Introduction: How to Make a Simple Motor

By Childrens Museum of Pittsburgh
About: https://twitter.com/PghKids

Here is a fun way to explore the inner workings of a simple motor.  This is a great project for use in the classroom or at home.  Making your own Motor is an excellent introduction into the world of technology. 

Step 1: Materials and Tools You Will Need to Create a Simple Motor

  • Copper Wire
  • Paper Clips
  • Wood (3" 1X2)
  • Neodymium Magnet
  • Battery (AA)
  • Insulated Wire
  • Sand Paper
  • Staple Gun and Staples
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Wire Strippers
  • Wire Cutters
  • Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks












Step 2: Creating the Copper Wire Coil

  1. Cut a length of copper wire (between 2 and 3ft) using a pair of wire cutters.
  2. Use a AA Battery as a winding template; begin winding the Copper Wire around the AA Battery (Make sure to leave about two inches of wire trailing off one end of the coil).
  3. Continue winding the Copper Wire around the AA Battery; make sure that you wind a nice tight coil. 
  4. Leave a length of wire (two inches) trailing from your coil after winding the Copper Wire around the AA Battery 15 times.
  5. Wrap the trailing ends of wire around your coil two or three times.  This will hold the coil in place (its important to wrap the ends directly across from each other; balance is key in creating a good motor)

Step 3: Sanding the Ends

  1. The two ends that are trailing off the completed coil need to have the enamel sanded off of the Copper Wire (this is extremely important because the more enamel you remove the better electrical connection you are able to make between the AA Battery and the Motor).
  2. (This step is even more important than the first) Start by sanding only ONE SIDEof the trailing ends of Copper Wire. (Only ONE SIDE)
  3.  The other trailing end of Copper Wire needs to have all of the enamel completely sanded off.  (Remember, the more wire you expose the better the connection)


Step 4: Building a Rig to Hold the Coil (part 1)

  1. To begin building a Rig to hold your Coil you need to first creat two tiny shelves using two Paper Clips.
  2.  Bend one of your Paper Clips into an "L" shape.
  3. Using a pair of Needle Nose Pliers bend one of the ends of the Paper Clip up to form a shelf.
  4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3.
  5. Cut or find a small piece of wood roughly 3 inches long.  (3" 1X2 piece of wood seems to work the best)
  6. Place your Paper Clip shelves onto your piece of wood to see if they are stable and even (some adjustments may be required)

Step 5: Building a Rig to Hold the Coil (part 2)

  1. Cut a 1ft length of Insulated Wire.
  2. Cut your length of wire in half.
  3. Use your Wire Strippers to remove a small portion of plastic insulation from both ends of your Insulated Wire.
  4. Wrap the exposed end of Insulated Wire around one of your Paper Clip shelves.
  5. Use your Staple Gun to mount your Paper Clip Shelf with attached Insulated Wire to the Block of Wood. (You may have to use more than one staple to secure the Paper Clip to the wood)
  6. Repeat Steps 3 through 5. 

Step 6: Attaching the Magnet

  1. Be careful mounting your Neodymium Magnet to your Rig, they are very powerful magnets.
  2. You want to Mount the Magnet directly in the middle of the two Paper Clip Shelves.
  3. Use your Hot Glue gun to attach the Magnet in the ideal spot.  This will keep the Magnet in place.

Step 7: Testing Your Motor

  1. Rest your Copper Coil onto the Paper Clip Shelves (make sure that the exposed ends of the Copper Coil are making contact with the Paper Clips).
  2. Attach the ends of your exposed insulated wires to the ends of your AA Battery (Be careful with this step because the Battery can sometimes get Hot, it helps to tape the exposed wires to the Battery).
  3. The Copper Coil may start spinning on its own, but it may require a nudge before it starts spinning.
  4. If your Copper Coil does not continue spinning you may need to sand the ends of the Copper Coil better, you may need to adjust the Coil to be more balanced, you may need to adjust your Paper Clip Shelves to place the Coil closer to the Magnet, you may need to attach the Exposed ends of the Insulated Wire to the Battery, you may need to etc...Adjustment while Testing is the key to creating a proper working Motor.
  5. Do not give up, keep trying till it works.

Step 8: Resources

Here is some general information on Electric Motors: http://www.answers.com/topic/electric-motor

Wondering where to find some of the Materials used in this Project:

Copper Wire
http://www.amazon.com/Magnet-Enameled-Copper-0-0109-Diameter/dp/B000IJYRQQ/ref=pd_sbs_indust_2



Insulated Wire
http://www.amazon.com/Wire-Roll-Insulated-Kynar-Blue/dp/B000PDO1B6/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1313764918&sr=1-1


Neodymium Magnets
http://www.amazon.com/Applied-Magnets-Earth-Neodymium-Discs/dp/B0012AUU84/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1313765699&sr=1-1