Miniature Water Wheel Winch

This project is a small demonstration of how water can be used as a tool without people needing to do anything. The water wheel will use the force of the water pushed against it to pull along an object without needing aid from any individual. To construct the project you will need the following:

Supplies

- A PVC vinyl sign board
- A protractor
- A Ruler
- A pencil/sharpie
- A pair metal shears
- A box cutter
- A hot glue gun
- A picture mounting hook
- Yarn
- Painter’s mixing stick

Step 1: Tracing Out the Main Wheel

Place the protractor on the fluted vinyl board and trace a full 180 degrees, then flip it and trace another 180 degrees till both hemispheres of the circle connect.

Step 2: Cutting Out the Wheel

Carefully score along the line and then cut deeper into the board until the wheel is fully separated from the board.

Step 3: Drawing Out the Paddles

Measure out 1 inch by 1 inch squares on the board.

Step 4: Cutting the Paddles

Score the marked lines and incrementally cut deeper until the paddle is freed from the rest of the board.

Step 5: Cutting Out the Remainder of the Wheel Components

Repeat the previous steps until you have 2 circles and 8 paddles in total.

Step 6: Assembling the Water Wheel

Use the hot glue gun to stick each paddle every 45 degrees on the wheel.

Step 7: Making the Axle

Take the hook and cut off the curved portion roughly around the middle of the curve.
Next, with the pliers bend the remaining segment about 3/4 of the way from the end into a U shape.

Step 8: Feeding the Axle Through the Wheel

Puncture a hole through the middle of the wheel and continue to feed the axle until the cut edge punctures the first lay of the bored.

Step 9: Building the Frame

Take the painter’s mixing stick and cut a 45 degree cut half way along it with the box cutter.

Step 10: Building the Frame

Hot glue the two stick together with the cut edges facing where the bottom would be. Create a support underneath the hole in which the wheel axle will pass through so that the axle does not bend.

Step 11: Cut Out the Base

Sketch a 12 inch by 6 inch rectangle on the board, then cut along it just like how the paddles and wheels were cut.

Step 12: Connecting the Frame to the Base

Using the hot glue gun attach the legs of the frame to the base with the side the wheel will be on facing the inside.

Step 13: Attaching the Yarn

On the inner side part of the axle tie one end of the sting of yarn and secure with hot glue. On the other side add two dollops of hot glue so that the wound end of the string does not slip off while its winding. Then attach the wheel to the frame and tie the other end to the object you want pulled.

Step 14: Watch It in Action

Place under a stream of water and watch it pull whatever you want.