1. The final Wind Power building project is challenging. It should be attempted only after the other projects and experiments in the manual have been successfully completed. Please start at the beginning of the manual, and go through each experiment in order.
2. It is crucial that you read the instructions under each picture on pages 32 to 34. It is very difficult to build the model using only the pictures, without reading the instructions.
3. Start by familiarizing yourself with the official names of all the parts, by referring to the parts list on page 4. You will also learn these part names by building the other projects in the kit.
4. The instructions refer to specific parts with letters, numbers, and roman numerals. The numbers are used to label axles and the parts that are put onto axles to make shaft assemblies; the roman numerals are used to label entire shaft assemblies and other assemblies that are specifically called out from the main picture; and the letters are used to label everything else, like rods, frames, and other parts. For example, “shaft assembly [II]”, “large gear wheel (1)”, and “small frame (B)”.
5. After each step, check your assembly from the side, comparing it to Figure 6b at the bottom of page 33. Make sure everything is coming together in the correct places.
6. Now, we will give tips for each figure, going step-by-step through each figure in the assembly:
Figure 1: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 1 in a new window.
It helps to count the number of holes to determine the position of parts. For example, the two five-hole rods (C, D) get attached to the small frame (B) in the fourth holes from the bottom of the small frame. That means you count up three holes from the bottom of the small frame and then insert the anchor pins that will be used to attach rod (D) in the next hole — the fourth hole from the bottom.
For shaft assemblies, it is important to know that the axles have two ends: a long end and a short end. You will see a divider close to one end of each axle. This divider keeps parts, such as gear wheels, from sliding all the way from one side of the axle to the other. Because of this, you have to be aware of the orientation of the axle from the start. In other words, you have to pay attention to whether you are sliding the parts onto the long end or the short end of the axle.
For shaft assembly [I], slide all of the parts on the long end, not the short end.
Slide them all the way until they cannot go any further onto the shaft.
Pay attention to the directions that the gear wheels are facing when you slide them on the axles: they have a front and a back. The front is the side with the beveled gear edges. Sometimes they go on with the back first, sometimes they go on with the front first. Follow the pictures.
Figure 2: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 2 in a new window.
Small frame (F) goes into large frame (A) such that there is one empty hole between it and small frame (B).
To attach short rod (G) to small frame (F), two anchor pins are used. One anchor pin goes in the top hole, and the other anchor pin goes in the hole one up from the bottommost hole.
The gear wheels (6) and (7) go onto axle (5) on the long side of axle (5), with their front sides first. (Their front sides go onto the axle before their back sides).
IMPORTANT! When assembling shaft [II], leave about 3 or 4 mm (millimeters) between the small gear wheel (6) and the medium gear wheel (7). This is crucial for proper functioning of the gearbox, and it is hard to adjust later.
Shaft assembly [II] goes into the sixth hole from the bottom of rod (G).
Figure 3: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 3 in a new window.
Small frame (H) goes into large frame (A) such that there are three empty holes between it and small frame (F).
Short rod (I) gets attached to small frame (H) the same way short rod (G) was attached to small frame (F).
Figure 4: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 4 in a new window.
IMPORTANT! You have to assemble shaft assembly [IV] inside the framework. You cannot assemble it entirely first and then simply slide it into the framework. Follow the written instructions closely.
First slide a long axle (10) through the third hole from the top of rod (I). The long side of the long axle should go into the hole first. Don’t slide the axle through rod (G) yet.
Slide a medium gear wheel (13) onto the axle (10) so that it is between frames (F) and (H). Slide it on with the back first, so that its beveled edge faces and meshes with the beveled edges of gear wheels (6) and (7). Make sure gear wheels (6) and (7) are still a few millimeters apart from each other on the axle.
Continue to slide axle (10) through the third hole from the top of rod (G). Slide the axle almost until the divider on the axle hits rod (I). Refer to Figure 6b.
