Design Wimhurst Machine

In this instuctable I will show you my disign for making a Wimhurst Machine. Although the making of the wimhurst machine can shed light on problems in the dising, the final machine will be as close to the desing. It wil explain the parts where I expect the most en dificult problems and will explain the steps that I will make to produce the machine. In the fallowing weeks there will come a instructuble online, of making the winmhurst machine. Althouth I'm making steps in finishing the Wimmhurst machine, in this instructable there will be almonst only sketches, where there will be a few photo's from my proces.

Step 1: The Blades

The best material for the blades is glass. Glass won't become elektrostatic while charging. But glass is a very difficult material to work with. Also it is, a hassert while working with the machine. So the second best material is plastic. Because the blades will be produced in a lasercutter, it can not be a chlorine based plastic. The blades don't have to be transparred but, will give the tradional Wimhurst machine look.

In the imiga you will see the blades in adobe illustrator. This is nassesary to dising in this system to drive the lasercutter. It will sout itself. Wil the cirkel wil be cut, the smudges in the cirkels will be ingraved.

When the blades come out of the lasercutter. The smudges wil be sticked with aluminium tape. Of course in the same figure.

Step 2: Essemble Blades on Axel

The blades will be drilled so a axel can by drive through them. The blades most be clamped into a second axel (see image), so that bouth blades can circel individuel on the main axel. The second axel also may contain a grove so a o-ring can be assembeld on it.

Step 3: Assembly Main Structure

At first, I will make a wooden plank for the main structure. This wooden plank most have a lengh of about 1,5 times the diameter of the blades. This wooden plank will be the base where the hole machine will be placed on.

On the wooden plank there wil come two wooden pillars. This pillarrs wil bear the two main axels en thus the blades. This pillars will be crafted by the lasercutter, en had two holes in it. One for the axel were the blades are suspended on en one exel for the axel where the machine can by powered by.

The pillars are crewed on the wooden plank and the blades including the axel en second exal are mounted on the plank.

On the lowest axel there are to great pullyes. On this pullies are to o-rings. These orings wil be assembled on the axel with the blades, so that roting the lowest axel, will roted the higher axel. Note that the higher axel will spin harder than the lower axel en that one oring will turn one blade the other way around.

After this, the main structer is completed.

Step 4: Making the Leiden Jawers

The leiden Jarers are a essentiel part of the machine. This jarers wil contain the charges who are createrd by the machine. Where the blades were not maked by glass, the Leiden jarers.

A simple jar is effectief. Such as a pina butter jar. The cap must be maked out of plastic.

In the jar there will be placed aluminium foil. A centimeter from the bottem and a centimeter from the top of. On the oudsite of the jar there will be also aluminium foil. Then a hole will be drilled through the shell. Through this shell there will be sticked a metal roid, brazed to the inside aluminium foil.

The now complete Leiden Jarers, wil be placed on the main wooden plank, in front of the pillars sepperated by at least a half of the diameter of the blades.

Step 5: Taking a Break

Step 6: Making the Charges Collectors.

The charges collector a maked by a copper of steal rod. This rod most be at least the same sise as the aluminium figures on the blades.

the collerters are strain with thin copper wire, en brazed into place. When this is finished, the copper wire will be cut in the midde so that the collertors are can move over the blades.

The finished collerters are clamed between wooden blokes so it can by sespented in space. The blokes that clames the charge colletor are srewed on the main plank next to the blades.

Step 7: Making the Carge Makers

On the oudsite of the axel where the blaids are suspended on, two cargers makers are added. Because these are diffucult to explain in woords, I will refer tot the immage.

On the outside of the carge makers there are fine copper wires.

Step 8: Final Assemble.

Now that all the diffrent parts are in plase, it is thime to assemble them all.

As first, the carges collectors have to be connected tot the Leiden Jares. This can be done by a simple elektrical whire, mouned or brazed in to place..

At last the tho outside alumium fole from the two Leiden Jars have to be conneted. This can also by done by a simple elektrical whire, mouned or brazed in to place..

Nou test the machine