A simple DIY windmill model that shows how wind energy makes blades spin and lifts small weights. Perfect for introducing kids to renewable energy and basic engineering.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Concepts: Aerodynamics, Mechanical Engineering, Renewable Energy
Materials List
- 1 plastic cup (base)
- 1 cardboard or plastic tube (tower)
- Paper or cardstock (for blades)
- 1 skewer / stick (blade axle)
- 1 drinking straw (horizontal rotor sleeve)
- Tape
- Paper clips (for lifting load)
- Thread / string
- Small cone made from paper (top cover)
Steps
- Make the Windmill Tower
- Cut the cardboard tube to your desired height and tape it firmly onto the upside-down plastic cup.
- This creates a tall, stable tower for your windmill—just like real wind turbines.
- Build the Blade Hub
- Insert the skewer through the tube near the top.
- Slide a drinking straw over the skewer—this straw acts as a bearing, allowing the blades to spin freely.
- Create the Windmill Blades
- Cut long, thin paper blades and tape them to one end of the skewer.
- Make sure they’re angled—angled blades catch wind better and spin more smoothly.
- Add the Load-Lifting System
- Tie a string to the opposite end of the skewer.
- Attach paper clips to the bottom of the string—this becomes your "weight" to lift.
- Test Your Windmill
- Blow on the blades or place the windmill in front of a fan.
- As the blades spin, the skewer rotates and pulls the string upward, lifting the paper clips.
A simple demonstration of how wind energy converts into mechanical energy.
Science Behind It
Wind pushes against the angled blades, creating a force that makes them rotate. This spinning motion turns the axle, which wraps the string and lifts the weight. It demonstrates how wind energy changes into mechanical energy, just like real wind turbines convert wind into motion or electricity.
Watch the video!
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