Hi again Woof,
I read the story, and found an additional link/story by you. Personally I think you did a great bitmap image relating to magnetic flux flow during revolution.
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2003/12/7/225257/916
" The magnets are 2" x 2" x 1/2" Ferrite that I got at a Ham Fest for 50cents each. These are very strong and quite difficult to slide apart when stacked together."
Ya,,,,, These are not the same magnets.
I got my SmCo magnets from wondermagnet, who ever those guys are . Actually I paid like 20 buck's a-piece for them. There more expensive than neo magnets since they withstand higher temperatures such as 400*f and resist losing magnetic stregth. Neo magnet's start to weaken at 200*f. Actually these same magnets priced out new, on McMaster Carr, cost, 50 bucks per piece. Initally I was going to use these for a MHD experiment. But after I checked the electromagnet that I operate on a regular basis, and noticed that it had like 13,000 guass. Plus its water cooled. But I probably shouldnt throw 13,000 gauss around like that, Im sure when I check it, will be more than 4000 gauss. Theres no way, I designed it that efficient...
"I collected parts for a year before I actually started construction, starting with the Rotors. The first bad idea was to use Cake Pans for the rotors,"
I only see this for one reason. Aluminum(I noticed one was thin gauge steel) will not, complete the magnetic circuit, generated by the magnets themselves. Remember, both rotors are locked in index, while rotating. From the magnets perspective, coils are moving between them, but the magnets (from there perspective) appear not to be in motion.
Ironically, a steel plate at a thickness of 3/8 inch will not only satisfactory conduct the magnetic field, to the next magnet on the rotor, but also satisfactory support the magnet under opposing loads. Thickness of steel rotor plate will always be related to the magnets field-strength in terms of guass.
"I got concerned about the strength of the cake pans and later poured more Epoxy in there with Wooden ChopStix to stiffen it up some more. Well it was still physically too weak and too much magnetic flux was leaking out of the back, so I cut out 4 sheet metal disks and glued 2 of them to the back of each rotor. It could still use more but it's OK I think."
Woof,
Man, id love to run overthere and check your magnets field-strength with my gaussmeter. I have no way to verify if you actually have the same magnets. Barrium-Ferrite(sp?) is definitly not the same as SmCo.
Im glad you posted. I remember you from way back when, here on the board.
JW