Chuck Dunbar's Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig #57 Free Plans

2011-03-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #57
Complete Plans

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #57
Materials list

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #57
Special tools

9 " Band saw with a 1/8" blade to cut non ferrous metals
Table saw to make blade jig and circle jig
General wheel and circle cutter, part #06
Vise with about a 5” jaw or bending break
Inexpensive micrometer

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #57

Read the directions through before starting.

Note on Drilling Holes Accurately
Increasing the accuracy of drilled hole placement is very simply. Twist drills do not come to a point. They come to a chisel edge. [http://www.mfg.mtu.edu/marc/primers/drilling/nomen.html] If used on an smooth surface they wander. Take time to use these steps to prevent drill wander.

Use a sharp punch (I use an ice pick.) to mark the hole location. Use a very small drill, 1/16” or 5/64’ diameter, to drill a pilot hole at the punch mark.
Look closely at the drill bit’s chisel edge. The chisel edge should be shorter than the diameter of the pilot hole. The chisel edge should fit into the pilot hole. A 5/64” diameter pilot hole will accommodate drills up to ¼” in diameter. For larger holes, drill a second pilot hole with a diameter to receive the larger drill’s chisel edge.

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57
Vane

Click on image to enlarge

Cut two pieces of aluminum sheet 8” x 10 ¼”.
Completely lay out the identical vanes on the aluminum rectangles. Do the same operations on each part of the vanes at the same time. Mark the hole locations with a punch. Do not use a hammer. The blow will deform the aluminum.
Drill all the holes, except the blade opening.
To cut the round at the end of the aluminum sheet and the blade hole, you will need a circle jig. Usually the jig has a small nail to center the work at the desired radius. (Photo1])
Where the vane centerline crosses the 6 ½“ dimension, drill a pilot hole just big enough to accommodate the nail in your band saw circle cutting jig. Cut the outside circle first. Be careful not to cut through the other shapes of the vane.
Cut the inside circle for the blade opening. When you are about half way around the circle, put masking tape over the band saw blade kerf to hold the vane in correct position. (Photo 2)
Cut the two inside edges up to the inner circle to make the opening for the blade arms. Make the long cut up to the tab, which fits into the mast. Use a fence or sliding table on the band saw.
Make the remaining small cuts to reveal the shapes.


Photo 1

Photo 2

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57
Hub

Click on image to enlarge

Lay out the four hub disks on a single piece of aluminum. For future reference scratch the two axes into the metal . Mark the hole locations with a punch. Do not use a hammer. The blow will deform the aluminum.
Drill a pilot hole for the General Circle cutter.
Cut the four disks. Make certain that the work is firmly clamped in place.
Remove burrs from the disks. Stack the disks facing the same way. Tape them with masking tape. (photo 3)
To make the jig, in a piece of scrap wood drill a ¼” diameter hole through. Put a short ¼” diameter bolt through the wood and disks from the bottom. Tighten the nut to hold the disks in place.
Drill pilot holes for the 3/16” holes. Once the first 3/16” diameter hole is drilled through the metal disks and into the wood, put a short length of 3/16” tube or rod through the disks and into the hole. This will keep the disks aligned.
Repeat the procedure of step 6 for the opposite hole. (photo 4)
Drill the remaining 3/16” holes.
Keep the disks taped together and put them into a vise and mark the edges diagonally with a file. (photo 5) This will allow for the disks to be restacked in order, an advantage if the hole locations are slightly off.


Photo 3


Photo 4

Photo 5

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57

Hub Parts

Cut the spacers for the hub with a jig setup on the band saw. Finish to .250” +/- .002”. It is not very difficult to achieve the required precision with ordinary tools - band saw and sandpaper. A micrometer is useful.
File the two flats into the axle.
Cut the two axle sleeves.

Click on image to enlarge

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57

Bearing Brackets

Click on image to enlarge

The order of fabrication is important. Layout the 8 brackets on a single piece of aluminum, two rows of 4. Make each rectangle 2 1/8“ x 2 5/8“. Scribe the lines for reference later. (Photo 6)
Drill pilot holes, then drill the four 3/16” diameter holes. Remove burrs.
On the band saw circle, cut a 1 ¼” semicircle. Clamp all 8 pieces together and smooth edges with a file and sandpaper. (photos 7 & 8)
Clamp the piece. Drill a second ¼” pilot hole. Then drill the 7/16” diameter hole. (photo 9)
Cut the slot to 7/16” diameter hole. (photo 8170)
In a vise or small bending break, make the bend a 91 degree.
Cut the remaining two slots and finish like the larger slot.


Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photo 9

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57
Blades

Click on image to enlarge

Lay out the blade pattern on heavy paper. Construct an oval with the axes dimensions shown. Using a French curve to draw the elliptically shaped blades gives a close approximation. Transfer the shape to the sheet metal. On the metal, scribe the perpendicular centerlines. They will be useful later when attaching the blade to the arm. (If you have a computer, check your photo editing software. There may be an editing tool that allows you to choose from among different shapes. One may be an oval whose dimension you can set and print out full scale.) (An oval of this dimension set a 45 degrees from the plane of rotation appears to be a circle in the foreshortened view from the front or side of the whirligig. This adds some visual interest.)
Cut the oval on the band saw.
Tape the blades together matching the axes lines.
Put them into a vise. With a file and sandpaper smooth the blade edges to get to get a well shaped oval.

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57

Blade Arms

Click on image to enlarge

Make the hub end first. Put the arm in a vise. File the first flat. (photo 10)
Put a piece of wood the same thickness as the arm, ¼” in the vise. Rest the first flat against the plywood. File the second flat. (photo11) Use a micrometer to check the distance between the flats.
Mark the hole locations and drill 9/64” pilot holes. (photo12)
Make the blade-arm jig from scrap wood. The 45 degree slot should be a tight fit to the hub end of the arm. Cut the blade slot first on the band saw using the jig. With the arm in a vise widen the slot first with a hacksaw, then progressively widen the slot to .05” with sandpaper.
Put the arm back in the blade-arm jig. Insert the blade in the slot using the scribed lines to orient the blade correctly. Tape everything down. Drill the first hole in the arm with the blade in place. (photo 13). Put in the first rivet to hold things in place. Drill the second hole. (photo14)
After inserting the second rivet, put the assembly in a vise. Carefully and slowly tighten the vise to crush the rivets. (photos 15) The rivets hold very well. Grind or sand them flush.

