Make a Mini Windgenerator With Old Hd Parts

you going to need, to make that project; a old pvc pipe and a old hd, taking off the rotor of hardrive and the bearing that reads the disk, you going to need too: a bandsaw(faster) saw(slower) a lathe(fast and acurated) or a drill(slower) we need to some round pieces of plastic (a had hdpe that i reclycled) ca glue a old broom stick or rod, and that it! mine generator really arent useful to make a lot of eletricity, in my tests i only made 3 volts... with full speed... so its just a test, to improve skills!

Step 1: The Materials

you going to need all this, i put a drawing of 3 circle division to make a 3 wing generator, you are free to do whatever you want, the blades are cut from pvc pipe medium size i didnt know the measure, and the blades design i took from internet... its fairly straight foward, just tree blades of same size let one part of blade bigger and another small and let a tab to glue into motor, but you can bolt into or glue into plastic, thats your choice

Step 2: Try to Make All Blades Equal

try to put the blades together in a vice and file and sand to the blades get equal round the edges

Step 3: Put the Blades Into Motor

in my case i just cut a dab into the end of blade, because i did a groove into plastic that will secure the blades i just snug them into the groove and i put a drop of ca glue...works fine! hehe

but if you dont have a lathe just glue on the motor using ca glue or even using the small screws from hd disk itself!

use the 3 division draw and look if is good...should look like mine!

Step 4: Building the Rotor Nose

that part are optional, if you got a lathe of a drill and want to generator look cool with a nose, its nice, i did a groove to fit the motor than cut the nose i have use the plastic rotor to fix my blades...but once again its optional, you can glue the blades straight to the motor

Step 5: The Base

new that the rotor and motor are ready, we need to make a base, i will use the pvc pipe for all project, i cut one piece in half heated and clamp down to straighted then i mark with a sharpie a tail to generator, i will put in place making a cut with a saw in the base and snug in with ca glue like in the pic, we need to make a base bearing place, i just drill a hole to acomodate the bearing and glue in place, try to balance the base dont let front heavy or tail heavy just balance before make a hole, i let the glut set and put 2 screw to futher secure

Step 6: Put Everything Together

now, we did the base, the rotor, its just matter to glue them together, i had luck that my motor had tabs that are almost exactly the same size as pvc pipe... so a just glued together, but maybe you going to need to make a base or a disk to put inside the pipe to secure the rotor, now i have just to glue the rotation bearing into my broomhandle! hehe... sure you can use another thing...but use wood or plastic or even aluminium...try to avoid steel to dont attract thunderbolts... hehe

Step 7: Thats It!

that wind generator are experimental... as i said i cant generate a lot with that only 3 volts at maximum speed (storm comming) for me doesnt make a sense to hook wires on and put a phone charger... but sure i can do this! its a funny project... just to get skills to make a bigger and more serious generator! Thats it! Thanks!