# Static electricity/Howard Community College/Fall2012/p2-502-mw
### Problem Statement

To build a new static electricity generator and harness enough static electricity to make an aluminum triangle float.

### Team Members

Renkenberger Waters Holcomb McGivern

### Summary

Over the last four weeks we got the ball rolling on the static project. We compiled a materials list for what is needed to create the static machine with the dimensions we designed. We also built a simple bottle demonstration that has us crank the generator and will then spin the bottles. We made progress in getting the lifter project to float, and found that the triangle needs to be redesigned so that it can actually be lifted, because currently it is too heavy. We also designed and constructed two leyden jars.

### Story
#### First Weekend

| Pros/Cons | Wimhurst Machine | Bonetti Machine (No Sectors) |
| Pros | 1) Self starting 2) Plans available 3) Program to aid design availible | 1) Less complex to build 2) Less voltage leakage 3) Plans available |
| Cons | 1) More complex to build 2) More voltage leakage | 1) Not self starting |
We found a complete online tutorial for building a wimhurst machine. [here] We also found a great site about the history of static machines and a lot of information about them [here] Lastly we examined a tutorial on charging a particle by induction to better understand how static electricity generators work.

##### Second Week Tasks

We will dismantle a roller blade for the wheels, build a Leyden jar, build a list of materials, make a list a list of interesting static electricity demonstrations, and continue working on getting the aluminum lifter to float.

#### Second Weekend

We found the top ten most interesting experiments involving electrostatic generators and put them in an excel so our fellow engineering students could vote on which experiment they would like to see, which can be found here.
We gathered information on leyden jar safety protocols and found a tutorial for a safe model.
We looked up safety procedures for the lifter projects and determined the different ways to make the triangle levitate.
Which [| demonstration] should we prepare?
| Materials List | Dimensions/Quantity | Details |
| Polycarbonate or acrylic | 40" length by 20" height (makes two disks) | |
| Foam Board | 20"x20" | Used to help put sectors on acrylic (prevents breakage). |
| Fiber glass rods | 1 | used as an axle. |
| Fluorescent lamp protector sleeve | 1 sleeve | For Layden Jars |
| Two pulleys | same size 12cm diameter | Must be plastic |
| Two Inline skate wheels | 1/4" grove cut into wheel | |
| Circular Cutting Tool | able to cut a 9" radius | Probably have in shop |
| Sand paper | | 400 Grit (Very Fine) |
| Crosscut bastard file | 1/4" | |
| Step drill bit | 1 bit | Able to make hole size 5/16" |
| X-Acto knife and scissors | | |
| Milk jug | 1 jug | Used to make sector templates |
| Aluminum Tape | 1 roll | Used to make sectors |
| staircase balusters (vertical support) | 2 of them. about 14" tall | |
| knick-knack shelf kit (base) | 3/4" board (thick) | |
| crank | larger is better | To turn machine |
| Brazing rod | | |
| Driveway Marker rod | | |
| Tubing | | Copper for collection |
| Lamp chain pull balls | | |
| Lamp Finials | 4 | Put at the ends of the tubing |
| Pipe hangers | 2 of them | |
| Rubber feet | 6 of them | For base bottom |
| Washers | | |
| O-ring belts | | Length depends on pulley distance and size |
| Nuts | 2 | |
| Wood screws | | |
| Drywall screws | | |

#### Third Week Tasks

We are going to start building a leyden jar, locate the materials needed for the wimshurst machine on the web and link to them, get the triangle lifter to levitate, and create a materials list for the top three electrostatic experiments.

