Blade station templates for "otherpower" style blades?

[Wolvenar]

Nice work Chris.

I had built a bed for a 3d table kind of like JAMS previous setup and most of the sliders, and worm drives setup..

But that's as far as I ever went on that project.
I got myself to involved in many other things to take the time to learn the rest of what I needed to know to finish.

Maybe someday..
I'll take some pics if i ever get it un-buried.

[DanB]

Lots of good ideas here  I think.
I think that blades are really forgiving *you can do lots of stuff and itll probably work fine*
I've played only a little bit with royall fabrications and that stuff works great.  (but it's hard to shut down  by shorting that alternator in my experience and that's only based on 1 experience)

12 foot blades we've built in the past worked fine -  perhaps not the most efficient but fine.  (Tom... you get the award for first failure of that certain machine!)

Tod H from Bergey has suggested a bit of a compromise blade, easier to care and maybe more efficient....  I only watched it for a bit of time and have no data but it maybe good stuff, seems to work great.  (seems, meaning..... no real data, only watching the machine and some intuition)

At any rate Tom, glad to try to help if you like.... mostly I'd just be a grunt in exchange for some good food and company and maybe I could bring some blades.

[tomw]

(Tom... you get the award for first failure of that certain machine!)

Certainly NOT a fault of the machine but the support structure failed. One turnbuckle bolt either broke or worked loose and the lifting side anchor guy attachment failed. No bolt, nut or pieces found with a magnetic search of the area but that doesn't mean much in the high weeds there so no good clues why there is no bolt in that connection now.

You don't have to work for your dinner here, just show up. Advance notice appreciated, so we can add some water to the soup, of course. 

Tom

Tom

[ChrisOlson]

Still building on my blade carving machine.  I got a movie now:

--
Chris

[Wolvenar]

Wow its downright scary how much my rig looks like yours, only mine has a few more roller points and worm drive.

[ChrisOlson]

I guess I haven't seen yours.

Machining the airfoil guide cams for a NACA4412 is an interesting problem.  I printed out a 1:1 scale image of the NACA4412 and plotted the curves of the cam required to get the router carrier to follow the airfoil shape at the router bit.  I milled a cam out on the Bridgeport and the actual cam doesn't look anything like the airfoil shape.  But it DOES work.
--
Chris

[bj]

   Kind of like cam grinder profile Chris?  They sure don't look like the finished product either.  End product
is all that counts though.

[ChrisOlson]

This is the new 3.5 meter rotor with blades made on my new machine for one of my (what was) 3.2 meter turbines.  I was going to try to get the blades primed on this thing today and I never got to it.





--
Chris

[Wolvenar]

Those look great Chris.
Any video of it in action?

[tomw]

They look so good I commissioned a set for my twelve footer that got smashed.

 

Tom

[ChrisOlson]

No video yet.  Not even any paint on my new blades yet (although I did get them primed last night about midnight).  I'm building two sets of blades for another guy that wants some, TomW needs a set (his is next after that), and this morning I ended up with yet another set to build.

Ever heard the term "busier than a cat coverin' s&!t"?

I ordered some Clear Heart grade BC Western Red Cedar from Prestige Mills in British Columbia, Canada to make blades from.  That stuff is supposed to be here on Friday.  You don't even want to know what that stuff costs.
--
Chris

[Dave B.]

Way to go Chris ! You have at least another order and I'll be getting back with you on the details in an email soon. Like others, I can't wait to see these flying and logging "up time". Crank up the tunes and have fun making saw dust, beautiful work !  Dave B.

[97fishmt]

I applaud you Chris,  Now that you have figured out how to carve blades, you have the whole package going.

You will be busier than that cat!  It has been fun watching your progress over the years and now I'll bet you"ll
try and get back to the basics and offer the many that will come knocking an economical alternator, blade package.

You are already a household name to all with the wind addiction.

Thanks for such great entertainment over the years,  I wish I had your energy to get things done.
(you'll love working with cedar and you'll be amazed at the power gain you'll get with the blades being so lite.)

Mike

[ChrisOlson]

Wind power has been one of my great passions since watching my grandpa's 6 foot Wincharger run as a kid.

Got the blades on the drying rack with fresh paint on them.  I like this style blade - long and slender, reminds me of a Jacobs blade.



Had to bolt a 1/4" x 1-1/2" piece of steel to the root of one blade to balance the rotor.  In a couple days, after they dry good, I hope to get them on my turbine.
--
Chris

[ChrisOlson]

I managed to get those blades bolted on a couple days ago.  They run as good as they look and got enough torque to cut the turbine in at 5 mph wind speed.

--
Chris