windmill assembly instructions - Thingiverse
WINDMILL ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS Parts required: 1 x Bottom Fin (printable) 2-4 x Top Fin (printable) 1 x Centre Rod (printable) 1 x Base (printable) 2mm LED Lights 1 x Electric Motor 24AWG Wire (or other suitably thin wire) Thin Plastic sheet or thin Cardboard Soldering Iron Glue Instructions: 1.
Print out the required parts. Before proceeding, determine how many levels you wish to have on your windmill. Print out the number of ‘Top Fins’ accordingly.
2.
Solder an 80mm length of wire onto the LEDs. Be careful to note the orientation of the LED, ensure the positive wire is on the same side of all the LEDs (some LEDs will have a flat mark to indicate which side is which). Assemble 3 LEDs per ‘Top Fin’ printed.
3.
Fit the LED’s into the holes at the end of the top fins, run the wire in the recess in the top fin. Glue down the wire (I found bluetack to be very useful in holding the wire while the glue set.) Repeat this step for all the ‘Top Fins’ printed. Solder the positive wire and negative wires together in parallel. (Ensure positives are all soldered to other positive and negative are all soldered to other negatives)
4.
Slide the ‘top fins’ onto the ‘centre rod’ in a roughly even arrangement (wires should be on the bottom of the ‘top fins’, below image is shown upside down). Using another wire, connect the positves and negatives from each layer together. The two wires running up the lenght of the ‘centre rod’ should neatly fit in the slot running the lenght of the ‘centre rod’. I have wrapped the ‘centre rod’ in electrical tape to neaten it up further. Glue ‘top fins’ in place.
5.
Secure the ‘bottom fin’ and ‘base’ to the motor. I have used a brushless motor for this project because it makes a nice ‘flashing’ effect and has an easy flat mount, however a stadard brushed motor will work just as well.
6.
Insert the ‘centre rod’ into the ‘bottom fin’ and glue in place. Solder the wires from the LEDs to the wires (or terminals) on the motor. (If you are using a brushed motor, the LEDs will only turn on when the motor is spinning in one direction, so ensure it is the right direction before finalising the project. If the LEDs don’t light up, simply reverse the wires on the motor) A quick wiring diagram is shown below, with a brushless motor, only 2 of the 3 wires need to be connected. (Alternatively if you connect different layers to differnt wires you might get some interesting results, something i have been meaning to try)
7.
Carefully slide thin plastic sheets into the slots in the ‘top fins’ and ‘bottom fin’. Glue into place. (Cutting a small corner off the sheet makes it easier to slide through the slots in the fins)
Angled Cut
Print out the required parts. Before proceeding, determine how many levels you wish to have on your windmill. Print out the number of ‘Top Fins’ accordingly.
2.
Solder an 80mm length of wire onto the LEDs. Be careful to note the orientation of the LED, ensure the positive wire is on the same side of all the LEDs (some LEDs will have a flat mark to indicate which side is which). Assemble 3 LEDs per ‘Top Fin’ printed.
3.
Fit the LED’s into the holes at the end of the top fins, run the wire in the recess in the top fin. Glue down the wire (I found bluetack to be very useful in holding the wire while the glue set.) Repeat this step for all the ‘Top Fins’ printed. Solder the positive wire and negative wires together in parallel. (Ensure positives are all soldered to other positive and negative are all soldered to other negatives)
4.
Slide the ‘top fins’ onto the ‘centre rod’ in a roughly even arrangement (wires should be on the bottom of the ‘top fins’, below image is shown upside down). Using another wire, connect the positves and negatives from each layer together. The two wires running up the lenght of the ‘centre rod’ should neatly fit in the slot running the lenght of the ‘centre rod’. I have wrapped the ‘centre rod’ in electrical tape to neaten it up further. Glue ‘top fins’ in place.
5.
Secure the ‘bottom fin’ and ‘base’ to the motor. I have used a brushless motor for this project because it makes a nice ‘flashing’ effect and has an easy flat mount, however a stadard brushed motor will work just as well.
6.
Insert the ‘centre rod’ into the ‘bottom fin’ and glue in place. Solder the wires from the LEDs to the wires (or terminals) on the motor. (If you are using a brushed motor, the LEDs will only turn on when the motor is spinning in one direction, so ensure it is the right direction before finalising the project. If the LEDs don’t light up, simply reverse the wires on the motor) A quick wiring diagram is shown below, with a brushless motor, only 2 of the 3 wires need to be connected. (Alternatively if you connect different layers to differnt wires you might get some interesting results, something i have been meaning to try)
7.
Carefully slide thin plastic sheets into the slots in the ‘top fins’ and ‘bottom fin’. Glue into place. (Cutting a small corner off the sheet makes it easier to slide through the slots in the fins)
Angled Cut
