There are 10.000 users on this board, churning out generators and windturbines at a steady rate. Just one of those (WindstuffEd) has built a working VAWT.

Now, have a look at this thread/contest by VolvoFarmer: http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/10/10/52711/090

If I were in a sarcastic mood I'd tell you to contact the winner of the contest for details of his winning project for you to copy. Alas. I'm not in a sarcastic mood. But hopefully you still get the point. No winner, not even a single contestant, as far as I know.

The only one who has actually made a working VAWT that puts out usable amounts of power is WindstuffEd (see link above by Oztules). Apart from his finished project for you to learn from, I fear you are on your own here. There are no other 'DanB/Hugh Piggots of VAWTs' as far as I know. You'd be pioneering the terrain, so to speak. Yes, I know this goes contrary to everything you read on the web about new, hugely succesful VAWTs, like the one installed by Jay Leno. But don't forget that on this board, no one is 1) trying to sell you something 2) trying to 'win' you for their cause 3) trying to fool you with misinformation (generally). Just a lot of open and direct information. And not always telling you the things you want to hear.

Personally I never understood this worrying about lack of suitable alternators for VAWTs. I have a few motorconversions lying around that would be suitable (cut-in at 75-100 RPM for a 12V system). Only downside is the iron-loss, but if you don't have anything else to generate, 10% iron loss would seem an attractive idea. Building an axial flux genny that cuts in at, say, 50 RPM, should be easy as pie too. Just keep adding turns of wire till the thing cuts in at 50, 10 or even 1 RPM.

In my humble opinion, the generator is actually the easiest part of any VAWT. The turbine being the hard part. Even when using plain (non-magnetically levitating) bearings.

Ok, I'd better stop now before Wdyasq comes hovering over my house with his flying combine.