Now slide a washer (9), an axle lock (12), and a small gear wheel (11) onto the long end of the axle (10), which should now be sticking out of the front of the framework, above rods (C) and (D). Small gear wheel (11) goes on backside first, so its front beveled edge is facing forward. Small gear wheel (11) should now mesh with large gear wheel (1). Their beveled edges should face each other.
Now try turning axle (2) with your figures. Do all of the gears mesh up and turn very easily? They should. If they do not, crosscheck your assembly from the side with Figure 6b.
Figure 5: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 5 in a new window.
IMPORTANT! Again, you have to add a shaft assembly [V] inside the framework. You cannot assemble this shaft assembly entirely and then slide it into the framework. Follow the written instructions closely.
First slide medium axle (14) into the third hole from the bottom of rod (I) and through the middle hold in rod (J), but no further. You will have to slide the axle (14) with the long side first.
Now (THIS IS THE HARDEST SINGLE PART): Carefully place a washer (16) and a small gear wheel (15) onto the end of the axle (14) that is sticking out from the middle hole in rod (J). You may want to turn the entire assembly so that axle (2) is pointing up in the air, so you can slip the washer and small gear wheel onto the axle with the help of gravity. You may have to try a few times. Don’t get frustrated.
The small gear wheel (15) goes onto the shaft (14) backside first, so that its beveled edge faces the beveled edge of gear wheel (7). Gear wheels (15) and (7) should mesh up. All of the gears should move easily when you turn axle (2).
Now slide medium gear wheel (17) onto the short end of axle (14) that is sticking out of the back of rod (I). Slide it on with its frontside first.
Attach small frame (K) to large from (A) with two anchor pins on the top of it. Small frame (K) should be four empty holes away from small frame (H).
Figure 6: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 6 in a new window.
Attach a small gear wheel (18) to the pre-assembled generator (M), with its beveled front side sliding onto the generator’s shaft first.
Attach the generator to small frame (K) at the fifth holes from the bottom of the small frame, using two anchor pins. Make sure that you orient the generator so that the little white socket on its back side is at the top, and so that the small gear wheel (18) meshes with gear wheel (17).
Spin axle (2). Does every gear spin, including gear (17) attached to the generator? If not, compare your assembly from the side to Figure 6b.
Attach that battery holder (N) to the generator (M).
Figure 6a: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 6a in a new window.
Attach one of the universal adapters (O) that you assembled on page 11, to axle (2). Slide it on as shown in the picture.
Attach large frame (P) to the top of the assembly as shown.
Figure 6b: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 6b in a new window.
Figure 7: Click here to open a large picture of Figure 7 in a new window.
Attach six perpendicular connectors (U) to the frames and rods as shown and as instructed in the text.
Assemble the mast bearing like this:
Start with the two halves of the second universal adapter (X). Slide the long axle (Y) into the hole in the large half of the universal adapter with the long side of long axle first, from the inside of the universal adapter. (Refer to the inset picture).
Now put the small half of the universal adapter onto the large half, and affix them together with the small screws.
Put two anchor pins (R) into the universal adapter from the top, and use them to affix the entire gearbox assembly to the universal adapter. The anchor pins should stick into the holes in the large frame (A) that are 5 holes from the front of the windmill. (In other words, the middle empty holes between small frames (B) and (F).
Slide the long axle (Y) into the aluminum pipe (W). Make sure there is a washer (V) between them, to protect the bottom of the universal adapter (X).
You can attach the aluminum pipe to many places, using the included zip ties (T).
For example, you can attach it to a pole stuck into the ground, to a tripod, to a fence post, to the vertical bar of a railing, or any other suitable vertical pole.
Now attach the rotor and blades, as you have done before. You can cover the gearbox with a plastic bag if you want to protect it from the weather.
If you are still having problems, please call or email Thames & Kosmos technical support with questions about the specific step you are having trouble with.
