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Convection powered, counter rotating, kinetic sculpture

by PDRWLSN on November 28, 2010

Table of Contents

Convection powered, counter rotating, kinetic sculpture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Convection powered, counter rotating, kinetic sculpture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: WATCH VIDEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 2: .................................................................................................................. 3

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: .................................................................................................................. 3

Step 4: Assembling the rotor rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 5: Mirror image the rotor blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 6: Assemling the rotor hubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 7: Assembling rotor blades to the rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 8: Assembling main support body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 9: Adding the ribs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 10: Installing rotor axle to main support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 11: Finishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
Intro: Convection powered, counter rotating, kinetic sculpture
Powered by Sterno made of wood, sounds like a recipe for fire. It took two cans of heat to get it moving the first time but continued to spin almost as fast after removing
one can. It serves no purpose yet but tomorow I'm going to add a pot- pouri jar just under the rotor blades to give it
reason for being. I'll call it counter rotating pot-pouri diffuser.
I'm working on downloading a driver for my video cam so you can see it in action.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
Step 1: WATCH VIDEO
Step 2:
File Downloads

CONVECTION POWER.dxf (1 MB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'CONVECTION POWER.dxf']

CONVECTION POWER.cdr (53 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'CONVECTION POWER.cdr']

CONVECTION POWER.dwg (59 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'CONVECTION POWER.dwg']
Step 3:
Materials used:
1/4" x 5.5" x 48" poplar
.037" x 12" x 24" birch plywood
1/2" x 5.5" x 24" poplar
1- 4" long shawl pin
4- 1/8" plastic beads
JB KWIK WELD
Titebond III wood glue
1- Corel saucer

Tools used:
Epilog laser (other methods of cutting are possible)
cordless drill
small paint brush
small vise grips
small spring clamps
small square

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
Step 4: Assembling the rotor rims
I built a jig to assemble the rotor rims using a very flat support board, a 1/8" thick plywood circle the inside diameter of the rotor's 1/8" plywood rings. Made a clamp from
1/8" plywood to hold the .037" thick birch plywood to the 1/8" rings. When gluing up everything stay flat and tight. Very little pressure is needed on the visegrips to hold
the .037 " plywood tight.

Step 5: Mirror image the rotor blades

Notice the small tabs on the rotors (tips of pencils), the rotor hubs need to be glued so the rotors are mirrored.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
Step 6: Assemling the rotor hubs
I drilled a hole into my build table ( square with the surface) so the hubs would glue up square.

Step 7: Assembling rotor blades to the rims

The rotor blades are quit thin and very flexible. To assemble them I simply twisted each blade to lock the two tabs onto the 1/8" plywood ring, one tab over the ring, one
tab under. I mirror imaged the rotor blades so they would spin in opposite directions. Tension holds them in place, no glue is needed.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. The two locking tabs. 1. Here's a head on view of locking tab.

Step 8: Assembling main support body

I attatched the support body halves to my build table so when I glued up the ribs and stringers they would remain straight.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
Step 9: Adding the ribs
Gluing on the ribs I used a square to insure they wre too.
note: if you cut with a laser the glue faces need to be sanded square.

Step 10: Installing rotor axle to main support

I used a small pair of vise grips to support the axle and rotor assembly while the JB WELD cured.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
 Step 11: Finishing
Finish by gluing the support to the base and fit the saucer to hold the Sterno can.

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Comments
40 comments Add Comment

randomray says: Dec 5, 2010. 10:34 AM REPLY

Hmmm , I wonder about using bicycle wheels for this . I really like your support structure , way cool looking .

PDRWLSN says: Dec 5, 2010. 12:33 PM REPLY

Bicycle rims would surely work if you used enough heat to overcome the weight.

randomray says: Dec 5, 2010. 5:04 PM REPLY

Oops , I was thinking about the bearings , good point about the weight . There is a project an Aussie inventor came up that works on this principal
using solar heat in the out back only on a truly massive scale .

Foxtrot70 says: Feb 12, 2012. 8:09 AM REPLY

Do you have a web site where the Aussie inventor has info on his project? Sounds very interesting.

randomray says: Feb 12, 2012. 12:02 PM REPLY

Here's a starting place , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower

hammer9876 says: Dec 5, 2010. 8:32 AM REPLY

Call me curious, but will a candle power this? I can imagine that a scented candle burning under this thing could disburse the scent very nicely.

Congratulations on being featured.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
 PDRWLSN says: Dec 5, 2010. 9:44 AM REPLY
Thank you, In it's present state a single candle will not provide enough heat. Scaled down to lighten the rotors and bring them closer to the heat scource,
quite possibly.

kwazai says: Nov 10, 2011. 2:33 PM REPLY

Because of the nature of bouyancy, if the turbine were more like a drag turbine design (sail shaped sort of) and overlapped foils ever so slightly (12%
or so) it might run off a candle. With the low velocity laminar flow coming from a candle it would need be impact driven rather than lift driven. just a
thought.

McGyver2 says: Jan 5, 2011. 7:43 AM REPLY

Were is the water in this? Convection has to do with the transfer of heat in water.

PDRWLSN says: Jan 5, 2011. 12:15 PM REPLY

According to American Hertitage Dictionary:
1. The act of conveying; transmission.
2. Physics.
a. Heat transfer in a gas or liquid by the circulation of currents from one region to another.
b. Fluid motion caused by an external force such as gravity.
3. Meteorology. The transfer of heat or other atmospheric properties by massive motion within the atmosphere, especially by such motion directed
upward.

I had to check, wasn't sure of the exact definition myself.

