Machines

We are going to learn about machines. How to build them, repair them, how they work, what they are made of.

We differentiate between machines and mechanisms, because we believe that mechanisms deserve a category for themselves, since they have enough entity to do so.

With machines we refer to a set of objects, components and mechanisms that have a specific purpose or objective (transform or create energy, perform work, etc.)

Electrostatic Generators: History of Static Electricity

Electrostatic generator machine from Wimshurst. Electrostatic generators history

The history of science and technology is a constant evolution of discoveries and improvements. A great example of this is electrostatic machines or generators. In this short essay we are going to see the history of electricity chronologically through discoveries related to electrostatics and their technical applications, especially in the form of generators, since it was discovered that rubbing amber attracted certain objects and it was not well known why even the most modern generators that are now obsolete machines that are used for teaching and recreational physics games.

An electrostatic generator is capable of generating high voltages but with very small currents.. They are based on friction, from mechanical energy that we have to contribute to achieve friction in two materials, one part is transformed into heat and the other into electrostatic energy.

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How to make a hypsometer or angle and distance meter

Well call him hypsometer, but I am not very clear that this is a hypsometer, but a tool to measure angles or heights.

According to the RAE a hypsometer is a apparatus for measuring height above sea level based on the boiling point of liquids.

So we will call you angle, distance and height meter waiting for a reader to leave us a comment with the name of this tool.

how to make a hypsometer

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How to make a cotton candy machine

How to make a homemade cotton candy machine

You all will have eaten candyfloss at some fair, but would you like to be able to make them yourself?

Cesar Garcia Trujillo, has sent us the link of this video where it is clearly shown how to make a homemade cotton candy machine

From the operating principle shown in the video we can expand it with a larger engine and a bottle of butane, almost until we get our professional cotton candy machine.

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How to make a magnetic stirrer

For many experiments, on all those related to chemical products, a magnetic stirrer.

So here we bring you how to make a homemade magnetic stirrer

magnetic stirrer with recycled parts

As you can see, we will use a fan from a PC source to which a neodymium magnet from a hard disk is attached.

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How to make a homemade Trebuchet catapult

Sure you like catapults, everyone likes them :) And if we can make them bigger, better than better.

This that you see in the image is a trebuchet catapult. There are hundreds of ways to do this catapult. From gigantic models, as an old medieval castle assault weapon to small and super homemade models

how to make a trebuchet catapult

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How to make a volumetric water pump

Looking for information on hydraulic bombs, I have found the video of this interesting volumetric pump made by Alvaro Morante and students of the UPV (Polytechnic University of Valencia)

Although I did not have the opportunity, I remember that in the subject of Hydraulic machines, a contest for the construction of hydraulic pumps began to be held to see which one could transfer more water in 1 minute. I do not know if the bomb in the video was for this contest of the faculty of Businessbut it made me remember

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Home Electric Go Kart

After watching this video, I am sure you will be looking forward to build your own electric kart. The one in the video is about a homemade electric car, home made as the americans call it

Neurotikart home electric kart demonstration

And if you are not clear, look at how the evolution of this works card to be totally convinced of wanting to do one. 6 battery instead of 4 and that reaches 85 km / h

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Wimshurst Machine

Wimshurst machine electrostatic generator

We have copied the text below that describes the Wimshurst Machine, because there are certain things that when modifying them they can only go to but ;-) The source: Homer's Page, a website that I recommend to all ...

Invented by James Wimshurst, first described in 1883 and used, among other applications, as high voltage source for early X-ray tubes, It is a electrostatic machine, consisting of two discs of insulating material, parallel, very close to each other and arranged on the same axis, in such a way that they can rotate rapidly in the opposite direction.

wimshurst machine plans

Its rotation is carried out with the help of a handlebar that acts on two pairs of pulleys joined by an endless rope, one of them crossed. The outer face of each disc has several metal sectors glued near its edges, which during rotation are rubbed with two flexible metal wire brushes, held at the ends of a metal bow.

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