Photo 10

Photo 11

Photo 12

Photo 13

Photo 14

Photo 15

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57

Mast

The jaws on my vise are ¾” deep, so I have made the parts of the mast that hold the tabs of the vane ¾” too. Improvise or get new jaws if yours are not ¾” deep. After cutting the mast to length, crush the tube at the dimensions indicated.
After crushing the mast, use a hacksaw to cut into one side of the fold about an 1/8“. (photo 16)
Tidy up the cut with a file. (photo17 &18)
Check to make sure tabs fit. Either crush the mast more or pry open the slot more to give a snug fit with the tab.
Check the hole locations against the hole location in the tabs on the vane. Drill the holes. With the vane tabs fastened to the vane, check to make sure the two halves of the vane meet.
Drill a through hole for securing the mast plug.

Click on image to enlarge

Photo 16


Photo 17


Photo 18

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 57

Mast Plug

Cut the hardwood dowel to length, and drill the 5/32” diameter hole.
Set up a jig to drill the hole the length of the dowel plug. (With a paddle bit, drill a ½” diameter hole at 1 degree slant into short length of board. Secure the board to the drill press table and insert the plug in the jib hole.) If necessary finish the hole with a hand held electric drill. The purpose of the slant is to account for looseness in the fit of the stand’s pintle in the metal socket of the plug. The whirligig does not look good if it leans back. It looks much better if it is straight up or leans slightly forward.
Put the plug in the mast. Align the hole in the plug with the hole in the mast and insert a 6-32 x 1” machine screw through the holes, screw head to the front. Cut the screw even with the nut to avoid conflict with the vane. Insert the brass 5/16” diameter brass tube into the dowel. A little soap rubbed on the brass tube will help lubricate it.


Click on image to enlarge

WHIRLIGIG 57

2011-02-27T15:54:00.000-08:00

WHIRLIGIG 57 is a reworking of Whirligig 31 to make it all metal. Instead of painting Whirligig 57, I used colored adhesive backed vinyl sheets used for signs. I have also recently used colored vinyl electrician's tape on some of the newly designed stands. I will furnish more details later when I publish plans for Whirligig 57 and a simpler stand in two to three weeks.

20" x 16.5" x 7.75" (50.8 cm x 41.9cm x 19.7cm), aluminum, stainless steel fastners, adhesive backed vinyl

detail

See it move.

All Metal Hub for Whirligigs

2010-11-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

All Metal Whirligig Hub

Chuck Dunbar’s
Whirligig Design & Development
All Metal Hub
Complete Plans (revised 6 Dec 2010)
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Finished Hub

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Materials list

For the size of whirligigs I am currently making - up to 24“ in diameter - use .05”
aluminum 5052H32
Rod ¼” diameter
Nuts, bolts, lock washers are 6-32 stainless steel 1" or 1 1/4" long

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Special Tools

9 " Band saw with a 1/8" blade to cut non ferrous metals
Or
General wheel and circle cutter, part #06

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Read the directions through before starting.

Chuck Dunbar’s
Whirligig Design & Development
All Metal Hub
Disks for Hub

Fabrication

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Lay out the four disks on the metal sheet. [Photo 1] Mark the hole locations on one of the disks.
Note. If only two arms are used, still make four sets of holes and spacers.
Whether you are going to use a band saw or circle cutter, drill a pilot hole for the center hole.
(Band saw) Using a circle cutting jig [Photo 2] to cut the four disks. (Circle cutter) Cut the disks. Mark the disks to keep their order and orientation. A diagonal groove at the edge made with a file works well enough.
Finish the edges of the disks. Don’t grind away the groove from the previous step.
Stack the disks and tape together with masking tape so that the center holes are aligned.
Drill an appropriately sized hole in a piece of wood and put the taped, stacked disks on the wood with a center pin through the disks and into the hole. [Photo 3]
Drill one of the 3/16” diameter holes through the stacked, taped disks and into the wood. Put another pin through the 3/16” diameter hole. [Photos 3 & 4]
Drill the remaining holes for the arms.
With the stack of disks pinned to the wood block through the two or three arm holes, re-drill the center hole to 7/16” diameter.
I have found that the burrs left from drilling the holes are easily removed by twisting with my fingers a sharp drill a couple sizes larger than the hole in the burr rimmed hole.

click on plans to enlarge

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Arm for Metal Hub


Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

Put arm in vice to file first flat. Use your eye to make sure the arm is parallel to the jaws of the vice. File the first flat.
Put a piece of wood the same thickness as the arm under the first flat to make sure the second flat will be parallel to the first. [Photos 5 & 6]
Make a simple jig to hold arm so that the arm holes may be drilled perpendicular to the face. [Photos 7 & 8]

Click on plans to enlarge

Assembly

Put a short length of axle dimensioned tube or rod into a hole in a piece of wood to hold it vertical.
Put on the first disk with bolts facing up. In order, put on the spacers, collars or bearings and arms. Put on lock washers and nuts. [photo 9]
Leave the assembly loose enough so that the arms can be shifted.
Set up the assembly to check for balance. First try balancing by shifting the arms in their holes. Second, if necessary add collars to the arms. (Remove arms one at a time to do this.) Third, if the assembly still is off balance, put extra nuts on one or two of the bolts holding the assembly together. Be prepare to spend as much as an hour balancing the hub and arms.
Tighten the nuts only enough to compress the washers. Do not deform the metal disks.

Photo 9

If you want the hub to be weather proof, you will have to use stainless steel bearings, which are much more expensive than the ones specified in the whirligig plans.

Gears for Whirligigs

2010-01-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

Spur Gear for a Whirligig, large 12 tooth gear 4 1/4″ dia. (10.9cm), small 6 tooth gear 2 3/8″ dia. (6.1cm), .032″ 5052H32 aluminum sheet

Detail of meshing teeth

Attention: I have modified and improved the gears shown here. The gears shown above do not work well, because at high speeds the gears bounce back and bind up. Bending up the face on both sides of teeth dramatically improves the performance. In a few weeks I'll have some measured drawings of alternatives. (2-15-2012)

Flight of Whirligigs

2009-10-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

THIS flight of whirligigs shows some of the wind toys that I have made. You can see most of them in motion on my Youtube channel.

