This week, I started building the prototype of my Pleech, the power leeching wind turbine.

The first thing I did was to assemble all the parts I could find. These included:

Pringles Can (cut lengthwise)

Two Used CDs

Chrome Paper Towel Holder

5/8 in. Dowel: (cut to length with two nails driven into each side and snipped to make a needle bearing)

8 Ceramic Magnets: (oriented in alternating North/South configuration)

400 Ft. 30 gauge magnet wire: (made into 8 loops of approx 275 2 in. windings)

Various Electronics: (including a bridge rectifier)

With these pieces together, I began the assembly process.

Ate Chips

Cut off can ends

Fixed Can to CDs: (keeping the plastic top of the can helped to make a guide ridge on one of the CDs)

Punched Small Holes in Holder: (not too big to let the small nails through--just enough to make a dent for the needle bearing)

Sanded CD Holes: (the dowel is slightly larger, so sand enough to make a snug fit)

Affix the Dowel Axle: (should be tight, but not so tight that the CD cracks)

Mount Turbine to Holder: (and tack some more magnets on the vertical piece to mount it to a metal surface)

Mount Magnets to the Lower CD: (and then stick it next to a vent. Whooooosh!)

Coming soon... the sad tale of the very brief power generation (and why it's important to keep magnet wire away from spinning axles).