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Forum Index : Windmills : Making blades with a ChainSaw
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
This chainsaw windmill blades thread has made it to the top of Googles list. If you type chainsaw blades into google, we are at the top of the first page. 
Well done Oztules, your method sparked off some real interrest. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| KiwiJohn Guru  Joined: 01/12/2005 Location: New ZealandPosts: 691 |
Nonetheless the piece of string tacho is certainly worthy of the Back Shed hall of fame!  |
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Gill Senior Member  Joined: 11/11/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 669 |
John, Certainly commendable problem solving by a 15 year old and a forecast of things to come in later years if nurtured. But why hall of fame when it evoked no favourable comment in the thread when posted nor any to date. Perhaps if you feel so strongly of it's worthiness of commendation, why not post such a comment yourself to the member in question, in the thread in question? Well anyhow that's what I'd do if I felt that way. was working fine... til the smoke got out. Cheers Gill _Cairns, FNQ |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
I do like the string method, it will go on the site as part of a larger article about RPM measurement. Another way is mark one blade because its easier to count a single passing blade than 3 ( or more ) passing blades per revolution. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Glen...Gobsmacked I am.... never expected that.... Thanks a bunch. John and Gill, I admire the problem solving talents of our younger member... and I feel goods things may come from such minds.... it bodes well. Definately worth a mention in the RPM measuring archives too. I still don't facy getting too close to 4M blades travelling at 180kmph.... I would need to be plenty braver than I am to try it out. (and thats in mild wind) ..... not so fearless oztules  Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| Dinges Senior Member Joined: 04/01/2008 Location: AlbaniaPosts: 510 |
Well, you know how I don't like to rain on Oztules' parade (insert sarcastic laughter) but someone has to say it anyway: how many (sane) people would actually query both 'chainsaw' and 'blade' in one search ? Only people that come to mind are angry neighbours who feel the urge to clip the wings of a newly erected windturbine... 
Sorry Oztules. Someone had to drag you back down to earth. Might as well be me. |
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wdyasq Newbie  Joined: 29/07/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 21 |
I honestly believe this is the first time I have seen four pages of replies on how to butcher a piece of wood with a chainsaw. Ron Adventure is just bad planning." -- Roald Amundsen |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
You can't hold me down today Dinges, First thing (well, later this morning), I will be leaving the island in my new learjet..climbing above the fluffy clouds at 40000 feet and flying into Melbourne ....second largest city in the country, to a waiting throng of fans to greet me in plush airport terminal..paparazzi style.... so there... (What I really mean, is I'm going to be tossed into the bowels of the mail plane, we'll do a rough flight over the waves of Bass Straight, buzz the grassy landing field at Tooradin (way out of Melbourne...middle of nowhere really) to get the cows and sheep off the grass landing strip, and taxi up to a tin shed with collapsed verandah and leaking water tank.....and perhaps get a ride into the city with the pilot.... but I don't want to bore you with details). Whilst on the mainland I will purchase next years chainsaw blades. It is only a rumour that I spent 4 days searching chainsaw blades on the computer to get the numbers up. You will be pleased to know I have lost top billing on Hughes site, and have slipped halfway down the page .... soon to be a celebrity down on his luck.... fleeting business this stardom stuff. And Ron, we agreed to keep it simple and call it a stick. Thanks Guys. Will probably be absent for a bit as don't know about internet access for the next ??month?? perhaps. So am indeed flying to Australia today for maybe a month. Will try and keep in touch here, but can't promise anything. Maybe scratchy at best. .............oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| Robb Senior Member Joined: 01/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221 |
Welcome to Vic |
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| Jarbar Senior Member Joined: 03/02/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 225 |
Whilst in VIC check out my VAWT. Anthony. "Creativity is detirmined by the way you hold your tounge".My Father "Your generation will have to correct the problems made by mine".My Grandfather. |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Thanks Robb ... I wanna go back home already.... people and cars everywhere.... eeek. .....oztules Jarbar, what area are you in? Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| Jarbar Senior Member Joined: 03/02/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 225 |
Hello Oztules, sunny car infested Ferntree Gully in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.But thinking of moving to Flinders Island soon. Anthony  "Creativity is detirmined by the way you hold your tounge".My Father "Your generation will have to correct the problems made by mine".My Grandfather. |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Oz, One of the best articles I read this side of the rabbit proof fence! No wonder you call yourself Oztools, as this portable sawmill idea is great. On behalf of this forum I wish to congratulate you on your extremely brief moment of Google glory and award you not only a black belt in electrickery, but also ABC's Inventor of the Year award! A tacky plastic trophy. Other proud holders of the Black Belt are: Flux, Commanda, Jerry (Fieldlines) GWatpe and last, but not least, our GIZMO. Glad to see that Dinges is finally off his pills and reports to us the resistances, impedances, etc. which he sees in his crystal ball(s). Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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| Robb Senior Member Joined: 01/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 221 |
Suberban Melbourne is a bit eek I'll give you that 
Jarbar are you the guy with the big savonius (green paint??) and a hill behind your house? If so I saw that once but went back for another look and couldnt seem to find the street or see it wile driving. |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Update: I did some work for a fella who needed a few kilometers of trees pushed down to allow his overhead wires to go to his house and get grid power. As it turns out, the grid was duly put on, and I thought no more of it, he paid for the fuel and hydraulic oil and transport ... no problems........the months tick by...... Yesterday, he fronts up with a utility full of 125 AH 6v yuasa batteries (UXH125-6).... 16 in fact.... 48v@250AH. as a thanks for helping him out ...... with a grin from ear to ear.