Whirligig Array

Whirligig #58

31" x 10" x 24" (79cm x 25cm x 61cm),
aluminum, assorted hardware, adhesive vinyl

Whirligig #57

20" x 8" x 16.5" (51cm x 20cm
x 42cm), aluminum. assorted
hardware and adhesive vinyl

Whirligig #56

23" x 19" x 11" (58cm x 48cm x 28cm), aluminum, assorted hardware

Whirligig #55

27.5" x 9" x 16" (70cm x 23cm x 41cm), aluminum, African mahogany, assorted hardware

Whirligig #54

29" x 24" x 14" (74cm x 61cm x 36cm), aluminum, African mahogany, assorted hardware

Whirligig #53

Whirligig #53, 26" x 20" x 16" (66cm x 51cm x 41cm), aluminum, brass, African mahogany, assorted hardware, sign paint

Whirligig #52

27 1/2″ x 23″ x 12 1/2″(70cm x 58cm x 32cm), aluminum, African mahogany, assorted metal parts, sign paint.

Whirligig #51

26 1/2" x 20" x 14 1/4" (67cm x 51cm x 36c),
aluminum, brass, African mahogany, sign paint, assorted hardware

Whirligig #48

Whirligig #48, 22″ x 22″ 9.5″ (56cm x 56cm x 24cm), aluminum, brass, African mahogany, assorted hardware

Whirligig # 47

25" x 25" x 12 3/4" (64cm x 64cm x 32cm),
brass, African mahogany, sign paint, assorted hardware

Whirligig #45

Whirligig #45, 18″ x 10″ x 11.5″ (46cm x 25cm x 29cm),
aluminum, brass, African mahogany, assorted hardware

Whirligig #44

22″ x 22″ x 11″ (56cm x 56cm x 28cm),

brass, African mahogany, assorted hardware,

sign paint

Whirligig #42

Whirligig #42, 20″ x 20″ x 9.5″ (51cm x 51cm x 24cm), aluminum, African mahogany, assorted hardware

Whirligig #41

Whirligig #41, 23″ x 23″ x 11″ (58cm x 58cm x 28cm), aluminum, African mahogany, assorted hardware

Whirligig #40

Whirligig #40, 22″ x 10.5″ x 10.125″ (56cm x 27cm x 26cm), aluminum, brass, African mahogany, sign paint

Whirligig #39

Whirligig #39, 22″ x 16″ x 9″ (56cm x 41cm x 23cm), wood, aluminum, brass, assorted metal parts

Whirligig #38

Whirligig #38, 20″ x 12″ x 16″ (51cm x 30cm x 41cm), aircraft plywood, mahogany, brass, metal parts

Whirligig #37

Whirligig #37, 22″ x 18 1/2″ x 8 3/4″ (56cm x 47cm x 22cm), aircraft plywood, African mahogany, brass and assorted metal parts, sign paint

Whirligig #35

Whirligig #35, 20″ x 17″ x 11″ (51cm x 43cm x 28cm), aircraft plywood, African mahogany, assorted metal parts

Whirligig #34

Whirligig #34, 22″ x 7 1/2″ x 7 1/4″, mahogany, aircraft plywood, metal parts, sign paint

Whirligig #32

Whirligig #32, 20″ x 17″ x 8″ (51cm x 43cm x 20cm), aircraft plywood, mahogany, metal parts,
sign paint

Whirligig #31

Whirligig #31, 20″ x 16 1/2″ 8″(48cm x 40cm x 16cm), mahogany, aircraft plywood, metal parts

Whirligig #30

Whirligig #30, 20″h x 15″w x 7 1/2″d (51cm x 38cm x 10cm), aircraft plywood, mahogany, metal parts

Whirligig #28

Whirligig #28, 18″ (43 cm) x 14″ (34 cm) x 8″ (19 cm), mahogany, aircraft plywood, bearings, metal parts

Whirligig #46 Free Plans

2009-10-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #46
Complete Plans

See it move.

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #46
Materials list
Revised 4/7/2011

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Whirligig Design and Development
Whirligig #46
Special Tools
9 " Band saw with a 1/8" blade to cut non ferrous metals
Table saw
Router Home made router table (http://www.woodstore.net/porotapl.html)
General wheel and circle cutter, part #06
Propane gas and basic soldering materials

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Chuck Dunbar'sWhirligig Design and Development
Whirligig # 46
Vane

Cut the aluminum into two squares 10 1/2" x 10 1/2".
Completely lay out the identical vanes on the aluminum squares. Do the same operations on each part of the vanes at the same time.
You will need a circle jig for this procedure. Usually the jig uses a small nail to center the work at the desired radius. (Photo 1)
Where the vane centerlines cross, drill a pilot hole just big enough to accommodate the nail in your band saw circle cutting jig. Cut the outside circle first. Be careful not to cut through the other shapes of the vane. (Photo 2)
Cut the two inside edges up to the inner circle.
Cut the inside circle. When you are about half around, put masking tape over the band saw blade kerf to hold the vane in correct position. (Photo 3)
After completely cutting out the two vane shapes, drill the 3/16” diameter holes. These two parts form the complete vane. (Photo 4)

Photo #1 Band Saw Circle Jig

Photo 2 Cutting Outside Circle on Band Saw

Photo 3 Cutting Inside Circle of Vane

Photo 4 Two Parts of Vane

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Blades

Lay out the blade pattern on heavy paper. Draw the perpendicular centerlines and the lines where the straight blade edge is to be cut. Construct an oval with axes dimensions shown. Using a French curve to draw the elliptically shaped blades gives a close approximation. If you have a computer, check your photo editing software. There may be an editing tool that allows you to choose from among different shapes. One may be an oval whose dimension you can set and print out full scale. (An oval of this dimension set a 45 degrees from the plane of rotation appears to be a circle in the foreshortened view from the front or side of the whirligig. This adds some visual interest.) Next, cut out the pattern with an X-acto knife or similar tool, and copy it to the brass sheet.
Cut the oval on the band saw.
Smooth the curved edges with a drum sander. (Photo 5)

