Supplies:
Ruler
Scissors
Wooden skewer - 1
Jumbo craft sticks (5.9 in X 0.67in) - 10
Regular sized craft sticks (4.5 in long) - 12
Tip: 100 pack at the dollar store
Empty Gatorade bottle with lid and one extra lid.
Tip: A water bottle will work but a Gatorade bottle is sturdier.
Flexible straws - 2
Water bottle caps - 8
Drill and bits, Exacto knife, or soldering tool - to place holes in bottle for straws and wheel stand
Tip: ¼ mm bit to place holes in the bottle and 9/64 mm bit for wheel stand.
Hot glue gun and glue sticks or waterproof White Gorilla Glue
Tip: Aleen’s Tacky Glue does not hold up in the water or E6000 craft glue.
Pan (9 in. x 11 in.) - 1
Tip: Roasting pans from the dollar store will work or a glass 9 in. x 11 in. pyrex dish.
Water pitcher
Last but not least… WATER!!!
Ruler
Scissors
Wooden skewer - 1
Jumbo craft sticks (5.9 in X 0.67in) - 10
Regular sized craft sticks (4.5 in long) - 12
Tip: 100 pack at the dollar store
Empty Gatorade bottle with lid and one extra lid.
Tip: A water bottle will work but a Gatorade bottle is sturdier.
Flexible straws - 2
Water bottle caps - 8
Drill and bits, Exacto knife, or soldering tool - to place holes in bottle for straws and wheel stand
Tip: ¼ mm bit to place holes in the bottle and 9/64 mm bit for wheel stand.
Hot glue gun and glue sticks or waterproof White Gorilla Glue
Tip: Aleen’s Tacky Glue does not hold up in the water or E6000 craft glue.
Pan (9 in. x 11 in.) - 1
Tip: Roasting pans from the dollar store will work or a glass 9 in. x 11 in. pyrex dish.
Water pitcher
Last but not least… WATER!!!
Directions:
Take eight of the 4 ½ inch craft sticks; remove the rounded ends by cutting straight as possible ¼ inch from each side of the stick.
These will be the sidewalls of the platform.
Take three of the jumbo 6-inch craft sicks; divide them in half then remove each rounded end so there are six 2 ½ inch pieces with flat straight ends.
These will be braces for the platform.
Take the remaining four 4 ½ inch craft sticks and cut them in half.
These will be the paddles for the wheel.
Take two of the 6-inch crafts sticks and use a drill to make a hole with the 9/64 mm bit, ¼ inch from the rounded tip.
This will be holding the skewer for the wheel.
Building the wheel:
Take the wooden skewer and cut it to 5 inches.
Take the 9/64 mm bit and drill a hole in the center of one of the Gatorade caps.
Place the wooden skewer in the center of the cap so the wheel turns. It should fit snugly.
Take the same Gatorade cap with the hole in the center and notch out the sides of the cap to fit the craft sticks that have been cut in half. An Exacto knife works well.
Tip: The 20 oz. Gatorade cap has eight small white tabs measured exactly where the notches should be; making eight equally spaced notches for the wheel paddles.
Place the eight small craft sticks that have been cut in half into each of the notches on the cap; the flat end towards the center of the cap. These are the paddles.
Glue each of the eight water bottle caps to the paddles all facing the same direction; a hot glue gun or waterproof glue works best. *Make sure the water bottle caps are not hanging off the edge of the craft stick; they will bump the platform if they are.
If the paddles are not fitting snugly into the notches add glue to hold them in place. Set aside to dry.
Take the wooden skewer and cut it to 5 inches.
Take the 9/64 mm bit and drill a hole in the center of one of the Gatorade caps.
Place the wooden skewer in the center of the cap so the wheel turns. It should fit snugly.
Take the same Gatorade cap with the hole in the center and notch out the sides of the cap to fit the craft sticks that have been cut in half. An Exacto knife works well.
Tip: The 20 oz. Gatorade cap has eight small white tabs measured exactly where the notches should be; making eight equally spaced notches for the wheel paddles.
Place the eight small craft sticks that have been cut in half into each of the notches on the cap; the flat end towards the center of the cap. These are the paddles.
Glue each of the eight water bottle caps to the paddles all facing the same direction; a hot glue gun or waterproof glue works best. *Make sure the water bottle caps are not hanging off the edge of the craft stick; they will bump the platform if they are.
