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Dandelion Wind Turbine
Dandelion Wind Turbine
Dandelion Wind Turbine
Step 1: Materials
Materials Needed:
-3mm sheet thermoplastic
-MDF, various sizes
-Sheet Aluminium
- 1 x Steel Block (50 mm diameter x 50 mm height)
- 1 x M8 threaded poles (0.6 m long)
- 2 x bearings (6mm inner bore, 22mm outer diameter)
- 2 x M5 bolts and nuts
- 4 x M8 nuts
- Various screws
- 2 x Gears (inner bore diameter 3mm)
- 1 x Bucket (Approx 30cm diameter or wider at opening)
Tools and manufacturing process:
-laser cutter (alternative to hand drawing)
-band saw
-hot air gun
-lathe
-chemical adhesive
-glue and painting
-solidworks
Step 2: Making Blades
There are two options for making the blades:
1. Take the illustrator files and using a laser cutter, print them out in 3mm plastic (or draw the design onto the
plastic and cut out manually
2. Spray paint the sheet aluminium, then using a laser cutter etch the blade patterns into the aluminium and cut
out the design by hands.
The results should be similar to the pictures attached. (all blades should have the slots, this eases bending)
You should make either 3 or 6 blades.
Step 3: Bending Blades
The fan blades must now be twisted.
If made of sheet aluminium, grab the tip of the blade and spin clockwise, twisting the shape of the blade. The
aluminium is malleable enough to withstand this.
If the blades are made of plastic, a hot air gun must be used. Heat a plastic blade and again twist by hand
(remembering to wear safety gloves!). When the desired shape dip into cool water to re-harden. Do this one at
a time. When twisted the blades should look like the image.
Step 11:
Finally attach the smaller gear to the motor, securing with a grub screw.
Move the shaft (with the bigger gear ratio) back onto the smaller gear ratio and adjust height of the perspex
block if need be.
Attach wire connections from the motor to a load.
Lubricate gears and finally test your wind turbine!