Photo 5

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Retaining pins and blade pins

Cut the 8 arm retaining pins. Chamfer the pin ends so that they will go into their holes easily. The fit in the hole should be sung. If you have to use something hard to push the pins in, or you have to use pliers to get them out, that is the right fit. If the pins fit too loosely in the holes, bend them slightly or, using a cold chisel, whack them in the middle to widen the pin diameter. This will also bend the pins slightly.
Set up a jig on the band saw to cut the 16 blade pins and their slots. (Photo 6 and Photo 7)

Photo 6

Photo 7

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Blade Arms - step 1

Cut the eight arms to length. Use a jig to make certain they are all the same length. Chamfer the hub end of the blade arms to make them fit in their holes more easily.
Using a V block on the drill press, drill the top blade pin holes first. Use a stop to make certain the holes are in the correct position along the blade. When drilling the bottom blade pin holes, put a 2" to 3" long piece of 1/8" diameter rod in the top blade pin hole to act as a vertical guide to make certain the top and bottom holes are parallel. (Photo 7) Do not drill the holes for the arm retaining pins at this time.

Photo 7

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Blade Arms - step 2

Insert the blade arms in their holes in the hubs. With a 2" to 3" long 1/8" diameter rod in one of the blade pin holes to act as a guide, set the angle of the guide to 45 degrees as shown. (Photo 8)
Remember that the blade pin holes in the arms in first hub must be oriented opposite to the blade pin holes in the arms of the second hub for the blade sets to rotate in the opposite direction.
Drill the holes in the hub and arm at the same time. As you drill, watch that the arm does not rotate or move out of the hole . Identify every arm with its hole so that reassembling goes smoothly.

Photo 8

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Blade Arms - step 3

Put the blade pins in their holes and slide the blades into the blade pin slots. Solder the blades in place at the pin only. (Photo 9) The heated blade may expand and warp when soldering the second pin. Either put a wet paper towel on the blade to keep it cool while soldering the second pin or, after the blade and joints have cooled, heat one of the joints with a very small flame until it softens. Then straighten the blade. Grind off an pin that protrudes on the side of the arm opposite the blade.

Photo 9

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Axle and Spacer

Cut the axle to length. Chamfer both ends. You may need to reduce the diameter of the axle slightly so that it will fit through the bearing. To do this put the axle in the drill press chuck. With the drill press on its slowest speed, hold a sandpaper block against the rotating axle. The axle fit in the bearing should be snug.
Cut the hub spacer from the 5/16” diameter tube.

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Axle Holder - step 1

Cut the blocks for the axle holders. In the photo I have left the blocks together with about 1/2” separating them. This makes it a little easier to measure and cut the blocks.
Drill a 1/16” diameter pilot hole for the General circle cutter.

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Axle Holder - steps 2 and 3

Drill the 1/2” diameter holes with a brad point drill for accuracy.
Drill the 3/16” diameter holes. (Photo 9)

Photo 9

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Axle Holder - step 4

Draw a centerline on the blocks for later reference. This step requires a circle cutter from General Tools (http://www.generaltools.com/Products/Wheel-and-Circle-Cutter__06.aspx). If you do not already own a circle cutter, get a “Wheel and Circle Cutter, part #06.” This cutter comes with a reversible blade that leaves scrap waste on the inside of the cut, “Hole” option, or on the outside, “Wheel” option. If you have a standard General Tool hole cutter, it will still work. It is harder to set the exact dimension and requires an extra step to cut away the waste left on the disk. Be aware that the maximum safe speed is 500 revolutions per minute.
With the axle holder block firmly clamped in place, use the General circle cutter or General hole cutter - what I used here - to cut the shape of the axle holders. Make sure the cutter is sharp, or it may tear the wood at the hole openings. As a practical matter, set the circle cutter to cut a circle with a diameter 1/16” smaller than shown on the plans. This will give you a leeway of 1/32" all the way around in case your center is a little off, otherwise you may end up with a flat section on the axle holder. This also applies to cutting the hubs. (Photo 10 and photo 11)
With the band saw cut any waste from the blocks. (Photo 12)

Photo 10

Photo 11

Photo 12

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Axle Holder - step 5

Cut the circular shaped axle holder in half. Using the pencil guideline, tape the axle holder to a thin piece of waste plywood. Separate the two halves of the axle holder on the band saw. (Photo 13)

Photo 13

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Axle Holder - step 5

To adjust for the vane thickness, on each surface, sand or plane away the flat surface facing that will face the vane . 25”. Take care to make sure these surfaces remain flat and square with the sides of the holder. These pieces hold the two halves of the vane together as well as hold the axle on which the hubs turn. If the axle is loose in the holder, vibration and shaking will occur.

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Hub - step 1

Cut two blocks to the dimensions in the drawing.
Mark the centerline on the block for later reference. Lay out the blade mounting holes, and drill them on a drill press. (I use a brad point drill for accuracy.)
Lay out the center of the block, and drill a 1/16" diameter pilot hole. It is important to be precise as possible, because an off center hub is difficult to balance.

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Hub - step 2

The bearing must fit snugly in its hole. Drill a test hole in a wood scrap with a 5/8" diameter paddle bit. Try the bearing. If the hole is too large, reduce the bit diameter on a whetstone or sandpaper. If the hole is too small, try another paddle bit brand.
Set the depth of the paddle bit hole to be 3/16”, and drill the holes in the hubs. (Photo 14)

Photo 14

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Hub - step 3

With the hub block firmly clamped in place, carefully center the pilot bit of the circle cutter in the hole left from the paddle bit operation
Cut a little more than half way through the wood.
Turn the piece over and cut from the opposite side. (If you have waste left on the disk, use the band saw to cut away most of the waste freehand. Then, using a drum sander mounted on a drill press and the disk mounted on 1/4” diameter peg in a jig clamped to the drill press table, sand away the remaining waste.) (Photo 15 and Photo 16)

Photo 15

Photo 16

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Hub - step 4

Ream out the 1/4” diameter hole left from the circle cutter to 3/8” diameter. If the hole is not perfectly centered, that is all right. The axle only needs to clear the side of the hole.

