Spinny Winny Recycley Thingy Scrap Metal Art

I absolutely hate people chucking perfectly good stuff away, I am a junk magnet (much to my wifes chagrin) but what must be done, must be done.

I am going to try to do this using tools most people will have, so no welding, lathes etc ( I have access to most of these things but not everyone does)

Step 1: Recycle That !!

I was on the way in to work one morning and I saw this poor, forlorn, abandoned light fitting at the side of the road, I ignored it and carried on to my dentist appointment but an hour later it was still there!

It was fate, the stars coming into alignment or someother such rubbish -- so into the back of the car it went!!

It is made of stainless steel so I should be able to use it for something.

Step 2: So What Was I Going to Do With It?

Good Question!

Initially I had no idea, I was thinking a water feature or something, but really was open to ideas and I would sleep on it (looks uncomfortable!)

I got it home and took all the unnecessary bits off of it.

This was all the glass shades, light bulbs and wiring.

So I have ended up with a bunch of 12v bulbs and a 240/12v transformer which I am sure that I will use at some point in the future.

I tightened up all the internal bolts and nuts etc and am ready to transform it.

Step 3: Scrap Stainless

I had a root around in the scrap bin at my wifes work and found a bunch of stainless steel sheet offcuts so I cut out some equilateral triangles from it.

I nipped the sharp points off as I am clumsy and would probably stab myself.

Now I could have cut these out with a hacksaw or jigsaw, but as I had use of a guillotine I used that.

I also bought some bearings, these would have been about $5 each in NZ but I found a chinese seller on ebay and bought the via the UK at 57 pence each.

Each one of these was centered in one of the truncated triangles

Step 4: Attaching the Bearing Without Welding It

The first picture shows the process of attaching the bearings to the triangles

1. Centre bearing on triangle

2.Drill a hole and cut 6 slots

3.Bend slots out a bit

4.Locate piece of cut off gas pipe at rear

5. Press in bearing

6. Rear view of pressed in bearing

Step 5: Those Steps in a Little More Detail

I used a jigsaw to cut the 6 slots, originally I used a hacksaw but this was a bit time consuming as you had to dismount the blade for each one.

I used a small adjustable spanner to start bending the tabs out in order to accurately locate the back "gaspipe" section

I then used the vice to press in the bearing into the hole and locate the tabs and bearing inside the pipe

Step 6: Spinners Complete

All ready for the next stage.

Step 7: Making the Propellors

Back to the stainless steel sheets, I am going to make propellors (and hopefully the will spin as opposed to clatter off each other!)

First I made a template out of plywood, a little smaller than the finished size I want, this is so I get consistency(ish) of size

Once made I clamped the template to a piece of stainless

Step 8: Cutting Out

Now these could be cut out using a handsaw, jigsaw or even a bandsaw, but because

a) I am lazy

b) it makes a lot of noise and my neighbour is peeing me off with his drumkit

and c) because I have one

I used my nibbler

one done 29 to go!

Step 9: Bend Me, Shake Me, Anyway You Want Me!!

Using the vice I put a couple of bends in the blades so that when all assembled they will (hopefully) catch the wind and rotate

Step 10: Assembly

I drilled and bolted each spinner to 3 blades (once I know if it works I will probably change the bolts for pop rivets) and put the first one onto the light fitting base

9 more to make (or 27 blades if you prefer)

Step 11: Suddenly -- Lots More Propellors!!

I made a whole bunch more (same as above, I actually used my Jigsaw with a metal cutting blade as I broke the nibbler!!)

They were then assembled on each arm, I still have 2 to make but ran out of stainless steel so back in the skip I go)

We also had a 4 day power cut due to a Cat 2 Hurricane passing through, so as I had no access to electricity I decided to make the mounting stand as I could do that with hand and battery tools.

Step 12: The Stand

I cut out a circular base to fit inside the Stainless steel base and a square table for it tho mount on, I also used an old fence post as the upright, these were all planed and sanded an give a coat of preservative (decking oil)

Step 13: Bolting It All Together and Putting It in the Ground

Unfortunately one of the internal fittings broke while I was bolting it all together, but "panic ye not", I removed all of the internals and bought a piece of threaded bar that would fit down the centre and using several nuts bolted everything together.

I then dug a hole with my post hole borer and mounted it in the ground.

Once it was all tamped down I cut off the excess threaded bar.

And so there it is.

Total cost was Five pounds 70 pence for the 10 bearings (about NZ$10) and NZ$16 for the stainless threaded bar,

It spins, it whirrs and it will probably mince a chicken if one decides to fly through, and as a bonus it also acts as a bird scarer near my vegetable beds.

I have entered it in the Trash to Treasure contest and would appreciate your votes (I fancy a big ass TV I can see from outer space!! ;-) )