If the paddles are not fitting snugly into the notches add glue to hold them in place. Set aside to dry.
Building the platform:
Gather the eight 4-inch small craft sticks (rounded ends removed), the two 6-inch jumbo craft sticks, the two 6-inch jumbo craft sticks with holes, and four 2 ½ in. jumbo crafts sticks (rounded ends removed).
Place two of the 4-inch small craft sticks exactly 2 ½ inches apart and glue the 2 ½ inch jumbo stick to the top and bottom to form a frame for the front and back of the platform walls.
Place two of the 4-inch small crafts sticks exactly 2 ½ inches apart and glue the long jumbo 6-inch craft stick to the bottom of the frame (this is for balance). Glue the 6-in jumbo stick with a hole in it to the top of the frame. Make sure the tip of the rounded end of the 6-inch crafts stick is flush to the edge of the 4-inch small craft stick. These jumbo sticks need to align perfectly to hold the wheel. This will be a sidewall to the platform.
Repeat above for the opposite wall. The 6- inch jumbo craft sticks should be on the outside of the frame. *Make certain to align the 6-inch jumbo sticks so the holes are across from each other.
Glue along the edges of each wall to form a box. Carefully aligning the 6-inch sticks to fit the skewer for the wheel.
Take four uncut 6-inch jumbo craft sticks, glue them to the top of the box to form the platform.
Place the wheel through the holes in the 6-inch jumbo craft sticks.
Take the empty Gatorade bottle; place a hole (large enough to fit a straw) at the bottom of the bottle.
Take a flexible straw; cut just below the flexible part to form approximately a 2-inch section of a straw. Place the non-flexible side inside the Gatorade bottle hole. Secure it with glue if needed. This will be where the water comes out to turn the wheel. The flexible part is nice to adjust the water direction.
Place the platform and wheel in the roasting pan (or 9 in. x 11 in. glass dish). Place the Gatorade bottle on the platform.
Fill the water pitcher with water. Pour the water into the top of the Gatorade bottle; water will flow, spinning the wheel.
The spinning of the wheel will generate force to turn a magnet inside a copper coil producing electricity!
What ideas or materials can you think of to build a mill to produce electricity?
Gather the eight 4-inch small craft sticks (rounded ends removed), the two 6-inch jumbo craft sticks, the two 6-inch jumbo craft sticks with holes, and four 2 ½ in. jumbo crafts sticks (rounded ends removed).
Place two of the 4-inch small craft sticks exactly 2 ½ inches apart and glue the 2 ½ inch jumbo stick to the top and bottom to form a frame for the front and back of the platform walls.
Place two of the 4-inch small crafts sticks exactly 2 ½ inches apart and glue the long jumbo 6-inch craft stick to the bottom of the frame (this is for balance). Glue the 6-in jumbo stick with a hole in it to the top of the frame. Make sure the tip of the rounded end of the 6-inch crafts stick is flush to the edge of the 4-inch small craft stick. These jumbo sticks need to align perfectly to hold the wheel. This will be a sidewall to the platform.
Repeat above for the opposite wall. The 6- inch jumbo craft sticks should be on the outside of the frame. *Make certain to align the 6-inch jumbo sticks so the holes are across from each other.
Glue along the edges of each wall to form a box. Carefully aligning the 6-inch sticks to fit the skewer for the wheel.
Take four uncut 6-inch jumbo craft sticks, glue them to the top of the box to form the platform.
Place the wheel through the holes in the 6-inch jumbo craft sticks.
Take the empty Gatorade bottle; place a hole (large enough to fit a straw) at the bottom of the bottle.
Take a flexible straw; cut just below the flexible part to form approximately a 2-inch section of a straw. Place the non-flexible side inside the Gatorade bottle hole. Secure it with glue if needed. This will be where the water comes out to turn the wheel. The flexible part is nice to adjust the water direction.
Place the platform and wheel in the roasting pan (or 9 in. x 11 in. glass dish). Place the Gatorade bottle on the platform.
Fill the water pitcher with water. Pour the water into the top of the Gatorade bottle; water will flow, spinning the wheel.
The spinning of the wheel will generate force to turn a magnet inside a copper coil producing electricity!
What ideas or materials can you think of to build a mill to produce electricity?