How to Prepare a Working Model of a Windmill

Building a working scale-model of a windmill is a great craft project for school or just for fun to show how the spinning blades convert wind into energy. Once you've got your windmill assembled, you should be able to light a bulb. Here are the steps for assembling your very own model windmill. Now all you need is a tiny Don Quixote.

Steps

1.       Build the windmill tower. The tower will serve as the base of your windmill and can be crafted from anything that will hold it solid and steady, from wood beams to a weighted quart jug.

• The tower must be tall enough to keep the blades of the windmill from touching the ground as they spin. This will also depend on the length of your blades.
• For a traditional looking Dutch-style windmill, you can cover the base in cardboard, construction paper, or even make bricks from sugar cubes to make it resemble a miniature structure. This is also a means for concealing the DC motor inside the windmill for a more attractive finished model.

2.      Build the windmill blades. The blades will catch air and spin to power your windmill. They should be fairly light and positioned on a slight angle to better catch wind.

• Just like the tower, the blades can be crafted from a variety of materials depending on what you have on hand and the look you are trying to achieve.
• Pre-made blades could be used from a small fan or a pinwheel toy. You could cut blades in your preferred shape from cardboard or balsa wood. For the authentic windmill look, bend the blade shape out of wire, then cover them with tissue paper or a lightweight fabric.
• The blades must be joined in the center around an object that can be mounted onto the spindle of your DC motor (basically functioning like a wheel on an axel). This could be a wooden disk with a center hole drilled in, or even a piece of cork.
• Most model windmills utilize 4 evenly spaced blades.

3.      Attach the DC motor. These small, direct-current motors can be purchased from most electronics stores or even removed from a motorized toy if you're handy. The size of the motor will depend on the size of your windmill, but most hobby-size motors are 1.5 to 4.5 volts. When attached to a windmill at the spindle, the spinning blades create an electrical current within the motor. If the motor is wired to a light bulb (and if you are creating enough electricity) the bulb will light up.

• Securely mount the DC motor to the top of the windmill's tower with the spindle facing forward and extending over the front edge. You may need to extend the length of the spindle (or replace it with a longer axel) so that your blades can spin freely without hitting the tower.

4.      Attach the windmill blades. The blades will be mounted onto the spindle (metal point) of the DC motor. The mounting must hold the spindle securely so that it spins smoothly as the blades turn.

5.      Connect the DC motor to an LED light. This will allow the electricity generated in the motor to light up the LED.

• Use two wires (preferably copper at least 6 inches (15 cm) in length). Connect each wire separately to the two leads on the back of the motor. Each lead should have one wire connected to it.
• Connect the other end of the wires to the two ends of an LED light, with one connected to the negative terminal and the other connected to the positive terminal.
• Test the connection by quickly spinning the blades of the windmill to light up the LED.

6.      Set up your windmill. Place it in a windy area (keeping it securely mounted so it doesn't blow over), or in front of a fan and watch it work!