good sights already up on the interenet about how to do this, so I'm not going to make this a tutorial.
Okay...how it works. On the end of the big white pipe, there is a car tire valve stem. I simply use an air compressor to put somewhere around 90 psi in it. Then I have a battery connected to the electric sprinkler valve via a momentary switch. (Out of a microwave) When I push the switch.....woosh! The air comes out fast, and shoots the mini rocket out, the rope is coiled on the ground, and goes for a ride. It actually has kickback! Very cool.
The electric sprinkler valve is the key. I see some have modified it to work completely pneumaticaly, but this works good for me. I tried a manual ball valve....and....well....it didn't do much.
My original idea was to use a golf ball, drill it out, then thread the 8mm rope through. Have you ever tried to drill a hole in a golf ball? Um....it don't work. Currently, I'm using a piece of 1 1/4" PVC pipe with a 3/4" steel pipe cap glued/taped on top with the rope through a hole in the steel cap. Basically, I made a 4" long rocket. It works, but I'm playing with a better way...just haven't figured it out yet. With this set-up, I've been able to get the rope over something 50ft tall. I think it will go higher, but I don't have the need.
Of course, when I get bored, launching golf balls is great fun!! My longest shot was over a 1/4 mile. A couple times I never found the ball, so those shots can't be counted. Maybe I do like golf....
By the way, those are two golf balls laying there for size reference.
Alright. The end for now. I've got many things I'll post here. I'd like to make a current projects page, too. So not real sure how all this will end up working out, but keep checking back.
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