Eggdrop machine

Here are some pictures of the eggdrop machine I made.

Windmill construction

I am currently in the process of constructing a windmill. Through the experience I gain, I hope to prepare myself to become the engineer and inventor that I want to be.

For starters, in this construction, I used only the common, everyday materials. I did not buy any already-prepared parts, such as ball bearings. Also, I abstained from the use of power tools entirely. These three setbacks are intended to make thing more challenging, and to come up with more creative and new solutions.

The following photos show the progress so far, as well as the method of construction used.

  

For the sweeps of the windmill, I used 24 gauge wire and a pampas grass reed to make a frame. 

Here is the frame in detail

 

Next, I apply the first layer of paper to fix the shape of the frame

Finally, applying the rigid outer shell of construction paper. This method of making the sweeps of a windmill has the advantage of being both strong and lightweight. 

  

A view of four sweeps in various stages of construction.

After I finished all four sweeps, I proceeded to make one of the two bearings that would hold the wind shaft, or axel, of the turbine. The steps to construction are as follows: 

  

Layering the cardboard. 

  

After layering cardboard (only halfway in this photo) with two different diameters, I placed in the bottle caps I used in the place of traditional ball bearings. 

  

These bottle cap bearings fit around a cardboard cylinder (previously the cylinder in the center of a very large roll of cellophane wrap), and the rotate around it. 

This is how I will fix the bottle caps into the cardboard

Fixing each bearing into the cardboard body...

Finally, I fix each bottle cap bearing into place by bending the wire.