#### Week Three Results

We began construction on the first leyden jar and made plans for the a second larger leyden jar. Started building an additional materials list for the wimhurst pet bottle experiment, dancing balls experiment, and triangle lifter experiment, which can be found here.
| Materials List | Dimensions/Quantity | Details | Link/Sku |
| Polycarbonate or acrylic | 40" length by 20" height (makes two disks) | OPTIX 4' x 2' Clear Acrylic Sheet Item #: 11220 Model #: 11G0075A | [Lowes] |
| Foam Board | 20"x20" | Used to help put sectors on acrylic (prevents breakage). | Insulfoam 3/4-in x 2-ft x 4-ft Expanded Polystyrene Insulated Sheathing [Lowes] |
| Fiber glass rods | 1 | used as an axle. | Blazer International Driveway Marker 48 in. Round Orange Fiberglass Rod Model # 381ODM Internet # 202498049 [Home Depot] |
| Fluorescent lamp protector sleeve | 1 sleeve | For Layden Jars | 48 in. - T12 - American PLAS-100275 Clear - Tube Guard with End Caps - Protective Lamp Sleeve [1000bulbs.com] |
| Two pulleys | same size 12cm diameter | Must be plastic | Blue Hawk 5-in Clothesline Pulley Item #: 349258 Model #: 7085BK [Lowes] |
| Two Inline skate wheels | 1/4" grove cut into wheel | used for rotating acrylic disks (axles) | Already have |
| Circular Cutting Tool | able to cut a 9" radius | n/a | Probably have in shop |
| Sand paper | 1 pack | 400 Grit (Very Fine) | 3M 5-Pack 400-Grit 3-5/87-in W x 9-in L Wet or Dry Sandpaper Item #: 283309 Model #: 5920ES [Lowes] |
| Crosscut bastard file | 1/4" | used to cut grove in skate wheels | Probably have in shop |
| Step drill bit | 1 bit | Able to make hole size 5/16" | Probably have in shop |
| X-Acto knife and scissors | cutting | general tool | Probably have in shop |
| Milk jug | 1 jug | Used to make sector templates | Probably have in shop |
| Aluminum Tape | 1 roll | Used to make sectors | Reflectix 2-in x 30-ft Reflective Foil Tape Item #: 135512 Model #: FT210 [Lowes] |
| staircase balusters (vertical support) | 2 of them. about 14" tall | Probably have materials in shop | |
| knick-knack shelf kit | 3/4" board (thick) | used for base | Probably have in shop |
| crank | larger is better | To turn machine | Prime-Line 3/8-in White Crank Item #: 195778 Model #: H 3713 [Lowes] |
| Brazing rod | enough for two 18 inch lengths | used to make grounding mechanism | Probably have in shop |
| Lamp chain pull balls | at least 4 | ends for static discharge lines and tubing | Probably have in shop |
| Lamp Finials | 4 | Put at the ends of the tubing | Probably have in shop |
| Pipe hangers | 2 of them | AMERICAN VALVE 5-Pack .5-in dia. x 6-ft L Copper-Plated malleable Iron Wire Tubing Hook | Item #: 301317 Model #: AV301317 [Lowes] |
| Rubber feet | 6 of them | For base bottom | Probably have in shop |
| Washers | Several | | Probably have in shop |
| O-ring belts | 2 betls or enough to make 2 belts | Length depends on pulley distance and size | High-Performance Urethane Round Belting, 1/8 inch Diameter, 10 ft Length, Clear [Amazon] |
| Nuts | 2 | | Probably have in shop |
| Wood screws | several | depends on other materials used | Probably have in shop |
| Drywall screws | several | depends on other materials used | Probably have in shop |

##### Weekend Three Tasks

Build a Leyden jar, complete team poster, levitate the triangle, construct the PET bottle motor experiment.

#### Week Four Results

Started materials lists and information for 3 experiments. These lists can be found in the materials section.

### Material List

    See table under week three
    All items still need to be acquired for the project. A cost estimate is unknown.
    1) Wimshurst PET Bottle Motor experiment ($10)
    2) Dancing Balls experiment ($8)
    3) Triangle Lifter experiment ($3)

### Software List

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) 2.8

### Time

38 Hours

### Tutorials

PET Bottle Static Motor

### Next Steps

    Materials: Items on the materials list still need to be acquired. The main list is solely for the planned whimhurst machine.
    Experiment Set Up: Several other experiments have been proposed and materials lists put together. These items need to be acquired and set up for demonstration
    Demonstration Decision: A survey has been created and still needs to be distributed and the results analyzed via statistical analysis. Professor Forester would be the ideal place to start on this part of the project.
    Machine Construction: Materials list has already been created. The team would need to take gathered materials and being machine construction.