So I quickly put them on the end of the chainsaw blade mill to see just how stiff the windings actually are. Here are the new gifts... 
It was another clear day with fairly light winds with a few gusts from time to time. Mostly it sat around at this level (500-600watts or so) 
Now and again a decent gust would come along ,but only lasted for a minute or so then go quiet again (500w) .. a 1300watt gust looks like this: 
A decent gust came through which lasted for about 2 mins, and pushed it up to 31 amps at 70.6v.. or about 3 horse power in the old money. (2100 watts).... and the camera was back at the shed. 
The way the mill pushed up the battery voltage I think shows just how low impedance this alternator really is, or how rapidly it charged them up to fullish, and then pushed them up fast. Now when I drive past a pine tree, I look at it a bit differently.... how big a blade could I carve from that one ..... etc... Now, I just need a decent load for it to drive. ............oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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GWatPE Senior Member Joined: 01/09/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2127 |
Hi oztules, I am not so sure of this. I know the alternator is a great performer. I am a bit concerned at the batteries. Either they are fully charged, I would not think so, or need some TLC. Probably some sulfation going on there. I would take a few kWhr out of the battery and try again and see how quickly the voltage rises when there is somewhere to put some power. The batteries should handle 10-20A without too much voltage rise when absorbing. I am still using dead batteries after 2 years Even a residual 10% capacity gives enough power to run a plasma TV for a couple of hours Gordon. PS I attach a photo of a good tower for your mill. 19m high and 150mm Gal steel. check the relative height of a person. 
become more energy aware |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Yes Gordon, You are correct, the batteries are fully charged (they weren't, but by the time I finished fiddling around, this mill pushes them up pretty fast, and when the gusts finally come on in the late afternoon, they are too much, too late. Apparently they take 40 or more amps when they are down, I just have not got a load of any consequence at the moment. I will use a 4kw DC motor into a 7kw 3Ph motor and drive it into the grid.... at least get my 80 cents back (20c per kwh)
I will have to drop 5-6 kwh out of them (12kwh pack), and try it all again.... I do like the tower, I have two 12m lengths of 7"x1/8" wall galvanised pipe for mine.... If I'm developing this kind of power at ground level on nice days, I should have plenty to go around when I'm high in the air. The chainsaw is out again, we are cutting some new blades from Macracarpa for the AWP up the hill at Jamies place... covered in saw dust again.
Edit: It is interesting that it only raised it a volt when the amps went from 10-20 amps, but another 4 or so when it pushed over 30amps.... The 30 amps came a bit later, so SOC was probably way over the top by then. interesting. ............oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
I pulled 6kwh out of the batteries and tried again Gordon, The alt still put out 30A just before furling, but the voltage remained sensible this time. .........oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| oztules Guru Joined: 26/07/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1686 |
Well, our friends in Ireland have had a go at this chainsaw business, and done a way better job than me at it. Check this out.... Irish renewable site and this photo collection. The man did some magnificent jigs.... I've been shamed big time...
pictures of the jigs etc There was also a picture on Hughs site of another fellow in Ireland building them at one of Hugh's classes at Galway...I think, but the picture has moved somewhere else.. These blokes have taken it to a new height methinks. 
And with improvements like handles on the blade slide jigs too, and roller bearings on the side...... WOW 
The finish is beautiful, and the twist is complex not just simple like mine was.... I've been made redundant already.... sheeesh. ........oztules Village idiot...or... just another hack out of his depth |
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| Dinges Senior Member Joined: 04/01/2008 Location: AlbaniaPosts: 510 |
'Imitation is the best compliment.' ...you should've applied for a patent... |
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