Hand Powered Vintage Propeller Toy.

This is just a simple old vintage toy.
It takes only few minutes to build this funny project.
Make one for your children or why not for your own ;-).

Step 1: Materials

You need cheep materials , I used two tong depressor, but it can be done with cardboard, plastic bottle or coroplast .

- Tong depressors
- Chopstick or bamboo skewers
- An old BIC like body pen (optional)
- A strong thread ( about 50 cm length ) (optional)
- X-acto blade
- Drill and bits (optional)
- Some glue (hot glue or cyanoacrylate glue).

Step 2: Assembling the Propeller Blades.

You need to interlock the two blades. So I did a notch about one inch length on each tong depressor end.
Then slide each other, leaving a center hole for the stick.
Make sure your blades have enough pitch before gluing them together.
Insert the chopstick or bamboo skewer into the hole and glue it to the prop (pay attention here, it must be 90° with the propeller. Double check it before gluing).
Make the stick end a little squared with the hobby knife before gluing to the prop.

Step 3: Energize Your Prop.

Now your new toy has been finished and you can use it right way.
All you need to do is to place the chopstick in between both of your palms and give a rubbing motion (clockwise or counter clockwise depending on the orientation of your blades) while you release it.



Or you can wind a small string to the wooden shaft and give it more revolving power as I'll show in the next few steps.


P.S.: for a better flying stability I added some bolts and nut at the bottom end of the shaft.

Step 4: Powerup Your Chopter With a Styring.

First of all you have to make a small hole passing through the chopstick shaft.
Then pass the string (just half an inch) into the hole, and start winding it around the shaft (attention CW or CCW).
Insert the chopstick into a plastic tube and hold it firmly while pulling on the string.
and .......... lift off .


Cheers
Frankyfly