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Author Topic: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?  (Read 1229 times)

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luckeydog

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Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« on: September 04, 2006, 06:06:27 AM »
I have just completed a 2 blade turbine made with plywood.

the plywood is 3/4" 14 ply oak, Burch, spruce.

the turbine is a total of 6ft 2 inches each blade is 3ft.

I had shaped thees blades with the use of a belt sander, It went quick

only taking me 20 minutes to do each 3ft blade from start to finish.

the different layers made it real easy to determine thickness and duplicate

the first blade .When finished one blade was only 6 grams heavier than the other one.

I would like to know if any one has had good or bad experiences with using

plywood to build the blades.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2006, 06:06:27 AM by (unknown) »
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luckeydog

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Re: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2006, 12:20:09 AM »
it wont let me post a photo in the original posting so here are some photos of the blades ... sorry not a lot of detail.



« Last Edit: September 04, 2006, 12:20:09 AM by luckeydog »
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Flux

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Re: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2006, 01:39:39 AM »
Plywood has half of the grain going the wrong way. It may be ok for a small prop as you seem to have reasonable thickness at the root. Not an ideal material but I think some have had luck with it for small machines. Others have used it with a fibreglass skin.


You are wise to fit the tensioner on that piece of bent steel plate.

Flux

« Last Edit: September 04, 2006, 01:39:39 AM by Flux »
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marv

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Re: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2006, 06:10:13 AM »
Hey Dog, Is that hub made from a lawn mower blade?


Good idea!


MARV.

« Last Edit: September 04, 2006, 06:10:13 AM by marv »
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luckeydog

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Re: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2006, 01:42:58 PM »
Yes it is a lawn mower blade... I don't know if it was a good idea but it is the way i did it. The wind mill has been up for two days with some gust of wind up to 20 mph. and so far so good.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2006, 01:42:58 PM by luckeydog »
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phil b

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Re: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2006, 07:36:57 AM »
Flux is correct. Plywood is not as strong as straight grained wood.


I used the 12 ply birch plywood on my 8' mill. The blades DO have several layers of fiberglass and 2 layers of latex housepaint. Fiberglass on my blades was a must. I lost 2 sets of plywood blades and a tower before I learned this. My mill has been in the air almost 2 years with no more blade problems.

« Last Edit: September 05, 2006, 07:36:57 AM by phil b »
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Phil

luckeydog

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Re: Plywood Turbine? Good ? Bad?
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2006, 04:12:43 PM »
Today we were having gust of wind up to 24 mph according to my anemometer.

the plywood blade was extracting 113.6 watts from the wind at 22 mph. I am not sure how to calculate the efficiency of this blade. but know matter how efficient it is it only cost me a little over 5 dollars to build. (the blade that is)


So far so good hope it hold up ok :)


 Luckeydog

« Last Edit: September 07, 2006, 04:12:43 PM by luckeydog »
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