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Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Hub - step 5

Insert the blade arms in their holes. Mark them so that you can match an arm with its hole later. Make certain that blade is at a 45 degree angel to the plane of the hub. With an arm in its hole drill the blade retaining pin hole through the hub and blade arm at the same time. While drilling, watch that the arm does not twist out of position or move out of the hole.
The orientation of the blades in the second hub will be opposite the orientation in the second hub. (See photo 4)

__________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Hub - step 6

Insert the retaining pins in their holes with the arms in place.
Insert the bearings and slide the blade assemblies and spacer on the axle to check fits.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Mast - step 1

Cut the two halves of the mast to their overall dimension.
In one of the pieces rout what will be the slots to hold the vane.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Mast - step 2

Glue the two mast halves together with weather/water proof glue.
Drill the two 3/16” diameter holes.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design and Development

Whirligig # 46

Mast - step 3

The groove is on the side of the mast. The shape at the end of the groove depends on what tool you use to make it. I use a 6" diameter dado blade, which leaves a groove curving up to the mast's side surface. A straight router blade would leave a circular shape at the end of the groove. However you make the groove, you will need to cut a piece scrap wood to close the groove over the Mast Mount Tube. When you glue the scrap piece in place, put some extra glue around the Mast Mount Tube to keep it from falling out later. The important thing is that you have a clear path 2 1/2" long where you can place the Mast Mount Tube.
Note that the groove is slanted to the BACK of the mast about 1 degree. This slant gives the whirligig a better appearance when the whirligig is placed on the whirligig stand. Mark the back of the mast to avoid confusion in the next step.
Trim away the excess wood over the mast mount tube.
Go to Whirligig #43 for photos about these details.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's

Whirligig Design & Development

Whirligig # 46

Mast - step 4

Cut the curve at the top of the mast.
Rout the FRONT of the mast with a 3/8” radius bit to give a curved appearance.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 46
Assembly

Before you paint the whirligig, put it together to make certain everything fits.
Put the two halves of the vane into their slots and fasten with the 2 6-32 x 1“ screws. Put a flat washer under the head and lock washer.
To make a whirligig bench holder, put a 1/4" diameter rod about 6" long into 1/4" diameter hole drilled into a scrap wood block. Clamp the block to the edge of your work surface.
Put the Mast on the rod.
Put a half drop of light oil in the bearing races. Put the bearings in their holes in the two hubs.
Fasten the arm in its hole with a blade retaining pin. Remember that the blade arms are to the inside, and the blades are straight side to straight side. The pin on the side of the hub that faces the other hub should be flush with the hub surface.
Put the blade assemblies on the axle with the spacer between them. (Photo [hub assembly-blog]) Put a Dura-Collar to the outside of each hub assembly - collar, hub assembly, spacer, hub assembly, collar.
Loosely fasten the rear axle holder in place with two 6-32 x 1 1/2" screws. Use a flat washer under the head and a flat washer and lock washer under the nut.
Put the axle with its collars and hub assemblies into the rear axle holder. Tighten the screws. You may need to tape the front end of the axle in place while you tighten the screws. There should be enough leeway in the 3/16" diameter axle holder holes to allow you to get the parts - vane, axle and axle holder - to fit together. If not, you will need to either shorten the axle and/or enlarge the notch in the vane that accommodates the axle.
Put the front axle holder in place. If everything fits together, disassemble the whirligig and paint it. (See separate painting instructions.)
When the painting is finished, reassemble the whirligig. This time put one Dura-Collar on each of the 8 blade arms. When balancing the arms, you may find that not all the Dura-Collars are required, but it is easier to start with a collar on each arm.
The final step is balancing the painted whirligig. Put a small piece of tape on the first hub to serve as a marker. In a room without drafts, spin one blade assembly. Note where the blade assembly comes to rest. (Think of a clock face.) Little by little, adjust the location of the Dura-Collars until each blade is perfectly balanced. A collar may need to be removed from or added to an arm for balance. When the blade set is balanced, it will come to rest at different places. This balancing procedure can take as long as an hour. Be patient. Balance the second blade assembly the same way. The blades should turn in the slightest breath of air.
If the blades do not turn freely, check the following:

            Are the Dura-Collars too tight against the bearing?
            Did you put a half a drop of oil in the bearing races?
            Are the bearings in the hub parallel to one another?
            Does the axle rub against the hub where it passes through the hub between the     bearings?

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #46
Painting wood parts

You may paint the whirligig any color you like, but if you are putting it outside, intense colors are the most visible.
Sand the wood pieces with 150 grit or 180 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper.
Prime the wood with a good grade of white exterior latex or acrylic (water based) wood primer paint. I put on three thick coats.
Then sand the paint smooth with 220 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper. The 3M sandpaper does not fill up with paint. After you have sanded, some of the wood may show through.
Apply two more coats of the exterior paint more thinly and evenly than before.
Sand with 320 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper. Avoid sanding down to the wood. If the wood shows, apply two more paint coats over the bare spots and sand.
Use quality exterior gloss enamel over the primer. The color coat may be either water based or solvent-based exterior paint. I use Ronan solvent-based Bulletin colors. I apply them with a one-stroke synthetic hair brush. Whatever paint you use, follow the directions. Using solvent-based paint requires adequate ventilation.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #46
Painting aluminum and brass parts

Priming brass and aluminum metals presents special problems. The following procedure works. (Go to my blog [http://dunbar.blog.com/4954759/] for a complete discussion of the problem and a solution.) For best results, allow enough time to follow the procedure without interruption. Prepare a solution of trisodium phosphate, TSP, 1 cup per gallon. Clean the metal parts with #1 steel wool. Immediately put all the aluminum or brass parts to be painted in the TSP solution. Do not put the brass and aluminum parts in the solution at the same time. Leave the parts in the TSP solution a half hour. Swish the water a few times. Rinse and dry the metal parts.
Immediately, put the metal parts in a 5% solution of white vinegar (how it comes out of the bottle) for five minutes. Swish the water a few times. Do not put the brass and aluminum parts in the vinegar at the same time. Rinse and dry the samples.
Immediately, spray Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer, white or very light gray, (no product number) on all surfaces of the metal samples. Do not forget the edges. Apply two coats. Follow the directions on the spray can. I improvise a spray booth outside to spray paint the parts. I wear a half mask cartridge respirator while I paint.
Sand the metal parts very lightly with 320 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper.
Use quality exterior gloss enamel over the primer. The color coat may be either solvent-based or water-based exterior paint. If you use water-based exterior enamel, allow the Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer to cure for one week. I use Ronan solvent-based Bulletin colors. I apply them with a one-stroke synthetic hair brush. Whatever paint you use, follow the directions. Using solvent-based paint requires adequate ventilation.