McGyver2 says: Jan 5, 2011. 6:39 PM REPLY

Ah ok, thanks. I guess my definition of Convection was restricted to one thing. Thanks for the info :)

danielthomas72 says: Dec 6, 2010. 2:37 AM REPLY

Coool. You could power a Praxinoscope with that!!!
Brilliant feel to that sculpture, a work of art indeed!!
Dan

PDRWLSN says: Dec 6, 2010. 8:15 PM REPLY

Thank you much. Might be a bit touchy getting it to turn at the proper speed and would need to use mylar for the mirrors to keep the weight down.
Excellent idea.

snoopindaweb says: Dec 5, 2010. 7:08 PM REPLY

=/////=======> ~ Give that person a 10 ********** for "Do~able"...cOOl..YUP.!

PDRWLSN says: Dec 5, 2010. 7:51 PM REPLY

Thanks! snoopindaweb

jeff-o says: Nov 29, 2010. 9:03 AM REPLY

Do you have the CAD files for this project?

PDRWLSN says: Nov 29, 2010. 11:44 AM REPLY

Yes, didn't get published last night till 11:50pm so I had no time to include a video or the drawings. Will try to get them both in tonight after work.

jeff-o says: Nov 29, 2010. 11:53 AM REPLY

Cool. Also, is that your own personal laser? ENVY++

PDRWLSN says: Nov 29, 2010. 1:56 PM REPLY

yep, but had to choose either a new truck or the machine. Sadly the truck was destroyed in an accident 3 days after ordering the machine.

jeff-o says: Nov 29, 2010. 2:13 PM REPLY

Oh I see what happened. You were driving distracted, thinking about your new laser cutter, right?

LOL, I joke. Hopefully no-one was hurt!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
 PDRWLSN says: Nov 30, 2010. 4:48 PM REPLY
Yes. A taxi ran a stop sign, t-boned him at 45 mph no I mean 72 kph, no chance to avoid even if I wasn't distracted. We were both very
lucky, only got banged-up a wee bit. It's been almost a year but I am still somewhat distracted.

Questor says: Dec 5, 2010. 10:44 AM REPLY

could you use the laser on the taxi ???

PDRWLSN says: Dec 5, 2010. 12:35 PM REPLY

Yes but it won't fit in the machine!

jeff-o says: Nov 30, 2010. 7:14 PM REPLY

Yikes!

Questor says: Dec 5, 2010. 11:28 AM REPLY

opposing black diagonal lines on the rims of the rotors ??

PDRWLSN says: Dec 5, 2010. 12:31 PM REPLY

My original drawings I used a checker board of hexagons engraved into the rim but thought it looked out of place and scrapped them.

darus67 says: Nov 29, 2010. 8:54 AM REPLY

Adding a chimney around the heat source would almost certainly improve the efficiency. I'm thinking nuclear reactor cooling tower shape. It would be more
aesthetic than a can of sterno on a plate, too.

PDRWLSN says: Nov 29, 2010. 11:52 AM REPLY

Actually no, before I mounted the rotors to the sculpture body I held them over a propane torch. They turn very slow close to the heat source but about 6
feet away could almost lift themselves.Which gave me the idea for my next project, adding a stabilizer tube with fins and installing 4 model rocket
engines to a single rotor. You heard it from me first!

randomray says: Dec 5, 2010. 10:27 AM REPLY

I think they tryed that during WWII . Really . Didn't work as well as they thought it would . LOL

hintss says: Dec 1, 2010. 11:38 PM REPLY

I was about to say that it looked lasercut, then I say this pic. how much was that laser? how easy is it to bypass the door switches on that one?

PDRWLSN says: Dec 3, 2010. 7:03 AM REPLY

The main door has 4 mag switches, the window has only 2. Using a laser to engrave fingernails and body parts isn't a good idea, ask anyone who has
used one extensively if they have ever expected to run a raster job and by mistake ended up vectoring? The answer is we all have.

hintss says: Dec 4, 2010. 12:17 AM REPLY

I'm 14, lol. anyway, I like the universal lasers more because of their interchangeable laser cartridges. and I was just curious. anyway, what was the
cost of the 36EXT. I wish epilog and universal would put the prices up on the website like brightstar does.

mr.frob says: Nov 30, 2010. 3:34 AM REPLY

love the design, looks so good

PDRWLSN says: Nov 30, 2010. 12:11 PM REPLY

Thanks, my better half said it looked "creepy"

Kryptonite says: Dec 1, 2010. 2:54 AM REPLY

Does look a bit disconcerting, this awesome spinning thingo powerred by just a tiny flame!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/
 PDRWLSN says: Dec 1, 2010. 1:11 PM REPLY
Thank you, disconcerting sounds way better than "creepy". Maybe I'll sleep in my truck tonight.

Foxtrot70 says: Dec 1, 2010. 5:53 AM REPLY

I don't understand how it looks "creepy" or "disconserting". This is really a great project! Hats off to you. The sculpture is using the laws of physics of hot air
raising to move an object This happens everyday one only needs look at their local weather and see trees waving in the wind. I guess for some the world is
still flat.

PDRWLSN says: Dec 1, 2010. 9:51 AM REPLY

Thanks for the comment. I had planned to cover it with tissue paper and doping it but ran out of time, kinda has that skeleton look in it's present state.
Lotsa folks view clowns as "creepy".

Foxtrot70 says: Dec 1, 2010. 10:50 AM REPLY

Actually it looks great as is. A variation which would give a "Futuristic" look would be to use plexiglass or maybe stainless steel and leave as shown in
the current pic.

lw119 says: Nov 29, 2010. 5:59 PM REPLY

Looking forward to the video. Very cool.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convection-powered-counter-rotating-kinetic-sculpt/