A list of simple devices/machines I can make during the school holidays?

@pandamon-IHaUP3 • Oct 23, 2024

Oct 23, 2024

1.7K

Hello everybody.
I am a first year engineering student! And I'm looking for some simple machines/devices or anything hands-on that I can make at home during the holidays 😀

Why am I doing this? You may ask.
Well, because I am itching to apply the new things I've learnt in physics and my other science subjects, and I want to well, make things, I am curious about how things work and I would love to start building machines and contraptions and what not! Concepts are best learnt when applied 😛

When I talk about simple devices/machines, I don't mean your average levers, or pulleys, I mean something like a popsicle catapult (which is the only thing I can of right now - so you can see how little ideas I have right now). But not a robot either, because I don't think I'm up for that just quite yet.

Feel free to share your suggestions, the more original (yet practical), the better 😀

Thanks!

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Ankita Katdare

@abrakadabra • Jun 2, 2012

#-Link-Snipped-# We love thy spirit. This thread is itself a mark of a true crazy engineer. Welcome to CE community. Be an active member and keep posting.

Tagging #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# here.

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Ambarish Ganesh

@ambarish-PQyoXg • Jun 2, 2012

Hey Pandamon! 😀

During my First Year, I had devised a mechanical vehicle which had a fan on top, and as the vehicle moved- it rotated the fan along. I thought this would keep me cool during summer! 😛 If interested, let me know, I'll share the trick with you! Have fun! 👍
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pandamon

@pandamon-IHaUP3 • Jun 2, 2012

Punch_a_Tantra
Hey Pandamon! 😀

During my First Year, I had devised a mechanical vehicle which had a fan on top, and as the vehicle moved- it rotated the fan along. I thought this would keep me cool during summer! 😛 If interested, let me know, I'll share the trick with you! Have fun! 👍
Hey there Punch_a_Tantra! 😀

Wow, in your first year? You must have been a whiz kid 😛
And that sounds like one hell of a funky contraption! I would love to give building it a go 😀
Could you share the trick with me 😛?

Thanks alot Punch_a_Tantra! 😀
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pandamon

@pandamon-IHaUP3 • Jun 2, 2012

AbraKaDabra
#-Link-Snipped-# We love thy spirit. This thread is itself a mark of a true crazy engineer. Welcome to CE community. Be an active member and keep posting.

Tagging #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# here.
Thanks for the CrazyEngineers Welcome AbraKaDabra 😀
I really do feel I will find my place here 😛

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Ambarish Ganesh

@ambarish-PQyoXg • Jun 2, 2012

Ok, so here goes-

This is how your vehicle will look. You may design it to suit your aesthetics, I'm just giving the idea. 😀

Now, on the rear wheel axle, place another wheel(make sure it has got a good number of teeth and is a bit rubbery, else use the normal tyre) at the middle as shown. Now over this wheel, mount another wheel HORIZONTALLY, so that there is a proper meshing of their teeth(note that this wheel's axle will be supported ONLY at the top).

Once this is done, you may drive this vehicle using pedals( like in a cycle), or if it's small scale, you can just push it around with your hand. As the vehicle moves forward, watch the fan move. Have fun while saving electricity! 👍

P.S- 'Xcuse the bad drawing!
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ISHAN TOPRE

@ishan-nohePN • Jun 3, 2012

Good thinking #-Link-Snipped-# But I think there are lot of technological loopholes in your design. The biggest is that, you will have reduced speed and no "Fan effect" as you are imagining.

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Ambarish Ganesh

@ambarish-PQyoXg • Jun 3, 2012

Issue
Good thinking #-Link-Snipped-# But I think there are lot of technological loopholes in your design. The biggest is that, you will have reduced speed and no "Fan effect" as you are imagining.
I've built this device, and the fan does rotate with the slightest of push. 😀 But yes, my model must've been the size of a shoe-box. Actual working model shall require a hell lot of effort.

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pandamon

@pandamon-IHaUP3 • Jun 3, 2012

Punch_a_Tantra
Ok, so here goes-

This is how your vehicle will look. You may design it to suit your aesthetics, I'm just giving the idea. 😀

Now, on the rear wheel axle, place another wheel(make sure it has got a good number of teeth and is a bit rubbery, else use the normal tyre) at the middle as shown. Now over this wheel, mount another wheel HORIZONTALLY, so that there is a proper meshing of their teeth(note that this wheel's axle will be supported ONLY at the top).