Painting the Whirligig

2009-07-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

Painting the Whirligig

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Painting wood parts

You may paint the whirligig any color you like, but if you are putting it outside, intense colors are the most visible.
Sand the wood pieces with 150 grit or 180 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper.
Prime the wood with a good grade of white exterior latex or acrylic (water based) wood primer paint. I put on three thick coats.
Then sand the paint smooth with 220 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper. The 3M sandpaper does not fill up with paint. After you have sanded, some of the wood may show through.
Apply two more coats of the exterior paint more thinly and evenly.
Sand with 320 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper. Avoid sanding down to the wood. If the wood shows, apply two more paint coats over the bare spots and sand.
Use quality exterior gloss enamel over the primer. The color coat may be either water based or solvent-based exterior paint. I use Ronan solvent-based Bulletin colors. I apply them with a one-stroke synthetic hair brush. Whatever paint you use, follow the directions. Using solvent-based paint requires adequate ventilation.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Painting aluminum and brass parts

Priming brass and aluminum metals presents special problems. The following procedure works. (Go to my blog [http://dunbar.blog.com/4954759/] for a complete discussion of the problem and a solution.) For best results, allow enough time to follow the procedure without interruption. Prepare a solution of trisodium phosphate, TSP, 1 cup per gallon. Clean the metal parts with #1 steel wool. Immediately put all the aluminum or brass parts to be painted in the TSP solution. Do not put the brass and aluminum parts in the solution at the same time. Leave the parts in the TSP solution a half hour. Swish the water a few times. Rinse and dry the metal parts.
Immediately, put the metal parts in a 5% solution of white vinegar (how it comes out of the bottle) for five minutes. Swish the samples a few times. Do not put the brass and aluminum parts in the vinegar at the same time. Rinse and dry the samples.
Immediately, spray Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer, white or very light gray, (no product number) on all surfaces of the metal samples. Do not forget the edges. Apply two coats. Follow the directions on the spray can. I improvise a spray booth outside to spray paint the parts. I wear a half mask cartridge respirator while I paint.
Sand the metal parts very lightly with 320 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper.
Use quality exterior gloss enamel over the primer. The color coat may be either solvent-based or water-based exterior paint. If you use water-based exterior enamel, allow the Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer to cure for one week. I use Ronan solvent-based Bulletin colors. I apply them with a one-stroke synthetic hair brush. Whatever paint you use, follow the directions. Using solvent-based paint requires adequate ventilation.

___________________________________________________________

Whirligig Stand

2009-07-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

Plans for Whirligig Stand

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Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
List of Materials

___________________________________________________________

Read the directions through before starting.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Special Tools

General Wheel & Circle Cutter, Part # 06
Small Drill Press

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Top Cap

With the General circle cutter, cut the Top Cap from 3/4" thick African mahogany or equivalent wood.
It is optional whether you rout the top or not.
Do not drill the 11/16” diameter hole at this time.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Top Base - step 1

With the General circle cutter, cut the Top Base from 3/4” African mahogany or equivalent wood. At the same time cut the wood for the Base.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Top Base - step 2

When laying out the leg holes, try to avoid having the wood grain lining up with the center and any of the holes. On a drill press, drill the three 3/4” diameter holes for the legs in the Top Base and Base with a paddle bit.
On a drill press, drill the six 5/16” diameter holes for the threaded inserts in the Top Base and Base. (Check the pilot hole requirements for your particular inserts. Some require a 3/8” diameter hole.)

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Assembling Whirligig Stand Top

Using exterior rated glue, glue the Top Cap to the Top Base. Orient the wood grain of the two pieces at right angles or as near to a right angle as possible. This will help prevent the wood from splitting on long exposure to outside weather conditions.
After the glue has dried, drill the 11/16” diameter hole in the top assembly and the Base.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Base

The Base is identical to the Top Base except the 11/16" diameter hole does not go all the way through.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Dowel Insert

If a 5/8" diameter dowel of mahogany or other suitable wood is not available, fashion one to the dimensions given in the plan.
Put the 4 1/2" brass rod into the hole in the Dowel Insert.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Whirligig Support

Cut from a length of 1/2" steel EMT.
After drilling the 5/32" diameter hole, file the burrs from inside the tube and slide in the Dowel Insert and brass rod.
Fasten the Dowel Insert and brass rod in place with the #8 x 1/2" sheet metal screw.
Drill a 1/4" diameter hole in the 5/8" nylon cap. Put it over the 1/4" diameter rod, and push it into the Whirligig Support.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Leg (3 needed)

Decide which size stand you will make. The two leg lengths given in the plans give a nicely proportioned stand. The taller stand looks better with larger, more complicated whirligigs. Do not make the stand any shorter than shown in the plans. The stand, as dimensioned, will put the whirligig at or above eye level. This gives the whole assembly a "presence."
Cut the legs to length from the 1/2" steel EMT. Mark where the bend is to be made, which is the same for either length leg, 13 1/2".
Insert the 1/2" steel EMT into a length of 3/4" steel EMT up to the mark. You need to do this to get a sharp bend in the 1/2" steel EMT. Secure the 1/2" steel EMT firmly in place. Bend the 1/2" steel EMT to the desired offset.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig Stand
Assembly

Before assembling the Whirligig Stand, put the brass inserts into their holes in the Top Base and Base. Screw in the thumbscrews.
Put the eyebolt through the 1/4" diameter hole in the center of the Base from the bottom. Put on a washer and 2 nuts. Tighten the nuts against one another. The eyebolt gives a point from which a weight can be hung.
Insert the Whirligig Support through the center holes in the Cap and Base.
Insert the legs one at a time into the 3/4" diameter holes in the Cap and Base. Tighten the thumbscrews. Once all the legs are in place, make any final adjustments.
Put a washer over the 1/4" rod. Add a few drops of oil to the rod. Put the whirligig over the rod.

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Down Loading Plans

2008-11-12T20:19:00.001-08:00

Easiest

Move the cursor over the plan you want to down load. Left click
This will take you to a screen of the image only.
In Mozilla Firefox, at the top left of the page, left click on "File." Go to the print options, and left click on "Print."
In Windows Internet Explorer, at the top right of the page, left click the print icon.

If that routine does not work, try the following.

Left click on image. This will take you to a screen of the image only.
Right click on the image. This brings up a menu.
Left click on menu choice "copy image."
On your computer go to a blank word processor page.
Right click brings up a menu.
Left click on menu choice "paste." The image should appear on the blank page.
Print the image on your printer.

If neither of these routines work, leave a comment. I will try to work with you on an alternate method.

Whirligig #43 Free Plans

2008-10-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #43 Complete Plans

Watch it.

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #43
Materials List

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #43
Special Tools

9 " Band saw with a 1/8" blade to cut non ferrous metals
Table saw
Router
Home made router table (http://www.woodstore.net/porotapl.html)
General wheel and circle cutter, part #06

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #43
Plans

Read all the directions through before starting.
___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Blade - step 1 & 1.5

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Blade - step 2

Do the operations below on both blades at the same time. It is easier to lay out all the dimensions before cutting.)
Cut the aluminum to a square about 9 3/4".
Establish a centerline with a scribe.
Lay out the two circles that define the blade shape on the centerline.
Locate the centers for the four mounting holes and the hole where the centerline and the inside circle cross.
Drill the mounting holes and the centerline hole.
Cut the two circles and two arcs on a small band saw (I use a Delta 9" band saw with a 9" throat.) You will need a circle jig for this procedure. Usually the jig uses a small nail to center the work at the desired radius. At the four center points, drill holes of a diameter to allow a close fit over the nail. See step 2 for the location of guide holes for the two arcs.
Cut the outside circle first.
Carefully cut a path up the centerline to the hole at the intersection of the inside circle and centerline. This hole will allow you to turn the work 90 degrees and mount it on your circle jig to cut the inside circle.
Cut the inside circle.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Blade - step 3

Cut the two arcs.
Smooth the band saw cuts.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Blade - step 4

Lay out the guidelines for bending the ends of the blade.
Bend each end 30 degrees in the opposite direction. The distance between the ends should be 3/4".
On the second blade, the bends must be the mirror image of the first blade so that it will move in the opposite direction in a breeze.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Hub - step 1

Cut to size. (Make the Mast Axle Holder at the same time to avoid setting up the tools twice.)
Mark the centerline on the block for later reference. Lay out the blade mounting holes, and drill on a drill press. (I use a brad point drill for accuracy.)

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Hub - step 2

Lay out the center of the block, and drill a pilot hole. It is important to be precise as possible, because an off center blade is difficult to balance.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Hub - step 3

The bearing must fit snugly in the hole. Drill a test hole in a wood scrap with a 5/8 diameter paddle bit. Try the bearing. If the hole is too large, reduce the bit diameter on a whetstone or sandpaper. If the hole is too small, try another paddle bit brand.
Set the depth of the paddle bit hole to be 3/16”. Drill the holes in the hubs.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Hub - step 4

This step requires a circle cutter from General Tools (http://www.generaltools.com/Products/Wheel-and-Circle-Cutter__06.aspx). If you do not already own a circle cutter, get “Wheel and Circle Cutter, part #06.” This cutter comes with a reversible blade that leaves scrap waste on the inside of the cut, “Circle” option, or on the outside, “Wheel” option. If you have a standard General Tool circle cutter, it will still work. It is harder to set the exact dimension and requires an extra step to cut away the waste left on the disk. Be aware that the maximum safe speed is 500 revolutions per minute.
Carefully center the pilot bit of the circle cutter in the hole left from the paddle bit operation.
Cut a little more than half way through the wood.
Turn the piece over and cut from the opposite side.
(If you have waste left on the disk, use the band saw to cut away most of the waste freehand. Then, using a drum sander mounted on a drill press and the disk mounted on 1/4” diameter peg in a jig clamped the drill press table, sand away the remaining waste.)
On a drill press pipe jig (a 90-degree vee cut into a 2 x 4 length of wood), drill the 1/4” diameter holes to hold the counter balance rods.
Ream out the 1/4” diameter hole left from the circle cutter to 3/8” diameter. If it is not perfectly centered, that is all right.
The Axle only needs to clear the side of the hole.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Hub - step 5

Check the location of the retaining pin holes. Make sure the hole location is directly above the center of the Counter Balance Rod holes. Make an adjustment if necessary in the retaining pin holes location.
Insert Counter Balance Rods in the holes. Make certain the rods go all the way to the bottom of the holes. If you need to rub the end of the rods with soap to make it easier to push them into the hole.
Drill the holes for the retaining pins with the rods in place. Identify each rod with the hole it goes in. (With an awl or ice pick, make small marks in the wood near the hole. Wrap the rod with tape and mark it to allow you to match it to its hole.) It is not possible to drill the retaining pin holes accurately enough to allow the rods to be interchangeable.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast Axle Holder - step 1

Cut to size. (Make the Hubs at the same time to avoid setting up the tools twice.)

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast Axle Holder - step 2

Locate and drill the holes.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast Axle Holder - step 3

Drill the 1/4” diameter hole for the Axle.
Drill the 1/8” diameter retaining pin hole while the axle is in place.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast Axle Holder - step 4

Do this step at the same time as Hub - step 4.
Fill the hole left by the circle cutter with scrap wood.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast - step 1

Cut the mast to its overall dimension

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast - step 2

Locate and drill the two holes for the Mast Axle Holder. These holes are purposely a little larger to allow for an adjustment when assembling.
Rout as shown. This is the front of the mast.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast - step 3

Cut away the space for the Mast Axle Holder. I make several passes with a dado blade. If the surface is not perfectly smooth, it does not matter. The Mast Axle Holder will hide the surface.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Mast - step 4