Once this is done, you may drive this vehicle using pedals( like in a cycle), or if it's small scale, you can just push it around with your hand. As the vehicle moves forward, watch the fan move. Have fun while saving electricity! 👍

P.S- 'Xcuse the bad drawing!

Hey Punch_a_Tantra!
Thanks for the pics and instructions 😛 Your pics are simple and clear (I like them!) I will be sure to give building this vehicle a go during my school break 😀

Do you know by any chance know if there is a site I could visit for more ideas on simple machines that I could build?

Thanks a bunch Punch_a_Tantra 😀
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Jun 3, 2012

maybe you can also couple an alternator to that fan , which can charge a battery, but for that you have will to redesign the fan blades so that it can provide enough torque to the alternator. but anyways everything is possible with a little effort.
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Ambarish Ganesh

@ambarish-PQyoXg • Jun 3, 2012

zaveri
maybe you can also couple an alternator to that fan , which can charge a battery, but for that you have will to redesign the fan blades so that it can provide enough torque to the alternator. but anyways everything is possible with a little effort.
😀 well, the above device has no electrical/electronic circuit. That's the best part, the fan revolves as the gears move. It's too simple to construct, try it out!😉

And pandamon, I'll have to look for such a site. I myself rely on the MAD kids' show on POGO. 😛 If I do get to know of such a site, I'll let you know for sure! Cheers! 😀
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Jun 3, 2012

hey dude what about the differential
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pandamon

@pandamon-IHaUP3 • Jun 3, 2012

zaveri
maybe you can also couple an alternator to that fan , which can charge a battery, but for that you have will to redesign the fan blades so that it can provide enough torque to the alternator. but anyways everything is possible with a little effort.
I have a question, if you place the fan on top of the vehicle, wouldn't the vehicle essentially... fly up? Much like a helicopter?
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pandamon

@pandamon-IHaUP3 • Jun 3, 2012

Punch_a_Tantra
😀 well, the above device has no electrical/electronic circuit. That's the best part, the fan revolves as the gears move. It's too simple to construct, try it out!😉

And pandamon, I'll have to look for such a site. I myself rely on the MAD kids' show on POGO. 😛 If I do get to know of such a site, I'll let you know for sure! Cheers! 😀
Okay 😀
Thanks Punch.
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Jun 3, 2012

pandamon
I have a question, if you place the fan on top of the vehicle, wouldn't the vehicle essentially... fly up? Much like a helicopter?
no it wouldnt , because the fan will not produce the required upthrust, to lift up the vehicle.

if you are thinking , that this will end up in the making of a pedal-powered helicopter, then let me tell you that helicopters use an engine , which has a nozzle to provide the thrust, and this vehicle does not have any such thing.

however if this vehicle is driven at high speeds, then the front wheel might lift off occassionaly.
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Jun 3, 2012

Punch_a_Tantra
😀 well, the above device has no electrical/electronic circuit. That's the best part, the fan revolves as the gears move. It's too simple to construct, try it out!😉

And pandamon, I'll have to look for such a site. I myself rely on the MAD kids' show on POGO. 😛 If I do get to know of such a site, I'll let you know for sure! Cheers! 😀

I am not asking you to "use" electrical energy, but to create it. using the alternator you can power a headlight without the use of a battery. with this you can use the vehicle at night easily.
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Ambarish Ganesh

@ambarish-PQyoXg • Jun 4, 2012

zaveri
I am not asking you to "use" electrical energy, but to create it. using the alternator you can power a headlight without the use of a battery. with this you can use the vehicle at night easily.
+1 for this. 😀 This could indeed be done! Self-efficient vehicles are quite sought after!
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Jun 4, 2012

Punch_a_Tantra
+1 for this. 😀 This could indeed be done! Self-efficient vehicles are quite sought after!
go ahead dude, lets see you build this vehicle.
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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Jun 6, 2012

Punch_a_Tantra
I've built this device, and the fan does rotate with the slightest of push. 😀 But yes, my model must've been the size of a shoe-box. Actual working model shall require a hell lot of effort.

now that you have mentioned that it was a shoe-box sized model, let me tell you that i built such a device too when i was a kid using the "mechanix" construction kit.

except that i did not use gears or toothed wheels to couple the fan to the axles, (since there weren't any provided in the kit) , but i used pulleys and belt.

but the belt tension was so high that even the axle wouldn't rotate let alone the fan.
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Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Jun 8, 2012

#-Link-Snipped-#

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