The shape at the end of the groove depends on what tool you use to make it. I use a 6" diameter dado blade, which leaves a groove curving up to the mast's side surface. A router blade would leave a circular shape at the end of the groove. Whatever tool you use, you can fill the extra space with scrap wood and wood filler. The important thing is that you have a clear path 2 1/2" long where you can place the Mast Mount Tube.
Note that the groove is slanted to the BACK of the mast about 1 degree. This slant gives a better appearance when the whirligig is placed on the whirligig stand.
However you make the groove, you will need to cut a piece scrap wood to close the groove over the Mast Mount Tube. When you glue the scrap piece in place, put some extra glue around the Mast Mount Tube to keep it from falling out later.
Trim away the excess wood.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Miscellaneous Parts

Chamfer the pin ends so that they will go into their holes easily. The fit in the hole should be snug. If you have to use something hard to push the pins in, or you have to use pliers to get them out, that is the right fit. If the pins fit too loosely in the holes, bend them slightly or, using a cold chisel, whack them in the middle to widen the pin diameter. This will also bend the pins slightly.
There may be a problem with the 1/4” diameter rod on the Whirligig Stand (Complete plans for the Whirligig Stand will be posted by July 31, 2009) fitting into the Mast Mount Tube. If the 1/4” diameter rod of the stand is too big to fit into the Mast Mount Tube, put the rod into the chuck of the drill press. With the drill press on its slowest speed, sand the rod until it just fits.
Chamfer one end of the Counter Balance Rods to fit more easily into their holes.
You will need to reduce the diameter of the Axle so that it will fit through the bearing. Put the Axle in the drill press chuck. With the drill press on its slowest speed, sand the Axle just enough for it to fit through the bearing.

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig # 43
Assembly

Before you paint the whirligig, put it together to make certain everything fits.
Put the axle into its hole in the Mast Axle Holder. Insert its retaining pin.
Before attaching the Mast to the Mast Axle Holder, make a separator from scrap plastic painters' drop cloth or wax paper. Put it between the two pieces. This keeps the paint on the pieces from sticking together.
With the 1 1/2" bolts, join the Mast to the Mast Axle Holder with the separator in between the two pieces. The bolt head may go on either side. Use a flat washer under the bolt head. On the other end use a flat washer, lock washer and nut. Make sure the Axle is at a 90-degree angle to the mast. There should be enough leeway in the holes to allow for this adjustment.
Put a 1/4" diameter rod about 6" long into 1/4" diameter hole drilled into a scrap wood block. Clamp the block to the edge of your work surface.
Put the Mast on the rod.
Insert the two Counter Balance Rods in their holes. Secure them with retaining pins. Fasten the blades to their hubs with the 1" bolts. Put the bolt head against the metal blade and a washer, a lock washer and a nut on the other side.
Put a half drop of light oil in the bearing race. Put the bearings in their holes.
Put a Dura-Collar on the Axle, then an assembled blade and hub, then a second Dura-Collar.
The blade should clear the mast by about 1/2". Tighten the setscrew in the first Dura-Collar. Push the second Dura-Collar against the bearing on the other side of the hub and tighten the setscrew.
Repeat steps 7 through 9 for the second blade. About 1/2" should separate the blades when they rotate. There should be about 1/4" of Axle left beyond the last Dura-Collar.
The final step is balancing. Put a small piece of tape on one hub to serve as a marker. Put two Dura-Collars on each Counter Balance Rod all the way up the rod next to the hub. In a room without drafts, spin the blade. Note where the blade comes to rest. (Think of a clock face.) Little by little adjust the location of the Dura-Collars until each blade is perfectly balanced. It will come to rest at different places. This balancing procedure can take as long as an hour. Your newly completed Whirligig #43 is finished. The blades should turn in the slightest breath of air.
If the blades do not turn freely, check the following:
Are the Dura-Collars too tight against the bearing?
Did you put a half a drop of oil in the bearing race?
Are the bearings in the hub parallel to one another?
Does the Axle rub against the hub where it passes between the bearings through the hub?

___________________________________________________________

Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #43
Painting wood parts

You may paint the whirligig any color you like, but if you are putting it outside, intense colors are the most visible.
Sand the wood pieces with 150 grit or 180 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper.
Prime the wood with a good grade of white exterior latex or acrylic (water based) wood primer paint. I put on three thick coats.
Then sand the paint smooth with 220 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper. The 3M sandpaper does not fill up with paint. After you have sanded, some of the wood may show through.
Apply two more coats of the exterior paint more thinly and evenly.
Sand with 320 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper. Avoid sanding down to the wood. If the wood shows, apply two more paint coats over the bare spots and sand.
Use quality exterior gloss enamel over the primer. The color coat may be either water based or solvent-based exterior paint. I use Ronan solvent-based Bulletin colors. I apply them with a one-stroke synthetic hair brush. Whatever paint you use, follow the directions. Using solvent-based paint requires adequate ventilation.

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Chuck Dunbar's
Whirligig Design & Development
Whirligig #43
Painting aluminum and brass parts

Priming brass and aluminum metals presents special problems. The following procedure works. (Go to my blog [http://dunbar.blog.com/4954759/] for a complete discussion of the problem and a solution.) For best results, allow enough time to follow the procedure without interruption. Prepare a solution of trisodium phosphate, TSP, 1 cup per gallon. Clean the metal parts with #1 steel wool. Immediately put all the aluminum or brass parts to be painted in the TSP solution. Do not put the brass and aluminum parts in the solution at the same time. Leave the parts in the TSP solution a half hour. Swish the water a few times. Rinse and dry the metal parts.
Immediately, put the metal parts in a 5% solution of white vinegar (how it comes out of the bottle) for five minutes. Swish the samples a few times. Do not put the brass and aluminum parts in the vinegar at the same time. Rinse and dry the samples.
Immediately, spray Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer, white or very light gray, (no product number) on all surfaces of the metal samples. Do not forget the edges. Apply two coats. Follow the directions on the spray can. I improvise a spray booth outside to spray paint the parts. I wear a half mask cartridge respirator while I paint.
Sand the metal parts very lightly with 320 grit 3M Sandblaster sandpaper.
Use quality exterior gloss enamel over the primer. The color coat may be either solvent-based or water-based exterior paint. If you use water-based exterior enamel, allow the Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer to cure for one week. I use Ronan solvent-based Bulletin colors. I apply them with a one-stroke synthetic hair brush. Whatever paint you use, follow the directions. Using solvent-based paint requires adequate ventilation.

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